Home› Music› Music Appreciation
Options

Abba Appreciation Thread

SonofaBeastSonofaBeast Posts: 334
Forum Member
✭
in Music Appreciation #1
I did search for a thread but was surprised to not find one.

So who here likes Abba?

Without a doubt the finest pop group of all time and the template example of how to write and produce quality pop music. They raised the bar so high that hardly any artist or band has come close to topping it. Excellent musicianship, great songwriting, the famous outfits, the vocals - all enduring. The amount of classics in their back catalogue is staggering. Everyone from Bono to Madonna to Kylie to Noel Gallagher to Elton John to Paul Weller have declared their love for the Swedish superstars, even John Lennon named "SOS" one of his all-time favourite pop songs. Everyone has got to like at least one Abba song, wether you like to admit it or not.

What is yours?

Mine is "Eagle".
«1

Comments

  • Options
    cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #2
    I love them! As a kid I had Abba Gold on cassette and I used to listen to it on long car journeys. I loved it. I have three Abba CDs - Abba Gold, More Gold and Super Trouper. I have so many favourite songs but my personal favourite is Lay All Your Love on Me. My friends love them too, in fact loads of them admitted Abba Gold was their favourite album!
  • Options
    Gambit_is_aceGambit_is_ace Posts: 9,458
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #3
    I love ABBA!

    It's only been this year I've truely appreciated all their music after buying their box set of albums. There are so many more songs that are great than what is on Gold!
  • Options
    LamaestraLamaestra Posts: 1,560
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #4
    I think they're brilliant! My favourite tracks are 'The Name Of The Game' and 'My Love My Life' from the 'Arrival' album.

    I have even legally changed my forename to Agnetha (don't laugh!)
  • Options
    alcockellalcockell Posts: 25,160
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #5
    Same here - Funnily enough they get a lot of PRS money from my streaming choices on We7... (can't be arsed chucking the CDs on my DVD player)

    Must admit, I like the Voulez-Vous album - then again, I am kinda partial to funk..
    Oh sod it - most of their stuff. Not so keen on I Have A Dream, I Do(x5)...

    Looking forward to that long run of ABBA and ELO hits on TOTP1977/1978...
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 46
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #6
    I'm brand new member, saw this thread, only got to ABBA on page 3. Disgrace!! I loved ABBA so much as a child I think I was addicted - my whole room was covered in posters and my sole goal in life was to go and live with them all in Sweden. Yes, barking. When Arrival came out I just couldn't believe how good it was - and they were so glamorous in their helicopter. Thats my fave album. At least 7 songs could have been singles (Money Money very poor choice). The Album was amazing too - really lush synths. Later albums less good for me but still included many classics. Some of my faves, when I Kissed the Teacher, Summer Night City, Name of the Game etc. ABBA forever!!
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 727
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #7
    Why so few people appreciating ABBA? I've loved them since I was 6 years old and first heard 'Mamma Mia'. For me they represent an innocent and happy childhood, their songs take me back instantly. My sister had all the albums, I kept wanting to listen to 'Hey Hey Helen' when I was little because I thought they'd written a song for me!

    They seem to go through phases of coolness and not. I remember getting to my secondary school and being laughed at for having The Visitors tape when everyone else was into Adam and the Ants and Duran Duran. Then in the 90s they suddenly became cool - I don't know why - with ABBA Gold and my eleven year-old niece was listening to them! Now, after the film and the musical, they seem to have been declared naff again :(

    I watched their 1979 London show on YouTube the other night. I don't think they really enjoyed playing live. The boys probably enjoyed writing the most and the girls recording. So if they ever got together again I would prefer it to be to record an album than just live shows, though I'd go and see them anyway as I was too young for concerts when they did tour. Has anyone here been to a concert?

    Oh and my favourite songs, S-O-S, Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, So Long, The Visitors, Eagle, Our Last Summer, Cassandra, Boomerang, and Hey Hey Helen of course! :)
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 727
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #8
    Lamaestra wrote: »
    I think they're brilliant! My favourite tracks are 'The Name Of The Game' and 'My Love My Life' from the 'Arrival' album.

    I have even legally changed my forename to Agnetha (don't laugh!)

    Love it! :)

    So I'll be Annifrid, let's go to Sweden and get a Bjorn and a Benny and we'll be on Swap Shop before you know it!

    I would have loved to have been Frida, I think she had the slightly better voice. I think I wanted to be Frida during the week and Jennifer Hart at weekends when Hart to Hart was on! :)
  • Options
    Ancient IDTVAncient IDTV Posts: 10,174
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #9
    I like quite a few of their songs.

