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Post by Alan on Jan 25, 2024 6:13:54 GMT
Yes, I was wondering that. They’ve sync’d this version of the track with the ABBA-Dabba-Doo footage. I hope it is a hint!
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Post by Alan on Jan 24, 2024 22:49:22 GMT
On the subject of Knowing Me, Knowing You, this is doing the rounds on Agnetha’s TikTok page: vm.tiktok.com/ZGerjaDcp/(If the link works). |
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Post by Alan on Jan 20, 2024 16:29:08 GMT
Totally agree on TFTPOO. Clever, elegant, ironic. Delightfully mature song-writing. It is great to see posts like this and the one you were quoting. Followers of the fan rule book irritate the hell out of me. Do some people feel afraid to go against the grain? Fear of being ridiculed? And also, if you’re not over-enthusiastic about, say, Just Like That you’re somehow a traitor against the community and are personally responsible for it not being released. To add to the rule book, liking anything Agnetha releases. Not making it obvious that you might prefer her to Frida, but enough to stamp on anyone that doesn’t agree with you (which is what killed the A+/Where Do We Go From Here thread stone dead, as few will now go near it). |
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Post by Alan on Jan 20, 2024 16:07:11 GMT
The announcement in the fanclub magazine literally read: "Talking of 1974 and the upcoming fiftieth anniversary of Waterloo, we have received several questions regarding April 6th. ABBA themselves will not be involved in anything on that day, so please feel free to celebrate the occasion as you wish." I’d heard something along those lines on PopJustice, but thanks for the direct quote. That’s a recent magazine isn’t it? At least it stops any speculation. I’m fine with that, as it doesn’t quash any hopes of new music. They don’t need to promote that in person. However, the interpretation of “ABBA” could be taken as only meaning all four of them together. I really can’t see Björn not attending anything, media wh*re that he is (meant in a nice way but we all know it’s true. At least compared with any of the others). |
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Post by Alan on Jan 20, 2024 11:45:20 GMT
I know someone who is going on that date.
I’m actually going myself a week tomorrow. It was a surprise Christmas present. Part of me is glad to be seeing the same show again as it’s been 20 months since I saw it, but another part wishes it was 6 April onwards (that’s assuming there really is a set change - there’s been no confirmation that there will be one then or at any time after).
It depends what else is going on but I’d imagine Björn and Benny might be there. Frida too possibly, but the awkwardness with three of them is that attention then focuses on the one that isn’t (as happened on the first anniversary).
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Post by Alan on Jan 20, 2024 10:21:39 GMT
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Post by Alan on Jan 18, 2024 16:28:55 GMT
Never been and wouldn’t be interested, not my thing really. Not sure any of the regulars on here are into that kind of thing (but anyone feel free to prove me wrong!!)
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Post by Alan on Jan 18, 2024 14:26:04 GMT
As morbid as it sounds, we may only get the stuff from the vaults once Benny is no longer around to veto its release. Not sure that’s a given. Assuming his wife and Ludvig are the executors (is that the right word?!) of his estate, they would surely comply with his wishes and not release it. I certainly wouldn’t go against a parent’s or spouse’s wishes. I’d say if it’s going to happen, it’s got to be when he’s still alive. Björn might have a say - if he outlives Benny - but again if it’s up to Mona and Ludvig (and his other children?) to have the final word, it’s unlikely. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 13, 2024 22:36:48 GMT
As for TFTPOO, I AM genuinely surprised it attracts SO much 'stick'. Full of lovely little melodies and musical touches, just the faintest whiff/hint of musical theatre and, most of all, what about those backing vocals?! A&F's 'If you are dreaming" bit really is one of my favourite things in the whole ABBA catalogue and "we-eeeeeeeee may be the answer"... Just fabulous! Couldn’t agree more. I think the backing vocals are: If you are dreaming of someone that would be right for you Why don't you call us and then you’ll get two for the price of one We may be the answer to your problem, if by chance you feel blue Why don't you call us and then you’ll get two for the price of one Or: [“then” removed] It’s probably a similar reason why I like I Saw It In The Mirror. You get A & F repeating what the guys say but also some other lines (“Cry, I never thought I could cry for you”). I love it! |
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Post by Alan on Jan 13, 2024 8:48:11 GMT
