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Post by richard on Jan 18, 2022 13:44:22 GMT
You could be right about Agnetha and Frida's vocals, johnny , though I think Frida sounds good on the uptempo NDAI, which I understand was recorded more recently? But I'm sure you're right that it's more achieveable for older instrumentalists.
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Post by gamleman on Jan 18, 2022 14:21:32 GMT
I have been giving some thought to a retrospective compilation to mark the ABBA's 50th anniversary and I have come up with a possible tracklist. Its aim is to mark the highlights and milestones of ABBA's career (events as well as songs), and to appeal to both hardcore and casual fans. It is supposed to be a celebratory album and not a replacement for Gold, so long-term commercial success is not a goal - it's for this anniversary and a souvenir from the Voyage shows. Don't think that this tracklist is my ideal album - far from it, as I personally don't like live tracks mixed with studio tracks for one thing. There are also some painful omissions, such as Knowing Me Knowing You and The Name Of The Game, but this is to avoid overlap with Gold and allow space for some key lesser-known tracks. Indeed, I have included some of my favourite tracks that are often overlooked (e.g. Hasta Manana and If It Wasn't For The Nights) but I dare say that B&B would have I Wonder, The King Has Lost His Crown and Under Attack on there. This would be a double-CD and triple-vinyl album.
People Need Love Ring Ring (Swedish version) Waterloo (live version from ESC 1974) Hasta Manana SOS Mamma Mia Intermezzo No 1 (little recognised track that spotlights Benny) Fernando Dancing Queen When I Kissed The Teacher (due to popularity from Mamma Mia 2 movie) Why Did It Have To Be Me (as above, live version from 1977 tour) Take A Chance On Me Eagle Summer Night City (full-length version) If It Wasn't For The Nights (possibly alternative mix from Mike Yarwood Show) Chiquitita (Spanish version) Lovelight Does Your Mother Know (alternative mix from ABBA In Switzerland) Voulez-vous (live version from 1979 tour, inc long intro) I Have A Dream (live version from 1979 tour) Gimme Gimme Gimme (possibly new English/Spanish version) The Winner Takes It All Super Trouper One Of Us When All Is Said And Done Slipping Through My Fingers (live version from Dick Cavett Show) Should I Laugh Or Cry Just Like That (possibly demo extract) The Day Before You Came I Still Have Faith In You Don't Shut Me Down (possibly new extended version) When You Danced With Me (possibly new extended version) New Song #1 New Song #2
Waiting to be shot down in flames amid calls for a modified/extended Gold...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2022 15:29:43 GMT
I'd think you'd really have to have Knowing Me, Knowing You -one of their best songs and with the iconic "ahas" Summer Night Ciy should be the live Wembley version.
You're right, B+B would probably want I Wonder, the King Has Lost His Crown and Under Attack.
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Post by gamleman on Jan 18, 2022 15:52:20 GMT
I agree with you Johnny in that KMKY is one of their best songs and should probably be included, although I think it really needs to be the studio version to do it justice. The only reason I included SNC was to have the slightly novel full-version with the vocal intro, but this is included in the live version too - in fact, we first heard it in the live version. Perhaps the live version of VV or IHAD should be ditched
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2022 16:26:26 GMT
I'd favour KMKY over ANY song, as it's always been my No.1!
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Post by madonnabba on Jan 18, 2022 19:46:29 GMT
Don't know how successful another compilation would be. I am not keen on them.i have all the tracks. Think I would rather they finished on a high with their last album being number one. Can't see another compilation doing that. I could maybe tolerate a collaboration album with some of today's artists.Might help with speeding up recording time spreading the load with other artists. Just a thought.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2022 20:25:33 GMT
I would not like a collaboration album.
Elton John seemed desperate with his; longing for #1 singles but only achieving them with younger artists. It added nothing to his body of work.
I am glad ABBA were "trend blind". Sure they could collaborate with other 'senior' artists but these rarely work out.
