Abba ..........................................

[Macfanforever]

WOW.It looks like ABBA is having a reunion .:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jun/06/abba-first-public-performance-30-years-me-and-i-bjorn-ulvaeus-benny-andersson

Abba reunite for first public performance in 30 years

Fans delighted by impromptu singalong to Me and I at a Stockholm gala to celebrate 50 years since Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson met
Super troopers … the original members of Abba line up at the opening of Mamma Mia! The Party in January.
Super troopers … the original members of Abba line up at the opening of Mamma Mia! The Party in January. Photograph: IBL/Rex/Shutterstock

Guardian music
@guardianmusic

Monday 6 June 2016 13.01 EDT
Last modified on Monday 6 June 2016 17.00 EDT


The four members of Abba performed alongside one another for the first time in over 30 years in Stockholm this weekend.

On Sunday, at a private gala to mark 50 years since songwriting duo Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson met for the first time, the pair were joined by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstadon stage at Berns Salonger in Stockholm. As well as discussing their career, the group sang their 1980 hit Me and I, according to Swedish newspaper Expressen – an event many fans never foresaw happening.
'We are here to party': Abba reunite – in a Stockholm restaurant
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The impromptu performance reportedly began when Lyngstad and Fältskog recited the track as a tribute to Andersson and Ulvaeus, before the other half of Abba joined in and made the reunion official. Footage of the performance hasn’t yet surfaced, but images appeared on social media.

Although the group’s last tour took place in 1982, the four-piece were last publicly seen together in Stockholm for the opening of a new entertainment venture, Mamma Mia! The Party.

Despite their occasional individual performances, the group – made up of two former married couples – decided they would not reunite for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. “Agnetha is not flying, so I don’t know how she’s going to get to New York,” Andersson told Rolling Stone at the time.
Abba: from Eurovision to the split – in pictures
View gallery

Speaking to Expressen, Lyngstad said of their 2016 reunion: “It was absolutely amazing. A lot of emotions.

“We’ve made this journey throughout our history. Benny and Björn in particular. It’s been very nostalgic.”

“We took a break in ‘82, and it was meant to be a break,” Ulvaeus said in 2014. “It’s still a break and will remain so. You’ll never see us on stage again.”

[welcomechris]

This makes me soooo happy!!! love abba

[Missy]

Unfortunately I don't think Agnetha will ever get over her fear of flying.

There are obviously many comparisons between ABBA and FM. Two couples in the band, break ups, songs written on truthful themes. Two female singers with an interesting contrast in their vocals. A bunch of very different personalities who together were more than their sum of parts.

They were dismissed by many as pop fluff, but their work did mature over time. You know John Lennon was an ABBA fan. So were the Sex Pistols. Listen to 'Pretty Vacant' and you can hear the riff from ABBA's S.O.S.

I think Bjorn wrote many lyrics and Benny crafted the melodies. Benny can play the accordian and here's a random fact - if you listen to many ABBA songs played on accordian, they actually sound quite suited to that instrument. So I think that helped him develop that sense of melody.

[BombaySapphire3]

Wow in this day and age there is not even a clip for this:shrug:I 'm sure this is a one off. From everything I know about this group they will not reunite.

[~*BellaDonna*~]

Back in their hayday, Abba was my guilty pleasure, and The Carpenters, too. I still enjoy (and miss) Karen's angelic voice. I always melt when I hear "A Song For You". :)

[BombaySapphire3]

Back in their hayday, Abba was my guilty pleasure, and The Carpenters, too. I still enjoy (and miss) Karen's angelic voice. I always melt when I hear "A Song For You". :)

I don't feel a shred of guilt listening to either of these groups. Two of the most musically accomplished pop groups of all time. ABBA is neck and neck with Fleetwood Mac as my two favorite groups of any genre. In fact with the way that Fleetwood Mac has been behaving as of late ABBA might take the top spot.

[becca]

I'm surprised there was even this much of a performance/reunion! Agnetha had some really hard times with travel and an obsessed fan unfortunately. I can't blame her for wanting nothing to do with any sort of larger scale reunion. I tuned Abba out for awhile in the late '70s, like the Bee Gees, but am glad that later on I went back and listened to all the great work I missed because of that from both groups, especially from the 1980s (and the Chess musical). There are also a lot of pre-Abba and other Swedish releases... they are mostly in Swedish but there are some great pieces of music in there too.

