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| About ‘Summer Night City’: all the lyrics say that the second line in the chorus is supposed to be "love making in a park" but I understand something like "the ha ha back in the park". I know there's a rumor that ABBA sang that dubious line when the song fades out but I think even that's not true. Could you help set the record straight once and for all and maybe tell me what the exact line is? Thank you very much. Toby, USA | | The line is definitely “love making in a park”, though I agree that because of the many vocal overdubs and the compression on the track it does sound like something else at times. As to the “dubious line”, see the next question below… |
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| I am going to bring up that old chestnut about the boys singing "fucking in the moonlight" on ‘Summer Night City’. Last night I listened to the version with the extended intro (from the 'box set') and at 4:05 the boys CLEARLY sing the above-mentioned line. I know there has been much debate and I think you have previously addresses this with a "not sure" response which is fine..... but check again as I did.... there can be no doubt surely? Terry | | Yes, it does sound a lot like “fucking in the moonlight”. Someone recently theorised on one of the on-line ABBA forums that it sounds like they’re singing “walking” but pronouncing the “w” with a “v” sound – which is as good an explanation as any (apologies to whoever that was if you’re reading). As I said before, I like to think that they did sing it – but it seems unlikely. |
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I wanted to know does Barbra Streisend have a version of ‘The Winner Takes It All’? Please answer me, hope it would be good news. :) Batsheva | | No, Barbra has not recorded ‘The Winner Takes It All’ or any other ABBA song for that matter. However, she did record ‘I Know Him So Well’ for ‘The Broadway Album’ in 1985, but it wasn’t included on that album (because at the time ‘Chess’ had not yet played on Broadway), and wasn’t released until her ‘For The Record’ box set in 1991. It was also included on the single disc ‘Highlights from For The Record’ compilation. |
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| I noticed that all ABBA related Internet sites carries the same lyrics of ‘I Am The City’ which differs from the lyrics printed on the 'More ABBA Gold' official song sheets as copyrighted by Polygram. Where can I post the lyrics to share them with all fans? Thank you. Abbagene | | The lyrics in the ‘More ABBA GOLD’ music book are horribly wrong – as I recall off the top of my head the opening line is “Coming through up larger looking at me like a tub” or something equally nonsensical. I’ve always thought that someone whose first language was obviously not English transcribed those lyrics. The lyrics on most other ABBA sites are probably right, or at least more accurate. |
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I just wondered if you knew of any shows on TV with an ABBA song as their theme tune? Or a show that has an ABBA song as the title of the show? Cheers for any help Andrew Walker
| | There’s been a few that I know of, all from the UK. The most well known is ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’, a talk show spoof starring Alan Partridge (who is actually a character portrayed by a British comedian whose name I can’t remember). The chorus of the song was used as the theme music and usually appeared several times during the show as well. There was a sitcom called ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’ starring James Dreyfus and Kathy Burke as two flatmates (he was gay, she was a slapper). Again, the ABBA song was used as the theme music. There is a BBC show called ‘Money Money Money’, about finances and what not. I don’t know whether this one uses the ABBA song or not. |
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| Can you tell me please the name of the song where the chorus sung is “gimme a man after midnight” please? Regards Andy | | That song is ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)’, released as a single in late 1979. It can be found on the compilation CDs ‘ABBA Gold’ and ‘The Definitive Collection’ or the 2001 reissued ‘Voulez-Vous’ CD. |
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Last night I was listening to the “box set” version of ‘The Name of the Game’ and didn't realise till then that it has no second verse and clocks in at about 3:50 or so. On ‘ABBA – The Album’, the version is almost a minute longer (and far superior for it) and of course has a second verse. I was never aware that there were two “versions” (the song is not re-recorded, just edited). Was the 7" version released with no second verse or is there some other explanation? Regards Terry
