Mikory's ABBA-blog: Music

A little while ago I got the new release of ABBA Greatest Hits on CD. It brought back some good memories. I was ten years old in 1975 and I got this album for Christmas.

I liked the bizarre cover and I still remember how I was a little "shocked" when I saw Benny and Frida kissing on the inside of the cover (as I said, I was ten!). I stared at this picture for a long time and I thought Björn's boots were really cool. Well, it was 1975...

I also remembered thinking that I thought it was kind of early to release a Greatest Hits album after only two albums (I wasn't, at the time, thinking Ring Ring was a "proper" ABBA-album).

This new CD-release has Fernando on it, which of course my old one hadn't. Song wise I guess this is a "unnecessary" release, but I for one am happy about it. It looks great as a digipak very true to the original artwork. It is nicely done and the disc is black like the old good old vinyl! What more could you ask for?

My dear friend Magda from Romania had never heard the live recording of ABBA's concert in 1975. Now, 30 years later she has and here is her review. Unfortunately the recording Magda got hold of does not include the two first songs that ABBA opened with; "Hey Hey Helen" and "He Is Your Brother", but the rest of the songs, 14 of them are there. It's a real pity we never got any official live recordings from these early dates in ABBA's career. I think you can hear that Eskilstuna was Frida's hometown - she is definitely giving it all - and then some. I still get furious when I think of the time I read that Stikkan Anderson offered Sveriges Television to follow the 1975 folk park tour and make documentary/concert show for TV. Sveriges Television declinded. Anyway here's Magda review of the show:

A time when ABBA was still “small”..almost as “small” as in the puppets clip from last year. It gave me a smile imagining the people watching the ones who would become one of the biggest band in history. No sweaty obsessed crowds yet. And shows a part of ABBA’s magic sound… even the early live performances sound so close to the studio ones, a “rara avis” nowdays when you go to a live show and wonder if the group on the stage really performs the same song you liked when you heard it on the radio. style="color: #ff3300;">Hasta Manana with Bjorn intro – I wish I knew what he is saying; If you had any doubt , this song shows this is LIVE . Agnetha puts a lot of effort in here. Sitting In The Palmtree Good job, Björn!

Intermezzo No.1 Every time I hear it I have in mind the image "ABBA - The Movie" created. Is Benny jumping up and down on the chair in Eskiltuna? Cause the tempo is great and you wouldn’t know if is Australia or Eskiltuna if you didn't know it from the beginning. Gonna Sing You My Love Song It is like Frida tries to say “Here I am, listen to me! Am I good or what ?” A real super version that I would love to hear after a “Tretow touch”. Rock’N’Roll Band Totally Frida. Wow, was she “in voice” or what?! Watch Out I listened to it by curiosity, not one of my favourite ABBA songs and still... I can notice the voice effort and accuracy of the live performance. Very rocky for that time. S.O.S. Ooops! The famous “second verse sung by Frida” version. Was that the time when Agnetha decided to remove the tonsils? What happened there? I can’t hear “Itried to reach for you”, the verse is changed? If you are not an ABBAnatic you won’t “feel” anything changed, would you? So Long Listen Benny’s piano! Rocky rocks! Is it me or can I only hear Frida? The tempo is so high! And the ending is not the one you've gotten used to, but longer.The crowd sounds pleased! Again I wish I knew what they say to the audience. I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do When the voices go higher makes me close my eyes “Will theyl reach the right note?” and then “Whew! They did!” Live versions are really thrilling! I’ve Been Waiting For You Another song that reminds me of “Australia-to come show” I almost see Ashley walking on the beach. Well done, Agnetha! I love the simple end. Honey Honey I love the saxophone.Gives me the impression of another Frida leading song. Waterloo First verse, first impression: again Frida rocks! And seems that even the audience is singing along. A totally pleasant surprise, more than I expected in fact. Became more than just a collector's interest, I would make it an album!