I’m liking both your post and the thread title, jj. 😃 Excellent. What has inspired and provoked us is, I’m afraid, this post:I find this attitude quite dismissive - it’s almost saying no one’s allowed to like these songs as the rule book says you can’t. The post made me want to go “Then again maybe yes, yes, yes!!” And @thisboycries agreed, I think! But yes, thanks jj for creating this thread (the words used in the title may have been mine but their use in the title wasn’t). I have moved some posts to it. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 12, 2024 10:14:38 GMT
Hot take, but I Am Just A Girl blows those other three songs out of the water. Full disclosure - bloomin' love TFTPOO and always have. And I rather like ISIITM. Don't even mind Crazy World too much. I think we are the only ones, or certainly two of the very few, that do like them. It seems to be in the ABBA fan rule book - you must hate these but worship Just Like That with every bone in your body. If there was such a rule book, I’d happily tear it up! I like that we go against the grain, though it’s not intentional. I’m glad I can appreciate those. Crazy World less so, but the other two I have never disliked and actually always saw them as highlights of the albums they appear on. For ABBA dross, I’d pick Åh, Vilka Tider and You Owe Me One. And for actual singles, I’m not over-fussed with either Under Attack or Super Trouper. Oh, and Little Things. I only ever listen to it in December, but even that can’t save it. I’d rather listen to Slade or Roy Wood for the thousandth time than that one! |
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Post by Alan on Jan 11, 2024 18:27:54 GMT
Which made me think. If 5 tracks makes it album chart eligible, would 3 of those tracks still be eligible for the singles chart!? If they sold/streamed enough then yes, I’d have thought so. Any song can chart (which is why the term “singles chart” is so antiquated). Yes, my understanding was that a single in the old days could not be longer than 20 minutes (with b-sides etc) so that would tie-in with your 26 minutes-or-more to count as an album. In the old days, four-track EPs would rarely come to more than 20 minutes, hence why they could chart as singles. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 11, 2024 18:01:04 GMT
By “mined to death” I meant the existing fully released recordings.
That’s why I like the idea of an EP. It would need more than two new/previously unreleased tracks, so JLT dusted down would be fine, and they’d need a few others. I’m not sure what length it would need to be to chart as an album, but I think the market that bought Voyage is the one to aim at. That market will already have Gold (or more) so might be put off by a compilation of old tracks with a few new ones added (particularly if those are available separately, such as on one-track CD singles).
Going back to ownership of the recordings… if I was in their position, I certainly wouldn’t sanction a new compilation. I’d say “Gold is still a top 10 album, a new one is not needed”. They can and should be putting tight controls over how the Voyage recordings can be used, and not letting Universal run riot!
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Post by Alan on Jan 11, 2024 17:34:28 GMT
All of that is true Alan BUT we may get 2 new songs. This would be comparable not to a Waterloo anniversary year but The Singles which had The Day Before You Came and Under Attack tagged on. Or indeed More Gold with I am the City. It’s not 1982 though. At that point, there were two different Greatest Hits albums in existence, both of which had some filler (particularly the first one). There were also two studio albums released since the second compilation. Not enough for a Volume 3 but enough to include on a double album. And The Singles was just a stopgap (and the very first opportunity to cover all of ABBA’s career on one release) as there was no new album. Also we haven’t yet seen Voyage tracks mixed with earlier ones. For instance, they could have put Little Things on the back of the annual Happy New Year issues, but they haven’t. I suspect the reason for this is that ABBA (through their company, 1221 AB, set up especially for the purpose), owns the rights to the Voyage recordings which gives the ABBA members more say on what Universal can do with them. ABBA’s 1972-82 recordings are entirely owned by Polar/Universal so, whilst they may seek ABBA’s guidance, they can ultimately do what they want with them (hence the endless cheapo compilations over the years). I could be completely wrong, and obviously I don’t want an unnecessary compilation of old tracks with a couple of new ones added. I think Gold has that market cornered forever so it really does need something more interesting to be done with anything new. ABBA’s back catalogue has been mined to death. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 11, 2024 16:34:11 GMT
Pinched from a PopJustice post:
“I’m not sure if it’s mentioned already, but the ABBA fan club magazine seemed to confirm the members won’t be involved in anything on the April Waterloo anniversary. Not particularly surprising, I suppose, particularly given Eurovision itself being the most likely place they would mark the anniversary in some form.”