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Post by Alan on Jan 18, 2022 23:35:33 GMT
Just for something to post and for those that are interested... In the UK , Voyage is at 15, slipping down the charts in the mid weeks... it will probably level out around that position come Friday on the official charts. Main reason that's cited for what appears to be a quick collapse from top 3 is that there is NO airplay on the UK radio and most of all Radio 2.. Another track would turn the collapse around..... Perhaps I was wrong about not wanting a fifth single. I hadn’t realised it had dropped from number 3 to number 10 last week. Quite a drop. I was hoping it would equal Super Trouper’s 11 top 10 weeks but that’s looking unlikely for the moment. With it hovering around the top 3 for so long, we were in a false sense of security over it. I don’t quite know how Radio 2’s playlist works. They clearly have an “old music” playlist as you’ll hear the same old songs regularly for a while, until they get changed for another set. And presumably new records don’t last too long on it. Surely its audience would still want to hear, say, Don’t Shut Me Down.
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Post by bennybjorn on Jan 18, 2022 23:57:01 GMT
Just for something to post and for those that are interested... In the UK , Voyage is at 15, slipping down the charts in the mid weeks... it will probably level out around that position come Friday on the official charts. Main reason that's cited for what appears to be a quick collapse from top 3 is that there is NO airplay on the UK radio and most of all Radio 2.. Another track would turn the collapse around..... Perhaps I was wrong about not wanting a fifth single. I hadn’t realised it had dropped from number 3 to number 10 last week. Quite a drop. I was hoping it would equal Super Trouper’s 11 top 10 weeks but that’s looking unlikely for the moment. With it hovering around the top 3 for so long, we were in a false sense of security over it. I don’t quite know how Radio 2’s playlist works. They clearly have an “old music” playlist as you’ll hear the same old songs regularly for a while, until they get changed for another set. And presumably new records don’t last too long on it. Surely its audience would still want to hear, say, Don’t Shut Me Down. Radio 2 have given Voyage an absolute ton of support. They must have had a song on the A list almost continuously from early September through to the end of the year. So, it's to be expected that they stop playing any of the new ones at all now. If I was the record company, I'd just let the album drop down for a couple of months and then bring out No Doubt About It maybe in March or April by which point R2 (and hopefully others) will be happy to give it some heavy rotation. And I expect Abbatars will have a pretty noticeable effect from late May. Of course, we'd all love there to be a completely new song at some point but even without it, I expect Voyage has a good chance of reaching at least a million in the UK eventually.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2022 2:26:21 GMT
Was very interested to see when recently watching a 2013 BBC documentary that in Brighton in 1974 the very last words spoken before the announcement that ABBA were the winners were ‘no doubt about it’!! Surely not a coincidence?
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Post by HOMETIME on Jan 19, 2022 9:57:07 GMT
Perhaps I was wrong about not wanting a fifth single. I hadn’t realised it had dropped from number 3 to number 10 last week. Quite a drop. I was hoping it would equal Super Trouper’s 11 top 10 weeks but that’s looking unlikely for the moment. With it hovering around the top 3 for so long, we were in a false sense of security over it.[...] Radio 2 have given Voyage an absolute ton of support. They must have had a song on the A list almost continuously from early September through to the end of the year. So, it's to be expected that they stop playing any of the new ones at all now. If I was the record company, I'd just let the album drop down for a couple of months and then bring out No Doubt About It maybe in March or April by which point R2 (and hopefully others) will be happy to give it some heavy rotation. And I expect Abbatars will have a pretty noticeable effect from late May. Of course, we'd all love there to be a completely new song at some point but even without it, I expect Voyage has a good chance of reaching at least a million in the UK eventually. This illustrates what some of us have been banging on about for ages. These days, with acts of ABBA's vintage, the role of a single is not to generate a new smash hit, it is to act as an ambassador for the album. The glory days of the charts as we fondly remember them are gone, unless you are a hip'n'happening young thang with a global army of scary fans (yes, I'm looking at you, Little Mixers and K-pop fanatics). If we fans get the option to collect a new piece of vinyl or a CD, then it's gravy. Radio 2's support of Voyage has been remarkable. When ABBA's own fans were busy trashing Just A Notion, the Radio 2 presenters put it on heavy rotation. They even A-listed the entire album for a week when a single wasn't being pushed. I'm not sure what else anyone could expect them to do. Maybe others won't share my opinion, but I personally doubt that a fifth single from the album will be anything other than a good thing. If it catches the public's ear and revives the album's fortunes, great. And if it doesn't? Well what actual harm would it do? The last two singles haven't troubled the Top 50, but they kept the album afloat. Bring on No Doubt About It, please and thank you.
