Super Troupers (1980)
Clever wordplay could hardly disguise the request for therapy: “Super Trouper” deals with fear of performing, looking into gigantic stage spotlights; There is an epic about pathological jealousy (“Lay All Your Love On Me”), as well as the mistaken view that separation is only at the expense of those left behind (“The Winner Takes It All”). The paradoxical construction of many songs – glossy arrangements of shocking confessions – culminates in “Me and I”, which longs for splitting personalities as a way to escape from reality. Her darkest line sounds stylishly via vocoder: “Think about yourself for a minute / And you’ll find the answer in it / Everyone’s a freak.”
The Visitors (1981)
Of all things, the last work was supposed to be their first “album album”, i.e. not one that always leaves the same impression, even via shuffle, but rather stringently tells the farewell of two separated married couples from song one to nine. The title song combines the Beatles psychedelia of “Tomorrow Never Knows” with New Wave, “Soldiers” shifts private battles into a real war, unlike “Fernando”, which was still role-playing prose. “Like an Angel Passing Through My Room” was covered by Elvis Costello and Anne Sofie von Otter – late appreciation by songwriters and opera singers alike.
Arrival (1976)
The title track, the majestic “Arrival”, was placed at the end of the album rather than at the beginning. So it was about the culmination of a career, but also a starting signal for the next few years. The global Abba mania began with “Dancing Queen”, their first – and only – US number one. “Knowing Me, Knowing You” is their most beautiful composition: an echo runs through the song because the person they once loved has cleared out their shared palace. Only “When I Kissed The Teacher” is reminiscent of their early hit, with Agnetha and Anni-Frid in silly teenage roles.
Voulez Vous (1979)
For the first time, Abba were following a trend; disco had started three years earlier at the latest with “You Should Be Dancing” by the Bee Gees. Still a great record. Thanks to the children’s choir, “I Have A Dream” became a TV spectacle in Germany and ABBA essentially became UNICEF. “If It Wasn’t For The Nights” proved for the first time that the best album song doesn’t have to be a single – Ulvaeus decided that his divorce song should not determine the perception of the entire work. In its place came “Chiquitita” as an advance release. A noble joker! Andersson’s unexpected coda is the stroke of genius: his honkytonk piano continues to sound after Fade-Out, in our heads, to this day.
Rewarding
Abba – The Album (1978)
What kind of song are you preparing to repeat the global hit of the “Arrival” album and the “Dancing Queen” single? “Take A Chance On Me” only made it to three in the US, but the cathedral song with an a capella intro is certainly their most complex – does it have three different verse melodies or three different choruses? Only “The Girl with the Golden Hair: Three Scenes From a Mini-Musical” is pompous like its title; Abba sets itself apart with three-part incidental music. In the annual UK charts they had to rank behind the disco of “Saturday Night Fever”: this meant that the direction of their next work, “Voulez-Vous”, was clear.
Abba (1975)
Seven of eleven songs are singles, more than on any other album. Most important: the Euro-rock of “Mamma Mia”, with which the Swedes – as they often did at the beginning of their careers – paid homage to foreign folklore with tourist phrases. As well as “SOS”, which was a similar leap to the Beatles’ “She Loves You”. The early Fab Four singles from an “I” or “Me” perspective were replaced by a less self-centered perspective – the lives of others. Abba, on the other hand, revealed a dark side for the first time with “SOS”: the failure of the entire biography, not only because the love has disappeared, but also because the relationship has broken down. “SOS” is an expression of pure disorientation – this cry for help has no specific addressee.
Waterloo (1974)
The story of the victory at the Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson is worthy of an adventure novel. Never before has anyone sparkled in the grandpa hit competition like this double pair with “Waterloo”, nobody has ever had this swing. So everything spoke against Abba. The album doesn’t quite live up to its standard, but “My Mama Said” is reminiscent of the pre-disco funk of Sly Stone and was their first cool song – the creaking bass line comes from Rutgar Gunnarsson († 2015), who sold all eight million-sellers albums and is probably the most listened to unknown bassist of all time.
Weaker
Ring Ring (1973)
The debut was not under Abba, but “Björn Benny & Agnetha Frida”. Since the follow-up “Waterloo” marked the breakthrough in Europe, new fans examined this friendly (“He Is Your Brother”) debut for its suitability for glamour, which was unfair. The continent was able to learn more about Scandinavian folk pop. “Ring Ring,” a precursor to “Waterloo,” also became their first number one in the South (OK, in Belgium).
Continuing
The Complete Studio Recordings (2005)
After Abba there was a similar plethora of single-only releases… except for the Smiths! Many, if not all, of the outtakes are collected in this edition. There’s an “Abba Undeleted” medley with a “Just Like That” snippet, as well as a “Thank Your For The Music” version, listed as the “Doris Day Version”.
Live At Wembley Arena (2014)
Who actually knows someone who has seen Abba live? In eleven years they only toured this country three times. This London recording from 1979, the first of a full performance and authorized by all four musicians, documents their impressive presence. “Voulez-Vous” with its dramatically effervescent intro surpasses the studio version.
Movie
Abba – The Film
In Lasse Hallström’s comedy about the 1977 Australian tour, it’s not the musicians who are energized in the midst of Abba mania, but a desperate radio presenter (Robert Hughes) who can barely get to them. A pure concert video would have been okay – but please, who would want to see a journalist fail in the fight for his next assignment? Well, five million people in German cinemas alone. What an era!
Precious items
“Just Like That”
Unreleased song for the planned album number nine, 1982. The saxophone was based on John Helliwell’s contribution to Supertramp’s “It’s Raining Again”, the song was then released in 1985 by the Swedish duo Gemini, and as “Just so” by Angelika Milster.
“One Night in Bangkok”
After Abba, Benny and Björn only had one (!) international hit, in 1984 for their musical “Chess”, sung by Murray Head.
“Kristina från Duvemåla”
Second Benny Björn musical, 1994, about a Swedish family that emigrates to America in the mid-19th century.
“Dick Cavett Meets ABBA”
Her last live TV appearance was for the US talk show host in 1981. Mini concert with nine songs, three of which are still unreleased.
“I’m Still Alive”
Composed by Agnetha and only appearing on the Wembley live album from the 1979 tour, it was left off the final Super Trouper tracklist. Didn’t it suit Benny and Björn to record their singer’s song?
Fanfare for Ice Hockey Championships ’81
Pumped up by Andersson’s instrumental anthem, hosts Sweden made it to the final of the Ice Hockey World Cup, where they lost to the Russians.
Something’s Going On
After Abba ended, Frida unexpectedly pushed forward in 1982, supported by producers Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham, men of the hour. 1.5 million copies sold, the biggest solo success of an Abba member.
Hey, musician
“Björn & Benny” published the German version of their song “Hej gamle man” in 1971, German lyrics by Hans Bradtke. In the original, Agnetha and Anni-Frid sang in the background – Abba was born.