Moopy's Top 50 ABBA Songs - FULL RESULTS ON PAGE 14

Used to surprising effect, on one of only two authorised samples, by the Fugues

 
A bête noire for Mr L is when the edited version of TNOTG turns up on compilations instead of the full version, which has happened multiple times. I'd rather shoot myself than subject myself to hearing about it again.
 
21. Under Attack
Single from The Singles: The First Ten Years
Released: 1982
Score: 8.48

It feels so strange not to refer to this as "ABBA's final single" as it had been for so long, but either way, it very much signified the end of the road, being recorded during the group's very last recording sessions from the first time around, with their guitarist Janne Schaffer commenting "I don't think I've ever experienced such a bad atmosphere in a recording studio - it wasn't exactly cordial."

The verses from Under Attack are pieced together from melody segments carried over from discarded tracks Just Like That and Rubber Ball Man, and include liberal use of the vocoder, giving them a distinctly 80s feel. In fact, the whole song is such a tremendous tease of what ABBA could have sounded like in the 80s had they chosen to continue. There are the cold synths and the dark lyrics, but also the chorus that is so incredibly ABBA with the harmonies as lovingly put together as they had always been and the hooks and chords still present from their heyday. It was so 80s and yet so ABBA, and showed that they could have had another album in them if they wanted, and it could have included some of their best work. Alas, it wasn't to be and we had to wait another few decades for that.

Highest scores: @Lockhart (10), @Pingu (10), @Ill Advised (10), @Penelope (10), @Christian (10), @Ag (10), @Marilyn (10)
Lowest scores: @ZenGiraffe (4)

 
I am surprised about The Name of the Game! When it was mentioned on here recently there seemed to be almost universal Moopy praise for it (which incidentally I also found surprising at the time).

I'm the same as everyone else seems to be with it. Not a favourite from the past but one that's shown itself to be really quite excellent in recent years. The way the chorus hits you with a bang :disco:
 
Name of the Game too low for me, but I didn't really expect it to be too much higher, especially knowing some of the "people" who have submitted scores
 
Iguana said:
Name of the Game too low for me, but I didn't really expect it to be too much higher, especially knowing some of the "people" who have submitted scores
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Bom Dia Hello GIF
 
Under Attack is incredible. Those criss crossing vocal lines on the chorus where you can't tell who is singing what harmony are just sublime.

Of course the lyrics are entirely miserable, just how we like it :D
 
For me, Head over heels was the massive hit that really should have been (along with the day before you came). Those 2 and Angeleyes really belong on 'Gold'.
 
Vicky the Vole said:
For me, Head over heels was the massive hit that really should have been (along with the day before you came). Those 2 and Angeleyes really belong on 'Gold'.
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I'd love to know what the bigger radio hit was at the time VV or Angeleyes. As a double A many decades ago, it waa never clear to me which the true lead was.
 
I had always been led to believe that Angeleyes was the "first" A-side of the single, mainly due to UK record company interference, but I'm not sure how that would have translated into radio play.
 
Angeleyes was marginally a bigger hit in the US, if you want some degree of measurement.
 
Fernando and Name of the Game are both utterly incredible. People lob about 'twee' for Fernando but the mesh of the instruments on the verses and the wistfulness of it all...it's perfect. Name of the Game was one which, likewise, was a total skip for 7 year old Penny in 1999, but which has revealed its moreish, lumbering charms with time. I accept that it's probably a little musically too complex for everyone who gave it lower marks.
 
If Head Over Heels was baby Pen's More ABBA Gold keeper, Under Attack has been adult Pen's More ABBA Gold love affair since 18. The fucking harmonies! The guitar in the double chorus! The TRIPLE HANDCLAP! It came a HAIR away from getting my 11. I'M BEING TAKEN!
 
"Fernando" has no resonance at all, it's just fluff.

"The Name Of The Game" being the sound of Björn & Agnetha's meeting at their lawyers for their divorce makes is a really painful listen.
 
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Christian said:
"The Name Of The Game" being the sound of the meeting at Björn & Agnetha's meeting at their lawyers for their divorce makes is a really painful listen.
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I have no friends, no-one to see
And I am never invited
Now I am here, talking to you
No wonder I get excited
 
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Just googled and found this translation for the Swedish version of Fernando

Why are you grieving Fernando?
Why does your guitar sound so sad;
what’s going on?
Is it love Fernando -
has she left you, your great, great love -
is that it?
Those who have loved and lost
know that it happens from time to time.

The grief can be difficult to bear,
but betrayal by friends is something you have to learn to live with.
I have also lost, my dear,
How could you think that this could only happen to you …
Have you got any happy songs to play,
play, play them for me!

Long, long live love
our best friend, Fernando.
Raise your glass and propose a toast to it,
to love, Fernando!
Play, play the melody and sing the song of happiness.
Long, long live love!
To love, Fernando!

Shall we propose a toast to the others
for eternal love and faith that lives in every song?
Or toast to each other?
Would you drink for the happiness that I once had…
It is true what they say a beautiful fairytale never, ever lasts.
 
I’m obsessed with the .. losing you.. bit in Kisses of fire and the way Agnetha whispers the words just before .. And I only started to like Fernando when I heard it played live by Björn Again at a Gay Pride sometimes in the 90s
 
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