The Carpenters had a few tracks where they decided to do a more mechanical voice doubling effect and those are the only ones I could call a guilty pleasure. Because of the huge amount of time it used to take to overdub all the vocals Richard tried something that was quicker but you can really tell the difference. I wish he'd release more of the pre-Carpenters 1960s demos when they were called Spectrum and Summerchimes, they were more like the Mamas & Papas.

[Macfanforever]

Too bad this was a simple get together.I have to give them credit for doing this .I did not know or remember that Agnetha is afraid of flying.May she should talk to Christine about flying.My dad always love the Carpenters.I do enjoy their music too since I'm a big easylistening music fan .

[FuzzyPlum]

Top 5 ABBA

1) Fernando
2) Chiquitita
3) Lay All Your Love on Me
4) Soldiers
5) SOS

[~*BellaDonna*~]

Top 5 ABBA

1) Fernando
2) Chiquitita
3) Lay All Your Love on Me
4) Soldiers
5) SOS
I like 4 out of the five you listed (Soldiers), I'd replace it with The Name Of The Game.

[~*BellaDonna*~]

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=the%20carpenters%20australia&sm=1

[Missy]

Too bad this was a simple get together.I have to give them credit for doing this .I did not know or remember that Agnetha is afraid of flying.May she should talk to Christine about flying.My dad always love the Carpenters.I do enjoy their music too since I'm a big easylistening music fan .

I think that when they were at the height of their popularity, they had a particularly terrifying flight with turbulence and Agnetha was very traumatized about it. She has said she also hated being separated from her young children, to tour with the band.

I don't think she will ever be able to fly regularly again, but I found this report that she was seeking some therapy for it http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/abba-singer-agnetha-faltskog-opens-intense-fear-flying-article-1.1339082

I'm surprised there was even this much of a performance/reunion! Agnetha had some really hard times with travel and an obsessed fan unfortunately. I can't blame her for wanting nothing to do with any sort of larger scale reunion. I tuned Abba out for awhile in the late '70s, like the Bee Gees, but am glad that later on I went back and listened to all the great work I missed because of that from both groups, especially from the 1980s (and the Chess musical). There are also a lot of pre-Abba and other Swedish releases... they are mostly in Swedish but there are some great pieces of music in there too.

I don't blame her either. Agnetha was really the focal point of the group. Even though Frida was attractive too and had a lovely voice, Agnetha seemed to receive most of the attention, but she did not deal with it very well and started getting stage fright.

I don't feel a shred of guilt listening to either of these groups. Two of the most musically accomplished pop groups of all time. ABBA is neck and neck with Fleetwood Mac as my two favorite groups of any genre. In fact with the way that Fleetwood Mac has been behaving as of late ABBA might take the top spot.

I think we were very spoilt by the standard of music back then, and began to take it for granted. ABBA seemed to be distinctly 'uncool' for a period of time, but then there was a revival of sorts with the musical.

When I was a kid I liked their classic pop work first and foremost, but since then I started listening to and appreciating other parts of their catalog. They could have done their own version of 'Rumors'.

<iframe width="427" height="240" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d3VjTcYYdRw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Perfect break up song. Yeh, it's had meaning for me. Also 'Knowing Me Knowing You'

<iframe width="427" height="240" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/92cwKCU8Z5c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="427" height="240" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1GCjrABCjr8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Macfanforever]

I'm glad that Agnetha is getting help.


As a teen .I only flew once in my life which was 40 years ago to this month to Florida.The flights were OK.When I travel .I love to be on the ground and see something like sight seeing.You cant do that 30,000 feet in the air.

[Macfanforever]

Dancing Queen is one of my favorites .

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xFrGuyw1V8s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Heres a whole concert from 1979.

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uuXEwp4JQJQ?list=PLHXH2l6qOLTZgVRTmTVXqV_2G4PWLQ7jM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9G4qYIHJv9s?list=PLHXH2l6qOLTZgVRTmTVXqV_2G4PWLQ7jM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>



<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7aGqs-5Ov6g?list=PLHXH2l6qOLTZgVRTmTVXqV_2G4PWLQ7jM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>



<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W2lTypk8rG4?list=PLHXH2l6qOLTZgVRTmTVXqV_2G4PWLQ7jM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[becca]

Five great but maybe under-heard '80s Abba songs...

One Of Us
Under Attack
I Am The City
Our Last Summer
Just Like That

and solo by Anni-Frid 'Frida' Lyngstad...

(I Know) There's Something Going On

https://youtu.be/372436tJiaM

and from Tim Rice and Benny & Bjorn's Chess...

