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Post by Michal on Jan 16, 2022 9:43:00 GMT
Why the board for the 1986 Live album is not here?
I listened to it today after a very very long time. I know it's not a fans' favourite but I must admit I enjoyed it very much today. Yes... the sound is a bit too bombastic. Yes... there is a fake applause. Yes... the way it is compiled from three different tours (ah.. Dick Cavett is not even a tour) is strange. BUT the sound is so clear. You can hear every single instrument, the leads, the backing vocals. The mix is actually very good imo, especially when compared to the muddy mix of Live At Wembley Arena. What a missed opportunity that album is! I also listened to it recently and I like it less with every spin unfortunately. The performance is great but the sound is horrible... more like a bootleg than an official album.
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Post by Alan on Jan 16, 2022 12:13:45 GMT
Plus ABBA Live does have performances from the 1977 tour and 1981 Dick Cavett that can’t be found anywhere else. Even the 1979 stuff could be from different shows as the Live at Wembley release used recordings from the same date (I see the reasoning for that but it meant that we didn’t necessarily get the best performance of every song).
I’m not really a fan of live recordings - by any act - so it’s a while since I’ve heard either of them. I would, however, love a live album of the 1977 tour. To have the non-album songs Get On The Carousel and I Am An A officially released would be great (even though the latter is rubbish). Not to mention the mini-musical versions of The Girl With The Golden Hair songs, which are very different from their later album versions.*
(*Having said that, we’re not missing much with TYFTM’s second verse, which was:
Mother says I was a dancer before I could walk
She says I began to sing long before I could talk
And now I’m so grateful to all of the guys
Who bring the sweet memories into our lives
I’m in love with them all
I mean Brian, Chuck, John and Paul“)
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Post by jj on Jan 16, 2022 14:38:27 GMT
And now I’m so grateful to all of the guys Who bring the sweet memories into our lives I’m in love with them all I mean Brian, Chuck, John and Paul“)
I know you probably found those lyrics on a website, so it's not your fault, but they made a mistake and the actual word she sang there is "melodies", not "memories". And it does make a lot more sense, you'll admit. 
"And now I’m so grateful to all of the guys
"Who bring the sweet melodies into our lives"
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Post by Michal on Jan 16, 2022 14:50:26 GMT
I've always liked live recordings, especially by acts who improvised on stage. A concert album is like a record full of alternate versions then. Of course, the sound is not as great as on studio recordings but the atmosphere and energy can be captivating. But on condition it is a good recording and well-mixed, which in unfortunately not the case with Live At Wembley. By the way, has anyone heard the 2020 vinyl re-release? It is said it was remastered and the sound is much better.
I would love a 1977 live album too. Not necessarily from the same venue; they could compile it from all Australian concerts. There are real gems, e.g. I'm A Marionette or Dancing Queen with those improvised extra vocals by Frida. And we should not forget Agnetha's unforgettable performance of I've Been Waiting For You. ABBA's 50th anniversary is a good opportunity. But I really hope that if they decide to release it, it won't be Ludvig behind the mixing desk. He made a mess of the 1979 recordings.
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Post by Alan on Jan 16, 2022 15:43:23 GMT
It was Ian Cole’s ABBA Omnibus site, jj. He’s usually right on these things but he must have mis-heard. As he’s besties with CMP, I’d assumed he’d checked it out (assuming CMP has heard a better-quality version). I’ve just heard it myself and it does sound like “memories” to me, but then again it’s not a clear recording so I could be mis-hearing too. I don’t like the affected way that Agnetha sings the song. A bit over-the-top, but songs in musicals usually are. |
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Post by Liebezeit on Jan 17, 2022 5:18:01 GMT
Some months ago when SiriusXM ran ABBA Radio, I sort of expected some exclusive ABBA live recordings to pop up out of nowhere (like the case where some record label releases exclusive tracks digitally to comply with European Union copyright extension but they pulled it from circulation immediately, cf. ABKCO and RCA), but they used some songs the 1986 live album - which was more or less mid and seemingly sterilised, the way I remember hearing some tracks from it. I don't blame SiriusXM for using it to keep it flowing. The production is quite airy but the 80s processed drums seemed a bit off in Fernando. LIVE (1986) still warrants as good mixing (I agree); the dynamic range and headroom makes way for clarity.
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Post by jj on Jan 17, 2022 6:53:33 GMT
It was Ian Cole’s ABBA Omnibus site, jj . He’s usually right on these things but he must have mis-heard.
I'm absolutely certain he's mistaken. I've heard a version and she definitely sings "melodies" there.
Even if unheard, the word "melodies" makes sense in that line, whereas "memories" makes almost no sense at all, so, speaking logically, it definitely has to be "melodies". The lyrics talk about songwriters, after all, and songwriters bring "sweet melodies into our lives". Songwriters don't bring memories of their songs into our lives when we hear their songs, because we're actually hearing them.
If I were a gambler (but I'm not) I'd be willing to bet a substantial amount of money that the correct word is "melodies". Bjorn would surely confirm this.
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Post by Marionette77 on Jan 23, 2022 21:23:11 GMT
I've always found the live at Wembley album to be uninviting and cold in atmosphere wise. Just the overall banter and mixing of the recording. A lot of material from 1977 Australia is really great sound wise (even if they dont say so themselves). It had a warm atmosphere to it. And the sound isn't sharp and what sounds to be very ahead of its time in 1979 tour. I bet the 77' album will definitely make so many more sales than 79' if they include "The Girl With The Golden Hair" Mini-Musical.  |
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