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Post by The Rubber Ball Man on Jan 16, 2019 19:54:36 GMT
Fill in your Top 20 ABBA songs.  |
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Post by The Rubber Ball Man on Jan 16, 2019 19:55:27 GMT
Here's mine. ![]()  |
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Post by Michal on Jan 17, 2019 17:35:08 GMT
It was a difficult task.. Top 50 might have been easier… or not :-) Some choices were quite obvious, others were very tough. And the list is definitely not definite, as it keeps changing. In the end, I've chosen these songs (in alphabetical order):
Angeleyes As Good As New Dance (While The Music Still Goes On) Dancing Queen Eagle Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! He Is Your Brother (live 77) Hole In Your Soul I Am The City I'm A Marionette I've Been Waiting For You Mamma Mia Money, Money, Money Move On Our Last Summer So Long The Day Before You Came The Name Of The Game The Winner Takes It All When I Kissed The Teacher
Actually, there are at least 10 more that would probably make it into the Top 20 tomorrow :-)
P.S. somehow I haven't managed to get a full-size version of the picture into the post... |
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Post by gary on Jan 20, 2019 20:33:56 GMT
Here we go then (not in order):
One Of Us
Soldiers
The Winner Takes It All
Our Last Summer
If It Wasn’t For The Nights
Chiquitita
Kisses Of Fire
Summer Night City
Eagle
Take A Chance On Me
The Name Of The Game
Move On
When I Kissed The Teacher
Dancing Queen
Knowing Me Knowing You (THE best)
Tiger
Fernando
SOS
I’ve Been Waiting For You
Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)
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Post by chron on Jan 21, 2019 1:13:34 GMT
I fair rattled along doing this until I got to about the 17 or 18 mark, at which point I began to struggle, which suggests that these 20 comprise the essential ABBA, for me. The top five are all more-or-less equal and on a plane apart in terms of utter excellence (with KMKY elevated a little above the others - it's the very best thing they did). The fifteen that follow might be in a rough sort of order of preference, but quality-wise they're practically on a par, and I wouldn't be unhappy if they got jiggled around. The high number of inclusions from Arrival and The Album shows me once again what stand-out albums I consider those two to be - side-by-side at the toppermost of the poppermost.
Knowing Me, Knowing You
The Name Of The Game
SOS
Dancing Queen
Move On
Hole In Your Soul
The King Has Lost His Crown
My Love, My Life
That's Me
Summer Night City
Slipping Through My Fingers
Dum Dum Diddle
Tiger
The Visitors
Hey, Hey Helen
Eagle
Chiquitita
Lovelight
One Man, One Woman
Mamma-Mia
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Post by Michal on Jan 21, 2019 15:02:27 GMT
The high number of inclusions from Arrival and The Album shows me once again what stand-out albums I consider those two to be - side-by-side at the toppermost of the poppermost. Definitely their golden era... |
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Post by gary on Jan 22, 2019 12:04:45 GMT
The high number of inclusions from Arrival and The Album shows me once again what stand-out albums I consider those two to be - side-by-side at the toppermost of the poppermost. Definitely their golden era... Yes, definitely their best period. The later albums are excellent, too, but marginally less inspired. I’m surprised so many fans consider The Visitors their best, but each to their own! |
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Post by Michal on Jan 22, 2019 16:44:12 GMT
Definitely their golden era... Yes, definitely their best period. The later albums are excellent, too, but marginally less inspired. I’m surprised so many fans consider The Visitors their best, but each to their own! For me their last really exciting album is Voulez-Vous. Interestingly, when I first got Super Trouper as a Christmas present when I was 17, I just couldn't get enough of it. I played it over and over and when I went for a ski course for a week in January, I couldn't get the songs out of my head and almost suffered from a withdrawal syndrome  However, after a while I got tired of it (and it's the only ABBA album I experienced this with) and up to these days when I play it, I enjoy it but at the same time I some kind of boredom seizes me before I play it through. Very strange… Maybe it's too polished or what… I don't know.
As for The Visitors, I listened to it recently and there are really magnificent songs on it and the whole atmosphere, the gloom is sort of captivating, but still it feels a bit heavy.
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Post by Zeebee on Jan 22, 2019 17:35:33 GMT
The high number of inclusions from Arrival and The Album shows me once again what stand-out albums I consider those two to be I can't choose either of those two albums over the other as their best album.
It's nice to see that someone else rates My Love, My Life as one of their favorites. It's been one of my favorites ever since I became familiar with the Arrival album in 1977.
