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Rating: Pop music wouldn't be what we know without ABBA. Considered one of the greatest, most famous, and important formations of the genre, they have sold about 375 million copies worldwide (Madonna, the most commercial artist of the last 13-14 years, has sold 280 million, trailing nearly 100 million), establishing one of the greatest commercial successes in music history, and becoming the largest, most widespread, and acclaimed phenomenon of their time: to understand who ABBA was, suffice it to say that in music history, ABBA-mania was second, in terms of fanaticism, intensity, and spread, only to Beatles-mania.
But, contrary to what many believe, ABBA was much more than just a hit-making machine: officially formed in '72 by 4 Swedish idols, (Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad: the initials form the name of the group, ABBA, indeed), ABBA also had a huge impact on musical evolution, and were an avant-garde group for their time, starting with the technical aspect: they were among the first to launch music videos of their songs, among the first examples of music video clips (something very similar had already been done by the Fab Four, but they weren't true video clips as we understand them today), which initially were only considered as a tool to reach the furthest nations, like Australia (where ABBA was very popular), where organizing tours and live concerts was difficult due to the distance. An avant-garde touch that especially concerned their sound: behind the group worked the sound engineer Michael Tretow ("the 5th Abba"): considered a genius in his field, Tretow was an experimenter, an avant-gardist in his sector who already in '72 had experimented with ABBA something not very far from the "wall of sound" (later invented by Philippe Spector, which will be the greatest and most revolutionary invention in the realm of sound technique), and he was the main proponent of the unmistakable Abba-sound, whose main features immediately capture the ear: rhythmic, cheerful, and light music, accompanied by carefree lyrics, with light and often frivolous themes, never engaged.
This era came right after '68, that is, after the Vietnam War, the youth movements, the social revolutions, which had found its soundtrack in the protest songs of folk songwriters. The groups of the '70s, and first and foremost ABBA, instead positioned themselves in total opposition, proposing music with carefree and innocent tones, a spirit that will spread further thanks especially to the birth of disco. Even the live choreography reflected this spirit: ABBA was among the first to flaunt on stage live colorful and vibrant clothes, with an almost baroque flavor: a fashion that will be characteristic of the '70s, or rather, the apogee of that decade (unforgettable the "Waterloo" tour during which they appeared on stage dressed as Napoleon). Indeed, the music of the '70s can be divided into 2 main branches: rock, which will evolve into hard rock (and which would then generate punk first and NWOBHM later), and pop music (which would generate disco). And each of the branches had its symbol group, the "flagship band", the one that best represented it: rock with Led Zeppelin, pop with ABBA (although both strands include great artists, from Deep Purple to Black Sabbath the first, from Bee Gees to Donna Summer the second: but for different reasons, I consider Led and ABBA the "pinnacle of pinnacles" of the 2 genres). Even Led themselves will mention ABBA in "Through the Out Door", following the immense popularity of the Swedish group. The ABBA-mania not only withstands the advent of punk ('76), but indeed, from '76 to '79 it will know its maximum splendor, and it will go far beyond: ABBA was one of the most remixed and reposted groups in the '80s discos, well beyond the years of their disbandment, and from the '80s until today they will inspire numerous formations: in fact, they were the first successful group composed of 2 girls and 2 men, a type of formation that will be adopted in pop music to this day, (from Roxette even to Gazosa), and their own music will influence numerous pop and pop-rock groups especially in the '80s. Collections, greatest hits, and various "best of" of the group still come out today, and their number exceeds that of Queen, (and I've said it all!). A musical tribute, "Mamma Mia!", was even made and, for 2008, a film about ABBA is planned. There is no doubt that the years from '75 to '80 will be remembered in music history (as well as for "The Wall", "The Dark Side...", "Back in Black", "Heaven and Hell", "Sad Wings of Destiny"), as the period of ABBA-mania...
And in the midst of these years, in 1976, comes this album, "Arrival", which is not only the album that will reach the group's pinnacle in terms of sales and fame but is also the album of the group's utmost maturation: it opens with the pop ballad "When I Kissed the Teacher" (the voices of the 2 girls form a top-tier auditory spectacle); it is followed by the record-smashing hit, the beautiful "Dancing Queen"; track number 3 is the romantic slow "My Love, My Life", which breaks the pace before "Dum Dum Diddle", another pop ballad whose chorus I challenge you not to get into your head after a couple of listens. Next is the splendid "Knowing Me Knowing You", a melodic piece with a melodramatic flavor. The album closes with the famous "Money Money Money", one of the most famous disco music pieces (whose keyboard riff was taken as is by Madonna and "pasted" in "Hung Up": Ciccone declared it was a tribute to ABBA), and the bluesy rhythm track "Why Did It Have to Be Me". Later, the wonderful folk-pop ballad "Fernando" was included in the album, (another record-breaking hit), as a bonus track.
