ABBA-1976 ARRIVAL
"In these old familiar
rooms, children
would play ,now there is only emptiness ,nothing to say"
ABBA-ARRIVAL October 1976 Available worldwide on CD
In 2006 this album was reissued in a 30th anniversary edition with a bonus DVD...
Was ABBA at it's peak here? Quite possibly! This is a very strong pop album. There are few studio albums in pop music that are so filled with catchy listenable hooks . On a technical level, It's a nearly flawless production. ARRIVAL's major flaw is that most of the songs lack emotional or intellectual depth. Even pop songs require a little heart and soul, and many early ABBA records lack that. Most of ABBA's major pop rock contempories, (especially American artists) were at least able to fake emotional or intellectual depth. Bjorn and Stig were still largely writing weak lyrics that often lacked any real meaning.
This was the first of the ABBA studio albums to sell in large quantities in a every English speaking territory.
The prior studio albums sold exceedingly well variosly in Scandinavia, Australia, Germany, and The Low Countries,but ARRIVAL was the first of the ABBA studio albums to sell in large quantities in a every English speaking territory. Indeed ARRIVAL was perhaps ABBA's most widely successful album, though their next three studio albums also did very well.
ARRIVAL did hit Number one in many territories,and the total worldwide sales of this album are thought to be in the ten million unit range , probably more than any of the other ABBA seven ABBA studio albums. ABBA first Greatest Hits album is also thought to have sold over 10 million copies worldwide and of course ABBA Gold has sold well over 20 million copies. .. Still, Unlike some other big acts of the 1970's and 1980's (Fleetwood Mac, Peter Frampton, Carole King , the Bee Gees, Bruce Springsteen ) there isn't really one ABBA album studio album that substantially out performed the others, internationally speaking. ABBA's success was a constant .Of course, ABBA peaked differently in each market. But ABBA was like The Beatles, Billy Joel,or Garth Brooks-they had a long string of consistently successful albums,
ARRIVAL was released in most territories in the late 1976 to a world hungry for new ABBA product. It was probably the most anticipated ABBA album.The early 1976 to early 1978 period saw the release of a string of seven singles that resulted in six British #1's & and one #2 chart placing. Three of the songs were songs from ARRIVAL-"Dancing Queen' ,"Knowing Me, Knowing You" , and "Money,Money, Money",
ARRIVAL was the first album to feature ABBA's famous backwards "B" trademark. The trademark was designed by Rune Soderqvist, ABBA's album designer.
The Recording dates and some Musician credits listed below are sourced from original CD/album liner notes or from THE COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS by Carl Magnus Palm.
TRACK BY TRACK
1. When I Kissed The Teacher (Andersson-Ulvaeus) 3.02 Recorded June 1976
Lead & Backing
Vocals-Agnetha Faltskog, Vocals-Frida Lyngstad
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Lead Guitar-Janne Schaffer
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
Percussion -Malando Gassama
The album opens with "When I Kissed The Teacher" an amazing example of B&B's and their bands ability to come up with original arrangements-12 string guitars, basses,keyboards all come at you from surprising places. Of course, the lyrics are shite. The song was actually made into one of ABBA's few story like filmclips for a TV special... This is one of those songs where you wonder-hey did Bjorn think up that guitar opening-is he actually that good...
2. Dancing Queen (Andersson-Anderson-Ulvaeus) 3.50 Recorded August 1975
Lead & Backing Vocals-Agnetha
Faltskog,Frida Lyngstad
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Electric Guitar- Janne Schaffer
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Roger Palm, String Arrangements-S.O. Walldorf
This album featured three big
hits."Dancing Queen' , ABBA's first nod
toward the then emerging Disco scene, was probably ABBA 's biggest
hit ever worldwide -it hit # 1 in the most countries . "DQ'
is one of ABBA's most flawless records-there is nothing that could
done to improve the recording. This elegant single was ABBA's
only #1 hit in America. "Dancing Queen' was even sung to
Sweden's queen in a Royal Command Performance.
"Dancing Queen" is probably ABBA's most famous song-but as well done as it is-it's certainly not a very important song-or a very meaningful song. That is certainly a weakness of ABBA-, ABBA simply does not compare well to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, U2, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen. or other pop/rock acts that have managed to have recorded bodies of work that included a lot of vital and meaningful music.
It is of interest that Dancing Queen was recorded in 1975 nearly 20 months before it would hit #1 int USA. ABBA recorded 5 major worldwide hit singles during 1975.