| | The version of ‘The Name Of The Game’ released as a single in 1977 was exactly the same as on ‘ABBA – The Album’. When the single was released in the USA, Atlantic records released a promotional single with the standard version (approximately 4.55) on one side and a shorter edited version on the other (approx. 4.01) – a regular practice with longer songs. Somehow, this edited version ended up on ‘ABBA – The Singles’ in 1982, and thereafter on several other compilations, including the original release of ‘ABBA Gold’, the ‘Thank You For The Music’ box set and even the initial pressings of the 1997 remastered version of ‘ABBA – The Album’ (later pressings had the full version). The full version is on the 1999 remastered version of ‘ABBA Gold’ (except, oddly, the first batch of CDs made in France), the new compilation ‘The Definitive Collection’ and the 2001 reissued version of ‘ABBA – The Album’ |
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I saw a special on ABBA on TV last night. They had a song on it where they were live and had lots of children on stage with them to sing the song. It was a beautiful song and all I know is a few of the words: “I have a dream...I believe in Angels..." (something about dying and feeling safe knowing the angels will look after them.) If you could let me know the title of the song and if possible the album it comes from I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance Nicky
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I am deaf & am looking for lyrics to "I Believe in Angels" which I believe is recorded by ABBA. I have been looking EVERYWHERE for this song but cannot find the lyrics anywhere. I heard it was beautiful & because I cannot hear, I would like to see the lyrics. Can you help me? I would be very grateful. Thank you. Kerri
| | This song is ‘I Have A Dream’, and is on the 1979 album ‘Voulez-Vous’. It’s also on the compilations ‘ABBA Gold’ (everywhere except Australia), ‘More ABBA Gold’ (in Australia), the 4 CD box set ‘Thank You For The Music’ and ‘The Definitive Collection’. The performance shown in that TV special was filmed at Wembley Arena in London during ABBA’s 1979 tour of North America and Europe – the full version of that performance is on the videocassette ‘ABBA Gold’. The lyrics can be found at http://www.abbasite.com/music/songdata/049.html |
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| While driving around listening to ABBA (is there anything else one would listen to in the car?) I really have to question the lyrics of ‘Should I Laugh or Cry’. In the chorus, the publicized lyrics are "...all I see is a big balloon, halfway up to the moon, he's wrapped up in his warm and safe cocoon..." Is it really "moon". It just doesn't sound like moon. The way the vowels come out, it does not sound like moon. Any thoughts? Any answer? Thanks again Ian! Julie Belnap Belleville, Ontario CANADA | | Yes, it’s definitely “moon”. But I have to agree, the pronunciation sounds a little odd and it doesn’t really sound like it. |
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| I would ask you why is the picture of the single sleeve of "Under Attack" so unclear, you can hardly recognize ABBA's members' faces, especially Agnetha's. Did it have to be that way? There are thousands of great ABBA pictures, especially from that period of 1982, so why did they choose the exact picture for their last single? Thank you, Goran, Vancouver, Canada | | I really don’t know why that photo was used for the ‘Under Attack single http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/abba/
701/images/singles/pos1321.jpg – it was also used on one of the inner sleeves for ‘ABBA – The Singles’. Perhaps it was an attempt to look “serious”. Some think that this less than attractive sleeve may have had something to do with the single’s lack of success. It’s interesting to note that in West Germany and some other countries, the photo from the LP cover ‘ABBA – The Singles’ was used instead. |
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My question is: How did all of those songs on bootleg recordings come into existence? Were they stolen from Polar, sold by technicians? There seems to be so much “rare” material out there that it often seems that there's more unreleased stuff than appeared on the original albums. I'd welcome your views, All the best, Adrian Hanstock London, UK
| | There are several theories about how all those songs got out into the fan market. There’s a famous story about Björn’s (or Benny’s) car being broken into (or stolen), and among the items taken from the car was a tape with ‘I Am The City’ and ‘Just Like That’ amongst other songs. There’s also stories circulating about copies of songs being worked on being given to friends or people who worked for ABBA – housekeepers, babysitters, that sort of thing. Some songs were actually played on the radio in Sweden, such as the full version of ‘Summer Night City’ (in 1978/79) and ‘Dream World’ (in 1986). I guess we’ll never know the full story – anyone who was the source of any of that material would hardly be likely to tell, would they? ;-) |
