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Post by richard on Jun 1, 2022 19:55:56 GMT
So many, of course. I was delighted when I learned that The Visitors has been included in the Voyage concerts because it's my favourite ABBA song. It's that four-bar build-up to the first chorus, and the way that chorus explodes with Benny's compelling riff. It still has the power to thrill me when I listen to it. Fantastic vocals from Frida, and including the others in the chorus. Indeed, I'd say this is right up there as one of my favourite moments in all the music I've ever heard. Sometimes it's difficult to know when the 'first-time reactions' you see on YouTube are for real - and some strike me as obviously fake - but the ones I've seen seem genuinely gobsmacked when they hear this moment on The Visitors track, smiling.  Do you have a special favourite great moment in an ABBA song/track? |
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Post by gary on Jun 1, 2022 21:05:47 GMT
There’s another music forum, for a different artist, that I belong to, that had a very similar thread. They called it ‘essence’, that is, what small pieces of a song do you think comprise the ‘essence’ of an artist?
For ABBA, a few come to mind immediately:
The introduction of Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, before any vocals.
The ‘rock’ part of the SOS chorus (‘when you’re gone’).
The instrumental part between the end of the first chorus of Fernando and the beginning of the second verse.
The glissando in Dancing Queen.
The instrument break in Our Last Summer.
The ‘twiddly bit’ in The Day Before You Came.
The trumpets in The Name Of The Game.
The ending of Chiquitita.
The slow bits of Tiger and Hole In Your Soul.
The introduction of One Of Us.
Almost all of Knowing Me, Knowing You, but that’s cheating!
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Post by joseph on Jun 1, 2022 21:14:23 GMT
You always start such great threads, Richard. I fear they don't get the response they deserve. I keep meaning to reply to the one about sixties music but haven't got 'round to it. It will be songs my mother played when i was young- The Ronettes and so on. So nostalgic to me now.
Favourite moments? So many! Off the top of my head....that moment in Put On Your White Sombrero towards the end when Agnetha joins in- the classic ABBA sound in a nutshell. I also love the bridge in Gimme Gimme Gimme when you can hear Agnetha and Frida sounding utterly beguiling and siren-like. It's out of this world. And I can still recall how impressed I was by the long, "I beg of yooooooooooooooou" in Lay All Your Love On Me back in the day. I still think it sounds pretty good.
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Post by richard on Jun 1, 2022 22:45:42 GMT
Thanks, Joseph. I think that unless it's something truly massive, such as Voyage, album and show - and we're all happy and engaged about these - there are few, realistically, who will want to post, even about ABBA, unless the topic touches off something that resonates specifically with them as an individual. It's a gamble starting a thread - and especially a non-ABBA one, of course - and any such thread is most likely to soon die the death. I've tried to avoid threads that are too confined, instead having a wider appeal - hopefully! But as you've pointed out in the SPOILERS thread: this a tiny area of ABBA fandom, so garnering some interest and response about a topic is a bit of a lottery - more likely to be a miss than a hit.   |
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Post by JeniLP on Jun 2, 2022 9:49:42 GMT
There’s another music forum, for a different artist, that I belong to, that had a very similar thread. They called it ‘essence’, that is, what small pieces of a song do you think comprise the ‘essence’ of an artist? I would define such small pieces as those you don't want to miss while listening to the song  I think such extracts can change over time, and for now I'd add the following: - A tiny keyboard twist in the end of the verses of SOS ('I really try to make it out..') - The instrumental bridge before the last chorus in Money Money Money - A bit more expressive 'high-high' (which I hear as 'ay-high') in Eagle at approx.4:07 + hurrying backing vocals 'I'm an eagle') - Ring, Ring: beating pre-choruses (like 'Yes I'm done and feeling blue...') - Outro 'There's a special love...' up to final chorus line in That's Me. - Instrumental twist at 5:03 in The Day Before You Came. - The manner of singing the lines 'One of these days gonna tell him I dream of him every night' + 'Leaning over me' + backing vocals in When I Kissed The Teacher - LAYLOM is compiled of such pieces, tehee, cheating again. So let it be the arrangement of the final chorus at the very end. |
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Post by jj on Jun 2, 2022 12:18:11 GMT
I particularly adore the last 45 seconds or so of "Take a Chance On Me". The note they sing on the word "ME" changes no less than three times, I think.
Listen to the bit from the 3m 20 seconds point of "Take a Chance On Me" and make sure you really turn up the volume during the fade out!! You'll hear the distinctly different notes they sing the "Me" note/lyric/bit at the end of the song. It's wonderful! One of these Me's is plaintive, one of the Me's is strident and extremely forceful, almost demanding and angry! The "ME" is sung differently every time they sing it at the close.