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Post by chron on Jan 23, 2019 0:54:45 GMT
It's nice to see that someone else rates My Love, My Life as one of their favorites. It's been one of my favorites ever since I became familiar with the Arrival album in 1977. I always try to include it in any poll or discussion about ABBA's best tracks. Why I like it so much must partly be down to context - it's part of a brilliantly strong album and it's position in the track sequence is spot-on, but on its own terms it's a beautifully affecting track. I know some feel the arrangement is a little fussy, but I really like its spectral dreaminess. One of the great lesser spotlighted gems on Arrival, along with That's Me. |
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Post by gary on Jan 27, 2019 10:01:27 GMT
It's nice to see that someone else rates My Love, My Life as one of their favorites. It's been one of my favorites ever since I became familiar with the Arrival album in 1977. I always try to include it in any poll or discussion about ABBA's best tracks. Why I like it so much must partly be down to context - it's part of a brilliantly strong album and it's position in the track sequence is spot-on, but on its own terms it's a beautifully affecting track. I know some feel the arrangement is a little fussy, but I really like its spectral dreaminess. One of the great lesser spotlighted gems on Arrival, along with That's Me. It's a beautiful song, and falls only just outside my top 20 (see above). I think the arrangement is spot on. The only criticism I have of it is that it reminds me a little of I've Been Waiting For You. Arrival is a very near perfect album, with only the lyrics of Dum Dum Diddle letting it down at all. The Album is every bit as good, although I can't bring myself to love Thank You For The Music! |
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Post by foreverfan on Jan 27, 2019 12:23:45 GMT
Usually an impossible task for any of us as Personally even a favourite can drop down your preferences, some are so over played/heard, as in my case decades..  so as a rule you would find the following somwhere in the top 100..lol. ive * those that would probably be always there or there about, and as time goes by your tastes change.. so in no particular order.. Dancing Queen.. * since hearing this way back in 76, a constant favourite, never tire even after 1000s of listenings As Good As New* Personally a huge missed hit single Kisses Of Fire* those that know me, no big surprise here, another missed hit single in my opinion Ring Ring.. an early favourite Take A Chance On Me.. catchy Voulez Vous.. disco and fun The Winner Takes It All.. a yo yo track, bass / drums to dominant sometimes LayAll Your Love On Me.. * should have been a massive hit, stupidity on a 12 inch only Ive Been Waiting For You * timeless simple beautiful If It Wasn't For The Nights, another yo yo track for me, potential missed single.. Summer Night City . Grown on me over the years, vibrant Hey Hey Helen. Old, rock, but somehow really good ahead of its time Lovelight.. not sure why, but always preferred it to the A side. Hole In Your Soul.. the future of Hey Hey Helen, thought ABBA did a good rock song when they could.. another missed single The Piper .. a favourite at the moment, so different, great little track Dreamworld.. perhaps because of its lateness in knowing of it, it has become a favourite On And On And On .. rock again.. should've been double A side with LAYLOM One Of Us.. Mandolins and melody sell it unusual. When I Kissed The Teacher, great little track , could've been a hit in its own right, a little over heard because of MM2 Like An Angel Passing Through My Room.. because of the emotion it brings out in me. There you have it for this moment in time.. ask me tomorrow and I'd say 2/3 would drop out, * would always be there. Time will tell if the new ones make it.. Ive a funny feeling they will, because they will be new.. we wait😀 |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2019 0:38:58 GMT
Here are my top 20 ABBA Songs
20. The Day Before You Came ( a mysteriously haunting swansong )
19. Cassandra/Just Like That ( a delightful tale of foreboding prediction ) ( a forgotten potential pop classic )
18. Soldiers ( truly majestic )
17. Tiger ( beware of the city at night )
16. Our Last Summer ( reflectively nostalgic )
15. Happy New Year ( yearning but yet bittersweet )
14. If It Wasn't For The Nights ( infectious disco rouser )
13. When I Kissed The Teacher ( joyful and upbeat pop )
12. Slipping Through My Fingers ( a very heartfelt ballad )
11. I've Been Waiting For You ( achingly captivating )
10. The Name Of The Game ( a contrasting blend of vocals )
9. Andante Andante ( sensually exquisite )
8. One Of Us ( very melancholic )
7. Kisses Of Fire ( a sweeping disco titan )
6. Eagle ( an ethereal anthem )
5. SOS ( pop at its finest )
4. Knowing Me Knowing You ( an epitome of sadness )
3. Gimme Gimme Gimme ( A Man After Midnight ) ( a swirling disco giant )
2. Move On ( emotional and uplifting )
1. The Winner Takes It All ( a heartbreaking classic at its finest )
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Post by gamleman on Jun 1, 2020 8:39:25 GMT
A Top 20 is a difficult choice but I would break it down like this...
My Top 5 is:
1. SOS
2. The Day Before You Came
3. The Name Of The Game
4. Knowing Me, Knowing You
5. Dancing Queen
The next 15 are as follows but I can't order them, so they're in roughly chronological order:
Disillusion
Waterloo
Hasta Manana
Dance (While The Music Goes On)
I've Been Waiting For You
Fernando
One Man, One Woman
If It Wasn't For The Nights
Chiquitita
The Winner Takes It All
Happy New Year
Lay All Your Love On Me
One Of Us
Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
Just Like That
The following are 5 songs that I would have liked to include in the Top 20 but couldn't:
My Love, My Life
Angeleyes
Kisses Of Fire
Head Over Heels
Slipping Through My Fingers
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2020 13:04:37 GMT
Clive, an impressive choice of ABBA songs and many that are personal favourites of mine too. I found it quite hard to compile a Top 20 but I managed to come up with one.