3. My Love, My Life (Andersson-Anderson-Ulvaeus) 3.52 Recorded August 1976
Lead & Backing Vocals-Agnetha
Faltskog, Vocals-Frida Lyngstad
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Lead Guitar-Janne Schaffer
Bass Guitar, String arrangments-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
" My Love, My Life"
was one of ABBA's sweetest ballads and best melodies.The lyrics
are pretty good. Agnetha sings it well. Benny, was not totally
happy with the overly busy production on this track-perhaps a
recognition on his part, that sometimes he was not quite sure
how to take his beautiful melodies and turn them into great records...
4. Dum Dum Diddle (Andersson-Ulvaeus)
2.53 Recorded July 1976
Lead & Backing Vocals-Agnetha
Faltskog,Frida Lyngstad
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Keyboards, Accordion-Benny Andersson
Guitar-Lasse Wellander
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
"Dum Dum Diddle"
has quite a dumb lyric but also is incredibly hooky, one of the
catchier songs on album on a filled with catchy songs. And yes
there is an accordion in there....
5.Knowing Me, Knowing You (Andersson- Anderson-Ulvaeus) 4.02 Recorded March 1976
Lead & Backing Vocals-,Frida
Lyngstad,Vocals-Agnetha Faltskog
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Backing Vocals, Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Guitar-LasseWellander , Janne Schaffer
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
Percussion -Malando Gassama
ABBA's first single (with
the possible exception of "Fernando' ) that had lyrics that
actually made any sense. The troubled relationship theme was one
that would prove to be important theme for later ABBA songs.
The vocals of KMKY seemed derivative of the 1960's American group,
the Mamas and The Papas ,but the guitar in KWKY was playing a
melody that could only have been dreamn't up by Europeans.Oh and
did I mention the bass guitar...well I could go on and on ...KMKY
is just a great record ! Perhaps even better than "Dancing
Queen".
The video for KMKY was one of
Lasse Hallestrom's homages to Swedish director -Ingmar
Bergman. (Lots of side profile angles!). Lasse Hallstrom, directed
most of ABBA's videos (as well as ABBA-The Movie) ,he would later
go onto direct films in Hollywood.
This song like so many other ABBA
songs features the use of the vocal device -"a ha" which
for some reason ABBA just loved to do. Apparently according to
Bjorn -"a-ha" worked well as a short two syllable phrase
when lrycis were put together to match music. In this case-it's
done by Bjorn and what is probably one his most effective ABBA
background vocals...Knowing Me, Knowing
You
Some of the other ABBA songs to use the "A-Ha are -Hey, hey
Helen, Honey Honey
"Angel Eyes, "Voulez Vous" ,", The King Has
Lost His Crown" and "You Owe Me One".
6. Money, Money, Money (Andersson-Ulvaeus) 3.05 Recorded May 1976
Lead & Backing Vocals-,Frida
Lyngstad,Vocals-Agnetha Faltskog
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Backing Vocals-Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Lead Guitar-Anders Glenmark
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
ARRIVAL's third biggest single
was "Money,Money, Money". It is not the kind of great
single that "Fernando", "Dancing Queen" and
"Knowing Me, Knowing You" are. Björn admits that
Money X3 uses a lyrical theme that had already been done one too
many times, but Frida's jazzy cabaret singing brings it off with
verve. And , this song has had some impact-
I often hear Money X3 used on American news programs when a musical
theme for money is required. That's strange because here in America
the song didn't even make the all important Top 40, "Money
,Money,Money" broke ABBA's American string of 8 top 40 hits
. Yes, folks ABBA actually did get played on American radio. And,
yes, the song too has the "A-ha" device.
7. That's Me (Andersson-Anderson-Ulvaeus) 3.15 Recorded March 1976
Lead & Backing Vocals-Agnetha
Faltskog,Frida Lyngstad
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Lead Guitar-Janne Schaffer
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
Percussion -Malando Gassama
"That's Me" (also on the b-side to "Dancing Queen" ) is a great showcase for cool, smooth A&A harmonies. Released as an A-side in Japan. The arrangement on this track is slick....
8. Why Did It Have To Be Me
(Andersson-Ulvaeus) 3.20 Recorded August 1976
Vocals-Agnetha Faltskog,Frida
Lyngstad
Guitar & Lead Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Backing Vocals. Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Lead Guitar-Janne Schaffer
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
Sax-LArs Carlsson
"Why Did To Have to Be
Me", is amongst the most enjoyable of ABBA's songs with Björn
in the lead. It is almost 1950's style rocker, that had originally
been recorded as "Happy Hawaii". In concert, the song
featured Frida doing some of the lead vocals, bringing out the
humour in the song.
