The ABBA thread

[I Am A Swede]

This thread was inspired by the Guns 'n' Roses thread, and the 25 year anniversary of their album release. When I read that I realized that this year is also full of anniversaries for the best pop group ever ( ), ABBA!

It's 40 years since they released their first single as a group:

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It's 35 years since they reached #1 on the Billboard charts for the first, and only, time:

It's 30 years since they released their last single:

and, it's 20 years since the release of their best-selling album ever, ABBA Gold.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Best pop group ever would indeed be correct.

[MissLlanviewPA]

I LOVE ABBA! And I'm honored to see I inspired this thread .

[I Am A Swede]

Even though their first few albums may not reach the heights their later ones did they're still full of delightful pop songs.

From their first album "Ring Ring" (1973)

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and a rarity, a song that one of the girls (Agnetha) co-wrote:

[alphanguy74]

Greatest Hits, volume 2 was the first vinyl record I ever bought... and Greatest Hits, volume 1 was the first CD I ever bought... and I still have both. My favorite is unquestionably this one:

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[alphanguy74]

About 5 years ago, I discovered Agnetha's swedish language solo work, and I LOVE them. I think her vocals are better in her native tongue, she's obvioously more comfortable in her phrasing. That first album is very impressive, when you consider a 17 year old girl wrote these songs:

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[I Am A Swede]

A fact that may not be that well known is that all four of the ABBA members were already quite successful artists before ABBA. Benny and Björn were members of two of the biggest bands in Sweden at this time, Benny in Hep Stars and Björn in Hootenanny Singers. Agnetha had a very successful solo career with several hit songs behind her. Anni-Frid was perhaps less successful than the other three, but she nevertheless had a thriving career.

This is the very first song that Benny and Björn wrote together back in 1965. It's called "Isn't it easy to say" and it was recorded by Hep Stars, with Benny on keyboard.

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[I Am A Swede]

And this is the most recent hit from Benny and Björn. A song called "En dag i sänder" (One day at a time), recorded by Benny's new band, Benny Anderssons Orkester, with Helen Sjöholm as lead singer.

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They still know how to write wonderful songs.....

[alphanguy74]

Oh yes... they were all very successful before getting together. I love this!

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[alphanguy74]

This one is definately in my top 5:

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This is another of my top 5. You can see I gravitate towards these very melodic Agnetha vehicles:

[DRW50]

Great songs. Hasta Manana was done as a tribute to Connie Francis, who was Agnetha's favorite singer, or one of her favorites.

A few of my favorite ABBA songs that don't get any attention. Masterpieces, especially the last two.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mrmKwFE1wY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6HyB7OMW-w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcKTIiX3Q8E

Really didn't like the haircut Frida had in ABBA's last year.

[I Am A Swede]

As we all know ABBA will never re-unite, and even though Björn and Benny still write songs together most of what they write now is completely different from the ABBA sound. This song is probably the nearest thing to ABBA they've written in the last few decades. It was recorded in both a Swedish and an English version, both with Helen Sjöholm at the microphone.

Swedish:

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English:

[I Am A Swede]

It's almost impossible to pick a favourite ABBA song, since they're all wonderful. Even the less famous ones, like these two.....

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(If someone forced me, this is probably the one I would pick as my all-time favourite)

[DRW50]

This is so catchy and fun. I enjoy a lot of the early stuff Benny and Bjorn sang on.

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[I Am A Swede]

You learn something new every day....

I never realized before that apparently it is Benny who sings the lead on this song from the "Waterloo" album 1974. I always just assumed it was Björn.

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