ABBA (album)

Last updated

ABBA
ABBA - ABBA (1975, Original Polar LP).jpg
Studio album by
ABBA
Released21 April 1975
Recorded22 August 1974 – 16 March 1975
StudioGlen, Metronome and Ljudkopia Studios in Stockholm, Sweden
Genre
Length36:09
Label
Producer
ABBA chronology
Waterloo
(1974)		ABBA
(1975)		 The Best of ABBA
(1975)
Singles from ABBA
  1. "So Long"
    Released: 18 November 1974
  2. "I've Been Waiting for You"
    Released: 18 November 1974
  3. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"
    Released: April 1975
  4. "Bang-A-Boomerang"
    Released: 21 April 1975
  5. "SOS"
    Released: June 1975
  6. "Mamma Mia"
    Released: September 1975
  7. "Rock Me"
    Released: April 1976
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg link
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]

ABBA is the eponymous third studio album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally released on 21 April 1975 through Polar Music and featured the hits "SOS", "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" and "Mamma Mia". [3]

Contents

Overview

Following the Eurovision success of "Waterloo", ABBA saw the band gaining worldwide recognition. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" topped the charts in Australia, as did "Mamma Mia" shortly after. "SOS" and "Mamma Mia" became hits in both the United States and the United Kingdom. [3] The album saw ABBA dabble with reggae on "Tropical Loveland" and includes a grand, pseudo-classical keyboard instrumental in the traditions of Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman with "Intermezzo No. 1" (early working title: "Mama"). [4]

ABBA was first released on CD in Japan in 1986 by Polydor Records. [5] This release contains a slightly different mix of "Man in the Middle" not found on any subsequent CD pressing and thus is highly sought after by collectors. [6] ABBA was released on CD throughout Europe in 1987 also by Polydor, with five songs added from the Waterloo and Ring Ring albums, which were not available on CD until 1990. ABBA was released on CD in Sweden by Polar Music in 1988, [7] featuring the original 11 tracks only. The album has been reissued in digitally remastered form several times: in 1997 as part of "The ABBA Remasters" series with two bonus tracks, [8] in 2001 with an updated cover artwork, [9] in 2005 as part of The Complete Studio Recordings box set, and most recently in 2012 as a "Deluxe Edition". [10] On the original UK cassette release of the album, "Bang-A-Boomerang" was split in two parts, being faded during the second verse at the end of side one and continued at the beginning of side two. [11]

Track listing

Source: [12]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mamma Mia"
3:32
2."Hey, Hey Helen"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:16
3."Tropical Loveland"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:05
4."SOS"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:22
5."Man in the Middle"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:04
6."Bang-A-Boomerang"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:05

[13]

Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:15
2."Rock Me"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:03
3."Intermezzo No. 1"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:48
4."I've Been Waiting for You"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:39
5."So Long"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:06
Total length:35:56

[14]

1987 CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Waterloo"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
2:44
13."Hasta Mañana"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:09
14."Honey, Honey"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
2:55
15."Ring Ring"
3:06
16."Nina, Pretty Ballerina" 2:53
1997 CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
17."Crazy World"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:48
18."Pick a Bale of Cotton"/"On Top of Old Smokey"/"Midnight Special" (medley)
  • Traditional
  • Andersson [a]
  • Ulvaeus [a]
4:21
2001 CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Crazy World" 3:48
13."Pick a Bale of Cotton"/"On Top of Old Smokey"/"Midnight Special" (medley)
  • Traditional
  • Andersson [a]
  • Ulvaeus [a]
4:21
The Complete Studio Recordings / 2012 deluxe (The Breakthrough Album) edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Crazy World" 3:46
13."Pick a Bale of Cotton"/"On Top of Old Smokey"/"Midnight Special" (medley)
  • Traditional
  • Andersson [a]
  • Ulvaeus [a]
4:21
14."Mamma Mia" (Spanish version)
  • Andersson
  • Anderson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Buddy McCluskey
  • Mary McCluskey
3:34
2012 deluxe edition DVD
No.TitleLength
1."ABBA in Australia" (television special)40:59
2."Made in Sweden – For Export" (SVT)10:54
3."SOS" ( Seaside Special , BBC)3:21
4."Mamma Mia" ( Top of the Pops , BBC)3:21
5."The Best of ABBA TV Commercial"0:58
6."Greatest Hits TV Commercial"0:33
7."International Sleeve Gallery"3:35

Notes

Non-album tracks

Recorded 18 October 1974 at Glen Studio. The lyrics for the song were later re-written and became "Rock Me". "Baby" was first released on CD on the box set Thank You for the Music as part of the ABBA Undeleted section.