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| I would like to know if Atlantic Records in the US ever released their 1984 ‘I Love ABBA’ compilation on CD. I have the LP and cassette and would love to find a copy of it on CD, but do not want to continue searching aimlessly through special stores and online auctions if it never existed in this form to begin with! The only US Atlantic CDs I have luckily acquired over the past few years are Greatest Hits Vols. 1, 2, and ‘Super Trouper’..... do you know what else existed in CD form from Atlantic?? I would greatly appreciate if you could help me figure this out! Thank you very much, Mark P. :-) | | No, that compilation ‘I Love ABBA’ was never released on CD, but confusingly, a different compilation from West Germany with the same title, released around the same time, was. The only Atlantic ABBA CDs were ‘Greatest Hits’, Greatest Hits Vol. 2’, ‘Super Trouper’, ‘The Visitors’ and ‘ABBA – The Singles – The First Ten Years’. |
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| Here's a hard one for you that no one can give me an answer to! Frida did a TV special for her first solo (post ABBA) album ‘Something's Going On’. I need to know: When exactly did this TV special originally air (day, month & year) in Sweden, England and Australia. Precise dates would be appreciated. If I could sneak a second question in connected to the above: Do we have the exact dates Frida was at Air Studios in London doing Overdubs for that album. Any help would be much appreciated. Regards Ian MacCarthy Sydney, Australia | | I don’t know that dates that ‘Something’s Going On – The Making Of A Record Album’ was shown in Sweden or the UK (perhaps one of our readers may be able to help out there). It was shown in Australia in 1984 – I thought I had the date noted down, but I can’t find it, though I think it was in the second quarter of the year. |
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Approximately in 1986 or 1987 I received an ABBA LIVE postcard from POLAR MUSIC signed by all the ABBA members. In other occasion I received a FRIDA SHINE postcard signed by her and besides, I have another postcard from CHESS signed in gold ink by Benny and Björn. All the cards were sent at different times by the original Polar Music ABBA fan club Sweden (I still have the envelopes!). I would like to have an idea about the prices of each one. Thank you very much. Fernando Alvarez G. Bogotá, Colombia.
| | It’s hard to put a price on autographs – it depends on the condition of the signed item, whether the signatures are legible, and other factors. Lately, the market has been flooded with ABBA autographs. Certainly, the ‘Live’ postcard signed by all four members would be more valuable than the others – in fact, I was at an auction several years ago where one of those sold for $A900 (very roughly about $US 460), though this is much higher than I’ve usually seen. I suggest you check out auction sites like www.ebay.com to see what similar autographed items are selling for, but beware: there are often a lot of fake autographs for sale there. |
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| Last night I watched the ABC's ‘ABBA: The Winner Takes It All’. It was a more comprehensive version of the same program shown back in '99. This version had a clip of Agnetha (post ABBA) singing ‘Wrap Your Arms Around Me’. Are there any videos available of the girls solo songs (post ABBA)? If so where can they be sourced. Also is the version shown last night the one available on Video/DVD? Also a previous "Ask Ian" mentioned the famous 1 Billion US$ offer. I remember Bjorn confirming the amount during a promo for ‘Mamma Mia!’ back in June. I think it was ‘The Panel’ on Network 10. It was 1 Billion $US and he mentioned 100 concert appearances. Thanks, Bill, Sydney | | The 90 minute version of ‘The Winner Takes It All’ recently shown on Australian TV is indeed the same version that’s available on VHS and DVD (so far, only in region 2). Agnetha singing ‘Wrap Your Arms Around Me’ in the documentary was from the TV special ‘Agnetha Fältskog: The Heat Is On’ in 1983 – it was shown on SBS in Australia in 1984, the same night as Frida’s ‘Something’s Going On’ special mentioned above. A couple of the girls’ solo videos were available in the 80s (on the videocassettes ‘ABBA Music Show 3’ in Sweden and ‘More Video Hits’ in the UK), but these are long deleted. Like I said, I don’t recall Björn himself actually saying “1 billion dollars”, but perhaps he has. |