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Post by gamleman on Jan 19, 2022 10:02:47 GMT
Was very interested to see when recently watching a 2013 BBC documentary that in Brighton in 1974 the very last words spoken before the announcement that ABBA were the winners were ‘no doubt about it’!! Surely not a coincidence? I wouldn't be surprised as I am convinced that B&B have peppered this album with references to their past and to other artists. We have already discussed the similarity between the piano opening of JAN and a Wombles song that was performed as the interval act in Eurovision 1974 - whether this was intentional or coincidental, we can't say. Of course, the nod to "Dancing Queen" in the piano opening of the chorus of DSMD and to "SOS" at the end of KAEOD are obvious. We know that ICBTW is a tribute to Tammy Wynette and some people have also compared this song to "Listen To Your Heart" by Roxette. I don't think two these are alike but there is one part of the musical arrangement of ICBTW that is reminiscent of LTYH. I think this is probably an acknowledgment of Roxette, the second-most internationally successful Swedish musical act after ABBA (and I believe Frida and the late Marie Fredriksson were friends). There may be other references/tributes on this album that we haven't spotted. I must remember to watch the ESC 1974 on BBC iPlayer before it expires in April.
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Post by Alan on Jan 19, 2022 11:21:03 GMT
This illustrates what some of us have been banging on about for ages. These days, with acts of ABBA's vintage, the role of a single is not to generate a new smash hit, it is to act as an ambassador for the album. To be fair, I think most people on here do get that, and have done for a long time. There’s only the odd one or two that don’t (and no offence to them). The success or failure of a single has nothing whatsoever to do with its chart position these days. My main concern was that a fifth might be pushing it a bit and even Radio 2 might get bored. Are this many singles done for acts these days? Also, do we have total streaming figures for each track on Voyage? We could do with that to determine which tracks are actually the most popular. The download figures from the first week (in the old post from gamleman I quoted a few days ago) suggested No Doubt About It wasn’t actually all that popular at the time. Obviously downloads were only a small part of it, and it was only for the first week, so perhaps it’s become more of a favourite since.
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Post by HOMETIME on Jan 19, 2022 11:33:42 GMT
My main concern was that a fifth might be pushing it a bit and even Radio 2 might get bored. Are this many singles done for acts these days? Also, do we have total streaming figures for each track on Voyage? We could do with that to determine which tracks are actually the most popular. The download figures from the first week (in the old post from gamleman I quoted a few days ago) suggested No Doubt About It wasn’t actually all that popular at the time. Obviously downloads were only a small part of it, and it was only for the first week, so perhaps it’s become more of a favourite since. Off the top of my head, I can think of Jessie Ware's gorgeous album "What's Your Pleasure" - there were seven singles from that. There were a couple more when the deluxe edition dropped last year. I think people regard singles-from-albums differently now. Back in the 80s, it felt as though artists like Michael Jackson were "milking" it by releasing five or six singles from an album. These days, it seems to be more of an extension to PR duties. With streaming being such a massive feature, it's not as though people are forking out for singles like they did back in the day. If the label goes to the expense of producing physical formats, there will surely be hardcore fans choosing to part with their money, but radio singles and buzz tracks are hugely important to artists and labels. Like I say, what harm could another single do, when the album has already sold shedloads?
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Post by gamleman on Jan 19, 2022 12:14:28 GMT
I have just copied the streaming figures of the Voyage tracks from Youtube - these are for the official ABBA account only, no others. I list them in descending order below.
I Still Have Faith In You - 32,290,919 views Don't Shut Me Down - 19,163,967 views Little Things - 4,791,159 views Just A Notion - 3,693,505 views When You Danced With Me - 2,477,604 views I Can Be That Woman - 2,186,855 views Ode To Freedom - 1,759,338 views Keep An Eye On Dan - 1,715,981 views Bumblebee - 1,402,892 views No Doubt About It - 1,001,493 views
For "Little Things", I have combined the views for the lyric video and official video.
