ABBA

OK I'm going to write my thoughts on this group. First off I've read an essay by Chuck Klosterman called "ABBA 1, WORLD 0," i believe it's called. I forget which book it's in but it was a good essay, and I bring it up just to point out that I'm not just some crazy person who thinks ABBA are one of the greatest things ever to happen to the human race. OK it might be a bit crazy but hear me out.

With ABBA you have these two guys, brilliant pop songwriters, writing music for their girlfriends who can sing the melodies perfectly. These guys are writing absolutely incredible compositions, basically orchestral pop song compositions, to be sung by virtuoso vocalists. If you've ever tried to write a great melody, you will know that the melody and harmony in Fernando or any of their other most well known songs are pure musical genius, absolutely no hyperbole. I can think of few other melodies other than those of Brian Wilson and classical composers that I would call a sign of musical brilliance.

Most of us think that ABBA are worthless or ignorable because of the associations they've made. Dancing Queen is "gay." Moms and girls like ABBA. Therefor we cannot like them, or even give them a fair chance.

I never really listened to "Dancing Queen" until a few months ago. I always heard it at places and never thought much of it, sort of just ignored it as another famous song that I didn't care much about. Then I saw the movie Mamma Mia on HBO for a minute (it's a pretty terrible film) and thought I would look up their greatest hits because the music was catchy. So I did, and I put on headphones and pressed play. ABBA - Gold.

"Dancing Queen" came blasting on. I was immediately drawn into the wall of sound and the melody - the intensity. After a short period of time I was in tears. I rarely cry these days, but my reaction to the power of their singing and the melody was this. I have cried before with music, particularly with Tchaikovsky and other assorted emotional melodic music, but my reaction to this was less controllable and more spiritual than with most other times.

The reason for my reaction was the purity in the singing, they were putting everything they had into it. The harmonies were - and I generally try not to say shit like this - godly. And to my surprise I'm not the only one who had this same reaction:

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During the sessions, Benny Andersson brought a tape home with the backing track on it and played it to his then-fiancée and band member, singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who apparently started crying when listening. "I found the song so beautiful. It's one of those songs that goes straight to your heart."

My point is, give ABBA a chance. if you appreciate Beach Boys lush symphonic pop music, you will, i guarantee, at least appreciate some of ABBA's music. start with "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and then "Fernando," and explore more from there. Those two songs, alongside "Dancing Queen," are their most moving to me.

It's all in the harmonies and melodies, and the hooks. If you hate ABBA because your Mom played it too much when you were a kid, I understand.

tldr?

I also think more aspiring pop songwriters of today should study the song structure and theory behind their music.

cool story brah

nuttin wrong with a lil abba every now and then

i'm in the sort of mood where i feel like making long well thought out posts

aka wasting my time in a terrible way

This explains everything.

Lay All Your Love On Me is a proper tune.

listen to Abba in the pub, sorted

I dig Abba Teen

I love some Abba.

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I am behind you, I'll always find you, I am the tiger

People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger

And if I meet you, what if I eat you, I am the tiger

I am behind you, I'll always find you, I am the tiger

Tiger, tiger, tiger!

So great.

"my mama said" is one of my all-time favourite groovy funk-styled tracks. probably not funk in the traditional sense, but fucking great.

two hot blondes and a gx1? how could you not love abba?

'SOS' is a shithot record. I also, erm, love 'Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)'.

  On 5/1/2010 at 6:33 AM, ieafs said:

  On 4/30/2010 at 12:30 PM, Caretstik said:

'SOS' is a shithot record. I also, erm, love 'Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)'.

phew, no one else seems to mention SOS... it's less abba-y i guess, but definitely my favourite single of theirs.

Yeah, I always thought it was a bit angst-y compared to their more popular songs.

i am a fan of the visitors, supertrouper, and under attack