Abba

xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
Forum Member
On the "Britains fave Abba Song" show someone said that only one group... the Beatles... have sold more records. than Abba.
Even that stat could change one day and Abba could become the biggest selling group on the planet.
Theres an upbeat, optomistic feel to a lot of the Abba songs.... they are wild and free and life enhancing.

George Harrison said that he never listened to the old Beatles LPs and I feel a lot of people are like that.... the LPs are sitting in the record cabinet collecting dust and never get a play.

Abba music on the other had seems to get reborn every year with record braking musicals , films and TV shows like the Britains fave Abba song ( which turned out to be .. Winner Takes it All )

How did Abba achieve this phenomenal success ? the Beatles had 3 very fine melodywriters in the group... Abba had just one melody writer... Benny.
In other words, all that incredible music came from just one... bearded... Swedish guy !!!!
Of course Abba had one thing the Beatles did nt have... ie two of the foxiest ladies in all of Sweden.... and we all know, that when a blonde enters a nightclub or restaurant.... all eyes are on her !
go here
http://www.mediafire.com/?7onw1tf8okodmfc (8.5 meg)


.
«134567

Comments

  • GoodwinGoodwin Posts: 6,576
    Forum Member
    A good hook counts for a lot.
  • Mr. FahrenheitMr. Fahrenheit Posts: 9,911
    Forum Member
    Goodwin wrote: »
    A good hook counts for a lot.

    This.:)

    They're really catchy, simple lyrics that convey emotion well.
  • mushymanrobmushymanrob Posts: 17,992
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    benny and bjorn are probably pops second best songwriters (behind lennon/mccartney), they composed classic pop records that are among the best ever written. will they ever overtake the beatles?...no. beatles music is still selling, many fans are updating their collections and the beatles were a world wide phenomenon, abba werent.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,139
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    So is this a general thread about Abba or Abba vs The Beatles??
  • xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
    Forum Member
    Yes Bjorn can take his place among some
    of the greatest lyricists of the 20th cent
    .... amazing too that English was his second language !
  • xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
    Forum Member
    quote
    benny and bjorn are probably pops second best songwriters (behind lennon/mccartney),
    end quote

    but did John and Paul really write any
    song as brilliant as this one ?


    Awesome song.... or is it a hymn ?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCfr9pJ4JJA
  • xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
    Forum Member
  • gpkgpk Posts: 10,206
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    you should ask the moderators to change the title and move this thread to the appreciation section. either that or refrain from making comparisons to the beatles. it will only lead to more disagreements. :)
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
    Forum Member
    I've never listened to a Beatles song but I love ABBA and I have their Gold, More Gold and Super Trouper albums on my ipod. I've been listening to them since I was 6.
  • wh666-666wh666-666 Posts: 1,562
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I've never listened to a Beatles song but I love ABBA and I have their Gold, More Gold and Super Trouper albums on my ipod. I've been listening to them since I was 6.

    Hehe, me too, well since I was 8.

    The Beatles and ABBA were both, from a technical aspect of songwriting, equally as good.

    But what I feel made ABBA what they are (apart from eurovison which made things take off for them) and so popular over the ages is their songs ability to traverse generational gaps.

    For egg-ample, lets look at Beatles versus ABBA on the following song:
    - Beatles - I am the walrus
    Great song, I loved it. However many of the lyrics are lost on people who didnt grow up with it, or their parents vinyl collection like myself. I was generous in picking this one. I could have picked something like Lucy In The Sky Of Diamonds. LSD is old school for drug abuse now and not relevant to modern hippies either.

    - ABBA - Dancing queen
    Great song I could listen to over and over as well. However the strength in this song and the popularity, is the freedom from stigmas, messages or constraints to a time period. Just about a dancing girl having the time of her life. It transcends all generations and is still relevant nowadays, just as much as it was when it first came out. In fact, I recall dancing with a dear friend around her 18th and that was "her song". A popular request for many young women still today, even if they dont know who ABBA was or how old the song is.