We can see that "No Doubt About It" is the least popular track, which is somewhat surprising.
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Post by bennybjorn on Jan 19, 2022 12:51:05 GMT
I have just copied the streaming figures of the Voyage tracks from Youtube - these are for the official ABBA account only, no others. I list them in descending order below. I Still Have Faith In You - 32,290,919 views Don't Shut Me Down - 19,163,967 views Little Things - 4,791,159 views Just A Notion - 3,693,505 views When You Danced With Me - 2,477,604 views I Can Be That Woman - 2,186,855 views Ode To Freedom - 1,759,338 views Keep An Eye On Dan - 1,715,981 views Bumblebee - 1,402,892 views No Doubt About It - 1,001,493 views For "Little Things", I have combined the views for the lyric video and official video. We can see that "No Doubt About It" is the least popular track, which is somewhat surprising. Well you have to think about what makes people look up a song on YouTube in the first place. The main reason is that they heard it on the radio, and they want to hear it again. Hence, Little Things is up there in the top 3 despite being many if not most people's least favourite song on the album. If No Doubt came out as a single and was put on Radio 2's a-list it would get tons more YT viewings.
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Post by Alan on Jan 19, 2022 13:34:53 GMT
Well you have to think about what makes people look up a song on YouTube in the first place. The main reason is that they heard it on the radio, and they want to hear it again. Hence, Little Things is up there in the top 3 despite being many if not most people's least favourite song on the album. If No Doubt came out as a single and was put on Radio 2's a-list it would get tons more YT viewings. You can’t say that about, say, I Can Be That Woman. More than twice as many viewings as No Doubt About It. I’m not suggesting ICBTW should be a single but I don’t think No Doubt About It is as popular as many on this forum seem to believe it is. I remain sceptical - assuming the other tracks are getting repeated viewings, there has to be a reason why NDAI isn’t. I’m surprised it doesn’t seem to have gained in popularity since those earlier download figures though. You couldn’t even put it down to being near the end of the album as Ode To Freedom is much higher.
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Post by foreverfan on Jan 19, 2022 13:41:18 GMT
I have to admit up to recently I was an avid chart watcher, being very truthful up to when JAN failed to make the top 40 ! ..lol . I wasn't naive to think the singles chart hadn't changed, but ultimately I would have liked ABBAs top 40 record to have continued, but alas we are in different times. I guessed i really noticed the charts had changed when Radio 2 played an awful lot, Dance Away Your Pain, ( Agnetha ) and it failed to chart even make the top 100 even though it had huge airplay and made number 1 on Radio 2 playlist,( at the time ) and that was 9 years ago this year. So I guess the tracks that have charted are a bonus and yes used to promote Voyage, (wonder what would have happened if no album, but just those 2 tracks, that's another topic ? ).
So yes these " singles " are mainly awareness tracks and if they chart all the better, and a bonus.
There are loads of topics on other sites concerning the current state of the charts.
I mainly follow the UK album charts these days but with such low sales it all needs a revamp, but hey what to do.....
So another single, would it do any harm, no, and would go towards promoting the album for a few more weeks, until everything kicks off again in May. NDAI, I'm being honest again ! initially we heard it was a great uptempo track ( which it is ) so upon first hearing I was disappointed, not sure why, lyrics hard to follow ? ^^^ hence why low , streaming ? without the lyric video it is hard to follow/understand that said it has however grown on me and now like it, so I can see why many think a good choice to release.... So whether its NDAI, KAEOD or WYDWM, another release would be good .....now....
I just hope Universal do something soon, before Voyage disappears down the charts to obscurity and sell around 1000 a week... time will tell of course...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2022 13:55:29 GMT
People who have bought Voyage or streamed the songs are the more serious ABBA fans.I wouldn't be worried about NDAI's lack of streaming success to date. There are millions out there who only know ABBA from Gold and Mamma Mia! films. For the most part, they like the uptempo songs. I feel No Doubt About It could appeal to them - the casual fan that hasn't got into Voyage.