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| While in Sweden I managed to meet some people who had just completed an album (made in fun with ABBA artists and others) the entire album was comprised of songs that were made with fake language and the music round it was supposed to represent the country of origin - I heard the album and it was fun. It was released and was just a fun in house studio compilation but I can’t remember the title and haven’t seen anything round that resembles the album I heard back then - do you know about it or have you anything that resembles the topic mentioned, sincerely Nic Papalia | | I’m sorry, but I don’t know anything at all about this album. Perhaps one of our readers might know something about it. Anyone? |
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| Can you please tell me if ABBA sang and/or recorded in a language other than English and Spanish? Thanks a lot, Cristian, from Argentina | | They certainly did. They recorded 4 songs in Swedish (‘Ring Ring’, ‘Åh vilka tider’ which has no English version, ‘Waterloo’ and ‘Honey, Honey’), 3 songs in German (‘Ring Ring’, ‘Wer Im Wartesaal Der Liebe Steht’ [Another Town, Another Train] and ‘Waterloo’), and one song in French (‘Waterloo’). There were also two other songs in Swedish which, though recorded, were not released commercially: ‘Sång till Görel’, recorded for Görel Johnsen’s (now Görel Hanser) 30th birthday, and ‘Hovas vittne’, recorded for Stig Anderson’s 50th birthday. Both of these songs were pressed on very limited coloured vinyl singles given to friends and birthday party guests. |
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| I have a question on the Official ABBA Site. I read that they would renew the site, but it seems to be quite a long time now. Do they really work on the site or should I just forget it? Yours sincerely, Petra, Austria | | The new version was supposed to be launched in December, but it hasn’t appeared as yet. However, work is progressing – an example can be seen at http://www.famestudios.se/v2/ - click on “> Läs mer” under “case study: ABBA”, then on “> Nästa” under the picture of ABBA to scroll through the slide show. You can sign up at http://www.abbasite.com/ to receive an e-mail announcing when the site is launched. |
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| I wanted to ask you whether you have the guitar score of the song ‘I Have A Dream’? Many thanks! ABBA fans in Hong Kong | | It can be found in the music folio for ‘ABBA Gold’, available from www.musicroom.com. There are a few websites that have guitar scores – check out the links section of ABBA World ( www.abbworld.net > link > sites by category > music files). |
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| Can you list the tracks for ‘The Definitive Collection’? Thanks -= Lilly =- | | I certainly can!
Disc 1: 1. People Need Love/2. He Is Your Brother/3. Ring Ring/4. Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)/5. Waterloo/6. Honey, Honey/7. So Long/8. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do/9. SOS/10. Mamma Mia/11. Fernando/12. Dancing Queen/13. Money, Money, Money/14. Knowing Me, Knowing You/15. The Name Of The Game/16. Take A Chance On Me/17. Eagle/18. Summer Night City/19. Chiquitita/20. Does Your Mother Know
Disc 2: 1. Voulez-Vous/2. Angeleyes/3. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)/4. I Have A Dream/5. The Winner Takes It All/6. Super Trouper/7. On And On And On/8. Lay All Your Love On Me/9. One Of Us/10. When All Is Said And Done/11. Head Over Heels/12. The Visitors (Crackin' Up)/13. The Day Before You Came/14. Under Attack/15. Thank You For The Music/Bonus tracks: 16. Ring Ring (1974 Remix, single version)/17. Voulez-Vous (Extended Remix, 1979 US promo)
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Sometimes a board game, or memory, card game etc. is made about famous bands. I have for example a Beatles board game. Has there ever been made some game material about ABBA (a Trivia game or so?) Second question. Via a web-site I found a reference to ABBA cut-out dolls. I tried to download them but the link was dead. Do you know if there is a site that still has them? Thanx in advance, Braldt Haak
| | No, there’s never been an ABBA board game created. There were several jigsaw puzzles available during the late 70s (one in Australia and 4 in the UK that come to mind), but that’s the closest thing that I’m aware of. I’ve seen that Beatles board game you mention in books – you have it? Wow, I’m impressed! I don’t know of the site you’re talking about with “ABBA cut-out dolls”. I do remember someone I know talking about creating something like that a few years ago, but I never heard whether it happened or not. What was the URL?
