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Post by Roxanne on Oct 27, 2014 11:41:20 GMT
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Post by maxisaxi on Oct 28, 2014 1:57:20 GMT
Eagle is my favourite track off this Album I just love the way the girls voices come together and hit those notes, others of course are The Name Of The Game, Hole In Your Soul and of Course Move On.
Love all the songs though but for me those are my all time favourites
Maxisaxi
New Zealand
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Post by HOMETIME on Oct 28, 2014 11:21:05 GMT
It took me a while to warm to this album, especially after the bright brilliance of "Arrival." Side 1 is virtually flawless. "The Name Of The Game" is my favourite track. I love how both girls have their very distinct solo moments and still find time for the brilliant "third voice." Lyrically, it was one of their deeper moments too.
Side 2 is something of a mixed bag. "Hole In Your Soul" sounds fantastic (as long as you don't need much weight in your lyrics). Unfortunately, I really can't stand "Thank You For The Music" - and the so-called 'Doris Day' version is even worse. But I love "I Wonder (Departure)" and the brilliant drama of "I'm A Marionette." I adored "Eagle" at the time but I really have to be in the mood for it these days.
From a design point of view, I prefer the European white sleeve to the overdone blue version released here and in the UK.
Tony
Ireland
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Post by 15/11/79 on Oct 28, 2014 12:15:40 GMT
This was a change of direction. After the mega success of Greatest Hits and Arrival - the anticipation was huge.
Even though most of Europe had this album for Christmas, in Ireland and the UK we had to wait until January 1978.
The artwork - so much going on: kangaroos, marionettes, planes, claws etc. Great cover but what did it mean? The inside of the gatefold sleeve was a giant AirMail envelope. I agree that the rest of the world artwork is better.
The opening track Eagle - wow. Just classy from start to finish, soaring, perfection. Big, west Coast USA feel to it.
Take A Chance - brilliant. A No.1 single written all over it, and so it came to be a few weeks later.
One Man, One Woman - had a rawness to it. Great guitar work and Frida perfect for the vocal.
The Name of the Game - already one of my all time favourites, played incessantly back in October 1977.
Move On - liked this track on and off over the years. I think the chorus sounded a bit like a TV commercial, don't know why.
Hole In a Your Soul - heavy! Great track but as had been mentioned many times by other commentators, the vocals are a tad squeaky.
Thank You For a The Music - I think this is a masterpiece - love the blend of the mandolins and harmonies and one of Agnetha's best vocals. Never tire of this track.
I Wonder (Departure) - probably the biggest let down ever. After the brilliant live version from Sydney (b-side on NOTG) this sounded clinical and sterilised. The live version is so much better.
I'm a marionette - dark and mysterious. A grower - I've come to appreciate it more over the years, although I like the alternative version in the Movie slightly better.
Definitely a transition album, but another classic - so many memories of that time in my life are linked to that album.
Martin,
Ireland.
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Post by dizzymoe33 on Oct 28, 2014 16:46:19 GMT
I remember putting this record on my mom's record player and hearing 'Eagle' for the first time. The song just blew me away it was so different and painted such an amazing picture about being "free".
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Post by Zeebee on Dec 29, 2014 22:15:59 GMT
It took me a while to warm to this album Tony Ireland I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. I absolutely agree that this album and the Arrival album are ABBA's two best albums, but at first, I didn't care for any of the songs on this album other than Take A Chance On Me. Eagle and One Man, One Woman are great songs, and I love Move On. The only song on this album that I don't really like is I'm A Marionette. |
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Post by dizzymoe33 on Dec 30, 2014 20:11:19 GMT
The only song on this album that I don't really like is I'm A Marionette. I have always referred to 'I'm A Marionette' as ABBA's angst song!! No I am not going to smile or pose for your pictures type of attitude! LOL  |
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Post by abbaprofessor on Oct 6, 2019 14:49:32 GMT
I ´m a marionette is one of my favourite album tracks. Used to think people like it and it has been a surprise they don´t. Strong melody, "harder " Abba but still without a doubt Abba.
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Deleted
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The Album
Dec 12, 2022 11:40:05 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2022 11:40:05 GMT
The Album is 45 years old today. Released in Sweden 12 December 1977 but not for another month in most places.
Side 1 is perfect - Eagle, Take a Chance On Me, One Man, One Woman and The Name of the Game
Side 2 - a bit patchy. Really like I'm a Marionette and Move On (minus spoken into)
Love the album cover - especially the blue gatefold obe from the UK.
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Post by gary on Dec 12, 2022 18:55:42 GMT
It’s a truly great album, and one I think doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves, possibly because there were so few singles taken from it. The first side is indeed as close to perfection as any side of an ABBA album. I can see why the second side might be seen as patchy but I don’t think there are any weak songs. It just doesn’t quite ‘flow’.
I wonder why Rumours is a classic album, and The Album isn’t. The songs on the latter are every bit the equal of those on the former.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2023 10:09:19 GMT
Certainly Side 1 has got to be right in the conversation when you're discussing ABBA's best side of music. Or indeed anyone's best side of music. Plus 'The Album' offers you the classic example of a super-world-class one-two opening punch, with Eagle and TACOM sitting side by side there. Personally, I get a similar effect from 'The Visitors', but there again I'm inexplicably partial to HOH. But ABBA generally really did do a great line in one-two opening punches, not least on 'Super Trouper' and (to my ears) 'ABBA' (again, HHH is a Top Ten ABBA track for me), with even 'Voulez-Vous' and 'Arrival' not too far behind on that score.
