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Rating: "I hear the doorbell ring and suddenly the panic takes me
The sound so ominously tearing through the silence
I cannot move, I'm standing
Numb and frozen
Among the things I love so dearly
The books, the paintings and the furniture
Help me"
"The Visitors (Crackin' up)"
"The Visitors" is the last chapter on LP from the Swedish supergroup, released on November 30, 1981, and it immediately presents itself as something very different from their previous works. First of all, it's worth noting that the lighthearted lyrics give way to more engaged lyrical solutions, the music is less carefree, at times dark and nervous, distinguished by more claustrophobic arrangements with tight rhythms and dominant synth textures. It's also worth remembering that the two couples, Agnetha-Bjorn and Frida-Benny, were now separated, and the themes derived from the end of their marriages are extensively covered in many tracks.
The opening features mysterious and icy electronic sounds that introduce the title track. "The Visitors" acts a bit as the manifesto of the work, it talks about revolutionaries plotting against the government, there are references to the political situations of the Soviet bloc, leading to the group's censorship in the USSR and many Eastern European countries. The rhythm is tight, a complex sound weave, of which Frida's distorted singing stands out, more or less openly referencing Lennon's in "Tomorrow Never Knows", defining the first part that then opens into an acceleration in the refrain where Agnetha's counter-choruses are added for a very particular effect, an opening towards the very grandiloquent synth part breaks everything and returns to the initial melodic line. A very complex and interesting track that showcases the compositional talent of the Andersson-Ulvaeus duo. It is followed by "Head Over Heels" sung by Faltskog, a simpler song than the previous one but successful and well integrated into the album. With "When All Is Said And Done" ABBA creates a powerful track, opened by delicate acoustic guitar arpeggios and vocals by Frida and Agnetha, then exploding into a two-voice ride where the sharp drum beats dictate the rhythm, with the splendid sound effect created in the chorus where the two singers' voices unite for an enveloping blend to note. The drum marking the rhythm of a military march opens "Soldiers"; a political song with an interesting electric guitar phrasing in the background, with Agnetha's lead vocals, the opening of the refrain is a gem of vocal and sounds, "Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing The songs that you and I don’t sing Let’s not look the other way Taking a chance ‘Cause if the bugler starts to play We too must dance", one of the best tracks by the Swedish group. Benny and Bjorn have always loved musicals and wanted to write one (they would do it right after ABBA's end), listening to "I Let The Music Play" is a pleasant surprise, a stunning track where Frida's warm voice marries the crystal-clear and perfect music, chilling refrain and the meeting with Agnetha's voice for an immense vocal background play. "One Of Us" and "Slipping Through My Fingers" deal with personal themes, while "Two For The Price Of One" is instead a little gem sung by Bjorn with a cheerful big band finale that's very fun.
In the end, the judgment on "The Visitors" is positive; ABBA leaves with an album that demonstrates the maturity achieved beyond commercial success, finding a group with an enormous musical knowledge, remarkable compositional abilities, and the desire to seek song perfection that always amazes. Therefore, if you want something pleasant yet intriguing, this LP may be a right choice.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 The Visitors (05:45)
I hear the doorbell ring and suddenly the panic takes me
The sound so ominously tearing through the silence
I cannot move, I'm standing
Numb and frozen
Among the things I love so dearly
The books, the paintings and the furniture
Help me
The signal's sounding once again and someone tries the door-knob
None of my friends would be so stupidly impatient
And they don't dare to come here
Anymore now
But how I loved our secret meetings
We talked and talked in quiet voices
Smiling
Now I hear them moving
Muffled noises coming through the door
I feel I'm
Crackin' up
Voices growing louder, irritation building
And I'm close to fainting
Crackin' up
They must know by now I'm in here trembling
In a terror evergrowing
Crackin' up
My whole world is falling, going crazy
There is no escaping now, I'm
Crackin' up
These walls have witnessed all the anguish of humiliation
And seen the hope of freedom glow in shining faces
And now they've come to take me
Come to break me
And yet it isn't unexpected
I have been waiting for these visitors
Help me
Now I hear them moving
Muffled noises coming through the door
I feel I'm
Crackin' up
Voices growing louder, irritation building
And I'm close to fainting
Crackin' up
They must know by now I'm in here trembling
In a terror evergrowing
Crackin' up
My whole world is falling, going crazy
There is no escaping now, I'm
Crackin' up
Now I hear them moving
Muffled noises coming through the door
I feel I'm
Crackin' up
Voices growing louder, irritation building
And I'm close to fainting
Crackin' up
(I have been waiting for these visitors)
They must know by now I'm in here trembling
In a terror evergrowing
Crackin' up
(I have been waiting for these visitors)
My whole world is falling, going crazy
There is no escaping now, I'm
Crackin' up
(I have been waiting for these visitors)
Now I hear them moving
Muffled noises coming through the door
I feel I'm
Crackin' up
(I have been waiting for these visitors)
Voices growing louder, irritation building
And I'm close to fainting
Crackin' up
(I have been waiting for these visitors)
They must know by now I'm in here trembling
In a terror evergrowing
Crackin' up
(I have been waiting for these visitors)
My whole world is falling, going crazy
There is no escaping now, I'm
Crackin' up
02 Head Over Heels (03:47)
I have a very good friend
The kind of girl who likes to follow a trend
She has a personal style
Some people like it, others tend to go wild
You hear her voice everywhere
Taking the chair
Shes a leading lady
And with no trace of hesitation she keeps going
Head over heels
Breaking her way
Pushing through unknown jungles every day
Shes a girl with a taste for the world
(the world is like a playing-ground where she goes rushing)
Head over heels
