Unreleased ABBA demos to be performed

I think it's not a question of finished/unfinished. I Am The City, Dream World and Put On Your White Sombrero were definitely finished and yet remained in the vaults for more then a decade. And what about Thank You For The Music (Doris Day version) - is that a finished or unfinished song? And by the way... performing these demos or whatever we call them live this way (two singers and a pianist) means they will all sound unfinished. But I really don't see what it will do for the "business"... either ABBA's or Mr. Palm's

I wouldn't mind hearing all the different versions of Summer Night City that were recorded and discarded for whatever reason. That would be interesting. But I ain't losing any sleep over it.

I agree but I can't help but sometimes I really don't get their reasons. Take "Just Like That" - Benny says that the main reason for not releasing it is that they don't think the verses and chorus work together... yet just a year before he didn't have a problem releasing Should I Laugh Or Cry, which has the most incompatible verses and chorus I have ever heard.

I completely respect their decisions and I understand their wish not release things which they consider not to be up to their standards (artistic integrity etc.), but one doesn't have to agree though with their judgement regarding what is worth releasing and what's not. I for one don't agree with what Benny said about the verses and chorus of JLT of not fitting together, and surely there are worst things which they did release officially (including that dreadful Gemini version, where the verses and chorus REALLY don't fit). So it's a bit complicated (of course complaining on the forum is not going to change anything, but that's another matter).

It doesnt matter what they said, or whether something in somebody else's opinion, fits or does not fit.

In the disagreement to release or not to release, the only opinion that matters, is Bjorn and Benny, who clearly hear this music in a way that no one else can comprehend.

That may make their decisions and statements difficult to understand, but, that's the reality of it.

These forum discussions come up all the time, but the end result is always the same. They have their reasons for keeping whatever music in their vault, and it doesnt matter who doesnt understands them or disagrees.

You arent going to get this vault stuff until they change their mind, and it seems like a lot of anguish for no reason. Again, take a stress-free approach. Just enjoy the bootlegs for what they are.

I would love to hear the different mixes they did of all of their songs, but I, too, am not losing any sleep over it. As for fans' desire for Just Like That to be released, perhaps it's something about forbidden fruit being the sweetest.

I've never bought that argument. When ABBA rested, they couldn't have known if or when they'd get back together, and had they got back together and made a new album in, say, 1984, would these two old tracks have fitted in? They might have had to be re-worked to fit the direction Björn and Benny were heading in at that point.

Surely a new album would have had to be completely new? It doesn't make much sense to deliberately keep two songs back. Perhaps the timing limitations of vinyl stopped them being able to put a sixth track on Side 4 of The Singles. And the likely expectation that the two singles wouldn't do all that well stopped them trying to go for a third.

Or perhaps they genuinely weren't happy with I Am The City or Just Like That? JLT especially seemed to have everything but the kitchen sink thrown at it to try and make it work, but even the full sax mix couldn't liven up those verses. And finally, it seems that the subject matter of JLT was transferred to The Day Before You Came (woman leads drab life, man comes along and changes everything, then leaves her). Could they really have got away with two songs saying basically the same thing? So they went for The Day Before You Came (the right decision in my opinion).

Agreed, I don't know how You Owe Me One was deemed good enough to put out, that one does remain a mystery. That track to me is like everyone else's Two For The Price of One or Crazy World. Least favourite ABBA song by a mile. I probably would have chosen I Am The City or Just Like That as the b-side over that.

Well, in 1982 the future of ABBA was not that clear. There were plans to do another record after The Singles. We don't know how half-created these were but I don't think that any of the four thought ABBA was over at that point. of course, from hindsight, they all said how they felt the time was over when they recorded TDBYC but I believe that holding back JLT and IATC was actually due to the fact that they wanted them to be on another record that of course never materialized.

I've always believed that at least one of them did. No matter what sort of niceties they said in the press. By 1982, one or more of them wanted out, permanently, and may have simply agreed to "take a break" knowing that they were never coming back anyway.

Just my speculation and I may be 100% wrong.

It seems so... and a few years later she was the one that least wanted ABBA to come back.... and a few decades later she's the one who mentions possible reunion the most. Interesting development  Sometimes I wonder if all these twists in individual members' stances are not deliberate so that the fans never really know who's the "bad one" and whom to blame

You're right, I Am The City is a great song, one of my favourites, but in 1982 it might have been considered a step back for ABBA, don't you think? In comparison with the other material they released around that time, it was back to shared lead vocals, multi-layered sound, bright production... It sounds like ABBA in the 70s. And I don't think it was a wrong direction but for Benny and Björn with their theatrical tendencies it might have seemed so at the time.

I'm pretty sure that if Agnetha's second marriage hadn't ended in 1993, her mother hadn't committed suicide and her father hadn't died shortly afterwards and if she hadn't met her stalker after there would have been an ABBA reunion following the success of ABBA Gold. I guess that B, B and F would have been up to it but Agnetha's private life was a complete catastrophe throughout the 1990s, there was no way she would have entered a recording studio. Nowadays she seems the one with the fondest memories of ABBA and I'm pretty sure she would do another ABBA-record if her obligations would be comparable to those she had when she did A.
That's a pretty subjective opinion, though. Even Benny would disagree. There is a reason he recycled the verses later for Chess. In the end, I'm not even sure if all this plays a role. Just Like That is certainly not the strongest ABBA composition but there have been lots of songs that are weaker than JLT. The refreshing thing about both JLT and IATC is that it was produced in a way reminiscent of ABBA's earlier stuff. Both songs sound lighter that anything they have done in 80s. The saxophone is a throwback to 1975 and the lyrics to SOS and KMKY. Many fans like the song. It really is a bit cruel it remains in the vaults considering we all have the hissy leaks for years. And official release wouldn't change anything. It's not In The Arms Of Rosalie which would be a real novelty.

^^ Yes but subjectivity is objective

Subjectivity is objective

There's an interesting 'sneak peak' (sic) of the Complete Recording Sessions book on icethesite.