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ABBA (album)

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Not to be confused with the 1977 release ABBA: The Album.

ABBA
Studio album by
ABBA
Released21 April 1975
Recorded22 August 1974–16 March 1975
StudioGlen, Metronome and Ljudkopia Studios in Stockholm
GenrePop
Length36:09
Label
Producer
ABBA chronology
Waterloo
(1974) 		ABBA
(1975) 		Greatest Hits
(1975)
Singles from ABBA
  1. "So Long"
    Released: 18 November 1974
  2. "I've Been Waiting for You"
    Released: 18 November 1974 (AUS), December 1977 (NZ)
  3. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"
    Released: April 1975
    March 1976 (US)
  4. "Bang-A-Boomerang"
    Released: 21 April 1975
  5. "Rock Me"
    Released: 21 April 1975
  6. "SOS"
    Released: June 1975 (Sweden), 8 September 1975 (US), 20 September 1975 (UK)
  7. "Mamma Mia"
    Released: September 1975
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic link

ABBA is the third (second internationally) studio album by the Swedish pop group of the same name. It was originally released on 21 April 1975 through Polar Music and featured the hits "Mamma Mia" and "SOS".[1]

Overview

Following the Eurovision success of "Waterloo", ABBA saw the band gaining worldwide recognition. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" topped the charts in Australia, as did "Mamma Mia" shortly after. "SOS" and "Mamma Mia" became hits in both the United States and the United Kingdom.[1] The album saw ABBA dabble into reggae with "Tropical Loveland", and includes a grand pseudo-classical keyboard instrumental in the traditions of Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman with "Intermezzo No. 1" (early working title: "Mama").[2]

ABBA was first released on CD in Japan in 1986, with an alternative mix of "Man in the Middle" not found on any subsequent CD pressing.[3] However, it might be a mistake during mixing because the track doesn’t seem officially as another version of "Man in the Middle". ABBA was then released on CD in West Germany in 1987 (later released internationally), with five bonus tracks of songs from the albums Waterloo and Ring Ring, which had not been released on CD at that time. ABBA was released on CD in Sweden in 1988 featuring the original 11 tracks only. The album has been reissued in digitally remastered form several times; first in 1997, then in 2001 and again in 2005 as part of The Complete Studio Recordings box set. In 2012, it was released as a deluxe edition CD / DVD set. On the original UK cassette release of the album "Bang a Boomerang" was split in two parts, being faded during the second verse at the end of side one and continued at the beginning of side two.[4]

Track listing

Source:[5]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mamma Mia"
3:32
2."Hey, Hey Helen"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:16
3."Tropical Loveland"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:05
4."SOS"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:22
5."Man in the Middle"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:04
6."Bang-A-Boomerang"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:05

[6]

Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:15
2."Rock Me"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:03
3."Intermezzo No. 1" (Instrumental)
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:48
4."I've Been Waiting for You"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:39
5."So Long"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:06
Total length:35:56

[7]

1987 CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Waterloo"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
2:44
13."Hasta Mañana"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:09
14."Honey, Honey"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
2:55
15."Ring Ring"
3:06
16."Nina, Pretty Ballerina" 2:53
1997 CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
17."Crazy World" 3:48
18."Pick a Bale of Cotton"/"On Top of Old Smokey"/"Midnight Special" (medley)
  • Traditional
  • Andersson[a]
  • Ulvaeus[a]
4:21
2001 CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Crazy World" 3:48
13."Pick a Bale of Cotton"/"On Top of Old Smokey"/"Midnight Special" (medley)
  • Traditional
  • Andersson[a]
  • Ulvaeus[a]
4:21
The Complete Studio Recordings / 2012 deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Crazy World" 3:46
13."Pick a Bale of Cotton"/"On Top of Old Smokey"/"Midnight Special" (medley)
  • Traditional
  • Andersson[a]
  • Ulvaeus[a]
4:21
14."Mamma Mia" (Spanish version)
  • Andersson
  • Anderson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Buddy McCluskey
  • Mary McCluskey
3:34
2012 deluxe edition DVD
No.TitleLength
1."ABBA in Australia" (television special)40:59
2."Made in Sweden – For Export" (SVT)10:54
3."SOS" (Seaside Special, BBC)3:21
4."Mamma Mia" (Top of the Pops, BBC)3:21
5."The Best of ABBA TV Commercial"0:58
6."Greatest Hits TV Commercial"0:33
7."International Sleeve Gallery"3:35

Notes

  • ^a signifies arranged by

Non-album tracks

  • "Baby"

Recorded 18 October 1974 at Glen Studio. The lyrics for the song were later re-written and became "Rock Me". "Baby" was first released on CD on the box set Thank You for the Music as part of the ABBA Undeleted section.

  • "Crazy World"

"Crazy World" was recorded on 16 October 1974 at Glen Studio during sessions for this album. The track was left unreleased until it surfaced again during the Arrival sessions, and was eventually released as the b-side to the "Money, Money, Money" single in November 1976. "Crazy World" was first released on CD on the box set Thank You for the Music, and then appeared as a bonus track on the CD re-issue of the album ABBA.[8]

  • "Here Comes Ruby Jamie"

"Here Comes Ruby Jamie" was recorded on 16 September 1974 at Glen Studio, and is one of the rare occasions where Benny Andersson sings the lead vocals. The song was first released on CD on the box set "Thank You for the Music" as part of the ABBA Undeleted section.