Release it around the time of the BRIT awards which will generate more publicity for ABBA. Hopefully some pick up in sales for Voyage too.
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Post by bennybjorn on Jan 19, 2022 13:55:41 GMT
I have to admit up to recently I was an avid chart watcher, being very truthful up to when JAN failed to make the top 40 ! ..lol . I wasn't naive to think the singles chart hadn't changed, but ultimately I would have liked ABBAs top 40 record to have continued, but alas we are in different times. I guessed i really noticed the charts had changed when Radio 2 played an awful lot, Dance Away Your Pain, ( Agnetha ) and it failed to chart even make the top 100 even though it had huge airplay and made number 1 on Radio 2 playlist,( at the time ) and that was 9 years ago this year. So I guess the tracks that have charted are a bonus and yes used to promote Voyage, (wonder what would have happened if no album, but just those 2 tracks, that's another topic ? ). So yes these " singles " are mainly awareness tracks and if they chart all the better, and a bonus. There are loads of topics on other sites concerning the current state of the charts. I mainly follow the UK album charts these days but with such low sales it all needs a revamp, but hey what to do..... So another single, would it do any harm, no, and would go towards promoting the album for a few more weeks, until everything kicks off again in May. NDAI, I'm being honest again ! initially we heard it was a great uptempo track ( which it is ) so upon first hearing I was disappointed, not sure why, lyrics hard to follow ? ^^^ hence why low , streaming ? without the lyric video it is hard to follow/understand that said it has however grown on me and now like it, so I can see why many think a good choice to release.... So whether its NDAI, KAEOD or WYDWM, another release would be good .....now.... I just hope Universal do something soon, before Voyage disappears down the charts to obscurity and sell around 1000 a week... time will tell of course... Apparently, No Doubt wasn't included in some recent compilation (possibly on Spotify). Others said that would have greatly reduced its exposure, and that it would be a good thing as the song would feel more fresh if/when released as a single. It's not just round here that people have praised No Doubt. It was singled out in lots of the reviews as an album highlight. In fact I don't think I read a single negative comment about it (in the reviews).
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Post by JeniLP on Jan 19, 2022 14:23:10 GMT
Perhaps the live version of VV or IHAD should be ditched Fingers crossed) ('... and IHAD' is also an option )
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Post by richard on Jan 19, 2022 15:32:49 GMT
Regarding a ABBA 50th Anniversary compilation, this thought just occurred to me: 'GOLD AND MORE'. It would be a triple album. They could re-jig Gold and More Gold to include ISHFIY and DSMD, and the third album for other favourites - theirs, primarily, I assume, because fans won't agree on what to include or leave out. I'd include DDD and ILTMS. I rest my case.
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Post by Alan on Jan 19, 2022 16:34:33 GMT
Apparently, No Doubt wasn't included in some recent compilation (possibly on Spotify). gamleman’s figures were for YouTube though, not Spotify. Pretty much everyone uses YouTube as it’s free, so I’d take those figures above Spotify’s. I’d still have to ask why the figures for NDAI are so low. Does the average person hear it once and decides that’s enough? Whereas the other songs get them coming back?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2022 18:37:01 GMT
Johnny, your comments are not boring. They are valid and positive. As Alan pointed out, the purpose of a forum is for members to discuss their differences. Conflicting and diverse feedback is essential to ensure ABBAchat stays fresh and alive. At the end of the day we all have our personal likes, dislikes, preferences, choices, ideas, views, opinions etc.
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Post by gamleman on Jan 19, 2022 19:10:14 GMT
Thinking about the mystery of NDAI and its low popularity relative to the other album tracks, I liked it from the outset but it wasn't one of my initial favourites. In the context of the album, however, I now look forward to it as a pick-me-up after the darkness of ICBTW and KAEOD, and the softness of BB. So, it works great as an album track exactly where it is, but does it work as a single? Does anyone feel that it is more dated than the other tracks? My first impression was that the chorus sounded like an up-tempo stage-musical number and it does sound to me like it would be at home in "Chess" or as a track on Frida's "Shine" album.