9. Tiger (Andersson-Ulvaeus)
2.55 Recorded July 1976
Lead & Backing Vocals-Agnetha
Faltskog,Frida Lyngstad
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Lead Guitar-Lasse Wellander
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
Tiger" is a good rock
number elevated by it lovely soft bridge. It's the kind of a song
that you would almost think would make a good single, but on reflection
you , say to yourself no probably not....Cool rock numbers would
become scarcer in the ABBA repertoire from this point forward...The
lyric is kind of stupid....so once again it was not a serious
candidate from American radio...
10. Arrival (Andersson-Ulvaeus)
3.00 Recorded August 1976
Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Backing Vocals-Agnetha Faltskog,Frida Lyngstad
Synthesizers,Accordion,Keyboards-Benny Andersson String arrangments-Ruger
Gunnarsson
Strings-Martin Bylund, Anders Dahl, Gunna Michols, Bernt Nylund,
Bo Soderstrom Harry Teike, Lars Avinder, Alm Ersson
ARRIVAL's title track was also it's closing track , it's an instrumental though it does have backing vocals. It's very effective, even if to some it seemed out of place. British musician Mike Oldfield recorded a cover version,of "Arrival" and he even had a photograph of him in a helicopter taken for his record. "Arrival" is similiar to some of the Swedish accordion/ violin folk music on Benny's solo albums.
BONUS tracks:
11. Fernando (Andersson-Anderson-Ulvaeus) 4.05 Recorded August 1975
Lead & Backing Vocals-,Frida
Lyngstad,Vocals-Agnetha Faltskog
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Backing Vocals, Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Lead Guitar-Lasse Wellander
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
Percussion -Malando Gassama
Flute -Jan Kling Strings arranged by S.O. walldorf.
The 1976 single "Fernando' was included as a bonus track on the original Australian version of ARRIVAL and on some of the recent remastered editions" Fernando" was ABBA's first successful ballad hit. IT was ABBA's biggest hit in Australia as well as one of the biggest selling hits ever in Australia. "Fernando" had been originally written in Swedish for the FRIDA ENSAM album, but a English language version with both Frida & Agnetha singing was prepared for release by ABBA on the first Greatest Hits album. The song seems both over exposed and fresh at the same time. The intro and flute still can bring chills to the spine.
The special intro helped made this first ABBA song to exceed four minutes in length. During the songwriting process, "Fernando "had emerged as a Swedish tango ,but had soon developed a ersatz Mexican feel. It almost sounds like a Spanish act recorded it-and reminds a one a little of the Spanish song-"Eres Tu.' The chorus to the song is probably the ABBA hit that is easiest to sing along to.
12. Happy Hawaii (Andersson-Anderson-Ulvaeus) Recorded April 1976
Lead & Backing Vocals-Agnetha
Faltskog,Frida Lyngstad
Guitar & Backing Vocals-Bjorn Ulvaeus
Keyboards-Benny Andersson
Lead Guitar-Janne Schaffer . Lasse Wellander Steel Guitar-Janne
Lindgren
Bass Guitar-Rutger Gunnarsson
Drums-Ola Brunkert
Percussion -Malando Gassama
Released as the b-side to "Knowing Me, Knowing You", this was the early version of "Why Did It Have To Be Me". It has the girls singing,and sounds quite Hawaiian. "Why did it have to be Me"is probably better.... "Happy Hawaii" was actually made into a cartoon video in Australia before it was actually released as a b-side. Sadly ,the video was thought lost-but appers to have been located.. This is good choice for a b-side, it was not bad enough to be left unreleased ,but it would have been out of place on the Arrival album.. This was first original ABBA song in four years to be relegated soley to be a b-side. .
"Happy Hawaii" did not make it onto a album till the late 1980's.
Other tracks recorded or released
"Monsieur Monsieur" was also recorded but not released . It is an "Our Last Summer" themed song with an Agnetha lead vocal "Monsieur" was done in a much higher key with different lyrics than,"My Love, My Life" the song that it would later become. It might have been interesting to record "Monsieur Monsieur" in French,
B&B also wrote a disco song that ABBA considered but apparently didn't record called "Funky Feet". "Funky Feet" ended up being given to Polar label mates Svenne And Lotta.
The B-side "Crazy World" released around this time was actually mostly recorded in the fall of 1974. Thus it was included on ABBA's 1975 self-titled album as a bonus track in recent remasterings.
Spanish vocal overdubs were recorded for "Fernando, "Dancing Queen" and Knowing Me, Knowing You" in 1980.