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In both ‘The Complete Recording Sessions’ and in ‘ABBA - The Book’ it says that there was made a video for ‘Se me esta escapando’. Is this true? Have you ever seen this or an English version, and if so, can you tell a little about it? Thanks from Knut, Norway
| | No, there is no clip for either ‘Se me esta escapando’ or ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’. The reference to a clip for the Spanish version was a misunderstanding that crept into ‘The Complete Recording Sessions’ that somehow also made it into ‘The Book’. ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’ was performed on the TV special ‘Dick Cavett Meets ABBA’ in 1981, though this was simply ABBA singing on stage.
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I was taking an online ABBA quiz and doing quite well until I got to a question about the song ‘Super Trouper’. I got the album when I was 15 years old and immediately looked up Trouper in the dictionary. It was defined as dedicated performer etc. While I was recently taking this quiz, the question was "What does ‘Super Trouper’ refer to in the song?" The answer choices were a) the performer b) the spotlight and some other c) and d). I answered a) the performer and finished the quiz. It was the only question that I got wrong and the answer was supposed to have been b) the spotlight. I though that the person who had written the quiz was mistaken until I read ‘Bright Lights, Dark Shadows’ and Bjorn was quoted as saying that writing ‘Super Trouper’ was hard because it was hard to come up with lyrics about a spotlight. Since "Trouper" actually does refer to the performer, at least in the dictionary, is there a brand of spotlight called Trouper or is the song actually written about the lights? Any thoughts? Gretchen Kaehler Portland, Oregon USA
| | As the ABBA Magazine described it in their December 1980 issue, “’Super Trouper’ is the name given by lighting crews to the biggest spotlight in the theatre or circus”. I don’t know the origin of this nickname, but I don’t think it actually comes from a brand name “Trouper”. |
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| I'm wanting to buy all the remastered reissues of ABBA's catalog, but I don't want the digipak CD format which is all that is available in the US. Even the import versions I've seen have all been digipaks. These get worn out so quickly. I'm wondering where I can get the standard jewel case versions that apparently exist somewhere. If you know of or have heard of some online or mail order store that would have them I'd love to know where. Thanks for any help you can offer. Keep up the good work! Geoff Carpenter Los Angeles | | Many online stores that I’ve seen have separate listings for the digipaks and jewel cases. Try HMV.com (based in Canada) of the ABBF Record Service http://www1.tip.nl/~t097528/ |
I saw something about ABBA on TV recently and the total number of albums ABBA has sold was mentioned and I remember it being some insane number. Would you happen to know how many albums they have sold combined? Do you know who has sold more than ABBA? I'm guessing the list would be rather short. Thank you for your time and response. Both are much appreciated. Sincerely, Tim
| | The “official” figure is that ABBA have sold approximately 350 million records worldwide. According to most sources, the only artists to have sold more at The Beatles and Elvis Presley, both with “over 1 billion” sales. |
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Can you send me (if this is possible) texts of couple ABBA hits, for example: ‘Fernando’, ‘The Day Before You Came’, ‘The Winner Takes It All’. If you can not do this, please let me know where I can find it in net. Regards Andrzej
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I bought ‘ABBA Forever Gold’. I want to sing ‘Dancing Queen’, but there isn't the cards of lyrics in the CD. I'm Japanese, so I can't sing without the cards of lyrics. How can I get it? Please tell me!!