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Post by joseph on Jun 2, 2022 15:26:54 GMT
It's been a LONG time but I recall listening to Take A Chance On Me right until the end (on the 7' single) and hearing a very deep 'me' which I always assumed was Frida coming through strong. I can't hear it on anything else or maybe my hearing has just gone to pot with age. Either way, it's those little things I always used to notice (and still do).
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Post by jj on Jun 2, 2022 16:26:09 GMT
Oops, I was wrong about exactly where the "ME"'s on Take a Chance on Me start alternating with different notes song on each of the "Me"'s.
If you go to spotify, pause the song at 3:20. Then un-pause and listen to "Take a Chance On Me" paying really close attention and as loudly as you need it, and you'll hear each of those final "Me's" sung differently. It's delightful!
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Post by jj on Jun 2, 2022 18:15:03 GMT
That bit from 2:55 (on Spotify) during "Dancing Queen", on the final "You can dance!", that "You" is almost a scream, and it certainly might have been for Frida there, because she really had to physically belt it out much harder at that point to meet Agnetha's more easy time reaching such a high note, but both voices are audibly straining quite a bit there, and the girls still push on, continuing at this vocal chord-damaging pitch with the rest of the final chorus, the "You can jive! Having the time Oouif your life!". Focus on and try to listen to that very last "Of" (which I wrote as "Oouif" on purpose), because at that word ("of"), I can actually hear their voices cracking under the strain they've just put their vocal chords through after they'd belted out the final "you can dance, you can jive" bit. It's like at that particular "of" their vocal chords are temporarily shattered, there's a brief but noticeable "rasp" that shows the strain those poor voices have gone through a few seconds before.
Much of that final chorus from 2:55 is a wild, screaming explosion, really mindblowing, illustrating for us just how ecstatic that seventeen year old girl is feeling at that moment, peaking, lost in the music as she dances, lost to the world, lost to her feelings of joy, her mood fleetingly blotting out the real world and allowing her to forget everything about her ordinary life for that brief moment of bliss as she manages to disconnect from her mundane reality - she's the queen at the top of the world. It's just too beautiful! Such a terrific 20-something seconds of amazing sound Agnetha and Frida produce right there.
So what an amazing vocal session that one was! I wouldn't be surprised if they needed to give their voices a complete break and were advised to not even speak for at least a week to allow their throats to recover from it.
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Post by richard on Jun 2, 2022 19:39:32 GMT
A few years back, on 'Sounds of the 70s' (BBC Radio 2), if I remember right, I think Benny picked When I Kissed The Teacher as one of his ABBA favourites. Remembering this reminds me that a great moment for me in this song is the girls' backing vocals that come in the second verse. Irresistible! So I agree with JeniLP about this. The brilliance of Agnetha and Frida's backing vocals are all over so many of ABBA's tracks, adding so much to the group's sound in addition to their respective leads and joint vocals. The backing vocals, including the guys, in One Man, One Woman is another great example for me. |
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Post by gary on Jun 2, 2022 19:41:32 GMT
Nice choices, JeniLP.
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Post by HOMETIME on Jun 3, 2022 7:13:22 GMT
A few special moments for me:
The first few acoustic bars in WIKTT - and the "hug-hug him" BVs at the end. Bliss!
The little synth figure that follows "It's magic" in TACOM. Also the first line of the song - it's just a little burst of high-octane harmonic magic.
The string "sweep" - I'm sure there's a technical term for it - in IIWFTN as the second chorus arrives. Like the "oh so bad" lines, each one is slightly different. Those "oh so bad" lines are gorgeous: Agnetha's is pop, Frida's is soul. I love how they differ.
The acapella section in TNOTG. The hushed "duh-doo" BVs add an extra layer of sensuality.
The elegant double-octave piano chords in the vocal bridge of GGG and the eerie vocalising in the instrumental section.
The long backward synth that pulls you from the instrumental break to the more stripped final verse of WAISAD with the quiet layer of vocoder under the lead vocal.
The little cry when Frida sings the line "I was so afraid, Fernando"
That spooky little glissando and the gentle percussion on the intro of TKHLHC. There's an echoey little whistle in there too that I always listen out for.
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Post by JeniLP on Jun 3, 2022 10:20:06 GMT
The note they sing on the word "ME" changes no less than three times, I think.