-"The
texts. They are almost exclusively miserable/deplorable, empty
in both --"Gushing with enthusiastic naivete, here come those sibiliant Swedes again, blanketing the globe with affecionate harmonies of polar sirens!..."Dancing Queen' has already evolved into a disco cliche, but the elaborate use of strings on this record forces one to ignore the trendy rythems, and there are least five more smasheroos destined for the dj's turntables spread all over this record." Robot A. Hull writing in America's Cream. --- "Even more than previous albums, ARRIVAL is Muzak mesmerizing in its modality . By reducing their already vapid lyrics to utter illelevance, Anna & Frida are liberated to natter on in their shrill voices without regard to emotion or expression, and the language barrier is broken... B&B's expansions of the popsong hook* envelope the entire song into a single narcotic hug as on "Dancing Queen", "Dum Dum Diddle"and "Money Money Money" This is perhaps the most infuriating thing about the group... since they are so cheery and determinedly inoffensive, one cannot really hate them."- Ken Tucker in America's Rolling Stone April 7, 1977 issue. * (note: The "Hook" is the catchy part of a song-ABBA were the absolute masters of the pop hook.
|
ABBA-ARRIVAL (Remastered version) 2001 CD and Digipak limited edition.
The latest remastering includes liner notes by Carl Magnus Palm, rare photos and 2 bonus tracks- "Fernando"and "Happy Hawaii" ."Happy Hawaii "had not been on any previous additions of this album.
1. When I Kissed The Teacher; 2. Dancing Queen; 3. My Love, My Life; 4. Dum Dum Diddle; 5.Knowing Me, Knowing You. 6. Money, Money, Money; 7. That's Me; 8. Why Did It Have To Be Me; 9. Tiger; 10. Arrival;
extra tracks: 11. Fernando; 12. Happy Hawaii
ABBA-Arrival (Deluxe Edition) release October 2006 1cd/1dvd
A 30th (augh!) anniversary edition of this classic late 1976 ABBA album...The first disc is a audio CD ,the second a DVD ....The track listing is similiar to that found on the ARRIVAL disc of the COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS box set...The reissue people at Universal went crazy with all the bonus TV clips...the most clips I have ever seen on a ABBA disc outside of a bootleg..
Disc 1, CD track list:
1. When I Kissed The Teacher
2. Dancing Queen
3. My Love, My Life
4. Dum Dum Diddle
5. Knowing Me, Knowing You
6. Money, Money, Money
7. That's Me
8. Why Did It Have To Be Me
9. Tiger
10. Arrival
BONUS TRACKS
11. Fernando
12. Happy Hawaii
13. Fernando (Spanish version)
14. La Reina Del Baile (Spanish version of Dancing Queen)
15. Conociéndome, Conociéndote (Spanish version
of Knowing Me, Knowing You)
16. Fernando (Frida's Swedish solo version)
Disc 2, DVD
1. ABBA-dabba-dooo!!, 1976 one-hour television special, features
performances of eight of the ten songs from the Arrival album
including live versions of "Dum Dum Diddle" and "Why
Did It Have To Be Me", Also features the Dancing Queen
- official promo clip and lip sync versions of Knowing Me,
Knowing You; When I Kissed The Teacher (featuring a different,
early mix); My Love, My Life; Money, Money, Money and Tiger.
2. Dancing Queen -West German TV- Musikladen Extra, filmed in January 1976.
3. Fernando -Top Of The Pops, April 1976
4. Happy Hawaii - cartoon version of Happy Hawaii 1976.
5. Dancing Queen recording session-Filmed extracts from the actual recording session shown on Swedish TV 1975 documentary, Mr Trendsetter.
6. ABBA in London, November
1976
-A feature on ABBA's promotional visit to London, promoting
the Arrival album. TV show -Nationwide, November 1976.
7. ABBA's 1976 success news report-Swedish news TV programme Rapport in December 1976.
8. Arrival UK television
commercial I, 1977
9. Arrival UK television commercial II, 1977
10. International sleeve gallery - Arrival-related single and album sleeves from around the world.
Source:ABBA-the Site
ABBA Arrival Deluxe Edition October 2006 International CD/DVD
This is the Arrival remaster with b-sides and alternate language tracks coupled with a DVD of 1976 TV appearences, really kinda of cool...
*Swedish release October 76 #1 * UK release November 76 #1 * US release January 1977 #20 * Recorded at Metronome, Glen, KMH studios,Stockholm * Recorded August 1975-Sept 76 Songs written and Produced by Andersson-Ulvaeus |
SINGLES released FROM ARRIVAL Dancing Queen/That's Me Money Money Money/Crazy World (non Lp)
|
To fly elsewhere...
* ABBA's next album 1977-78 THE ALBUM
or click below..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABBA THE ALBUMS - GROUP & SOLO ALBUM REVIEWS LISTED IN ODER OF YEAR OF RELEASE Chart revised July 2006 by Montief OR SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE HIM... |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Powered by jb