Naomi Tanaka (Tokyo in Japan)
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I’d like to know the words of all ABBA’s songs. Can you send me a website address/addresses where they can be found? Thanks in advance. With best wishes, yours sincerely Vasiljko
| | ABBA’s lyrics can be found on many sites on the Internet – you can find them listed in the “links” section of ABBA World ( www.abbaworld.net > links > sites by category > lyrics). The most popular ABBA sites that have lyrics to ABBA’s songs are Lovelight – The ABBA Lyrics Page www.lovelight.dk and ABBA Plaza www.abbaplaza.com |
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| I am interested in ABBA's chart successes and it is often cited that ABBA were not very successful in the USA. But looking at some of their chart placings in other countries they were even less popular for example Italy. Do you have any further info on ABBA's sales figures in Italy? And it cannot be argued that singing in a foreign language is detrimental as the Italian charts are regularly dominated by foreign acts these days. Of course the Internet and MTV are more prolific today and probably contribute to an artist’s success. Did ABBA ever visit Italy? Of interest is that the fact that ‘The Definitive Collection’ is at No. 10 in its third week despite the fact that four new albums debuted above it in the same week and it has only had small success in other countries though it may only have been released in a few countries as yet. Regards Marek | | ABBA – The Worldwide Chart Lists http://www.zip.com.au/~callisto/abba.html has ABBA’s chart details in many countries listed, including Italy. Trying to find out actual sales figures, on the other hand, has proven difficult. During the 70s, ABBA records were released on different labels around the world (in Italy, they were on local label Dig It until 1978, then Epic, a CBS subsidiary, now part of Sony Music), and unfortunately many seem to have not kept their sales records from those years. ABBA never visited Italy, which may or may not have contributed to their apparent “lack of success” there. I would guess that the current success of ‘The Definitive Collection’ in Italy would be because of the continuing ABBA revival, as well as, as you say, increased globalisation with MTV and other international channels as well as the internet.
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Can you tell me the name of a movie that featured ABBA? It was about a reporter who tried to obtain an interview with ABBA while they were on tour in Australia. I've seen this on VH-1 but cannot recall the movie's name. Thanks. Steve in Oklahoma
| | It was simply titled ‘ABBA – The Movie’ and was released at the end of 1977, though it wasn’t screened in the US until 1979, and has been shown on VH1 in the US many times in recent years, though I believe that it has been edited to fit in commercial breaks. |
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| I wonder if I can get the complete scores for ‘Chess’ anywhere? Sincerely yours, Robin. | | There is a music folio titled ‘Chess Vocal Selections’ published by Music Sales (available from www.musicroom.com – search for “chess”). However, the complete score is not available. |
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| I have a question regarding different versions of the same song. I am aware that ABBA sometimes have published different versions of the same song; a short and a long version, different languages etc. A few versions puzzles me though, for example the single version of ‘Eagle’. On the single version published in ‘The Singles Collection’ and also on ‘The Definitive Collection’ I noticed that the flute playing in the last part of the song has been taken away. Is this considered to be a third version of ‘Eagle’ or is it just a mistake in the remastering the song digitally? The same thing with the live version of ‘Take A Chance On Me’: in ‘The Singles Collection’ the lines which Agnetha speak (“that’s all I ask of you honey”, etc.) are no longer heard. Is this change made consciously? Also in ‘The Singles Collection’ a third version of ‘Lovelight’ is found; it has a longer intro as on the original, yet fading out very abruptly, finishing at 3.28. To me all these small changes seem to be strange, and they seem coincidental... I would like to have your opinion regarding this. Also if I may ask, do you know where I can find a complete track list of ABBA’s songs? The track list available in ‘The Complete Recordings Sessions’ by Carl-Magnus Palm is no longer up to date and as far as I know it has not been updated. Thank you for answering my Question! With best regards Tommy Johansson, Stockholm, Sweden | | It would appear (as you’ve guessed) that when the single version of ‘Eagle’ was 24 bit remastered in 1999, it was edited in the wrong place, thus all but erasing that mournful flute “hoot” (as I’ve always called it) after the last chorus – you’ll notice that the very end of it can be heard. On pre-1999 issues (such as the original 1993 ‘More ABBA Gold’) it was edited in the correct place, so that note was heard.
