The ABBA
Agnetha Falskog vocals
Benny Anderson vocals, keyboards, synthesizer
Bjorn Ulvaeus vocals, banjo, guitar
Anni-Frid Lyngstad vocals
Full Tracks Listing
1. Dancing Queen
2. Knowing Me, Knowing You
3. Take A Chance On Me
4. Mamma Mia
5. Lay All Your Love On Me
6. ... Read review
Anyone looking for the key to ABBA's enduring appeal should look no further than "Voulez ... more
Vous" and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" for their answer. There was an innocence to the Swedish quartet, even when they were singing about one-night stands and the invitations to them.Goldestablishes that the band, while appreciated as campy, were actually multifaceted in their execution. "S.O.S." has a raw urgency in its chorus, and "Does Your Mother Know" draws its energy from classic 1950s rock&roll. Likewise, you don't have to be Priscilla to swoon over "Mamma Mia" or "Dancing Queen". And when it comes to drama, those soaring vocals on "The Winner Takes It All" turn the song into a bitter anthem of every relationship that has ever fallen apart. The much-covered "Lay All Your Love on Me" is practically epic.--Steve Gdula
Postage & Packaging:Check Site. Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
===Full Tracks Listing=== 1. Dancing Queen 2. Knowing Me, Knowing You 3. Take A Chance On Me 4. Mamma Mia 5. Lay All Your Love On Me 6. Super Trooper 7. I Have A Dream 8. The ... ... 10. S.O.S. 11. Chiquitita 12. Fernando 13. Voulez Vous 14. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) 15. Does Your Mother Know 16. One Of Us 17. The Name Of The Game 18. Thank You For The Music 19. Waterloo
==About each track== (This contains year of recording and running time of each track. I personally like to read some few lines of each track when I read ... more
1. Dancing Queen 2. Knowing Me, Knowing You 3. Take A Chance On Me 4. Mamma Mia 5. Lay All Your Love On Me 6. Super Trooper 7. I Have A Dream 8. The Winner Takes It All 9. Money, Money, Money 10. S.O.S. 11. Chiquitita 12. Fernando 13. Voulez Vous 14. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) 15. Does Your Mother Know 16. One Of Us 17. The Name Of The Game 18. Thank You For The Music 19. Waterloo
About each track
(This contains year of recording and running time of each track. I personally like to read some few lines of each track when I read music reviews to help me familiarized with the song, so I added some lines of each track.)
Dancing Queen (1976) 3:51
You are the dancing queen Young and sweet, only seventeen This track has a dance vibe with piano as the most noticeable instrument. I would dance with it any way I like, be it disco-dancing or ballroom-swing. This track has beautiful display of keyboarding. It doesn't matter if I do the right dance steps. This song always tells me that I am the 'Dancing Queen' and I don't really care about the rest.
Knowing Me, Knowing You (1977) 4:01
Knowing me, knowing you (Aha), there is nothing we can do Knowing me, knowing you (Aha), we just have to face it, this time we're through This is another dance track but melancholic in lyrics. This talks about the feelings after a break-up. This song is very famous with its breathy and sexy 'AHAAAA...' at the end of some lines. This has the words of sadness but excellently delivered in a very cheerful tune.
Take A Chance On Me (1978) 4:04
If you change your mind, I'm the first in line Honey I'm still free. Take a chance on me This track has a great vocal arrangement and with great lyrics as well. I like the blending of four vocals and brilliant arrangement of keyboards. This has fast beat and is nicely delivered.
Mamma Mia (1975) 3:32
Mamma mia, here I go again My my, How can I resist you This track stayed 9 times in number one spot of the UK charts. This is a very sweet song with a marchy beat in the chorus part. Still, the blending of vocals is great - a famous ABBA identity.
Lay All Your Love On Me (1980) 4:34
Don't go wasting your emotion. Lay all your love on me Don't go sharing your devotion. Lay all your love on me Personally, I think that this is ABBA's best dance track. This track has a somewhat-Latin beat with a gospel-feel.. This song didn't climb up to the U.S. charts as a single but it stayed at the top of UK charts. This is a very good song..
Super Trouper (1980) 4:12
Tonight the super trouper beams are gonna blind me But I wont feel blue, like I always do 'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you This is a great track that talks about being in the limelight. Each time I listen to this song, I would sing out loud 'supahpah..troopapah..' and I don't care who listens to me.
