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Post by madonnabba on Oct 29, 2018 11:09:19 GMT
I remember reading somewhere that the Bee Gees had Abba in mind to sing this song. It is a favourite of mine. I think Abba would have been great at it too. Can’t help thinking that it could have given Abba a massive hit there if not another number one which could have given momentum to the Abba promotion of The Album in 1978 although it would feature on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Can’t help thinking if true that it would have raised their profile even more opening them up to the audience that watched the movie and bought the SNF soundtrack. If true what a missed oppurtunity.
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Post by Michal on Oct 29, 2018 14:39:29 GMT
As far as I know, ABBA were offered the song but declined because they recorded only the material written by the group members (the only exception being the folk medley). The question remains if it was a right decision as the song would probably have helped them in US.
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Post by wombat on Nov 2, 2018 14:07:15 GMT
Did they really need help in the US at that point? When they were more or less taking over much of the rest of the world?
I'm glad they didnt do it, as I hated the song anyway... but that is just my opinion.
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Post by gazman on Nov 3, 2018 22:15:46 GMT
Björn was asked about this song - he says he has no recollection of the Bee Gees ever offering it to ABBA. I think it is an urban myth.
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Post by Michal on Nov 4, 2018 11:57:15 GMT
wombat, you're right, the song is not especially good and as for the Saturday Night Fever, I've never cared for it much. But since it was so huge, it might have given ABBA that little something that was needed to really break through in the US. And they certainly wished that, even if they had the rest of the world at their feet. But maybe it's good they didn't do it as they would be blamed (again) of calculations and being in it just for the money… gazman, I've tried to find, where I've read the information, but haven't succeeded yet. So maybe you're right. But Björn's memory has often failed him so we can't take his word as a guarantee that it really was that way.
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Post by josef on Nov 4, 2018 18:01:07 GMT
It's possible Bjorn's forgotten (he's on record saying his memory of the past has significantly dwindled). But it's ancient history now anyway.
The song isn't bad and I like the film very much but if it's true then I'm glad ABBA didn't record the song. They had no need of the help of other songwriters.
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Post by shoshin on Nov 4, 2018 23:41:08 GMT
Björn was asked about this song - he says he has no recollection of the Bee Gees ever offering it to ABBA. I think it is an urban myth.
There's a direct quote about IICHY from Maurice Gibb in Bee Gees Anthology (Songbook), authored by the band themselves :
'Would you believe originally written for ABBA on the steps of the Chateau [d'Herouville] Studios in France...'
books.google.co.uk/books?id=5fXJAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT219&dq=%22originally+written+for+abba%22
True, this doesn't necessarily mean that they were subsequently offered it. But for the counterfactual purposes of this thread it probably elevates the prospect above that of urban myth.
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Post by wombat on Nov 5, 2018 15:53:46 GMT
wombat , you're right, the song is not especially good and as for the Saturday Night Fever, I've never cared for it much. But since it was so huge, it might have given ABBA that little something that was needed to really break through in the US. And they certainly wished that, even if they had the rest of the world at their feet. But maybe it's good they didn't do it as they would be blamed (again) of calculations and being in it just for the money… I dont see it that way. Abba had Take a Chance on Me, a big hit in the States in 1978, a number one in 76... what was yet another disco hit going to do? From what I've read, especially from Benny, the only thing that would have "broken them thru in the States" was face time. Spending a long time in the USA and they didnt want to do that. Benny said so. I dont see another disco single, regardless of who wrote it or how big of a hit that might have been... as changing that. Back then in the late 70s, there was basically one way for a rock group to make it on top in the USA. Touring. A lot. the scene was different back then as well. Abbas songs were seen as pop or disco and they were seldom heard on the more important FM stations, which played the big rock bands. the Who, Zeppelin etc. Sure bands like Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles also had AM pop hits (like Abba) but they got tons of airplay also on the FM. AND they toured the country fairly often. Abba wasnt going to get the FM market by coming over once every 18 months and doing a couple of TV shows. Another disco hit wasnt going to make much difference in that. Just my opinion of course... but I lived in the States then, always have, and I went to concerts, bought albums, listened to the radio.... I was there. |
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Post by Zeebee on Nov 5, 2018 18:05:51 GMT
I dont see it that way. Abba had Take a Chance on Me, a big hit in the States in 1978, a number one in 76... what was yet another disco hit going to do? Are you saying Take A Chance On Me is a disco song? I've never thought of it as a disco song and never heard it described as such. |
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Post by wombat on Nov 5, 2018 19:09:20 GMT
I dont see it that way. Abba had Take a Chance on Me, a big hit in the States in 1978, a number one in 76... what was yet another disco hit going to do? Are you saying Take A Chance On Me is a disco song? I've never thought of it as a disco song and never heard it described as such. Not really. Its sort of a disco song, yeah, kind of - it has certain disco-ish elements running thru it here and there..altho the bass line at times starts to sound like a german beat oom-pah schlager! However I wasnt really meaning that.... what I was trying to say (and obviously failed) was that Abba already had major hits in the USA AM pop area right around the time of this disco song by the BeeGees. I'm not sure a disco hit would have made any difference in their desire, or perhaps small desire, of becoming a huge act in the USA. |
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Post by josef on Nov 5, 2018 22:32:27 GMT
Take A Chance On Me is pure pop. If anything, it has a slight 'country' feel. But it's basically a happy, uplifting pop/love song. I suppose you can dance to it. Well, of course you can. What else is Frida doing in the video if not dancing?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2018 15:28:48 GMT
So if 'If I Can't Have You' HAD been an ABBA single, where would it have sat in their singles hierarchy? Very close to the bottom, I'd have thought. Personally, I can't think of anything except perhaps I Do x5 that I'd want to listen to less. I'm glad they gave it a side-step and I'm very glad they always retained their own voice, music-wise.