There are three different mixes of the live recording of ‘Take A Chance On Me’ (though probably all different mixes of the same concert performance). One mix was released on the B side of ‘I Have A Dream’ in countries such as the UK and Australia, and Agnetha’s lines at the end of each chorus can be heard (this version also has more audience noise at the start and end of the song, and one of Björn’s trademark “whoo”s).
The version released on the West German (and possibly other countries) single had Agnetha’s lines faded out – this version was in ‘The Singles Collection’ box set (and on the compilation CD ‘ABBA International’ before that). The version on the ‘ABBA Live’ album is a remix of the first version. Similar to ‘Take A Chance On Me’, the version of ‘Lovelight’ released on the West German ‘Chiquitita’ single was shorter than the standard version, fading out early (as was ‘Angeleyes on the back of ‘Voulez-Vous’ later that same year). I don’t know why the versions all released by Polydor in West Germany (all, coincidentally, in 1979) were different. A complete list of all of ABBA’s songs (including edits, unreleased songs, alternate titles etc) can be found in the “songs” section of my ABBA World site www.abbaworld.net |
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| Can you tell me if the video ‘The Winner Takes It All – The ABBA Story’ exists in Spanish or with Spanish subtitles? Or does Universal have plans to release it in DVD for region 4, or finally, does have the DVD region 2 Spanish subtitles? I ask because I've looked for it on Internet, without positive results. Even I called to Universal Chile and they said me that they don't know that video (what a service!). Please help me. Thanks from Chile. Christian | | The Region 2 DVD of the documentary released earlier this year does not have any subtitles or other language audio tracks. Currently ‘The Winner Takes It All’ is being subtitled in English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Japanese for release in all regions sometime this year. |
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Can you tell me why ‘Fernando’ was not included in the musical ‘Mamma Mia’? Thank you. Cynthia Hillman
| | The reason given by everyone involved is that it simply didn’t fit in with the story (ditto with ‘Waterloo’, though that is performed in the “concert encore” at the end of the musical). Though a couple of lines of ‘Fernando’ are actually sung by Donna as she makes an entrance in the first act.
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Can you help us we are trying to find the title of an ABBA song where some of the lyrics are "sick and tired of everything"? Kelly
| | That song is ‘Super Trouper’. The full line is “I was sick and tired of everything when I called you last night from Glasgow”. |
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I've bought the ABBA ‘Thank You For The Music’ 4 CD collection but I'm missing a lot of songs. Even the 100 songs (all singles) CD collection misses a lot of titles. What is the easiest way to purchase all songs (i.e. which 5 - 10 CDs to buy) also, what is the advantage of the re-mastered CD's. Thanks Mike | | The easiest way to get the majority of ABBA’s songs is to buy their 8 studio albums (reissued on CD in 2001 with bonus tracks) – ‘Ring Ring’, ‘Waterloo’, ‘ABBA’, ‘Arrival’, ‘ABBA – The Album’, ‘Voulez-Vous’, ‘Super Trouper’ and ‘The Visitors’ – plus the ‘Thank You For The Music’ box set which you already have. There are a few other songs or alternate versions of songs that can’t be found on the CDs listed, including ‘I Am The City’ (only on ‘More ABBA Gold’ and ’25 jaar na Waterloo deel 2’ in The Netherlands), the single remix of ‘Ring Ring’ (in ‘The Singles Collection’ box set and ‘The Definitive Collection’), the Spanish-language album ‘ABBA Oro’ with 15 of ABBA’s songs sung in Spanish, and various recordings in other languages (Swedish, German and French) that are sadly currently unavailable. There are live versions of many ABBA hits on the (now deleted) ‘ABBA Live’ CD and a few others that were released on singles or other long-deleted records.