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Post by johnny on Nov 8, 2023 14:06:07 GMT
I will echo comments about Side 1 being perfect. I love all the 4 songs.
Side 2, again as others have said, is more mixed. Whilst I like Move On a lot I could do without the spoken intro. I am a Marionette is the highlight from this side.
The structure does renind me to of The Visitors with dramatic opening song followed by uptempo song. On side 2 both albums have 5 songs,including 3 of them musical, snd 1 more lightweight.
ABBA could have gone to a more adult Fleetwood Mac-ish sounding route at this stage
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Post by Michal on Nov 9, 2023 20:10:32 GMT
The Album is my most favourite ABBA album by far and I think it's one of their best, if not the very best. It took some time before I've realized how good it is but since I did, I've never changed my mind.
There seems to be an unusual unanimity about the brilliance of side A but I find the other side just as fascinating:
Move On - great and unusually low lead vocal from Agnetha with those soaring high harmonies by Frida give me goosebumps every time I hear it
Hole In Your Soul - an intro to die for. The whole song brimming with energy. And Agnetha's scream in the middle eight to top it. Irresistible - should have been a single.
TYFTM - one of ABBA's signature songs for sure and I agree it must count among Agnetha's best vocals ever.
I Wonder - even though this one is probably my least favourite song from the album, I still rank it very high - brilliant melody and immaculate vocal delivery.
I'm A Marionette - the dark horse of the album. So menacing, dramatic, so un-ABBA... An extraordinary end to a spectacular record.
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Post by HOMETIME on Nov 10, 2023 19:06:37 GMT
Even though I have very little time for TYFTM, I think it's a superbly produced recording. The production right across the album is stellar and I love the use of real strings. They really elevate OMOW and IAM. I think that's the trick that was missed on Super Trouper and The Visitors albums. You mention Agnetha's "unusually low" lead vocal for Move On, Michal, but I think she sings even lower on TYFTM. My current rankings - and it's about my favourites, not any real comment about quality: The Name Of The Game One Man, One Woman I'm A Marionette (I'm not a fan of guitar solos but this one is glorious) Take A Chance On Me I Wonder (Departure) Eagle Move On Hole In Your Soul Thank You For The Music |
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The Album
Nov 10, 2023 19:44:24 GMT
via mobile
Post by johnny on Nov 10, 2023 19:44:24 GMT
My rankings
1. The Name of the Game
2. Take a Chance On Me
3. Eagle
4. I'm a Marionette
5. One Man One Woman
6. Move On
7. Hole in Your Soul
8. I Wonder
9. Thankyou for the Music
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Post by Michal on Nov 10, 2023 19:58:19 GMT
You mention Agnetha's "unusually low" lead vocal for Move On, Michal, but I think she sings even lower on TYFTM. You're probably right. I wonder if the lower keys on The Album have something to do with Agnetha's pregnancy. Maybe Benny and Björn didn't want to strain her too much. But she sounds great when singing lower - maybe it's part of the charm of this album. As for the strings - the last album they used them was Voulez-Vous. After that Benny was already too obsessed with his synthesizer to let anybody else play anything 😄 I'm not able to rank the songs from The Album. The only thing I'm sure about is that I Wonder is at the bottom. I can't rank the others - it's like choosing your favourite child 🙂 |
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The Album
Nov 10, 2023 20:06:55 GMT
via mobile
mjc likes this
Post by Michal on Nov 10, 2023 20:06:55 GMT
By the way, when talking about The Album (my favourite subject, you see), I have to point out one thing about One Man, One Woman. If you consider what was going on between Björn and Agnetha at the time, the lyrics are probably the most personal and poignant in the entire ABBA catalogue. Little wonder that Frida is the lead vocalist, as otherwise it would probably be too emotional to handle. Especially as the the hope from the final verse was in vain.
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Post by Alan on Nov 10, 2023 22:37:16 GMT
…I have to point out one thing about One Man, One Woman. If you consider what was going on between Björn and Agnetha at the time, the lyrics are probably the most personal and poignant in the entire ABBA catalogue. The video for that song really highlights that. It’s partly the lighting perhaps, but you can really see it across Björn’s and Agnetha’s faces. The Winner Takes It All was over 18 months after they’d separated, whereas with this one they were in the thick of it. Assuming they had some problems during much of their marriage, it must have been throughout 1978 where it really escalated. It was rare for it to show, but in this video I think it did. |
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The Album
Nov 12, 2023 8:19:08 GMT
via mobile
Post by gary on Nov 12, 2023 8:19:08 GMT
Absolutely agree with Hometime’s first paragraph.
Arrival is my favourite ABBA album but really The Album is every bit its equal. They could do no wrong in this period, both with singles and albums, and they never topped it. Both albums are among my 10 best of all time.
My top 10 The Album tracks:
1 Take A Chance On Me
2 The Name Of The Game
3 Eagle
4 Move On
5 Hole In Your Soul
6 One Man, One Woman
7 I Wonder (Departure)
8 I’m A Marionette
9 Thank You For The Music
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2023 8:51:45 GMT
My rankings:
1. Eagle 10/10 (my second-favourite ABBA track)
2. Take a Chance on Me 9/10
3. I'm a Marionette 8/10
4. I Wonder (Departure) 8/10
5. The Name of the Game 8/10
6. One Man, One Woman 7/10
7. Hole in Your Soul 7/10
8. Thank You for the Music 7/10
9. Move On 5/10 (the talky bit and the faux piccolos drag this down a bit for me)
4.5 stars overall. My fourth-favourite ABBA album. I still think Side 2 should have started with the crunch of HIYS, which would have had quite an impact having just flipped the disc over from TNOTG, but there you go.
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