    10 of my favourites:-

    Honey Honey
    So Long
    The Piper
    Summer Night City
    Eagle
    Angeleyes
    Hasta Manana
    Mamma Mia
    Waterloo
    Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 227
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #10
    Just back from visiting the abba museum. It was fantastic! Loads of things to look at and great interactive activities well worth a visit to Stockholm
  • Options
    laurence1870laurence1870 Posts: 213
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #11
    Does anyone know the song 'Head Over Heels'? it was a later single for them which wasn't exactly a classic hit but I think its one of their most underrated songs.
  • Options
    vauxhall1964vauxhall1964 Posts: 10,360
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #12
    laurence1870 wrote: »
    Does anyone know the song 'Head Over Heels'? it was a later single for them which wasn't exactly a classic hit but I think its one of their most underrated songs.

    I actually think Head Over Heels was their first big mistake...pleasant but not as strong as the singles that came before it (One of Us, The Winner Takes It All). When it flopped ABBA lost their air of invincibility, which they never got back. Instead they should've released what they put out in Australia and America: When All Is Said And Done..far more substantial and grown up. They could've had another top 10 hit with that.
  • Options
    Norbert5Norbert5 Posts: 930
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #13
    Is it just me or is Andante Andante under rated it would be in my top 3 never mind top 10 . Only just rediscovered it last week.

    It could easily replace something like Waterloo although very important to Abba it isn't one I would listen to.
  • Options
    The VonzThe Vonz Posts: 59
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #14
    I'd do the blonde one.

    The girls aren't bad looking either!

    :cool:
  • Options
    ianradioianianradioian Posts: 74,865
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #15
    Abba had so many good pop hits, and some great album tracks too. I've my old abba lps from the 70s, and I like around 25/30 of their tracks going right back
  • Options
    Samantha_IsaacsSamantha_Isaacs Posts: 195,643
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    #16
    im looking forward to their comeback
  • Options
    MarkjukMarkjuk Posts: 30,436
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #17
    Some of my favourite songs, are the "less well known" ("B side") ones - not usually featured in tribute programmes.

    Eagle
    I am the City
    Bang-A-Boomerang
    Happy New Year
    Me and I
    Our Last Summer
    Soldiers
    You Owe Me One
  • Options
    ScottydogxScottydogx Posts: 606
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #18
    Saw them live twice. Glasgow in 1977 and Wembley in 1979. Still very memorable shows for me and one of my all time favourite bands. I’m amazed that after all of this time of saying no that they have finally recorded together again. I’m not expecting anything more from them. But you never know.
  • Options
    ScottydogxScottydogx Posts: 606
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #19
    Norbert5 wrote: »
    Is it just me or is Andante Andante under rated it would be in my top 3 never mind top 10 . Only just rediscovered it last week.

    It could easily replace something like Waterloo although very important to Abba it isn't one I would listen to.

    It’s a track that I always skip though I can appreciate why people would like it. Don’t know if you are aware that Frida recently recorded a new version in Spanish. You can hear it on YouTube
  • Options
    tonyhrkrtonyhrkr Posts: 105
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #20
    just the best. and this coming from someone that loves horrible noisy music.

    Name Of The Game is probably the most perfect pop song ever written. But then:

    When I Kissed The Teacher
    Bang A Boomerang
    Knowing Me Knowing You
    The Visitors

    it just doesn't stop...
  • Options
    Samantha_IsaacsSamantha_Isaacs Posts: 195,643
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    #21
    My mum was a huge ABBA fan when she was a teenager
  • Options
    musicnutmusicnut Posts: 323
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #22
    Their songs still sound fresh after all these years. They wrote songs with TUNES, MELODIES you can actually remember !! Today’s pop, with a few exceptions, is tuneless, lifeless and incredibly boring. Move on is my favourite, along with I do I do...., Knowing me knowing you and many more.
  • Options
    Samantha_IsaacsSamantha_Isaacs Posts: 195,643
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    #23
    musicnut wrote: »
    Their songs still sound fresh after all these years. They wrote songs with TUNES, MELODIES you can actually remember !! Today’s pop, with a few exceptions, is tuneless, lifeless and incredibly boring. Move on is my favourite, along with I do I do...., Knowing me knowing you and many more.

    My nanny gets goosebumps every time she hears the opening piano to dancing queen. Move on is my mum's favourite as it reminded of her moving from Scotland back to England
  • Options
    AngusMastAngusMast Posts: 5,153
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #24
    ABBA didn't do a Christmas song, they're too good for that.

    But The Piper has a folky and religious Christmas feel

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc4XqKSWOSc
  • Options
    grimtales1grimtales1 Posts: 46,695
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #25
    Recently I heard one called 'I am an A' which was interesting, part of the song became 'I Know Him So Well' from Chess.
    I also really like their emotional, poignant songs, 'Our Last Summer' 'The Winner Takes it All', 'Slipping Through My Fingers' - some are beautiful.
  • Options
    vauxhall1964vauxhall1964 Posts: 10,360
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #26
    AngusMast wrote: »
    ABBA didn't do a Christmas song, they're too good for that.

    But The Piper has a folky and religious Christmas feel

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc4XqKSWOSc

    well Happy New Year is on many Christmas compilations and Agnetha did a whole album of Christmas songs while still in ABBA.
Sign In or Register to comment.