I Know Him So Well
(Barbara Dickson and Elaine Paige)

https://youtu.be/sBSPUbtdM6I

(Warning: Heavy '80s production on those last two). :)

[Wdm6789]

This is weird. I just started listening to Abba a lot recently. It's like when I got into Fleetwood Mac and Christine came back.

[FuzzyPlum]

It's overlooked that ABBA had such a huge output over a very short period of time. When you consider the consistent quality of their music they are almost up there with the Beatles.

[BombaySapphire3]

It's overlooked that ABBA had such a huge output over a very short period of time. When you consider the consistent quality of their music they are almost up there with the Beatles.

I agree .Their recording career was almost exactly 10 years. They have released more music than the current lineup of Fleetwood Mac. The ABBA boys had an unerring sense of melody.

[Macfanforever]

I agree .Their recording career was almost exactly 10 years. They have released more music than the current lineup of Fleetwood Mac. The ABBA boys had an unerring sense of melody.

Also can say ABBA has a boatload of number 1 hits.FM only 1 number one hit.

http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/8604/abba/

[BombaySapphire3]

Also can say ABBA has a boatload of number 1 hits.FM only 1 number one hit.

http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/8604/abba/

Actually here in the US Fleetwood Mac and ABBA are tied with only one number one each. Dreams and Dancing Queen and within a few weeks of each other. In the UK and just about every other place ABBA handily beat Fleetwood Mac in number one singles.

[Missy]

In Australia during 1970s, their fame was comparable to Beatlemania. Unfortunately I think Agnetha was intimidated by and afraid of that level of attention/fanatacism when they toured here. Agnetha bore the brunt of it and she wasn't making it up.

After The Beatles split, it was as if everyone was looking for the next band to be like them, and that went on for a long time. A few bands came close. But it's not likely it will ever happen that way again due to a variety of factors. I'm not even the biggest Beatles fan but there probably won't be that impact again because there isn't the same culture. But in the 70s people were still hungry for it.

[becca]

To focus on something positive... as a kid in the '70s I remember the early disco period and how positive the music was. It wasn't great capital A art maybe but you could dance to it as they say. A lot of the artists were black too; Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (with Teddy Pendergrass), Shirley & Company, George McCrae, Earth Wind & Fire, Parliament, Barry White, Kool & The Gang, we had records by all of them. I even learned The Hustle. The first Abba I remember hearing was probably S.O.S. like most North Americans, or I Do, I Do, I Do which came on a cassette from relatives in Holland who recorded things off the radio that were hits there (Radio Veronica and Radio Hilversum). They were upbeat and fun where a lot of big arena rock was becoming pretentious and even ponderous. I remember buying a Kansas album and liking only one song (Dust In The Wind, talk about downbeat)... and then buying a Boney M disco LP and liking almost every track. The two Fleetwood Mac albums I played a lot were the white album and Rumours and they fit in well with the times. Somewhere people began just turning out product with the dance beat, and even though there were still good disco records like by Chic or The Gap Band it did get worn out. I had moved on to the skinny tie groups, Joe Jackson, Blondie, Pointed Sticks and The Police around when Tusk came out.

I know now that there was depression, drug abuse, violence and class struggle etc. in the '70s, but for me it seemed a really optimistic time where, like Fleetwood Mac sang, thinking about tomorrow was exciting. I haven't felt that was since and yet have heard others say the same about the '60s or '80s and even the '90s as a golden age for them and music. One person's Beatles and Byrds is another person's M.C. Hammer and Beastie Boys?

[Wdm6789]

To focus on something positive... as a kid in the '70s I remember the early disco period and how positive the music was. It wasn't great capital A art maybe but you could dance to it as they say. A lot of the artists were black too; Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (with Teddy Pendergrass), Shirley & Company, George McCrae, Earth Wind & Fire, Parliament, Barry White, Kool & The Gang, we had records by all of them. I even learned The Hustle. The first Abba I remember hearing was probably S.O.S. like most North Americans, or I Do, I Do, I Do which came on a cassette from relatives in Holland who recorded things off the radio that were hits there (Radio Veronica and Radio Hilversum). They were upbeat and fun where a lot of big arena rock was becoming pretentious and even ponderous. I remember buying a Kansas album and liking only one song (Dust In The Wind, talk about downbeat)... and then buying a Boney M disco LP and liking almost every track. The two Fleetwood Mac albums I played a lot were the white album and Rumours and they fit in well with the times. Somewhere people began just turning out product with the dance beat, and even though there were still good disco records like by Chic or The Gap Band it did get worn out. I had moved on to the skinny tie groups, Joe Jackson, Blondie, Pointed Sticks and The Police around when Tusk came out.