"Crazy World" was recorded on 16 October 1974 at Glen Studio during sessions for this album. The track was left unreleased until it surfaced again during the Arrival sessions, and was eventually released as the b-side to the "Money, Money, Money" single in November 1976. "Crazy World" was first released on CD on the box set Thank You for the Music , and then appeared as a bonus track on the CD re-issue of the album ABBA. [15]

"Here Comes Ruby Jamie" was recorded on 16 September 1974 at Glen Studio, and is one of the rare occasions where Benny Andersson sings the lead vocals. The song was first released on CD on the box set "Thank You for the Music" as part of the ABBA Undeleted section.

Recording began on 6 May 1975 at Glen Studio. It remains ABBA's only studio recorded release of material not written by themselves, and was originally released on the 1975 German charity album "Stars Im Zeichen Eines Guten Sterns". In 1978, it featured (with a slight audio tweak, for many years mistakenly referred to as a 'remix') as the B-side of the "Summer Night City" single. The song was first released on CD on the box set Thank You for the Music , then the 1978 version appeared as a bonus track on the CD re-issue of the album ABBA. [15]

"Rikky Rock 'N' Roller" was recorded on 15 September 1974 at Glen Studio, and was first released on CD on the box set Thank You for the Music as part of the ABBA Undeleted section. Later released by Jerry Williams on the album Kick Down in 1976.

Personnel

ABBA

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Sales and Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia—570,000 [36]
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [37] Gold25,358 [37]
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong) [38] Gold10,000*
Japan—220,000 [39]
Norway—120,000 [40]
Sweden—474,642 [41]
United Kingdom (BPI) [42] Gold100,000^
Summaries
Europe—4,000,000 [43]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABBA</span> Swedish pop group

ABBA are a Swedish pop supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's name is an acronym of the first letters of their first names arranged as a palindrome. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the best-selling music acts in the history of popular music.

<i>Super Trouper</i> (album) 1980 studio album by ABBA

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mamma Mia (ABBA song)</span> 1975 single by ABBA

"Mamma Mia" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It is the opening track on the group's third album, the self-titled ABBA (1975). The song was released in September 1975 as its sixth single. The song's name is derived from Italian, where it is an interjection used in situations of surprise, anguish, or excitement. It corresponds to the English interjection "my, my!", but literally translates as "my mother". The song was ABBA's first number one in the UK since "Waterloo" in 1974.

<i>Ring Ring</i> (album) 1973 studio album by ABBA/Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid

Ring Ring is the debut studio album by the Swedish group ABBA, initially credited as Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida. It was released in Scandinavia on 26 March 1973, and later in a limited number of other territories, including West Germany, Australia, South Africa and Mexico, through Polar Music. It was a chart-topping album in Belgium, and a big success in the Netherlands, Norway and South Africa.

<i>ABBA: The Album</i> 1977 studio album by ABBA

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<i>Voulez-Vous</i> 1979 studio album by ABBA

Voulez-Vous is the sixth studio album by the Swedish supergroup ABBA. Released on 23 April 1979, the album yielded five hits, all of them big 1979 singles in Britain – "Chiquitita", "Does Your Mother Know", "I Have a Dream" and the double A-side "Voulez-Vous"/"Angeleyes". The title track showed the group embracing disco music, which at the time was at its peak. The album topped the charts in a number of countries and ranked among Britain's five best-selling albums of the year.

<i>The Visitors</i> (ABBA album) 1981 studio album by ABBA

The Visitors is the eighth studio album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released on 30 November 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABBA discography</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">SOS (ABBA song)</span> 1975 single by ABBA

"SOS" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in June 1975 as the fifth single from their self-titled 1975 album.

<i>The Singles: The First Ten Years</i> 1982 compilation album by ABBA

The Singles: The First Ten Years is a double compilation album by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in November 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fernando (song)</span> 1975 song

"Fernando" is a song written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, from the Swedish musical group ABBA. The song was written for their fellow group member Anni-Frid Lyngstad and was included on her 1975 album Frida ensam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do</span> 1975 single by ABBA

"I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was the third single to be released from their third studio album, ABBA (1975). The song was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and their manager Stig Anderson, and was released in April 1975 with "Rock Me" as the B-side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thank You for the Music</span> 1977 song by ABBA

"Thank You for the Music" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally featured on the group's fifth studio album, The Album (1977), and was released as a double-A sided single with "Eagle" in May 1978 in limited territories, namely Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland and Australia. In South Africa where it peaked at number 2 in August 1978 and became the eighteenth best-selling single of that year.