Same for choruses in My Love, My Life. I find it usually very beneficial for a song when certain repeating parts are sung in a slightly different way. It enriches the song and even shows the eagerness and labour spent in recording. One more for 'essence': - Keep An Eye On Dan: guitar riff in the second chorus. |
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Post by clumsylikeaclown on Jun 4, 2022 22:46:50 GMT
There are loads. But to pick a few particularly excellent examples:
* The stripped back chorus in Mamma Mia. Bjorn and Benny themselves described it as being like pulling the tablecloth out from under the cutlery, and I agree 100%
* Dancing Queen's whole intro, and the second pre-chorus where they sing 'and when you get the chance' in the most marvellous way
* Similarly, the 'Oh so bad' line that both Agnetha and Frida sing separately in the pre-chorus of 'If It Wasn't For The Nights'
* The intro and outro to Eagle
* The outro of Take A Chance On Me
That's just off the top of my head
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Post by Michal on Jun 5, 2022 7:20:06 GMT
Some of my favourite moments have already been mentioned, I will add a few more: Eagle - the part "we climb higher and hiGHER" - Aghetna and Frida reach such hights vocally! The Name Of The Game - the small part before the second verse start at 2:03 - "I wanna know, the name of the GAME" - they go lower with their voices on GAME, unlike in the same part repeated after the second verse. It is missing in the edited version and it's one of the reasons I hate the edit. Move On - the angelic part of the last verse, where Frida sings the upper harmony above Agnetha (the same effect appears in I've Been Waiting For You) Hole In Your Soul - Agnetha's scream in the middle eight gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it and it does the same every time I listen to the song, one of my absolute favourites of the whole ABBA catalogue. I'm delighted it made it into the Voyage show! Chiquitita - the kettle drums in the first verse (e.g. 0:41) Dancing Queen - so much going there, hard to pick one moment. The one that wasn't mentioned yet is Agnetha's "oh yeah" at 2:56, just before the chorus starts, sung/screamed an octave above the joint vocal. The Winner Takes It All - the last verse, when the song returns from the full band arrangement to just vocal and piano. I will surely come up with some more when I have time to think about it. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2022 17:59:10 GMT
Great choices and highlights,
I have so many favourite moments,
THE DAY BEFORE YOU CAME - Frida's hauntingly melancholic backing vocals.
CASSANDRA - Frida and Agnetha's powerful alchemic joint performance.
TIGER - The ladies singing " Yellow eyes are glowing in the neon lights ".
SOLDIERS - The funky guitar riffs and anthemic chorus.
OUR LAST SUMMER - Frida's wistful pronunciation of " morning croissants ".
HAPPY NEW YEAR - Agnetha's plaintive delivery of " No more t-champagne ".
THAT'S ME - The subtle harmonies of both ladies.
GIMME GIMME GIMME ( A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT ) - The swirling orchestration.
THE NAME OF THE GAME - Frida's reflective " I'm a bashful child beginning to grow ".
ONE OF US - Agnetha's yearning lead.
ANDANTE ANDANTE - Frida's " powerhouse " final note.
KISSES OF FIRE - The soft spoken intro from Agnetha followed by a powerful crescendo.
EAGLE - The sound effects of this majestic bird taking to flight. ( Sorry if I have copied someone else's favourite part. )
WHEN I KISSED THE TEACHER - The acoustic introduction and soaring vocals.
IF IT WASN'T FOR THE NIGHTS - The glorious disco vibe.
SOS - The classical feel of this pop masterpiece.
FERNANDO - Frida's evocative lead and Agnetha's softer and lower tones.
KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU - Agnetha's soft whisper throughout the second verse.
SLIPPING THROUGH MY FINGERS - The child like lament at the end of the song from Agnetha.
MOVE ON - Frida's tingling " la-la-la" as the song concludes.
THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL - Agnetha's heartbreaking enunciation of " That's her destiny " and the impending build up at the end. Simply awesome !
These are " some " of my greatest moments within ABBA songs. Apologies if I have omitted other great musical highlights.
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Post by lamont on Jun 6, 2022 19:54:26 GMT
Great thread, off the top of my head is the “like an eagle flying with a dove” in That’s Me which I think is a beautiful lyric in itself.
Agnetha’s interpretation of “he took my heart…” in Angeleyes, it’s heartbreaking.
The counterpoint melodies at the end of Super Trouper, plus the 3 counterpoint melodies in the 2nd and 3rd chorus of You Owe Me One sung by the ladies.
Is there a minor key change in the “and without trace of hesitation…” in the 3rd chorus of Head Over Heels.
The chord changes at the end of Hole In Your Soul and Me And I.
The “we do have it in us” in I Still Have Faith In you, where Agnetha can be heard, and you think: Yeh, Abba are back, the Key change in Don’t Shut Me Down.
“Hissing like a wild cat” with its use of alliteration in No Doubt About It, and in Ode To Freedom where the vocals are apart, instead of the line “Ode To Freedom”
Where they harmonise.
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Post by JeniLP on Jun 7, 2022 12:06:04 GMT
Btw, getting back to Take A Chance On ME - 'on' in the chorus sounds both triumphantly and flirty at the same time.