I Have A Dream (1979) 4:42
I believe in angels, something good in everything I see I believe in angels, when I know the time is right for me This song has nice lyrics but I think it is shallow in melody. I just feel that any amateur can always create a tune like this one without difficulty. It seems like a lullaby to me - but a good lullaby.
The Winner Takes It All (1980) 4:54
The winner takes it all. The loser's standing small Beside the victory, that's her destiny This song was inspired by Agnetha and Bjorn's divorce. I consider this track as one of excellent songs of ABBA. This is a very good pop. The lyrics are very-well laid. This is a very romantic song though the theme is sadness. This song compares the relationships to a card gamble-game and ABBA did it great. Well, everyone is a 'player' in love.
Money, Money, Money (1976) 3:06
Money, money, money, always sunny In the rich man's world Aha-ahaaa, All the things I could do, If I had a little money This is a nice song that talks about being in materialistic world. This song has the repeating-phrase trademark of ABBA but it sounds really good.
S.O.S. (1975) 3:20
So when you're near me, darling can't you hear me, SOS The love you gave me, nothing else can save me, SOS This track is a good song that I would always love to listen to. It has nice arrangement and the melody is so heart-warming.
Chiquitita (1979) 5:24
Chiquitita, you and I know How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving This song was recorded a few months after Benny and Frida got married and coincidentally, when Bjorn and Agnetha decided to get a divorce. This is a very sweet song. It has a very soft and lovely sound which shifts to a faster beat with a somewhat Spanish/Mexican tune in the chorus, then gets back to the soft tune. I like the switching of melodies in this song.
Fernando (1976) 4:13
Now we're old and grey, Fernando And since many years I haven't seen a rifle in your hand With the theme of war, this song was first released in Sweden in a Swedish language with Frida as the solo vocalist, but its popularity simply meant that an English version was needed to be released. In spring of 1976, an English version of Fernando was out and undoubtedly made it to the top of the charts.
For me, this is a great song of all times. This has very slow rhythm then gets faster in the chorus just like Chiquitita. This is a very inspiring song and I won't be tired listening to this one.
Voulez Vous (1979) 5:09
Voulez-vous. Take it now or leave it Now is all we get. Nothing promised, no regrets This is the only ABBA’s song not recorded in Sweden and recorded in US. This is a good song with a dance vibe. This has very nice utilization of instruments which is complemented by the good blending of vocals.
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) (1979) 4:50
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away This is one of ABBA's repeating-phrase song but is nicely arranged. The harmony of instruments and vocals is good. This becomes the shoutout of a woman who is desperately seeking for a lover that would take the sadness away.
Does Your Mother Know (1979) 3:13
Well, I could dance with you honey, If you think it's funny Does your mother know that you're out? This is the last single recorded that features Bjorn as the lead vocalist. I find this song funny when it comes to lyrics. This has a good beat. ABBA did great in vocalization in this track.
One Of Us (1981) 3:55
One of us is crying. One of us is lying in a lonely bed. Staring at the ceiling, This track is maybe underrated most of the time but this is one of my favorites. I love the lyrics of this ballad and the melody is simply great. I remember singing this song during my early years in a school singing competition with swinging hips as I hit the chorus part. I ended up bagging the second prize. The tallest trophy went to a pretty girl contender who sang ‘Chiquitita’. Another girl sang another ABBA song but unfortunately cracked her voice. Too good that the other contestants didn’t choose to sing other Abba songs , or else the competition would have been an ‘ABBA sing-alike’ contest.
The Name Of The Game (1977) 4:5
What's the name of the game? Does it mean anything to you? What's the name of the game? Can you feel it the way I do? This is not the best song for me but it is really good. The lyrics are nicely-written and arranged.
Thank You For The Music (1983) 3:49 Tthank you for the music, the songs I'm singing Thanks for all the joy they're bringing This song was taken from the mini-musical The golden hair in 1977. This single was released in 1983 by some countries a year after ABBA disbanded in 1982. This was released in order to plug the gap while people waited for new Abba song. Eventually, this song became a big hit after its 1983 release. Too sad that this song never achieved its fame before 1982 while the band still existed.