I highly recommend listening to this record, a true gem of '70s pop: listen and re-listen to it all in one breath.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 When I Kissed the Teacher (03:03)
Everybody screamed
When I kissed the teacher
And they must have thought they dreamed
When I kissed the teacher
All my friends at school
They had never seen the teacher blush, he looked like a fool
Nearly petrified 'cos he was taken by surprise
When I kissed the teacher
Couldn't quite believe his eyes
When I kissed the teacher
My whole class went wild
As I held my breath, the world stood still, but then he just smiled
I was in the seventh heaven
When I kissed the teacher
One of these days
Gonna tell him I dream of him every night
One of these days
Gonna show him I care, gonna teach him a lesson alright
I was in a trance when I kissed the teacher
Suddenly I took the chance when I kissed the teacher
Leaning over me, he was trying to explain the laws of geometry
And I couldn't help it
I just had to kiss the teacher
One of these days
Gonna tell him I dream of him every night
One of these days
Gonna show him I care
Gonna teach him a lesson alright
What a crazy day
When I kissed the teacher
All my sense had flown away
When I kissed the teacher
My whole class went wild
As I held my breath, the world stood still, but then he just smiled
I was in the seventh heaven
When I kissed the teacher
When I kissed the teacher
(I wanna hug, hug, hug him)
When I kissed the teacher
(I wanna hug, hug him)
When I kissed the teacher
(I wanna hug, hug, hug him)
When I kissed the teacher
(I wanna hug, hug him)
When I kissed the teacher
(I wanna hug, hug, hug him)
02 Dancing Queen (03:52)
You can dance, you can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene
Diggin' the dancing queen
Friday night and the lights are low
Looking out for a place to go
Where they play the right music, getting in the swing
You come to look for a king
Anybody could be that guy
Night is young and the music's high
With a bit of rock music, everything is fine
You’re in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance
You are the dancing queen
Young and sweet, only seventeen
Dancing queen
Feel the beat from the tambourine, oh yeah
You can dance, you can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene
Diggin' the dancing queen
You're a teaser, you turn 'em on
Leave 'em burning and then you're gone
Looking out for another, anyone will do
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance
You are the dancing queen
Young and sweet, only seventeen
Dancing queen
Feel the beat from the tambourine, oh yeah
You can dance, you can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene
Diggin' the dancing queen
Diggin' the dancing queen
04 Dum Dum Diddle (02:54)
I can hear how you work, practising hard
Playing night and day, woah-oh
And it sounds better now
Yes, you improve every time you play, woah-oh
But it's bad
You're so sad
And you're only smiling
When you play your violin
Dum-dum-diddle, to be your fiddle
To be so near you and not just hear you
Dum-dum-diddle, to be your fiddle
I think then maybe you'd see me, baby
You'd be mine
And we'd be together all the time
Wish I was, dum-dum-diddle, your darling fiddle
But I think you don't know that I exist
I'm the quiet kind, woah-oh
From the day when I first listened to you
You've been on my mind, woah-oh
You don't care
It's not fair
And you're only smiling
When you play your violin
Dum-dum-diddle, to be your fiddle
To be so near you and not just hear you
Dum-dum-diddle, to be your fiddle
I think then maybe you'd see me, baby
You'd be mine
And we'd be together all the time
Dum-dum-diddle, to be your fiddle
To be so near you and not just hear you
Dum-dum-diddle, to be your fiddle
I think then maybe you'd see me, baby
You'd be mine
And we'd be together all the time
Wish I was, dum-dum-diddle, your darling fiddle
05 Knowing Me, Knowing You (04:02)
No more carefree laughter
Silence ever after
Walking through an empty house, tears in my eyes
Here is where the story ends, this is goodbye
Knowing me, knowing you
There is nothing we can do
Knowing me, knowing you
We just have to face it, this time we're through
Breaking up is never easy, I know but I have to go
Knowing me, knowing you
It's the best I can do
Memories, good days, bad days
They'll be with me always
In these old familiar rooms children would play
Now there's only emptiness, nothing to say
Knowing me, knowing you
There is nothing we can do
Knowing me, knowing you
We just have to face it, this time we're through
Breaking up is never easy, I know but I have to go
Knowing me, knowing you
It's the best I can do
Knowing me, knowing you