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Post by gamleman on Jun 1, 2020 13:18:04 GMT
Clive, an impressive choice of ABBA songs and many that are personal favourites of mine too. I found it quite hard to compile a Top 20 but I managed to come up with one. Yes, I did notice considerable overlap in our tastes And I like your little descriptions. I think the only one in your list that doesn't do much for me is "Our Last Summer" - I know it's often a fan favourite and I don't dislike it, but it wouldn't be high on my list. I used to be a big fan of "Soldiers" when the album "The Visitors" first came out and I still love it, but now find the lyrics a bit dark. So that's gone down my list while "Like An Angel Passing Through My Room" has probably come up my list as I've got older |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2020 15:39:58 GMT
I wasn't that struck on " Angeleyes " until recently. I listen to the track more often now than I ever did. " Head Over Heels " although I do like it I just don't listen to that often. Years ago I used to like " Super Trouper " but unfortunately as I have become older the song fails to grab my attention and I don't regard it as one of ABBA's finest moments. Very bizarre as I regard the album of the same title as my favourite ABBA studio album. I suppose your tastes keep changing as you get older. " Money Money Money " is another that has slipped down in my estimation. " Under Attack " is very weak and I would have much preferred " Just Like That " to have seen the light of day. " You Owe Me One " and " Does Your Mother Know " are terrible and I never listen to either. Much as I like " I Am The City " I feel there is something lacking that fails to make the song stand out. Both " Dum Dum Diddle " and " My Mama Said " could have been better tunes but not that bad on the whole. I hope I am not going to upset a few fans with my candid views. Variety is the spice of life after all !
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Post by gamleman on Jun 1, 2020 17:43:58 GMT
I wasn't that struck on " Angeleyes " until recently. I listen to the track more often now than I ever did. " Head Over Heels " although I do like it I just don't listen to that often. Years ago I used to like " Super Trouper " but unfortunately as I have become older the song fails to grab my attention and I don't regard it as one of ABBA's finest moments. Very bizarre as I regard the album of the same title as my favourite ABBA studio album. I suppose your tastes keep changing as you get older. " Money Money Money " is another that has slipped down in my estimation. " Under Attack " is very weak and I would have much preferred " Just Like That " to have seen the light of day. " You Owe Me One " and " Does Your Mother Know " are terrible and I never listen to either. Much as I like " I Am The City " I feel there is something lacking that fails to make the song stand out. Both " Dum Dum Diddle " and " My Mama Said " could have been better tunes but not that bad on the whole. I hope I am not going to upset a few fans with my candid views. Variety is the spice of life after all ! I sort of agree with your comment in the Bottom 20 thread about "Super Trouper" - it was always a fairly average ABBA track for me and while not exactly grating, I don't find it very durable in that I don't like to hear it a lot in quick succession. "Money Money Money" is a similar story and "Does Your Mother Know" would also be way down my list - I was so disappointed that they released this as a single and not "If It Wasn't For The Nights", which had been performed on the Mike Yarwood Show as a possible future single. "Under Attack" I actually like quite a lot |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2020 22:33:17 GMT
When ABBA performed IIWFTN on The Mike Yarwood Show I was blown away with Agnetha and Frida's captivating looks and stunning joint vocals and convinced it would be released as a single and an inevitable monster hit. I too, was disappointed that the song was relegated to album track status instead. It is by far one of the stand out tracks on VV. I didn't realise that UA is a song that you like quite a lot. Sorry, if I was bit too dismissive of the song.
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Post by gamleman on Jun 2, 2020 8:36:24 GMT
When ABBA performed IIWFTN on The Mike Yarwood Show I was blown away with Agnetha and Frida's captivating looks and stunning joint vocals and convinced it would be released as a single and an inevitable monster hit. I too, was disappointed that the song was relegated to album track status instead. It is by far one of the stand out tracks on VV. I didn't realise that UA is a song that you like quite a lot. Sorry, if I was bit too dismissive of the song. I felt very much the same about IIWFTN. On hearing it on the MY show, I thought it would make a fantastic new single (especially after SNC) and I think everyone assumed it would be the next single. Then when "Chiquitita" appeared, I thought this was just a diversion to support the UNICEF "Year of the Child" and that normal service would then be resumed with IIWFTN as the next single. I guess when it didn't feature in the "ABBA in Switzerland" show, I should have realised it wouldn't be. No need to apologise over UA. I recognise that UA was not one of ABBA's strongest singles, but I was happy with it, apart from perhaps the voice processing on Agnetha's voice in the verses. And I'm not keen on the B-side. I think that some songs take you back to the time when they were out as singles and for me UA is one of them. |
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However, after a while I got tired of it (and it's the only ABBA album I experienced this with) and up to these days when I play it, I enjoy it but at the same time I some kind of boredom seizes me before I play it through. Very strange… Maybe it's too polished or what… I don't know.
so as a rule you would find the following somwhere in the top 100..lol.