ABBA Voyage: General Discussion 2022 May - Aug

The 'smug as a cat' line is interesting, because 'the cat that got the cream' is a common expression that means exactly the same thing and there are other similar idioms out there but the exact phrase 'smug as a cat'... not so much.

Sadly I can't see any of their 1982 songs as being capable of being big hits back then. To this day I wonder what could've been of When All Is Said And Done had been the 2nd single from the Visitors and not Head Over Heels - I'd like to think it would've at least been a top 10 hit.

I agree somewhat about Benny, but I think it was the whole ‘ABBA’ idea in itself, perhaps it became too big and Benny was always more interested in the music. In the old ABBA fanzine ‘Express’ in the eighties they examined quotes from the ABBA members regarding a reunion, despite many thinking it was Agnetha who was resistant, if looked more like Benny. Agnetha I think was a bit more diplomatic and ambiguous in her answers! Later on, in The Winner Takes It All documentary Benny again noted it was no big deal about the divorces, and couldn’t understand ABBA‘a appeal to the LGBTQ+ community with the “do they think we look like transvestites?” Line.
Yes, Benny looked uncomfortable with Frida at times, even up to 2004 backstage footage from Mamma Mia anniversary in London.
I’m only speculating and my opinions are subjective but Benny admitted himself to having an alcohol problem and sought help, I wonder if this started Benny‘a acceptance of his past with his private & professional life, which started the organic process of Voyage…
Just my thoughts, if I am out of line I apologise.

As I alluded to earlier, I think it is a shame that B&B didn't make more of their songwriting and production services in the post-ABBA years. Apart from ABBA, by the end of the 80s what did B&B have to show for their work in that decade on an international scale? Chess, that's all. I thought they were ambitious but they seemed to concentrate on Swedish artists and by the 90s they were writing a new musical in Swedish, which is something I never anticipated, although they probably had their personal reasons for doing so. Today, Sweden is well-known for providing songwriting and production services on an international level and I would have expected B&B to be part of that.

And here we are 40 plus years later, Abba are friends again, and gave us new music, kind of a fairly tale ending, Their music played constantly around the World to this day, and in London Soon to be three Separate Abba Shows, Mamma Mia The Musical, Mamma Mia The Party, and Voyage' and l believe this Month Universal are Showing ABBA The Movie' at the Cinema for a limited time. Abba are definitely Present.

This is an interesting sub topic which does refer to Voyage! I recall reading that Benny & Bjorn thought Chess was taking too much of their time and formally shut the project down in early 90s. Perhaps ABBA was a really intense time for the members and they needed time away from the world. Gemini’s first album was a bit morose and theatrical, but the second had the same production aesthetics as anything from Michael Jackson & Madonna at the time.
I remember in 1990 when Benny & Bjorn announced the Immigrants musical, it was major news in Sweden and it was revealed that Agnetha & Frida could sing on it, though Gorel said the name ABBA would not be used. The press travelled to Agnetha’s home to get a quote and she said “oh! Are the boys writing a new musical?” Which I think was a rather clever quote! Wrong footing the press.
I think Benny enjoyed his folk time in late 80s and at one occasion Mona said he disappeared and he was out busking in the street with Orsa Spelman for charity, and anyone who donated got his autograph.
Frida did distance herself too, writing that letter to fan clubs in 1987 and in a radio interview for Radio Sweden in 1992 she seemed not to understand the appeal of Bjorn Again or tribute acts (though one Swedish reporter said that it was probably because Frida was jealous of their dance routines.) also in 1992 when the revival kicked in, the Daily Express managed to get photos of Frida shopping in Fribourg, she asked the journalists not to blow her cover, but they told the shop owners, who were not really interested, but I think she realised she could live anonymously in Switzerland and public events in Sweden. The Voyage album is a welcome return for the group, but I feel it was Benny’s decision to return. Everyone else hinted at it over the years, but Benny being the maestro will have the final say.

Thing is, ABBA’s music is so timeless that Voyage is a natural progression on from The Visitors. It’s typical of ABBA that they don’t really play by the pop rule book! As Bjorn noted, who else has a 40 year gap between albums?
I do think Voyage ABBA is different from Pop ABBA, in regards to it’s a different act, but Kate Bush & Bob Dylan are the same though. Bjorn did say he wished his fame was more like theirs, than the mega stardom they had early on. I think all members appreciate they can do ABBA without their privacy being compromised.

My opinion is probably quite similar to yours, but perhaps with a more optimistic slant.

For years, I accepted what they said about the band never reforming and decided that 100 or so songs, most of them excellent, was more than enough. Then they said that they'd recorded two more. And then 'four or five'. And then it became a whole album. And to me, it was a delightful 'bonus' that I would never have expected. They're not the 'fantastic four' we once knew, but instead four separate individuals who have their own lives and interests who decided they may as well record some songs for 'old time's sake'. And that's beautiful in its own way.

All I want to know is what specifically was the last song they recorded? Was it Ode to Freedom? Or one of the other tracks?

Re the "VIP Opening Night" - many shows have a 'VIP' or "Press Night" preview the night before the "official" opening; Often reviews of a show often appear in the press on the day of the "official" opening night. On a fanclub webinar last week Ludvig Andersson stated all 4 members of ABBA had been invited and "It would be very rude of them not to attend" - whether they will stay for the 27th? - who can say? But you can bet the papers will be full of reviews on the morning of the 27th.

I honestly don’t know how I missed this, but I was just looking through Voyage photos and discovered that the album artwork states that Just A Notion was recorded at Polar Studios in 1978 and RMV Studios 2021. The Just A Notion artwork two weeks earlier merely stated 2017-2021.

That means there are now six tracks we know the recording years for.

ISHFIY, DSMD - 2017
ICBTW, B - 2019
LT, JAN (new backing track) - 2021

It appears to strengthen the case that JAN was drafted in to make up the numbers. Assuming they recorded a third track in 2019, that leaves three others for 2021.

JAN should not have made the album given the vocals were recorded when they were in their prime. It is a fun song but only should have been on a compilation album as a new track. Surely they could have finished one of the 2 songs that Benny talked about to make the 10 track album complete.

It is interesting to read other members' views and comments regarding " Voyage " and ABBA as they are now. I agree it was a joy to hear they were composing and recording new songs. As Tony says every ABBA studio album is different to its predecessor. Their songs are uniquely different. " Voyage " is a stunning collection of tracks dealing with daily issues affecting anyone. The fact they can produce an album of high calibre in 2021 is amazing. We are all human and we all have our views and opinions.

Ooh, that’s interesting. Assuming “Hit By A Train” is metaphorical and not literal. We’d more likely say “hit me like a truck” though. Is there a leaked title for the other song as well?

If this track was recorded in 2019, that means it could have been one of the long-rumoured five new songs (even if not completed). Could that mean that all four released songs that we don’t know the recording year for were recorded in 2021?

Alan I think you are right in all of this. I understand there is a line in the song something like your first kiss hit me like a train or similar. I think Dan, ode, little things and no doubt must have been recorded in 2021, alongside the other unreleased track. ( sorry no title)

I don’t think Benny consciously didn’t want ABBA to reform, I think he is a true artist and doesn’t compromise his art. Through the years I heard really positive quotes to ambiguous quotes from the other members, with Bjorn saying “of course”, Frida: “I’m just waiting for a call,” to Agnetha: “I’m not against it.”
The stars aligned.