I think Johnny was perhaps referring to my comment that talk of a modified Gold album was boring, but it wasn't directed at Johnny, as the idea has been mooted previously in this thread at length (and perhaps several times) and I don't think many people are keen on it. Regarding Richard's idea of a 'Gold and More' triple-CD, this seems similar to the Gold box from 2014 where the third disc was a B-sides compilation. It also doesn't give the scope for interesting new artwork, as I'm sure they would want to stick with the established design.
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Post by joseph on Jan 19, 2022 19:27:35 GMT
NDAI has finally got over a million views on YouTube. Took a while! Not sure about its lack of popularity. Couldn't begin to guess why, I'm not good at gauging things like that. It's not a favourite for me but it's lively and upbeat and I was instantly reminded of Frida's 'Shine' album when I heard it for the first time. I've changed my mind (again!), I'd now like When You Danced With Me as a possible single. It just speaks to me more on an emotional level.
My mind is racing with thoughts of the Voyage concert. I have so many ideas! I pray The Visitors features and is a real show stopper. I can envisage in my mind's eye just how it could (should) be performed. Ludwig needs to contact me and employ me immediately as artistic director!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2022 20:16:22 GMT
I didn't take personally my comments about a re-vamped Gold or promoted The Albums box set. That's why I put a 😀
I can't see the demand of a middle ground/2-3 album set. But if there was one it could be a Best Of with live/alternative recordings rather than an extended Singles album.
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Post by bennybjorn on Jan 19, 2022 22:01:47 GMT
Apparently, No Doubt wasn't included in some recent compilation (possibly on Spotify). gamleman ’s figures were for YouTube though, not Spotify. Pretty much everyone uses YouTube as it’s free, so I’d take those figures above Spotify’s. I’d still have to ask why the figures for NDAI are so low. Does the average person hear it once and decides that’s enough? Whereas the other songs get them coming back? Yep, it's all a bit hard to fathom out. It may not be the best choice for another single but without any more singles the album will sink pretty rapidly until Abbatars kicks off. As mentioned before, I'd leave things until March or so and then put out a single which should revive the album to some extent (if it attracts airplay) which may have left the top 30 by then. In response to other comments, in the old days it was hard for bands to release extra singles from an album as there was pressure to produce multiple b-sides on different versions to try and get the single into the top 40 (which then meant a fair chance of a Top of the Pops appearance). These days there's no need to put out any extra songs at all (as b-sides) so there's very little reason not to keep releasing singles, as long as at least some radio stations will play them.
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Post by richard on Jan 20, 2022 11:29:02 GMT
Good point, gamleman , that using the word 'Gold' in a 50th Anniversary compilation would perhaps create (self-imposed ?) design constraints. But it needn't be that way: with a bit of creative thinking for this special presentation/edition they could change things up. Anyway, I'm sure we'd all love a final anniversary album of new songs - including the two unreleased ones. But that's hoping against hope, I know. Again, wishing for such a final new album in no way indicates lack of appreciation or ingratitude for Voyage. I have that appreciation and gratitude.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2022 13:31:49 GMT
A complete ABBA anthology box set would be great. Maybe that is asking for too much and as Richard already mentions let's be grateful for " Voyage ". Joseph, I do like your post. I would love to see the forthcoming concert in May. I would love to meet the members who are going to the concert in person. Let's hope the current situation improves by then. It promises to be a concert like no other ! Also, thanks to Joseph for posting the You Tube analysis of ICBTW. It is a very beautiful but dark song. Agnetha's storytelling is perfect. The rawness and vulnerability in her voice harks back to her outstanding vocal delivery of TWTIA ( which reflected on the loss of a personal relationship and subsequent divorce ). However, ICBTW touches on alchoholism and for me it is one of the highlights of " Voyage " just as TWTIA is my standout track on ST. Frida's backing joint vocals on ICBTW are very moving. Typically ABBA. Yes, there are similarities to OMOW and STMF ( also, both standouts for me ). The harmonies send shivers down your spine. Not everyone will agree with me but that is the whole point of a discussion forum as everyone has different tastes.
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