ABBA Voyage: General Discussion 2021 Sept - Dec

I’always find your posts interesting, Colin, and, just as importantly, I trust them.

They should have far more than that, when 80000 were pre-ordered in the first 3 days only. Or are are we talking about sales without the pre-orders?

Edit: for some reason the quote is not visible - I was referring to the sentence: "Abba should be guaranteed at least 50,000 in week 1"

I wonder if this is related to the rumour about three songs being held back for a potential re-release next year? If they will actually remain unreleased, there’s the possibility they may get leaked at some point and it will be like Just Like That all over again… fans queueing up to declare them the best things ABBA have ever done. Perish the thought…

I wonder if it was always intended the album would have ten tracks, and that they simply carried on until they got ten they liked? Albums these days seem to be shorter again as they’re designed for vinyl and not CD. Or was it meant to be longer but they decided they didn’t like some of them enough? Or has Bernard been told to say this so it quashes any rumours about about the three tracks to be added next year, meaning it will still be a surprise if it’s ever announced?

Colin, I've known you for over 40 years !! which in itself is amazing, in all that time I've spoken to you once and don't even know what you look like, that said I consider you a friend, who's shown nothing but kindness and a font of knowledge which i have always found fascinating, we agree on most things except Eurovision !! lol I don't need to say anything else.. your valued.

OK onto Abba related....
Its looking like DSMD may survive the drop this week and has stabilized on the UK Singles chart, so it may hang around. ISHFIY , looks like a disappearance from the top 40, how far its dropped we will find out later today.

The initial furor has calmed, understandably, with all Albums that were in the UK charts dropping or disappearing, again quite predictable.

Being honest i guess after 2 weeks of constant playing, DSMD was an instant like,by myself and public, ISHFIY, is dare I say, an Album track , Its perfectly likable and has beautiful sentiments, but for todays market, Its a up hill struggle, as mentioned here before are independent radio station playing it !
DSMD is what the public thinks of ABBA and had by far the better airplay. Its not to say I don't like ISHFIY, but i do question in former times would it have been released as a single....

Just A notion, I guess because of its "rarity" hidden away on a more obscure album, I've always liked, again typical up beat track, I do wonder what the media will say adding a track from years ago, but hey..but could be popular with the public...again because of its tempo...
Bumblebee, we will find out soon enough, I truly hope its not Bjorn led, no offence, so we may be surprised, and its possibly the talk of most speculation. But surely again if an old track there will be media talk, of two tracks coming from the Vaults......

Little Things I'm intrigued about, as above if its a Ballad, and it possibly is.. If that's the case, its got to be good for Christmas, as most successful Christmas hits here in the UK are uptempo, as much as I like Happy New Year, If Little Things is in the same vain... its not a get up and dance is it !! that time of year is associated with fun !!

Of course all of this is wild speculation on the vast majority of us and the public, it boils down to ... we don't know yet ....

I'm just enjoying the ride, and it looks like its going to be quite a long ride...

^^^ A classic example... as a rule i really dont like her material, but dont mind this seasonal hit... but not every 5 minutes ..lol.. which why i guess she gets high positions every year.. even making number 1 last year......Thanks to downloads/streaming...

^^^ Welcome.....

All thoughts are brilliant.. whether your an old fan or new..Its great to hear from another perspective.....

First of all, welcome to lamont.

foverfan, I think you are right in daring to label ISHFIY as an 'album track'. I thought it was brave of them to release it as a single, but it was fitting for them (especially lyrically) and they did back it up with a second more typical ABBA single, so no harm done. I would put it in the same category as "The Way Old Friends Do" - not really a strong single but nevertheless a strong anthemic song that could catch on and be widely covered by other artists. And can't you imagine it as inspirational music in the background on TV talent shows and such like?

I really don't think that any of the new songs will be lyrically reworked versions of B&B compositions that have previously had English lyrics - what, after all the trouble we've had with getting them to release the ABBA version of "Just Like That"? There may be reworks of songs with Swedish lyrics though.

If they do rework more old material than "Just A Notion", I shall be very annoyed that they have left out "Just Like That". Surely they must be aware of the popularity of this song - it almost seems like they're being deliberately difficult/contrary.

Vinterhamn.... Well that one totally passed me by ..... 
Very nice little track, didn't understand a word of course... not sure if its right for UK market though... 
So fingers crossed its a new track and up-tempo....

Wishes don't always come true !!! 

Did Benny’s sound engineer not say that Little Things is a ballad?

In the Dutch charts, the singles have not been able to keep their momentum. ISHFIY has dropped out of the top 100 after spending one week at number 21. And DSMD has dropped from 18 to 87.

For some reason, I imagined "Little Things" to be a ballad or a mid-tempo song - perhaps the title suggests it. Even if it is a ballad, it still has the potential to do well. "I Have A Dream" was not a song from the "Voulez-vous" album that I wanted as a single and I didn't expect it do well, yet it got to No 2 in the UK. And the public's appetite for gentle songs at Christmas extends to the present day - look at Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" just a few years ago.

Gold is now number 12. Don't shut me down drops to 31, I still have faith in you is 55. On the download, physical and vinyl they still remain very high. Uk positions.

It passed me by too. It really is lovely. I can hear it being sung by either or both of the ABBA women - building with their glorious harmonies and 'third voice.' Having passed under the radar as a BAO track, it might well work well for ABBA. Considering its position on the album, I wonder if that means that When You Danced With Me is more uptempo? 

As I've been typing, Vinterhamn  has been playing on a loop in the background - it really is gorgeous. Probably the one BAO track I'd be happy to hear ABBA do.