I think we kind of knew that already but, assuming it’s a new fan club magazine that’s being referred to, it re-affirms it.
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Post by Alan on Jan 11, 2024 11:14:18 GMT
Another thought…
Most people are predicting a compilation, but this hasn’t happened in any of the other significant Eurovision anniversary years.
1984 - UK and West Germany issued (different) vinyl single boxed sets
1994 - the 4CD set. This was a compilation of sorts, but the main attraction was the unreleased tracks, along with b-sides not previously released on CD (and some not originally released at all in some countries).
1999 - CD singles set
2004 - no major releases
2014 - 40-single box and Live at Wembley
The other anniversary, which is now ignored, is the 1972 true beginning of what then became ABBA:
1982 - The Singles: The First Ten Years - originally intended as a new album, this was abandoned and the compilation released instead (possibly as part of contract fulfilment). The anniversary was a happy coincidence/excuse to release yet another compilation.
1992 - ABBA Gold. Entirely coincidental and was not marketed as a twenty-year anniversary (or ten years since they split).
Therefore a bog-standard compilation, even with some new tracks, isn’t as obvious as we may think.
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Post by Alan on Jan 11, 2024 8:39:05 GMT
Another three weeks from now, beginning of February something will be announced I think. Pre-orders tend to be available right weeks before the official release date. Whatever they do decide to release it will be available on Friday 5th April. No doubt it will be another picture disc and maybe coloured vinyl format. Not necessarily. In 2021 the announcement came with the premier of the new songs. That might happen this time - if this SVT gala thing is, as we suspect/hope, then the new songs will be announced and premiered then, and available from the next day. A compilation/anthology (if that’s happening) will then be available to pre-order. There’s no urgency to get everything out by April. Ten years ago, releases were spread over the year. The Waterloo-specific stuff may get released in April (but unlikely there will be anything new there, just part of the ongoing series) and hopefully two new songs, but anything else could be over the following months. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 10, 2024 17:05:50 GMT
Of course we havent considered the possibility it could be an EP. Apparently they considered this in 2020 when they had recorded 5 new tracks. So its always a possibility. I’d love this option. An EP these days is not a four-track single at 33 1/3rd rpm but usually a fair few tracks, so that would mean they’ve had to come up with more than just two Voyage leftovers. Until anything’s announced, I guess we can’t rule anything out. I do hope that after all this build-up, they don’t let us down. They didn’t in 2021 though. I’m cautiously hopeful. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 10, 2024 17:01:14 GMT
Guessing that’s what justabba posted yesterday (in English). |
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Post by Alan on Jan 10, 2024 13:16:23 GMT
Not wanting to put it down....ABBA Platinum.. ( if it's going to exist) can it really replace Gold.... I'm not to sure.. let's be honest Universal will want it to sell to the masses It will never replace Gold. Number Ones (if anyone remembers that) didn’t last long and The Definitive/Essential Collection didn’t exactly set the charts alight. If it is a compilation, its longevity will depend on how much unreleased material is on it. Arguably More Gold only still exists after 30 years because it’s one of the very few places that I Am The City can be found (and the only widely available one - as with Dream World, the track is still quite rare). It will probably be called ABBA 50 as both the ABBA logo and the 50th graphic have a similar look. But with any luck, such a compilation won’t happen and we’ll get something far more interesting and substantial with that title. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 10, 2024 10:36:27 GMT
I think I'd be more inclined to keep a close eye on the Popjustice forum. I’ve got the ABBA topics as watched threads on there so I get alerted whenever anyone posts in them. Not seen anything about this though. I’m not aware of any other English-language ABBA forums. If it’s one in another language that’s being referred to, there’s always the risk that something may have got lost in translation. Which FB group was it, gassi? Is it *that* one? If so, I was blocked by it years ago so can’t see it, but I do know someone in it that would let me know if there was anything like this mentioned in there. Edit: checked with my friend and no, this did not originate from that FB group. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 9, 2024 16:30:03 GMT
As we had three topics all potentially discussing the same things, I’ve merged them into one. This does seem to have lost the first poll, but the most recent poll remains intact. There was also a fourth, older topic which I’ve merged into this one. Yet another topic, which I’m leaving where it is for now, is the one with the Catherine Tate reveal referenced in this thread. abbachat.boards.net/thread/1623/more-songs-voyage-sessions-2024?page=1 |
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Post by Alan on Jan 9, 2024 11:23:48 GMT
One thought to leave you with.. remember Catherine Tate and the announcement of the 2 songs at a "special event "? Oh yes, I do remember that now you mention it. And she was quickly hushed up and the comment removed after its original broadcast. And of course, I Still Have Faith In You and Don’t Shut Me Down were premiered at that YouTube live stream. OK, if that’s what’s planned then it’s exciting! I’ll keep my expectations low though. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 9, 2024 9:58:51 GMT
Sorry, but I can’t say I’m excited by this news. I guess it’s too early for more interesting news to be revealed though.