  • "Medley: Pick a Bale of Cotton/On Top of Old Smokey/Midnight Special"

Recording began on 6 May 1975 at Glen Studio. It remains ABBA's only studio recorded release of material not written by themselves, and was originally released on the 1975 German charity album "Stars Im Zeichen Eines Guten Sterns". In 1978, it featured (with a slight audio tweak, for many years mistakenly referred to as a 'remix') as the B-side of the "Summer Night City" single. The song was first released on CD on the box set Thank You for the Music, then the 1978 version appeared as a bonus track on the CD re-issue of the album ABBA.[8]

  • "Rikky Rock 'N' Roller"

"Rikky Rock 'N' Roller" was recorded on 15 September 1974 at Glen Studio, and was first released on CD on the box set Thank You for the Music as part of the ABBA Undeleted section. Later released by Jerry Williams on the album Kick Down in 1976.

Personnel

ABBA

Additional musicians

  • Ulf Andersson  – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
  • Ola Brunkert – drums
  • Bruno Glenmark – trumpet
  • Rutger Gunnarsson – bass
  • Roger Palm – drums
  • Janne Schaffer – guitars
  • Finn Sjöberg – guitars
  • Björn Utvous – guitars
  • Mike Watson – bass
  • Lasse Wellander – guitars
  • Uncredited – percussion

Production

  • Benny Andersson; Björn Ulvaeus – producers
  • Michael B. Tretow – engineer
  • Benny Andersson; Björn Ulvaeus – arrangers
  • Björn J:son Lindh; Sven-Olof Walldoff – string arrangements
  • Björn J:son Lindh – horn arrangements
  • Ola Lager – photography
  • Sten-Åke Magnusson – original album design
  • Jon Astley; Tim Young; Michael B. Tretow – remastering for the 1997 Remasters
  • Jon Astley; Michael B. Tretow – remastering for the 2001 Remasters
  • Henrik Jonsson – Remastered for The Complete Studio Recordings box set

Charts

Album

Chart (1975) Peak
position
Australia Albums (Kent Music Report)[10] 1
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[11] 55
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[12] 3
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[13] 3
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[14] 1
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 1
UK Albums (OCC)[16] 13
US Billboard 200[17] 174

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1974 "So Long" UK Singles Chart 91[18]
1975 "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" UK Singles Chart 38
Norwegian Singles Chart 2
Billboard Hot 100 15
Billboard Adult Contemporary 8
"S.O.S." UK Singles Chart 6
Norwegian Singles Chart 2
Billboard Hot 100 15
Billboard Adult Contemporary 19
RPM Top 100 Singles 6
"Mamma Mia" UK Singles Chart 1
Norwegian Singles Chart 2
1976 Billboard Hot 100 32
Billboard Adult Contemporary 12
RPM Singles 8

Sales and Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia — 570,000[19]
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[20] Gold 25,358[20]
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[21] Gold 10,000*
Norway — 120,000[22]
Sweden — 474,642[23]
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Gold 100,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1991). Guinness Book of Rock Stars. Enfield: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 1. ISBN 0-85112-971-4.
  2. ^ Scott, Robert (2002) ABBA: Thank You for the Music – The Stories Behind Every Song, Carlton Books Limited: Great Britain, p.67
  3. ^ "Polydor P33P series (1986) « Abba on CD". Abbaoncd.wordpress.com. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  4. ^ Discogs – ABBA, Epic Records cassette version
  5. ^ "Album abba « ABBA | Albums | ABBA". Abbasite.com. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  6. ^ RCA Victor VPL1-4013A – 1975 Polar Music AB
  7. ^ RCA Victor VPL1-4013B – 1975 Polar Music AB
  8. ^ a b Scott, Robert (2002) 'ABBA: Thank You for the Music – The Stories Behind Every Song', Carlton Books Limited: Great Britain, p.69
  9. ^ http://www.abbaomnibus.net/songs/whosings.htm
  10. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4163b". RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  12. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – ABBA – ABBA" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  13. ^ "Charts.nz – Janet Jackson – All for You". Hung Medien.
  14. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Janet Jackson – All for You". Hung Medien.
  15. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Janet Jackson – All for You". Hung Medien.
  16. ^ "Abba | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  17. ^ "Abba Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  18. ^ "United Kingdom – Additional Information". Home.zipworld.com.au. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  19. ^ "ABBA – Success Story – RCA Australia 1976". Billboard. 22 January 1977. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  20. ^ a b "Abba" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  21. ^ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1978". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  22. ^ Bakkemoen, Kurt (19 March 1980). "Biggest Norwegian Sellers" (PDF). Billboard. p. 113. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  23. ^ Schulman, Leif (8 September 1979). "Abba The World". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  24. ^ id MUST BE PROVIDED for UK CERTIFICATION.
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