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Post by gamleman on Jun 8, 2022 16:17:05 GMT
One of my earliest highlights in an ABBA song was the sharp vocals towards the end of the verses of "So Long" - in the first verse "They say that money's got a magic touch..." and in the second verse "The girls might fall for everything you've got...". I liked the energy the vocals brought.
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Post by richard on Jun 8, 2022 19:41:52 GMT
All these great moments in ABBA songs!
Although it's Agnetha and Frida's vocals that are the main interest for me when it comes to such moments - as I'm sure it is for many other ABBA fans too - I'm glad to see that that the instrumental side of things hasn't been ignored. I've always loved the strings in As Good As New, and the piano into of If It Wasn't For The Nights.
If I have a criticism of some ABBA arrangements - but for me this also applies to some other pop I've heard - it's not holding back on things for dramatic purposes, so that when a great moment arrives, it can strike with added force. A lot of the time, I feel, it's pretty much 'full throttle' from the start. But perhaps that's how it needs to be for the immediate appeal of pop?
Anyway, back to ABBA vocals. "Losing you" in Kisses Of Fire: just a couple seconds, yet so startling and impactful
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Post by joseph on Jun 9, 2022 19:24:51 GMT
Im glad this thread is getting the attention it deserves.
A small thing....in Lay All Your Love On Me when they sing, "...aaaaaaaand everything is new." Love that emphasis. The whole song is fantastic. It's always been a favourite, it's the coolest ABBA ever got. The song has ATTITUDE. It's sassy lol and to put a 6 syllable word in a pop song (in.com.pre.hen.si.ble)? Genius.
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Post by lamont on Jun 9, 2022 21:40:25 GMT
Im glad this thread is getting the attention it deserves. A small thing....in Lay All Your Love On Me when they sing, "...aaaaaaaand everything is new." Love that emphasis. The whole song is fantastic. It's always been a favourite, it's the coolest ABBA ever got. The song has ATTITUDE. It's sassy lol and to put a 6 syllable word in a pop song (in.com.pre.hen.si.ble)? Genius. And the line that follows that “and everything is you” with Agnetha’s potent but vulnerable delivery, “I feel A kind of fear…” Also, Agnetha definitely was a fine interpreter in songs. |
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Post by joseph on Jun 9, 2022 21:53:27 GMT
lamont, oops yes, that's the line I meant. I must be having a senior moment!
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Post by joseph on Jun 9, 2022 21:59:17 GMT
Yes, it's about 3:10 into the song.
Sublime.
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Post by lamont on Jun 10, 2022 12:36:37 GMT
Thing is Joseph, they have so many great moments in their songs!!! Every second a gem
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2022 13:16:09 GMT
ABBA-solutely so !
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Post by JeniLP on Jun 12, 2022 10:41:50 GMT
A small thing....in Lay All Your Love On Me when they sing, "...aaaaaaaand everything is new." Love that emphasis. The whole song is fantastic. It's always been a favourite, it's the coolest ABBA ever got. The song has ATTITUDE. It's sassy lol and to put a 6 syllable word in a pop song (in.com.pre.hen.si.ble)? Genius. And the line that follows that “and everything is you” with Agnetha’s potent but vulnerable delivery, “I feel A kind of fear…” Arghhh, what are you all doing... Isn't it enough that I play this song again and again almost every day..? Now I need another round lol |
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Post by joseph on Jun 12, 2022 11:44:24 GMT
^^Lay All Your Love On Me has to be one of my most played ABBA tracks. I've lost count of the amount of times I've listened and even danced to it.
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Post by HOMETIME on Jun 12, 2022 12:28:10 GMT
A few more spring to mind.
The little skip provided by the additional "and" in the "and the love you gave me/nothing else can save me" in the last chorus of SOS.
In the longer version of On And On And On, I love how the extra half verse is basically acapella.
I love the burbling synth intro to Elaine and the way the girls control their vibrato on the "...goldfish in a b-o-w-l/... take your s-o-u-l" sections. Oh, and the "Nowhere to go" lines at the end. It's a great little track, really.
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Post by lamont on Jun 13, 2022 12:56:27 GMT
A few more spring to mind. The little skip provided by the additional "and" in the " and the love you gave me/nothing else can save me" in the last chorus of SOS. In the longer version of On And On And On, I love how the extra half verse is basically acapella. I love the burbling synth intro to Elaine and the way the girls control their vibrato on the "...goldfish in a b-o-w-l/... take your s-o-u-l" sections. Oh, and the "Nowhere to go" lines at the end. It's a great little track, really. In Elaine at the 2.33 mark after “you know they’ll never let you…” the girls harmonies are so sublime and subtle, the “aaahhhhhhsss” |
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