Person A was working with the group Hep Stars. Person B was working for the group Hotenanny Singers. But their main aim was to work together, and carve a name for themselves. Person A was engaged to Person C, and Person B was engaged to Person D. So they tried coming together. Their first appearance was as a cabaret show couples. It was a super flop. The idea was shelved. Two years later, one of their songs, which was a flop in their home country Sweden, suddenly came to number one in Japan. Encouraged, the two couples started producing songs as a team. On March 29, 1972, they recorded their first English pop song as group- People need love. They never looked back after that!
Person A was Benny.
Person B was Bjorn.
Person C was Anni Frida.
Person D was Agnetha.
TOGETHER THEY WERE- ABBA!
THE REVIEW
When People need Love was released, the song was credited to - Bjorn and Benny, Agnetha and Anni-Frid. The name ABBA was yet to be coined. This name was coined by taking the first initial of the names of all the group members, and the credit for coining this name goes to their manager Stig Anderson. The first song that was recorded under this name was Waterloo. ABBA had arrived.
ABBA GOLD
The album under consideration is the collection of their very best songs. The songs compiled are:
Dancing Queen
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Take a chance on me
Mamma Mia
Lay all your love on me
Super Trouper
I have a dream
The winner takes it all
Money Money Money
S.O.S
Chiquitita
Fernando
Voulez Vous
Gimme Gimme Gimme
Does your mother know
One of us
The Name of the Game
Thank you for the music
Waterloo
Truly, ABBA came with their own sound. A sound that was unheard of! As this album takes you on a super ride through the timeless songs of this group, you begin to understand why this group ruled their fans’ hearts the way it did! Songs like Dancing Queen, Take a chance on me, Mamma Mia, Super Trouper, Chiquitita, Fernando, Does you mother know, Thank you for the music and Waterloo are bound to make you swing to their tune. But my personal favourites remain The winner takes it all and Money Money Money. I even have their videos. The way this group made the songs was a treat to the ears. The tune and the arrangement complimented each other. Throughout the world, their songs were an inspiration for other music composers, including my fave R.D.Burman, who used the theme music of Mamma Mia for his song Mil Gaya Humko Saathi.
You got to hear this album. The best of ABBA. It is worth every paisa you spend on it. In India, this album is released by Polygram (India) Ltd., and the CD is available at all leading music outlets for Rs.400.
SOME MORE ABOUT THE ALBUM
From 1973 to 1979, ABBA released 8 albums. These were Ring Ring(1973), Waterloo(1974), ABBA(1975), ABBA- Greatest Hits(1975), Arrival(1976), ABBA- The Album(1977), Voulez Vous(1979), and ABBA- Greatest Hits Vol 2(1979). From 1992 onwards, the company released 8 compilation albums of the group. ABBA GOLD was the first of these eight, released on 21st September 1992. The remastered CD was released on 29th March 1999.
On 20th May, 2002, the tenth anniversary edition was released.
IN CONCLUSION
But the fact remains that amongst all these tenth anniversary celebrations, the group from whose genius these songs were generated faded out, as does every other group. But with this review, I would like to tell Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha and Anni, that we will always remember them through the medium of these wonderful songs that they showered on their fans throughout the world.
Thank you, ABBA!
A PIECE OF INFO FROM MS MEMBER DHANUSH IN THE COMMENTS SECTION
They are now back , but in stage theatres.Benny and Bjorn have created a musical called Mama Mia which is a huge huge hit in westend, broadway and in many countries, which features all their songs and if you get a chance to see the musical dont miss it.
Thanks Dhanush!
P.S- Please see the comments section.