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 updated cover artwork incorporating their ambigram, first used for their next album Arrival , [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] [ better source needed ]

On November 19, 2012, ABBA was reissued as part of the Deluxe Edition series with a 2-disc package. [12] [13] [14] The first disc, a CD with special remastered audio, featured the original album with three bonus tracks. [12] The second one, a DVD, contained 60 minutes of previously unreleased TV performances, including: the complete 41-minute ABBA In Australia 1976 television special, in which the band performed twelve songs; performances of "Mamma Mia", "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do", and "So Long" from the SVT 1975 special Made In Sweden – For Export; a 1975 performance of "SOS" from the Seaside Special; a 1976 performance of "Mamma Mia" from Top of thePops; two television commercials for The Best of ABBA and Greatest Hits ; and the "International Sleeve Gallery". [12] [13] A 24-page illustrated booklet with an essay on the making of the album was also included. [12]

Jude Rogers of the BBC said that, with this deluxe reissue of the album, "ABBA doubters will be pleasantly surprised to find the band's desire to experiment here" and that "long-term fans will enjoy the accompanying DVD, and be reminded of an interesting juncture in the quartet's career". [14]

Track listing

The information has been adapted from the official ABBA website. [15] All tracks are written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mamma Mia" 3:32
2."Hey, Hey Helen"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:16
3."Tropical Loveland" 3:05
4."SOS" 3:22
5."Man in the Middle"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:00
6."Bang-A-Boomerang" 2:50
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" 3:15
2."Rock Me"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:03
3."Intermezzo No. 1" (featuring Benny Andersson; instrumental)
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:48
4."I've Been Waiting for You" 3:39
5."So Long"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:06
Total length:35:56
2012 deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Crazy World"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:46
2."Medley: Pick a Bale of Cotton - On Top of Old Smokey - Midnight Special"Traditional; arranged by Andersson and Ulvaeus4:21
3."Mamma Mia" (Spanish version)
  • Andersson
  • Anderson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Buddy McCluskey
  • Mary McCluskey
3:34

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. [16]

"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. [16]

"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 [37]
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [38] Gold25,358 [38]
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong) [39] Gold10,000*
Japan—220,000 [40]
Norway—120,000 [41]
Sweden—474,642 [42]
United Kingdom (BPI) [43] Gold100,000^
Summaries
Europe—4,000,000 [44]

* 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 group 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>Waterloo</i> (album) 1974 studio album by ABBA

Waterloo is the second studio album by the Swedish pop group ABBA, and the first released internationally. It was originally released on 4 March 1974 in Sweden through Polar Music. The album's title track won ABBA the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest and became a global hit, launching the group's career.

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

Super Trouper is the seventh studio album by the Swedish pop group ABBA, released on 3 November 1980. It features the No.1 singles "The Winner Takes It All" and "Super Trouper". The album became the UK's biggest-selling album of 1980.

<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. It tells the story of the narrator's on-again, off-again relationship with a lover who is repeatedly unfaithful to her. The song's name is derived from Italian and literally translates as "my mother", but is used as an interjection in situations of surprise, anguish, or excitement. 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>Arrival</i> (ABBA album) 1976 studio album by ABBA

Arrival is the fourth studio album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally released in Sweden on 11 October 1976 by Polar Records. It became one of ABBA's most successful albums to date, producing three of their biggest hits: "Dancing Queen", "Money, Money, Money" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You". The track "Fernando", which had been recently released as a single in March 1976, was included on the Australian and New Zealand versions of the album. Arrival was the best-selling album of 1977 in the United Kingdom and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

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

ABBA: The Album is the fifth studio album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in Scandinavia on 12 December 1977 through Polar Music, but due to the massive pre-orders the UK pressing plants were not able to press sufficient copies before Christmas 1977 and so it was not released in the UK until January 1978. The album was released in conjunction with ABBA: The Movie, with several of the songs featured in the film. Altogether the album contains nine songs.