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I would like to know if you have any information on the B&B demos ‘Pastor Jackson Told To Ulrika and Cecilia’ as well as Frida's songs ‘Etoile Filante’, ‘Aithio’ and ‘Love Turns To Lies’? i.e. where they're from, why they were recorded, why they weren't released and stuff like that. I have never seen ‘Love Turns To Lies’ on a bootleg CD but oddly enough the lyrics to that track can be found on the website Frida Alone. How come? Thank you very much Toby
| | I don’t really know anything about that B & B demo, though with that title it’s obviously from ‘Kristina från Duvemåla’. Frida’s ‘Love Turns To Lies’ was apparently recorded for ‘Shine’ in 1984, though I have no idea why it wasn’t released. The lyrics are on the Twist In The Dark site - www.twistinthedark.net (formerly Frida Alone) because songwriter Chris Rea recorded it on his own album ‘Shamrock Diaries’ in 1985. ‘L’etoile Filante’ is apparently a song on the second ‘Abbacadabra’ album (the French musical, not the British dance group) that Frida sings backing vocals on. Sorry, but I’ve never heard of ‘Aithio’. Sara Russell writes:
'Aitho' is a song from the Michael Tretow 'Caramba' album. It sounds very much like Frida singing in an oriental and funny fashion. However, it is NOT Frida. For years I was CONVINCED that it was. But on 1st March 1999 I interviewed Michael Tretow by telephone for 70 minutes and I asked him about this track:
Sara: "You can hear Frida singing on 'Aitho' very clearly trying to sound Japanese, did you approach Agnetha at all to sing on the Caramba LP?" Michael Tretow: "No! People hear things that aren't there. Frida did not sing on the album at all, it was just Ted (Gardestad) and I. I've heard fans say that before, that they thought they could hear Frida." |
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In the early 90's I was on holiday with my boyfriend on the island on Majorca. We stayed in the resort of Santa Ponsa, and one night we went for a meal at a restaurant by the beach, while waiting for our meal, a lady asked my boyfriend if he would take her picture and she gave him her camera. She had who I presume was her granddaughter with her, and after having her picture taken she went onto the dance-floor and danced with the child (who I think might have been born with down's syndrome). My boyfriend then got up and asked the lady if he could dance with them, and the three of them finished the dance. I thought at the time she was German and I was struck by how much she looked like Frida, but didn't actually ask her (silly me!) I'd love to know if it was Frida. Any clues to her whereabouts at that time? (August 1993, probably the last two weeks of the month). Thanks for any information, cheers Stevie Bain (Glasgow Scotland).
| | Frida first bought a home in Majorca in the mid-80s, though I’m not sure exactly where. However, to the best of my knowledge, Frida’s only grandchild is her daughter’s son, Jonathon. |
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| I wanna know who did sing every song in ABBA. For instance, I have a doubt with ‘Move On’, Agnetha does sing every verse, or Frida too? In the chorus I hear the Frida’s voice especially. Do you know some web where I can find this information? Dennis Poblete Morales (Chile). Thank you!!! | | Though many songs have just one member singing the verse, almost all of them have both women (and often both men) singing in the chorus. In fact, the only ABBA song with a completely solo vocal is ‘Like An Angel Passing Through My Room’, though Frida’s only vocal contribution to ‘The Day Before You Came’ is the high-pitched almost inaudible wordless vocal during the instrumental break, so that almost counts for a completely solo Agnetha vocal. In the case of ‘ABBA – The Album’, Frida actually sang more of the backing and harmony vocals, as Agnetha was unable to spend as much time in the studio due to her pregnancy with Christian. On my ABBA World site www.abbaworld.net there is a list of who sings lead vocals (in most cases, just on the verse) on every ABBA song – the list is at http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/abba/
701/songs/titles/whosings.htm |
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