Best Abba Track EVAH!

(Fine, "The Visitors" for honorable mention)

That they even managed to write four songs better than Dancing Queen just boggles my mind. God, how great were ABBA? What kind of magical space food did they have access to?

#1 = The Visitors. #2 = Dancing Queen. #3 = S.O.S.

What kind of magical space food did they have access to?

Duh. Swedish meatballs...from the MOOOOOOOOON!

it's the best I can do

Also, I'd like to add "Our Last Summer" to my list of ABBA songs that are better than Dancing Queen.

I have always had a soft spot for "Eagle" tho'

I have a soft spot for 'One of Us' at the moment. It builds from such an unpromising start - that snail's pace bassy chug - yet contains one of Benny and Bjorns most fantastic melodic twists. The way that the chorus soars heavenwards on the lines 'Staring at the Ceiling/Wishing she was somewhere else instead' is heartbreaking. Magnificent.

Sitting with a cold shandy alone at the end of the bar, isn't that TheNameOfTheGame? She has some amazing....harmonies ;-)

I think The Album from '77 (?) must be my favourite ABBA

Many ABBA songs are structured perfectly - e.g. "Mamma Mia," which throws in that last "Yes, I've been broken hearted..." section just after the chorus swells to its peak, then ends with the jolly "Boo BEE boo BEE" sequence that started the song out. Good job ABBA.

I still have to go with "Dancing Queen," which is sublime, and it behooves me to extend my arm and index finger when they sing "YOU can dance, YOU can jive." It is imperative that you point to someone in your vicinity during the YOUs. It is not necessary to make digging motions, however, when they sing "dig in the dancing queen."

#2: "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)" - lovely Spector homage. One of the best ABBA moments ever is near the beginning after the guy sings his bit, when everyone joins in and sings "Dance...".

"Elaine": underrated and wonderful.

"When I Kissed the Teacher": cute and somewhat disturbing. "I was in the seventh heaven"...tee hee.

The Headless Chickens cover of "Super Trouper" must be heard.

I suspect that no one would have a down on 'Dancing Queen' were it not played to death so very often.

And yeah, I'd go for 'S. O. S.' of the early work as well.

or maybe, ok, it's "Fernando". or it could be "Dance {While the Music Still Goes On)" (all-time key change fest), or it could be "treat him well he is your brother", whatever that one is called, "The Day Before You Came", "Knowing Me Knowing You". ah fuck, i was just about to go to bed but now the revive is gonna make me stay up another half hour playing selected abba traX0rs...

"KING KONG SONG"!!!!

In the wake of that, you can haggle over Waterloo, Knowing Me Knowing You, Chiquitita (my fave as a little girl), Super Trouper, Mamma Mia, Take a Chance On Me and/or I Was Made for Lovin' You.

Dancing Queen doesn't enter into it.

-- Michael Jones (tourajsig...), April 27th, 2002 7:00 PM.

My thought exactly.

Mamma Mia is up there too.

And as far as daft glam-pop goes, Does Your Mother Know is up there with Blockbuster, Come On Feel The Noize et al.

Day Before You Came and Name of The Game slay as far as their divorce ballads go.

Take a chance take a chance take a chance chance chance...

but also love Like An Angel Passing Through My Room a lot lately

winner takes it all comes in a close second

or maybe Move On, if we;re talking every ABBA track eva

I was out at the same twee indiepop disco night as Stew when they played SOS, and it was a thing of joy, a lightbulb going on over my head with the instantaneous realisation that it's the greatest Abba song ever. But that only lasts until you hear another one. I think, if forced, I'd probably go with "The Name of the Game", but don't quote me on that as my answer will be different in about ten minutes.

I still say it's "S.O.S"........and I'm right.

-- Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, April 16, 2005 2:20 AM (3 years ago) Bookmark Link

lol ... you are right, alex!

Take a chance on me

perfuctory ABBA Gold goes #1 in UK again post

No mentions of "Hasta Manana" yet? That's a great song.

has anyone done an ABBA non-singles poll? we should have.

oh and SOS obv, for this question.

anyone wanna give a shot at a POX deep cuts only?

It's hard to find ABBA songs that haven't been on any of their compilations, but here are some of the better, lesser-known (in roughly chronological order):

My Mama Said
Hasta Mañana
Tropical Loveland
My Love, My Life
Angeleyes
The Piper
Head Over Heels
Elaine
Should I Laugh or Cry
Cassandra

Name of the Game is heads and shoulders above all else, one of the best (pop) songs ever written.

thanking u

My "deep cuts" are basically still singles, just minor hits

When All Is Said and Done

and then

Slipping Through My Fingers

are my favourites in general but y'know, lists, I'm bad at that

Some favourites not on ABBA Gold and More Gold:

I’ve Been Waiting For You
Should I Laugh or Cry?
That’s Me
Move On
Soldiers
Tiger
Bang-A-Boomerang

'Me and I' hasn't been mentioned on this thread, but it's one of my favourites. It was used to accompany BBC bowls coverage in the early 1980s, but didn't feature on either Gold.

Always loved Tiger.

I am also a sucker for their Spanish language versions of singles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LupgkE6cHE

i know most of abba gold of course but i've been going through a playlist. and i always liked abba a lot but never did a deep dive. and you know, they really were everything weren't they? "thank you for the music" made me cry on my run this morning.

"Elaine" is my go-to deep cut. I also love all the bonus cuts on the "The Visitor."

Lurker for many many years, but apparently this thread is the one to send me over the edge into commenting on something. The power of Abba.

Is As Good As New considered a 'deep cut'? It's the opening song on one of their biggest albums, but don't often see it being mentioned. It sounds incredible. The 'my my my my' bit is one of my favourite Abba moments. It is hampered slightly by the last 10 seconds - reminds me of any music on Harry Hill's TV Burp ending in 'cha-cha-cha'. Even so, a triumph.

It's possible that ABBA are the band I love with the most tracks I hate (it could be the Kinks, but their recording career is three times as long). Tweeness, shrillness, and unfunny humour are the usual culprits in the songs I don't like, but I acknowledge that a lot of the songs I love could well be judged as pretty twee or shrill. So it has something to do with the melodies catching me or not.

It’s sad to me that their albums weren’t more consistent. Barely any leftovers, they would just work their asses off on those 10-12 songs.

Virtual high five to lovers of “the visitors” and “name of the game”.

Mentioned above but "Summer Night City" - I want more of this hi-nrg ABBA! The long version is better but the shorter video is beautiful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d5dPYHi17k

Slight derail but this was always my favourite ABBA rip-off

Hope we've mentioned Lovers Live A Little Longer

Eagle
Watch Out
Mama Said
Kisses Of Fire
Head Over Heels
Summer Night City
The Day Before You Came
Lovers Live A Little Longer
Slipping Through My Fingers
Like An Angel Passing Through My Room

Thought this thread would be about Nina Pretty Ballerina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnz-qwt8hE4

it blows my mind that i'd never heard the extended version of "Summer Night City" until now. that lead-in completely changes the mood of the song!

xxp Watch Out rules, and demolishes the argument that tracks where Bjorn sings leads are weak/filler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDFytIpijRU

just finished crying to "Happy New Year" again, as devastating as their best. that final verse...