This track is good. The theme is a farewell song just like in the finale of the broadway show after all numbers are done. So it seems to me that is a real farewell song. This is a good track and sounds really sincere.
Waterloo (1974) 2:48
Waterloo, I was defeated, you won the war Waterloo, promise to love you for ever more
This song was recorded when ABBA was just starting to perform as a group. This song was the one responsible for starting the ABBA fever after this song made ABBA win the Eurovision song contest and the band eventually started to grab the first taste of fame. This is a great track that gives me the itch to swing when I listen to it. It displays the excellent blending of vocals of the band and great instrumentation.
The Album:
The ABBA Gold Greatest Hits album contains 19 tracks with the total running time of 76:25. It contains songs that made it high in the charts by the Swedish band members, though Frida actually originated in Norway. The 4-member band dominated the charts with their excellent collaboration of vocals and instruments.
The Greatest Hits of Abba is one of Universal Records’ ‘Millennium’ series. There are actually more than 20 editions of Abba’s Greatest Hits out in the market. Producers just mix-matched Abba songs and released the albums, thus ABBA’s songs refused to die.
This album was another attempt by Universal Records to cash in on Abba’s previous catalog. The tracks are unquestionably good.
ABBA raided the 70’s charts like band of powerful pirates , leaving competitors wondering how the famous band grabbed the biggest share of the limelight. The band didn’t simply achieve fame by chance. They made it to the top due to superb vocals, awesome performances and great choice of music.
ABBA ruled the world of pop during the 70’s. It took about 15 years for the punk-rock to be acknowledged in the mainstream media due to Abba’s over-a-decade of wearing the music crown. The songs of Abba crossed the boundaries of social class. Music lovers in general couldn’t despise good pop music like Abba used to offer to the listening crowd.
My Experience
I grew up with the famous songs of ABBA. During my teenage years, I used to play our old long-playing album (we call that LP), danced to the cheerful beat, got a grip of the tip of the broom and sang along with ABBA's excellent ballads.
I bought this CD about 5 years ago because I missed ABBA's great songs which contribute a big part of my teenage memories. I don't skip any track when I play this CD. ABBA offers great songs one after another. This album is always one of my favorite classics. I love the harmony of vocals and instruments of this album. I don't play it often nowadays but the songs and melodies still remain in my heart.
I have always been familiar with all the songs of ABBA and until now, these songs still capture my heart no matter how redundant they may seem.
Advantages: Classic pop tunes to dance the night away too Disadvantages: A few clumsy songs get in the way of an otherwise perfect album
Well before Ally McBeal went to her therapist and discovered theme song therapy, I was well on my way to success with a little help from ABBA! But as the disco movement died in the latter part of the 70's, just when I was old enough to buy my own records, it became almost a crime to admit to enjoying the music of bands such as ABBA. And while this remained true for many years, the music of ABBA has seen somewhat of a revival of late, with a whole ... ...alove and winning them a whole new host of fans!
And it is little wonder why with albums like this packed with 19 wonderful songs:
1. Dancing Queen 3.49
2. Knowing Me, Knowing You 4.01
3. Take A Chance On Me 4.01
4. Mamma Mia 3.32
5. Lay All Your Love On Me 4.32
6. Super Trouper 4.10
7. I Have A Dream 4.43
8. The Winner Takes It All 4.54
9. Money, Money, Money 3.05
10. S.O.S. 3.19
11. Chiquitita 5.26
12. Fernando 4.10
13. Voulez Vous ...
stumack 26.08.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of (The) Greatest Hits of Abba
I wasn’t alive in the reign of Abba because I was born in the 80’s. From the sound of this album it looks like I missed out on a lot. This album was made in 1992 long after the band had broken up. It was the first album I ever bought and I still love it today. The album has 19 tracks on it. Some are wonderful and show the true Abba style while others are not so good. There is a sequel to the album as well ‘More Abba Gold’ ... ...hit they had. There are 19 songs on the album itself ranging from ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Super Trouper’ to ‘Waterloo’ and ‘Thank you For The Music’. The inlay of the cover is very nice as well, full of colour pictures and a biography of the band. Sadly there are no lyrics. I like covers with lyrics so I know if I am singing along right. NOW TO THE MUSIC 1: Dancing Queen (3.49) Well from the title you ...