I know now that there was depression, drug abuse, violence and class struggle etc. in the '70s, but for me it seemed a really optimistic time where, like Fleetwood Mac sang, thinking about tomorrow was exciting. I haven't felt that was since and yet have heard others say the same about the '60s or '80s and even the '90s as a golden age for them and music. One person's Beatles and Byrds is another person's M.C. Hammer and Beastie Boys?

Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience these decades first hand. In my opinion, the 70s had the best music, 60s and 80s had awesome music too, but in the 60s it was just getting started. In the 80s it started getting more commercial and technology started getting more advanced and started to take away some of the integrity of the music. 70s was the best.

[Missy]

To focus on something positive... as a kid in the '70s I remember the early disco period and how positive the music was. It wasn't great capital A art maybe but you could dance to it as they say. A lot of the artists were black too; Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (with Teddy Pendergrass), Shirley & Company, George McCrae, Earth Wind & Fire, Parliament, Barry White, Kool & The Gang, we had records by all of them. I even learned The Hustle. The first Abba I remember hearing was probably S.O.S. like most North Americans, or I Do, I Do, I Do which came on a cassette from relatives in Holland who recorded things off the radio that were hits there (Radio Veronica and Radio Hilversum). They were upbeat and fun where a lot of big arena rock was becoming pretentious and even ponderous. I remember buying a Kansas album and liking only one song (Dust In The Wind, talk about downbeat)... and then buying a Boney M disco LP and liking almost every track. The two Fleetwood Mac albums I played a lot were the white album and Rumours and they fit in well with the times. Somewhere people began just turning out product with the dance beat, and even though there were still good disco records like by Chic or The Gap Band it did get worn out. I had moved on to the skinny tie groups, Joe Jackson, Blondie, Pointed Sticks and The Police around when Tusk came out.

I know now that there was depression, drug abuse, violence and class struggle etc. in the '70s, but for me it seemed a really optimistic time where, like Fleetwood Mac sang, thinking about tomorrow was exciting. I haven't felt that was since and yet have heard others say the same about the '60s or '80s and even the '90s as a golden age for them and music. One person's Beatles and Byrds is another person's M.C. Hammer and Beastie Boys?

I was born in the 70s and still remember it as so much fun, even if we weren't as technologically sophisticated. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm still a 'glam girl' at heart. To me, Stevie Nicks was in many ways a female American version of Mr Marc Bolan. I've read that the glam movement developed partly in response to the overly intellectual, analytical, serious music of the late 60s. It may have been derided by critics at the time but I think some of it still holds up well today - some of those who were clever like Bowie were able to incorporate a good sense of irony into it.

Yes some of it was damn silly. ABBA had their bad costumes and share of trite songs but also had their moments of pop brilliance. Agnetha and Frida were truly good singers and Bjorn's lyrics matured over time. Though they projected this fun happy bubblegum image a lot of the time, it can also be noted that there was sometimes a sadder, moodier undercurrent reflected. It was just the right mix.

[BombaySapphire3]

Yes some of it was damn silly. ABBA had their bad costumes and share of trite songs but also had their moments of pop brilliance. Agnetha and Frida were truly good singers and Bjorn's lyrics matured over time. Though they projected this fun happy bubblegum image a lot of the time, it can also be noted that there was sometimes a sadder, moodier undercurrent reflected. It was just the right mix.

Towards the end of their recording career the undercurrent rose to the surface.Songs like "The Winner Takes it All' "One of Us ',The Visitors " and "The Day Before You Came' are the aural equivalent of an Ingmar Bergman film.

[Macfan4life]

I would love it but I highly doubt they will tour. In 2000 ABBA was offered 1 BILLION dollars (yes 1 BILLON) to do a world tour of 100 shows and they turned it down. A few years later ABBA was offered 1 billion again and they declined again.
Their only US tour was 12 dates. They never liked touring and had family obligations. That is why there are so many ABBA videos. They were pioneers with videos. They used videos to promote their music instead of touring.

My favorites:

Knowing Me, Knowing You - its just so good
Waterloo
The winner takes it all
Does your mother know
The game

[becca]

I was born in the 70s and still remember it as so much fun, even if we weren't as technologically sophisticated. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm still a 'glam girl' at heart. To me, Stevie Nicks was in many ways a female American version of Mr Marc Bolan. I've read that the glam movement developed partly in response to the overly intellectual, analytical, serious music of the late 60s. It may have been derided by critics at the time but I think some of it still holds up well today - some of those who were clever like Bowie were able to incorporate a good sense of irony into it.