Setting the pace
Running the gauntlet in a whirl of lace
Shes extreme, if you know what I mean
Her man is one I admire
Hes so courageous but hes constantly tired
Each time when he speaks his mind
She pats his head and says, thats all very fine
Exert that will of your own
When youre alone
Now wed better hurry
And with no trace of hesitation she keeps going
Head over heels
Breaking her way
Pushing through unknown jungles every day
Shes a girl with a taste for the world
(the world is like a playing-ground where she goes rushing)
Head over heels
Setting the pace
Running the gauntlet in a whirl of lace
Shes extreme, if you know what I mean
You hear her voice everywhere
Taking the chair
Shes a leading lady
And with no trace of hesitation she keeps going
Head over heels
Breaking her way
Pushing through unknown jungles every day
Shes a girl with a taste for the world
(the world is like a playing-ground where she goes rushing)
Head over heels
Setting the pace
Running the gauntlet in a whirl of lace
Shes extreme, if you know what I mean
(shes just one of those who always has to do whatever she please)
And she goes
Head over heels
03 When All Is Said and Done (03:19)
Here's to us one more toast and then we'll pay the bill
Deep inside both of us can feel the autumn chill
Birds of passage, you and me
We fly instinctively
When the summer's over and the dark clouds hide the sun
Neither you nor I'm to blame when all is said and done
In our lives we have walked some strange and lonely treks
Slightly worn but dignified and not too old for sex
We're still striving for the sky
No taste for humble pie
Thanks for all your generous love and thanks for all the fun
Neither you nor I'm to blame when all is said and done
It's so strange when you're down and lying on the floor
How you rise, shake your head, get up and ask for more
Clear-headed and open-eyed
With nothing left untried
Standing calmly at the crossroads,no desire to run
There's no hurry any more when all is said and done
Standing calmly at the crossroads,no desire to run
There's no hurry any more when all is said and done
04 Soldiers (04:40)
Do I hear what I think I'm hearing?
Do I see the signs I think I see?
Or is this just a fantasy?
Is it true that the beast is waking
Stirring in his restless sleep tonight
In the pale moonlight
In the grip of this cold December
You and I have reason to remember
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I don't sing
They blow their horns and march along
They drum their drums and look so strong
You'd think that nothing in the world was wrong
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I won't sing
Let's not look the other way
Taking a chance
'Cause if the bugler starts to play
We too must dance
What's that sound, what's that dreadful rumble?
Won't somebody tell me what I hear?
In the distance but drawing near
Is it only a storm approaching?
All that thunder and the blinding light
In the winter night
In the grip of this cold December
You and I have reason to remember
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I don't sing
They blow their horns and march along
They drum their drums and look so strong
You'd think that nothing in the world was wrong
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I won't sing
Let's not look the other way
Taking a chance
'Cause if the bugler starts to play
We too must dance
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I won't sing
Let's not look the other way
Taking a chance
'Cause if the bugler starts to play
We too must dance
06 One of Us (03:57)
They passed me by,
all of those great romances.
You were, I felt, robbing me
of my rightful chances.
My picture clear.
Everything seemed so easy.
And so I dealt you the blow
One of us had to go.
Now it's different,
I want you to know.
One of us is crying.
One of us is lying
in a lonely bed.
Staring at the ceiling,
wishing she was somewhere else instead.
One of us is lonely.
One of us is only
Waiting for a call.
Sorry for herself.
Feeling stupid, feeling small.
Wishing she had never left at all.
I saw myself as a concealed attraction.
I felt you kept me away from the heat and the action.
Just like a child,
stubborn and misconceiving.
That's how I started the show.
One of us had to go.
Now I'm changed and I want you to know
One of us is crying.
One of us is lying
in a lonely bed.
Staring at the ceiling,
wishing she was somewhere else instead.
One of us is lonely.
One of us is only
Waiting for a call.
Sorry for herself.
Feeling stupid, feeling small.
Wishing she had never left at all.
Never left at all.
Staring at the ceiling,
wishing she was somewhere else instead.
One of us is lonely.
One of us is only
Waiting for a call.
08 Slipping Through My Fingers (03:53)
Schoolbag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile
I watch her go with a surge of that well-known sadness
And I have to sit down for a while
The feeling that I'm losing her forever
And without really entering her world
I'm glad whenever I can share her laughter
That funny little girl
Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see what's in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Sleep in our eyes, her and me at the breakfast table
Barely awake, I let precious time go by
Then when she's gone there's that odd melancholy feeling
And a sense of guilt I can't deny
What happened to the wonderful adventures
The places I had planned for us to go
(Slipping through my fingers all the time)
Well, some of that we did but most we didn't
And why I just don't know
Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see what's in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers...
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Schoolbag in hand she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile...
09 Like an Angel Passing Through My Room (03:34)
Long awaited darkness falls
Casting shadows on the walls
In the twilight hour I am alone
Sitting near the fireplace
Dying embers warm my face
In this peaceful solitude
All the outside world subdued
Everything comes back to me again
In the gloom
Like an angel passing through my room
Half awake and half in dreams
Seeing long forgotten scenes
So the present runs into the past
Now and then become entwined
Playing games within my mind
Like the embers as they die
Love was one prolonged goodbye
And it all comes back to me tonight
In the gloom
Like an angel passing through my room
I close my eyes
And my twilight images go by
All too soon
Like an angel passing through my room
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