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Post by Alan on Jan 8, 2024 17:06:12 GMT
 With a black background.  And blue. |
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Post by Alan on Jan 8, 2024 13:47:58 GMT
 Is this it? I got the same distortion HOMETIME got at first, then I managed to find this. [Edited - logo now with white background] |
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Post by Alan on Jan 7, 2024 23:17:31 GMT
My money (especially after the new logo reveal) is a new ABBA platinum collection that includes all the previous hits, the voyage singles and two unreleased tracks. Much as they did in 1982 with the first 10 years. I was confused about what you meant by “new logo”. I was thinking you meant a new ABBA logo! Do you mean this?  |
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Post by Alan on Jan 7, 2024 20:04:04 GMT
No, they shouldn't be in the show but what album? That’s the question we’re waiting to be answered. It should also be reminded that it might not happen at all. We’ve got no confirmation that they’re definitely going to be released. If it was 20 years ago (or possibly even 10), I’d have said a deluxe Voyage. ABBA’s eight historical albums were re-released four times (1997, 2001, 2005 and different years depending on each album’s official deluxe edition). Each added bonus tracks (different configurations every time) so had it been “back then”, I’d have put money on a such a deluxe for Voyage. However, the emphasis now is very much on vinyl and streaming and both of those require albums to be short. More than two tracks would have to be added to justify a double-vinyl album. A 20-track compilation (which is the option I least want if it’s just familiar versions supplemented with the two outtakes) would at least make a nice, pricey double vinyl a desirable prospect for the record company. An interesting article from SuperDeluxeEdition on how CDs still outsell vinyl, even though the music industry treats the CD with utter disdain and would happily see it abandoned: superdeluxeedition.com/comment/cds-continue-to-outsell-vinyl-in-the-uk/ |
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Post by Alan on Jan 7, 2024 11:38:29 GMT
Yes, I’d have to agree with BAAB that the new songs shouldn’t be in the show, and certainly not in the show and no where else. Bearing in mind that I Still Have Faith In You and Don’t Shut Me Down get a lukewarm reception from audiences (as they’re much less familiar) putting brand new songs in this would not be the right move. We should remember that more work went into Faith and Shut than any other track on the album. They had to be good to match the quality of the older songs. And it’s the reason most us (rightfully) rank them above any of the other eight tracks. The two unreleased tracks were previously unfinished - though described as “quite good” by Benny, I’d have to question why the likes of Just A Notion were resurrected over them. Quite good is what I’m hoping for but that wouldn’t mean good enough to be in the show. (Sorry, twelvty66, I know they were your first posts and I’m not trying to put you off posting. It’s a discussion worth having so thank you for contributing). |
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Post by Alan on Jan 6, 2024 22:42:18 GMT
ianunderattack, you don’t think Two For The Price Of One is bleak? I’d say that, other than the title track, it’s the darkest song on there! The character is painted as having a dull job and a dull life. The way that the punchline is delivered suggests he wasn’t keen on taking up the offer and walked away. There’s a demo version of the track where the word “knife” is used instead of “wife”, suggesting he comes close to wanting to end his life. Björn presumably decided that, even for The Visitors, that was going a bit too far and changed it. I would have suggested that I Let The Music Speak isn’t particularly dark but having reminded myself by reading the lyrics, it’s clear that it too is rather bleak. No, Head Over Heels stands alone on the album as having a lighter subject matter.
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