Yes some of it was damn silly. ABBA had their bad costumes and share of trite songs but also had their moments of pop brilliance. Agnetha and Frida were truly good singers and Bjorn's lyrics matured over time. Though they projected this fun happy bubblegum image a lot of the time, it can also be noted that there was sometimes a sadder, moodier undercurrent reflected. It was just the right mix.

Glam was a sort of back to basics before punk rock happened. I remember very little about it, it was right before disco, and it was sort of a progression from what was called Bubblegum Pop. We did have some of these turn up on out K-Tel albums, in a way Elton John seemed to be in with the whole Glam Euro thing because of his over the top costumes like Slade and The Sweet, and Abba looked no dafter than any of them. :)

I remember being nuts about a Giorgio Moroder recording of Son Of My father and another thing called Popcorn by Hot Butter which were both early examples of synthesizer pop, both on K-Tel records. A hooky new song was one of the most exciting things back then, I suppose even with the autotune and vocal processing that can still happen for kids today.

Just received a new 2 CD collection of Terry Jacks (Seasons In The Sun, Which Way You Goin' Billy, Where Evil Grows) so I'm really time-travelling now. Loved a song of his called Concrete Sea as it reminds me of one of my first jobs (in the late 1970s) cleaning a supermarket parking lot on Sundays ( stores were closed Sundays then).

[becca]

Towards the end of their recording career the undercurrent rose to the surface.Songs like "The Winner Takes it All' "One of Us ',The Visitors " and "The Day Before You Came' are the aural equivalent of an Ingmar Bergman film.

Yes, the later stuff is more adult... a lot I never heard back then, after Voulez-Vous they seemed to drop off radio here and that's where they started getting adult. It's amazing how well written the lyrics were for someone with English not their native language. I feel the same about the guy in Holland who wrote songs for a '70s group called Pussycat (Mississippi), Werner Theuneissen. I think ABBA and Buckingham-Nicks fans might really like Pussycat who had some nice vocal hits with Smile, Broken Souvenirs and Mississippi.

[BombaySapphire3]

I would love it but I highly doubt they will tour. In 2000 ABBA was offered 1 BILLION dollars (yes 1 BILLON) to do a world tour of 100 shows and they turned it down. A few years later ABBA was offered 1 billion again and they declined again.
Their only US tour was 12 dates. They never liked touring and had family obligations. That is why there are so many ABBA videos. They were pioneers with videos. They used videos to promote their music instead of touring.



I saw them in San Diego on that very short tour in the fall of 1979.I have been to many concerts since then and some of my memories of them are hazy but I remember that one ABBA show like it was yesterday.

[becca]

I'm still thinking about Stevie Nicks as Marc Bolan's soul sister... Rhiannon would certainly fit in.

Here's a 1976 'smile' from Pussycat...

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XmN4C9rKWos" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Missy]

Towards the end of their recording career the undercurrent rose to the surface.Songs like "The Winner Takes it All' "One of Us ',The Visitors " and "The Day Before You Came' are the aural equivalent of an Ingmar Bergman film.

Bjorn has also said "The music of Abba is not that happy," he said. "It might sound happy, in some strange way, but deep within it's not happy music. It has that Nordic melancholic feeling to it. What fools you is the girls' voices. You know, I do think that is one of the secrets about Abba. Even when we were really quite sad, we always sounded jubilant."

Agnetha also had that plaintive tone in her voice that was very well suited to these breakup songs.

I think many of the Abba music videos were made by Lasse Hallstrom who went on to become a very well respected director and made some great films. Those clips were certainly quite formative.

[Missy]

Glam was a sort of back to basics before punk rock happened. I remember very little about it, it was right before disco, and it was sort of a progression from what was called Bubblegum Pop. We did have some of these turn up on out K-Tel albums, in a way Elton John seemed to be in with the whole Glam Euro thing because of his over the top costumes like Slade and The Sweet, and Abba looked no dafter than any of them. :)

Oh yeah there's been a connection made between glam and punk. Marc Bolan and David Bowie had recognition with the punk community. John Lydon once told a funny story about Sid Vicious being a big fan of ABBA and when he saw the girls at the airport one day he desperately wanted their autographs. He had a total fanboy moment.

Here's the song where the Sex Pistols lifted the riff from S.O.S. (which they admitted). You can hear it during the chorus. If your ears can get that far.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=KtthAmTy3qI