<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".

<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>

The discography of Swedish pop music group ABBA consists of nine studio albums, two live albums, seven compilation albums, four box sets, five video albums, 50 singles, and 43 music videos. To date, ABBA have sold more than 150 million records worldwide becoming one of the best-selling music artists in history. They have scored 9 No. 1 singles and 10 No. 1 albums in the UK, becoming the most successful Swedish act of all time on the Official Charts.

<i>Frida ensam</i> 1975 studio album by Anni-Frid Lyngstad

Frida ensam is the second studio album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It was first released by Polar Music in 1975 while Lyngstad was a member of the pop group ABBA and produced by her then-fiancé and fellow ABBA member, Benny Andersson. It has since been re-released several times, most significantly in remastered form in 2005 with bonus tracks. The lead song was the original version of "Fernando" sung in Swedish by Lyngstad. The album was a huge success in Sweden and Lyngstad was awarded a platinum disc. The album is included in the box set, Frida – 4xCD 1xDVD.

<i>More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits</i> 1993 greatest hits album by ABBA

More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits is a compilation album by Swedish pop group ABBA. Released in 1993, it was the follow-up to the highly successful Gold: Greatest Hits, released the previous year, and went on to sell 3 million copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring Ring (ABBA song)</span> 1973 single by Bjorn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida (ABBA)

"Ring Ring ", in English: "Ring Ring ", titled simply as "Ring Ring" in the English single version, is a song by Swedish group ABBA, released as the title track of their 1973 debut album.

<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

The Complete Studio Recordings is a box set of all of the studio material released by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released on 7 November 2005 and consists of 9 CDs and 2 DVDs, plus a full color booklet with a timeline and photos. Another booklet containing complete lyrics to all of the music was also included.

<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.

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. 1 2 3 4 "Deluxe Edition Of The ABBA Album Released In November!". ABBA. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  13. 1 2 "ABBA Deluxe Edition – SuperDeluxeEdition". 28 November 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  14. 1 2 Rogers, Jude (2012). "BBC - Music - Review of ABBA - ABBA: Deluxe Edition". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  15. ↑ "Discography". ABBA. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  16. 1 2 Scott, Robert (2002) 'ABBA: Thank You for the Music – The Stories Behind Every Song', Carlton Books Limited: Great Britain, p.69
  17. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  18. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4163b". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  19. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – ABBA – ABBA" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – ABBA – Mamma Mia" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  22. ↑ Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Album 1964–2019 (in Italian). ISBN   978-1094705002.
  23. ↑ "Charts.nz – ABBA – ABBA". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  24. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – ABBA – ABBA". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  25. 1 2 3 "Swedishcharts.com – ABBA – ABBA". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  26. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  27. ↑ "ABBA Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  28. ↑ "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.
  29. ↑ "Музыкальный парад "Март-78"". Московский комсомолец (in Russian). No. 89. 15 April 1978. p. 4.
  30. ↑ 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.
  31. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1975". Dutch Charts . Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  32. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1975 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  33. ↑ 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.
  34. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1976 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  35. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1977 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  36. ↑ "Звуковая дорожка – 78". Московский комсомолец (in Russian). No. 1. 1 January 1979. p. 4.
  37. ↑ "ABBA – Success Story – RCA Australia 1976". Billboard. 22 January 1977.
  38. 1 2 "Abba" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland . Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  39. ↑ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1978". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  40. ↑ "ABBA Cracks Japan Mart; Sales Surge". Billboard. 10 March 1979. p. 76.
  41. ↑ Bakkemoen, Kurt (19 March 1980). "Biggest Norwegian Sellers" (PDF). Billboard. p. 113.
  42. ↑ Schulman, Leif (8 September 1979). "Abba The World". Billboard.
  43. ↑ "British album certifications – Abba – Abba". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  44. ↑ Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 393. ISBN   0668064595. ABBA's album was a colossal success throughout Europe in 1975, selling four million before release in Britain
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