ABBA: Classic Or Dud?

i guess The Wurzels are seen much more as a comedy act than the Proclaimers so maybe they're not part of it but 500 Miles is like a standard now and synonymous with Leith/Edinburgh to the rest of the country.

They're not from Edinburgh or Leith though.

But, no-one south of the Tweed can pronounce Auchtermuchty tbf.

it's synonymous with rugby lads on the piss to the rest of the country

well sure.

maybe "Thank You For the Music" is worse than "Chiquitita" but I ain't gonna find out.

Have you not heard "I Have A Dream"?

The 'Doris Day' version of Thank You For The Music is quite a fun little genre exercise:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7pb1R1mXFw

Combine Harvester was massive compared to Brand New Key, i think many people back then (maybe even now?) were unaware it was a parody.

Exactly like Angelo and Fernando then.

hot take: "Chiquitita" and "Fernando" are both among their worst singles

― aloha darkness my old friend (katherine), Tuesday, March 13, 2018 2:12 PM (four hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

OTM.

Fwiw, I don't think ABBA ever made a studio album that doesn't have at least one track that's far too corny for me. Even the last two LP's. Take the 1975 self-titled record, for instance: 'Mamma Mia', 'Hey Hey Helen', 'S.O.S.', even 'Tropical Loveland' and 'Intermezzo No. 1' are all superb, but then you've got unbearable crap like 'Bang a Boomerang' ...

Arrival has 'When I Kissed the Teacher' and 'Dum Dum Diddle' on it, both cringeworthy as fuck.

'When I Kissed the Teacher' cringeworthy? I think you'd best pack up your things and ride on out of town, stranger.

Yes, cringeworthy.

I think you spend too much time listening to lyrics.

On that song, they're fucking unavoidable!

Sometimes when I listen to 'Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimme!', I just wish that middle section would go on for a little bit longer. I love that groove.

I’ve always liked “I Have a Dream.” I think it’s a much darker song than the critical consensus suggests. Also, electric sitar (?) on ABBA’s attempt at a country song (??)? Fuckin sign me up.

I don't think it's supposed to be a country song, more like a Hitler Youth anthem.

Also electric sitar? Where? You mean the mandolins? (I think there are mandolins on it anyway).

I don't think it's supposed to be a country song, more like a Hitler Youth anthem.

― Buff Jeckley (Tom D.), Tuesday, March 13, 2018 3:42 PM (two minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

uh citation very fucking much needed (are you thinking of ace of base or something)

I don't mean they literally wrote it as a Hitler Youth anthem, it just sounds like they did.

Always gave off a "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" vibe to me.

Originally they had a crack at writing a national anthem type thing, which ultimately ended up in Chess. It was called Nationalsang at one point, then Anthem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEUi1Pptb5c

Does "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" come from schlager stylistically?

I'd put it in with their rock'n'roll pastiches.

I was wondering if that was it, too, with the swing rhythm. It's always sounded European and old fashioned to me, though! Like, really old fashioned.

Why Did It Have To Be Me is pretty similar but maybe more schlager because of the male-female back and forth.

It's hard to say exactly what is and isn't schlager. One level is that it's just pop music and if it works it's broadly popular and that kinda makes it schlager.

The big Abba-as-schlager record is the original Greatest Hits, with He Is Your Brother, Hasta Manyana, Another Town Another Train, Fernando, Dance While the Music Still Goes On...

oh look it's a list of all the ABBA songs I can't stand

(the fact that the same band is responsible for "The Visitors" and "Nina, Pretty Ballerina" astounds me)

There's a good Chuck Eddy quote in Accidental Evolution about ABBA's stylistically underpinnings. I'll try to find it.

this song is fucking incredible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhr6tUE32YA

Also electric sitar? Where? You mean the mandolins? (I think there are mandolins on it anyway).

Eagle tho'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDI7x1nwTUw

omg what a freeze frame

Did they do anything quite as Floydian as Eagle?

They could have made a really cool, peripherally prog sounding record.

They have quite a few progge moments.

Intermezzo No. 1!

'Intermezzo No. 1' fucking rules.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92L6balksi8

That bassline...

Should I watch ABBA - the Movie?

Yes. The plot about the journalist is a drag but some of the concert footage is thrilling as it gets.

They should do a new cut which totally omits the journalist and includes more ABBA.

Oooh sounds like I neeeeeed to watch this. I love the documentary filmmaker 'plot' in Spice World (using plot very loosely here) so I'm intrigued how the Abba one plays out.

Spice World is in fact the film that the ABBA film resembles most. But it was the latter that ignited a discourse about Agnetha’s derrière, so why not watch and judge for yourself

This framing story is reminding of Velvet Goldmine for some reason.

Looking at the Spotify "Popular" list, surprised to see "Angeleyes" making a surge. I've always loved it but felt like it was underappreciated, not part of the top canon etc. It's #3 on their popular list right now, is it on a soundtrack or something?

bc of its great sequence in mamma mia! here we go again

j/k i don't actually know

For me, this is the prototypical example of a band I despised back in the day but now find thoroughly enjoyable.

gonna blast "I Am the City" now.

For me, this is the prototypical example of a band I despised back in the day but now find thoroughly enjoyable.