    That is what I believe, make ABBA the better group and how they are more relevant nowadays, easy to understand and catchy, than most other old bands.
  • xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
    Forum Member
    The Beatles never ever won the Eurovision Song contest
    but Abba did win it and Brotherhood of Man won it too
    go here
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bKAPVpA46o

    Bro of Man were really England's answer to Abba,
    the same line up, two guys, a blonde and a brunette
    Bro of Man have even outlasted Abba and are still going !
  • wh666-666wh666-666 Posts: 1,562
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    xxtimbo wrote: »
    The Beatles never ever won the Eurovision Song contest
    but Abba did win it and Brotherhood of Man won it too
    I never said the beatles did. Please re-read my post .....
  • TheshaneTheshane Posts: 1,815
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    So this is an ABBA vs Beatles thing is it?
    No contest. Beatles.
    ABBA were a singles band. They never managed to grasp making a series of classic albums let alone one that didn't have filler. However their greatest hits albums work because the mastered the art of a good single.
    The Beatles managed both good singles and classic albums.
    No comparison.
  • wh666-666wh666-666 Posts: 1,562
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    xxtimbo wrote: »
    Bro of Man have even outlasted Abba and are still going !

    And your point is?

    As I said, ABBA are more popular in many ways than Bortherhood Of Man, beatles, etc, regardless of which groups are still clinging together.

    ABBA will continue to be just as popular in the coming decades as well because their music is more culturally relevant and able to transcend generational shifts.
  • gpkgpk Posts: 10,206
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Theshane wrote: »
    So this is an ABBA vs Beatles thing is it?
    No contest. Beatles.
    ABBA were a singles band. They never managed to grasp making a series of classic albums let alone one that didn't have filler. However their greatest hits albums work because the mastered the art of a good single.
    The Beatles managed both good singles and classic albums.
    No comparison.

    :yawn::sleep:
  • theshadowtheshadow Posts: 731
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Theshane wrote: »
    So this is an ABBA vs Beatles thing is it?
    No contest. Beatles.
    ABBA were a singles band. They never managed to grasp making a series of classic albums let alone one that didn't have filler. However their greatest hits albums work because the mastered the art of a good single.
    The Beatles managed both good singles and classic albums.
    No comparison.

    I have to disagree with the filler comment. There is no filler on the Super Trouper album.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,728
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    theshadow wrote: »
    I have to disagree with the filler comment. There is no filler on the Super Trouper album.

    I agree. Amazing album.
  • xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
    Forum Member
    Benny was really the genius behind Abba, always smiling , always congenial.... happy to spend hours on his piano, or accordian.

    But is n't it about time he did some solo stuff... just Benny on the piano... a la Jimmy Webb and Brian Wilson ..... then we could see what talent this guy has.
    As a solo performer he could take
    centre stage and get all the plaudits and applause he deserves.
  • gpkgpk Posts: 10,206
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    xxtimbo wrote: »
    Benny was really the genius behind Abba, always smiling , always congenial.... happy to spend hours on his piano, or accordian.

    But is n't it about time he did some solo stuff... just Benny on the piano... a la Jimmy Webb and Brian Wilson ..... then we could see what talent this guy has.
    As a solo performer he could take
    centre stage and get all the plaudits and applause he deserves.

    this must be a mickey take, surely?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,040
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I've never listened to a Beatles song but I love ABBA and I have their Gold, More Gold and Super Trouper albums on my ipod. I've been listening to them since I was 6.

    How old are you now then 7?
  • bumpandgrindbumpandgrind Posts: 12,563
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    They keep releasing "remastered" or "repackaged" versions of ABBA and Beatles albums which boosts their sales every couple of years.
  • crazychris12crazychris12 Posts: 26,254
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Haven't The Beatles sold a million records worldwide? I'm a huge Abba fan but their sales are nowhere near that. They'll never reach The Beatles sales.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 720
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    ABBA songs are more catchy and likeable.
  • xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
    Forum Member
    Abba and Bro of Man had one thing in common.... a foxy blonde in each group
    go here

    http://celebheaven.freepowerboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1007&p=4345#p4345



    .
  • gpkgpk Posts: 10,206
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    xxtimbo wrote: »
    Abba and Bro of Man had one thing in common.... a foxy blonde in each group
    go here

    http://celebheaven.freepowerboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1007&p=4345#p4345



    .

    now i know its a wind, its a wind up! :)
Sign In or Register to comment.