Your Questions

Lex answers…

I have been trying to get the original release dates, for the U.K. issues of the following Agnetha albums

 1. “Eyes of a woman”

2. “I stand alone”

 I believe that “Wrap your arms around me”, was released in the U.K., on the ‘Epic’ label on 31 March 1983. If you could let me know about the other 2, I would be very grateful.

 Thanks, Stephen Cloke.

Agnetha’s “Eyes Of A Woman” LP was released in April 1985. The exact release date is unknown to me, if anyone who reads this knows when it was released in the UK, please contact me and I’ll update this question in a later edition of “Ask Lex”.

 The “I Stand Alone” LP was released on November 9^th 1987.

You can’t get in contact with Agnetha. After she released her last album “My Colouring Book” she withdrew from the public eye and since then she is not (and doesn’t want to be) an artist anymore. The last time she was seen in public was on January 7^th 2007 when she attended the final performance of “Mamma Mia!” in Stockholm as a private person.

And a simular question was send to me this month:

Dear Lex

 I rushed out to buy the ‘30th anniversary edition’ of “Arrival” and was VERY pleased with the sound quality!

 Do you know, if the “Complete Studio Recordings” is made in a similar quality? I happen to have all the albums already of course, but if better sound is available anywhere, I'll re-buy.... (I think that the sound is a bit muffled on “The Visitors” and also some of “Super Trouper”) - Or will we have to wait for the release of the other ‘30th anniversary’ editions?

 Lots of kind regards from

ABBAMAILER Ken Griffin has sent a series of ‘Audiophile-Research’ emails to the ABBAMAIL-List. Over a period of time he did research on the sound quality of several ABBA CD releases and compared the sound of those different CD’s. I have re-read these wonderful emails and the overall conclusion is, that the sound of the “Complete Studio Recordings” released in 2005 in a blue box, has the best sound. This ‘Limited Edition’ of 25.000 copies, has recently been re-released in a slimmed down white box. I would advise you to get this set. The one to avoid seems to be the 1997 remasters, and I have to add to that, that the design and liner notes of that release are the worst as well.

The 30^th anniversary edition of “Arrival” was a clone of the “Arrival” in the ‘Complete Studio Recordings’ box that was released in 2005, the Swedish version of “Fernando” by Frida on this 30^th anniversary CD of “Arrival” was a clone from the 2005 re-release of Frida’s “Frida Ensam” CD.

(with thanks to Ken Griffin for providing the information I needed to answer these questions)

You seem to know all the answers to all the ABBA questions, where do you get the answers from, and how reliable are they?

Keep up the good work!

Lilian, Germany

But that’s what I like about doing this, finding answers to questions that I do not know right away. I have a huge ABBA library that contains most of the information I need to give a reliable answer. And if I can’t find an answer, I won’t answer the question that’s been asked. I’ll ask those that know, to write me. I try to send in the answers once a month, and it’s always checked by the ABBAMAIL List owner Graeme Read. Sometimes information is added, sometimes my English is being corrected J

I will never give an unreliable answer, you can be 100% sure of that. Otherwise there’s no reason to do “Ask Lex”.

Hi Lex!  I would like to know what happened with the Agnetha’s website www.agnetha.se . I’m trying to enter, but it is impossible to get in. can you tell me if the Agnetha’s website is over. Thank you.

Other question: it is supposed that 7th day finalist competition of the American idol program will do an ABBA day competition. but the program is getting  closer to the end and the famous ABBA  day is not showed yet, can you tell me about it. Thank you.

Ferrnando Alvarez García. Bogotá -Colombia.

In Europe, as well as ‘American Idol’ ('UK Idol' in the U.K.) there is a similar talent show called ‘X-Factor’, and in the UK edition of this show they had an ABBA Special on November 4^th 2006. Björn attended this show and was a judge to the candidates.

I couldn’t find any information about an ABBA Special in the US. Apart from the act that there was a rumour at the beginning of this year's American Idol that there would be an ABBA night - but that's all it seemed to be, a rumour. Perhaps the producers thought better of the idea and let it drop.

I am trying to figure out what TV show this photograph is from - or is it perhaps a concert. Can you help?

For more pictures and information about this performance and ABBA’s other TV performances you can go to Sara Russell-Barnes’ fantastic website:

 www.abbaontv.com 

But 3 different ones...

It was quite a puzzle to figure out the exact lyric, I hope I succeeded:

“CHIQUITITA” (vocals and backing vocals)

Chiquitita tell me what’s wrong

You’re enchained by your own sorrow

In your eyes

There is no hope for tomorrow

How I hate to see you like this

There is no way you can deny it

I can see that you’re oh so sad so quiet

Chiquitita tell me the truth

I’m a shoulder you can cry on

Your best friend

I’m the one you must rely on

You were always sure of yourself

Now I see you’ve broken a feather

How It Hurts To See You Cry And How It Hurts To See You Sad

I hope we can patch it up together

Chiquitita you and I know

How the heartaches come and they go

And the scars they’re leavin’

You’ll be dancing once again

And the pain will end

You will have no time for grievin’

Chiquitita you and I cry

But the Sun is still in the sky

Even Though We Cry The Sun Is Shining In The Sky So let me hear you sing once more like you did before

Let Me Hear You Sing Some More The Way You Used To Do Before

Sing a new song Chiquitita

Try once more like you did before

Sing a new song Chiquitita

So the walls came tumblin’ down

And your love’s a blown-out candle

All is gone

And it seems to hard to handle

Chiquitita tell me the truth

There is no way you can deny it

I see that you’re oh so sad so quiet

Chiquitita you and I know

How the heartaches come and go

And the scars they’re leavin’

You And I We Know How All The Heartaches Come And Go

You’ll be dancin’ once again

And the pain will end

And You’ll Be Dancing Once Again And All The Pain You Take Will End

You will have no time for grievin’

Chiquitita you and I Cry

But the Sun is still in the sky

And shining above you

Even Though We Cry The Sun Is Shining In The Sky So let me hear you sing once more like you did before

Let Me Hear You Sing Some More The Way You Used To Do Before

Sing a new song Chiquitita

Try once more like you did before

Sing a new song

Chiquitita