There is nothing we can do
Knowing me, knowing you
We just have to face it, this time we're through
Breaking up is never easy, I know but I have to go
Knowing me, knowing you
It's the best I can do
06 Money, Money, Money (03:07)
I work all night I work all day to pay the bills I have to pay
ain't it sad
and still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
that's too bad
in my dreams
I have a plan
if I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work at all I'd fool around and have a ball
(chorus)
money money money
must be funny
in the rich man's world
money money money
always sunny
in the rich man's world
ahaaa
all the things I could do
if I had a little money
it's a rich man's world
it's a rich man's world
a man like that is hard to find but I can't get him off my mind
ain't it sad
and if he happens to be free I bet he wouldn't fancy me
that's too bad
so I must leave
I'll have to go
to Las Vegas or Monaco
and win a fortune in a game my life would never be the same
(chorus x2)
it's a rich man's world
07 That's Me (03:17)
Are you sure you wanna hear more
What if I ain't worth the while
Not the style you'd be looking for
If I'm sweet tonight
Things look different in the morning light
I'm jealous and I'm proud
If you hurt my feelings I'll cry out loud
I'm Carrie not-the-kind-of-girl-you'd-marry
That's me
Are you sure you wanna hear more
Would I be the one you seek
Mild and meek like the girl next door
Don't you realise
I may be an angel in disguise
It's lonely to be free
But I'm not a man's toy, I'll never be
I'm Carrie not-the-kind-of-girl-you'd-marry
That's me
I don't believe in fairy-tales
Sweet nothings in my ear
But I do believe in sympathy
That's me, you see
Are you sure you wanna hear more
Won't you have a drink with me
Just to see you're not really sore
I can't help my ways
I'm just not the girl to hide my face
I'm Carrie not-the-kind-of-girl-you'd-marry
That's me
There's a special love
Like an eagle flying with a dove
I'll find it in the end
If I keep on searching, but until then
I'm Carrie not-the-kind-of-girl-you'd-marry
That's me
There's a special love
Like an eagle flying with a dove
I'll find it in the end
If I keep on searching, but until then
I'm Carrie not-the-kind-of-girl-you'd-marry
That's me
08 Why Did It Have to Be Me (03:22)
When you were lonely, you needed a man
Someone to lean on, well I understand
It's only natural
But why did it have to be me?
Nights can be empty, nights can be cold
So you were looking for someone to hold
That's only natural
But why did it have to be me?
I was so lonesome, I was blue
I couldn't help it, it had to be you and I
Always thought you knew the reason why
I only wanted a little love affair
Now I can see you are beginning to care
But baby, believe me
It's better to forget me
Men are toys in the game that you play
When you get tired, you throw them away
That's only natural
But why did it have to be me?
Falling in love with a woman like you
Happens so quickly, there's nothing to do
It's only natural
But why did it have to be me?
I was so lonesome, I was blue
I couldn't help it, it had to be you and I
Always thought you knew the reason why
I only wanted a little love affair
Now I can see you are beginning to care
But baby, believe me
It's better to forget me
09 Tiger (02:56)
The city is a jungle, you better take care
Never walk alone after midnight
If you don't believe it you better beware
Of me
I am behind you, I'll always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
The city is a nightmare, a horrible dream
Some of us will dream it forever
Look around the corner and try not to scream
It's me
I am behind you, I'll always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
Yellow eyes are glowing like the neon lights
Yellow eyes, the spotlights of the city nights
I am behind you, I'll always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
The city is a prison, you never escape
You're forever trapped in the alleys
Look into the shadows and you'll see the shape
Of me
I am behind you, I'll always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
Yellow eyes are glowing like the neon lights
Yellow eyes, the spotlights of the city nights
I am behind you, I'll always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
And if I meet you, what if I eat you, I am the tiger
I am behind you, I'll always find you, I am the tiger
Tiger, tiger, tiger!
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By Starblazer
Listening, savoring every single note of this record has the same rejuvenating effect as a cool shower after a hot, sticky day.
Thank you for the music, the songs you’re singin’, thanks for all the joy and the fun you bring me.