I never knew the song had been written at the famous/infamous 'Chateau D'Isaster', as Jethro Tull dubbed it after a disappointing recording session there in the early 70s.
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Post by madonnabba on Nov 6, 2018 21:04:47 GMT
It was a big hit in the USA and Canada.... number one in both. Had they done it ...it could have done the same for Abba and increased their profile even more being part of an album that spent months at number one in the States. We will never know. As much as the boys respected the Bee Gees I don’t think they would have agreed anyway.
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Post by shoshin on Nov 6, 2018 23:52:45 GMT
So if 'If I Can't Have You' HAD been an ABBA single, where would it have sat in their singles hierarchy? Very close to the bottom, I'd have thought... If the recording sounded like it does in my head, I would prefer it to Waterloo, Honey Honey, I Do x 5, Mamma Mia (yes), Fernando (afraid so), Money Money Money (comfortably), Summer Night City (just), Does Your Mother Know (of course), Angel Eyes (just), I Have A Dream, On and On and On (I refuse to believe you), Super Trouper, Head Over Heels and Under Attack  Angeleyes might be a dead heat, but I suspect I would slightly prefer If I Can't Have You.
Yvonne Elliman sings it in B major, perfect for a Frida lead with strong Agnetha harmonies. The Bee Gees are guys of course, so their version is in a much higher key, E major. Those tight trousers though.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2018 7:54:12 GMT
Yvonne Elliman sings it in B major, perfect for a Frida lead with strong Agnetha harmonies. The Bee Gees are guys of course, so their version is in a much higher key, E major. Those tight trousers though.
Well, as long as a B&B falsetto option was never on the table, I guess the outcome would have been tolerable and (yes) better than DYMK too. But certainly not 'On and On and On', though. The very thought. |
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Post by gary on Nov 14, 2018 12:23:32 GMT
So if 'If I Can't Have You' HAD been an ABBA single, where would it have sat in their singles hierarchy? Very close to the bottom, I'd have thought... If the recording sounded like it does in my head, I would prefer it to Waterloo, Honey Honey, I Do x 5, Mamma Mia (yes), Fernando (afraid so), Money Money Money (comfortably), Summer Night City (just), Does Your Mother Know (of course), Angel Eyes (just), I Have A Dream, On and On and On (I refuse to believe you), Super Trouper, Head Over Heels and Under Attack Angeleyes might be a dead heat, but I suspect I would slightly prefer If I Can't Have You.
Yvonne Elliman sings it in B major, perfect for a Frida lead with strong Agnetha harmonies. The Bee Gees are guys of course, so their version is in a much higher key, E major. Those tight trousers though.
Moderators, please remove Shoshin from this forum for this outrageous sacrilege! Mamma Mia, Fernando, Money Money Money, Summer Night City!?!? ;-) |
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Post by shoshin on Nov 14, 2018 21:55:16 GMT
If the recording sounded like it does in my head, I would prefer it to Waterloo, Honey Honey, I Do x 5, Mamma Mia (yes), Fernando (afraid so), Money Money Money (comfortably), Summer Night City (just), Does Your Mother Know (of course), Angel Eyes (just), I Have A Dream, On and On and On (I refuse to believe you), Super Trouper, Head Over Heels and Under Attack Angeleyes might be a dead heat, but I suspect I would slightly prefer If I Can't Have You.
Yvonne Elliman sings it in B major, perfect for a Frida lead with strong Agnetha harmonies. The Bee Gees are guys of course, so their version is in a much higher key, E major. Those tight trousers though.
Moderators, please remove Shoshin from this forum for this outrageous sacrilege! Mamma Mia, Fernando, Money Money Money, Summer Night City!?!? ;-) A & A singing If I Can't Have You just sounds so great in my head. Especially the dubstep mix.
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Angeleyes might be a dead heat, but I suspect I would slightly prefer If I Can't Have You.