<i>The Complete Studio Recordings</i> (ABBA album) 2005 box set by ABBA

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<i>The Best of ABBA</i> 1975 greatest hits album by ABBA

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<i>Thank You for the Music</i> (box set) 1994 box set by ABBA

Thank You for the Music is a box set by the Swedish pop group ABBA, released on 31 October 1994. It consists of 66 tracks across four discs, with the first three discs including all of the band's singles from 1972–1982, many B-sides, and some album tracks in chronological order; while the fourth disc includes some rarities and some previously unreleased material, most notably the 23-and-a-half minute long medley "ABBA Undeleted", which includes the track "Just a Notion", later released as part of Voyage in 2021. This box set marks the appearance of several ABBA tracks on compact disc for the first time.

<i>Number Ones</i> (ABBA album) 2006 compilation album by ABBA

Number Ones is a compilation album of recordings by Swedish pop group ABBA, released by Polar Music in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock Me (ABBA song)</span> 1975 single by ABBA

"Rock Me" is a song recorded in 1974 by Swedish pop group ABBA, with Björn Ulvaeus singing the lead vocals. It was first released on their third album, ABBA, and was used as the B-side to the group's 1975 single "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do". However, after "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" hit number one in both Australia and New Zealand, "Rock Me" was released as an A-side in April 1976, reaching number four and number two respectively. It was also issued as an A-side in Yugoslavia and in 1979 it was included on the band's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 album.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (ABBA album) 1975 compilation album by ABBA

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally released in Scandinavia on 17 November 1975 and in other parts of the world in 1976, notably the UK on 10 April, and on 18 September in the US and Canada. The 1976 version of the album included the band's most recent single "Fernando".

References

  1. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th Concise ed.). United Kingdom: Omnibus Press. p. 31. ISBN   978-1-84609-856-7.
  2. ↑ Cross, Charles R. (2004). "ABBA". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  1. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  3. 1 2 Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1991). Guinness Book of Rock Stars. Enfield: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 1. ISBN   0-85112-971-4.
  4. ↑ Scott, Robert (2002) ABBA: Thank You for the Music – The Stories Behind Every Song, Carlton Books Limited: Great Britain, p.67
  5. ↑ ABBA – ABBA (1986, CD), August 1986, retrieved 4 May 2021
  6. ↑ "Polydor P33P series (1986) « Abba on CD". Abbaoncd.wordpress.com. 15 April 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  7. ↑ ABBA – ABBA (1988, CD), 1988, retrieved 4 May 2021
  8. ↑ ABBA – ABBA (1997, CD), 1997, retrieved 4 May 2021
  9. ↑ ABBA – ABBA (2001, CD) , retrieved 4 May 2021
  10. ↑ ABBA – ABBA (2012, CD), 16 November 2012, retrieved 4 May 2021
  11. ↑ Discogs – ABBA, Epic Records cassette version
  12. ↑ "Album abba « ABBA | Albums | ABBA". Abbasite.com. Archived from the original on 21 May 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  13. ↑ RCA Victor VPL1-4013A – 1975 Polar Music AB
  14. ↑ RCA Victor VPL1-4013B – 1975 Polar Music AB
  15. 1 2 Scott, Robert (2002) 'ABBA: Thank You for the Music – The Stories Behind Every Song', Carlton Books Limited: Great Britain, p.69
  16. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  17. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4163b". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  18. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – ABBA – ABBA" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  19. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "ABBA". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 8. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  20. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – ABBA – Mamma Mia" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  21. ↑ Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Album 1964–2019 (in Italian). ISBN   978-1094705002.
  22. ↑ "Charts.nz – ABBA – ABBA". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  23. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – ABBA – ABBA". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  24. 1 2 3 "Swedishcharts.com – ABBA – ABBA". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  25. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  26. ↑ "ABBA Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  27. ↑ "Official IFPI Charts – Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Week: 12/2024)". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  28. ↑ "Музыкальный парад "Март-78"". Московский комсомолец (in Russian). No. 89. 15 April 1978. p. 4.
  29. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 427. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  30. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1975". Dutch Charts . Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  31. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1975 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  32. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 428. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  33. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1976 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  34. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1977 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  35. ↑ "Звуковая дорожка – 78". Московский комсомолец (in Russian). No. 1. 1 January 1979. p. 4.
  36. ↑ "ABBA – Success Story – RCA Australia 1976". Billboard. 22 January 1977.
  37. 1 2 "Abba" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland . Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  38. ↑ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1978". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  39. ↑ "ABBA Cracks Japan Mart; Sales Surge". Billboard. 10 March 1979. p. 76.
  40. ↑ Bakkemoen, Kurt (19 March 1980). "Biggest Norwegian Sellers" (PDF). Billboard. p. 113.
  41. ↑ Schulman, Leif (8 September 1979). "Abba The World". Billboard.
  42. ↑ "British album certifications – Abba – Abba". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  43. ↑ Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 393. ISBN   0668064595. ABBA's album ws a colossal success throughout Europe in 1975, selling four million before release in Britain
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