Sarashaw100 17.08.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of (The) Greatest Hits of Abba
Last night, my eldest daughter swam in her first ever club competition (Silver in the Freestyle, Gold in the Breaststroke and she does the Back Crawl next week, completely irrelevant to the review but I’m a proud mum!) on leaving the leisure centre there was a huge party going on, with the main event being an Abba tribute group. So having ended the night with the lyrics to Dancing Queen rattling around in my head, I just had to dig out my Abba Gold ... ...What did strike me last night more than anything, was the average age of people going into the show? I grew up with Abba, being 4 when they won the Eurovision song contest and have owned and lost most of their albums at one time or another, but many of the people there last night could only have been babies, if that, when Abba finally broke up in 1982 but they were all off, to have what was guaranteed to be a good night (just a shame I had two obvious ...
MHam 27.06.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of (The) Greatest Hits of Abba
Advantages: All of them are fantastic songs. Disadvantages: You'll lose some "cool" factor if you're caught with it
It's ABBA, what can I say? Well, for a start, I was a fan of their music and had bought this album before everyone else realised that, yes, they are rather good.
ABBA first performed in public together as "Festfolk" in 1970, and released their first album, "Ring Ring", in 1973 as "Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha and Frida". Clearly, this name didn't have anything of the resonance of their later name, and it was soon decided by all that a shorter and catchier ... ...was made from the initials of each of their names, and more importantly, it was easy to say by non-Scandinavians.
The album itself contains all of ABBA's best known songs, as well as a few that the causal listener might not know. Here's the full track listing.
1: Dancing Queen
2: Knowing Me, Knowing You
3: Take A Chance On Me
4: Mamma Mia
5: Lay All Your Love On Me
6: Super Trouper
7: I Have A Dream
8: The Winner Takes It All
9: Money, ...
thedeadparrot 31.03.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of (The) Greatest Hits of Abba
Advantages: Eighteen Excellent Example of Pure Pop Disadvantages: Rock Me is not that great, but not that bad
In Brighton England on 6th of April 1974 ABBA started on their path to world domination from the unlikely springboard of winning the Eurovision Song Contest. The Eurovision Song Contest is a joke and was taken as (un) seriously then, as it is now.
The year before they had entered to be Sweden's representative in Eurovision with "Ring , Ring", which came third, but still sold well in Sweden. They also ran into problems with their name as it was already ... ...lend their name to the band.
"Waterloo" was a number one , but it was eighteen months before they followed up that success with the excellent "SOS", shaking off the stigma of winning , and being associated with Eurovision. These facts have all been pinched from the excellent sleeve notes in the CD booklet provided by Carl Magnus Palm.
So what do you get. Nineteen excellent songs, ok the lyrics were sometimes a bit dodgy, but a lot of English people ...
mikeydred 12.03.2001 (13.03.2001)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of (The) Greatest Hits of Abba
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
Value for Money
Similar reviews »
Reviews which might be of interest for "(The) Greatest Hits of Abba"
Advantages: Mature, dark, classy pop Disadvantages: Not what you may expect from this band
. However, it did not affect it adversely. As with Fleetwood Mac?s ?Rumours?, the heartache and pain that accompanied the break-ups resulted in some of ABBA?s best ever material. The group reconvened in 1981 to record and release ?The Visitors?, which would be their penultimate album (they released a GreatestHits collection the following year with two new tracks recorded especially, but more on that in a bit). There had been elements of melancholy which had touched their last album, ?Super Trouper? (most notably the brilliant ?The Winner Takes It All?) but now ABBA were about to make the journey into their most mature, and gloomiest, work in their career, an album which sounds less like the ABBA of old and more like Joy Division had Ian Curtis died and the other members had recruited two Swedish girls as his replacements.
The album opens ...
![The Real Abba Gold - Abba's Greatest Hits [Red] - The Abba Tribute Band](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/95944375.jpg "The Real Abba Gold - Abba's Greatest Hits [Red] - The Abba Tribute Band")
![The Real Abba Gold - Abba's Greatest Hits [Yellow] - The Real Abba Gold](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/89381765.jpg "The Real Abba Gold - Abba's Greatest Hits [Yellow] - The Real Abba Gold")
