Hey, folks! So I used some of the donations people have already made to repair my camera (which did indeed have a problem; shout-out to Stephan for bringing it to my attention), so hopefully the videos look better now (though sorry, I'm not any prettier ;). Cheers!
VERY much enjoying your ABBA reactions😀. It might be a good idea to replay the first track of the first album, [Ring Ring], before playing the first track of the last album in their initial career [The Visitors], to hear the transformation/development etc of the groups journey.🤔
A separate comment, taking your reflection on the music and its meaning, taking advantage of "Thank you for the music" Music is an artistic value and an expression of freedom Sometime in my youth I was told something like that "Music is the art of combining sounds well" (always clarifying that not everyone makes "good music", even some "believe they make music") Music allows us to appreciate a variety of artists, genres, cultures. I think there is nothing that allows us to define exhaustively that "this is music and this is not music" We all have tastes and opinions, and surely very different, and even within the same artist or gender Example: I don't like Rolling Stones or AC/DC or Pink Floyd, but that doesn't make me deny them as musicians and part of the world of music and their talent as artists. Music that is of good quality, transcends eras, cultures, generations, borders, languages, is what is called ageless or timeless music. These included old musicians as Bach or Mozart, to classic groups like Beatles or ABBA (each one can replace the musician or group or artist of their opinion and preference) In this last difficult time in which we live, the world going through the Covid pandemic, music played a very important role of resilience There was a moving moment in which, in the midst of the confinement due to the health measures, in a town in Spain that I don't remember now, everyone went out to their balconies to sing "Chiquitita" (precisely a song by ABBA, which you will see on the next album). , as a way to cheer up and unite in adversity The music for me was also that resilience in this time At the age of 65, it helped me to maintain lucidity and hope Today I literally give "Thanks for the Music" in my case it will be for ABBA, Beatles and other artists It's because of the Beatles, who revolutionized culture from their music It's because of ABBA because I consider them the best example of resilience, coming back after 35 years and singing in 5 languages But I want everyone to have their "Thanks for the Music" there are so many musical geniuses that have helped us stay alive with joy and hope without a song or dance, what are we? Thanks for the music !
Greatly sang by Agnetha! I’ve read that she was pregnant when she sang this and had to sing it in a reclined position. The next track, I Wonder (Departure), sang beautifully by Frida, as if trying to compete with Agnetha. The theme is similar to “Move On” but in a more personal level. She wonders if she can leave her hometown and move to another to possibly pursue a career. She’s both frightened and hopeful.
ABBA the Album was the first album I ever brought back in 1978 and it remains my favorite Abba Album followed by the visitors and voulez vous. I reflect how different my life would have been without the beauty of Abba catalog.. They lifted my spirits to the rafters and even made sorrow a beautiful event ❤ So thank you Abba for your music.
Same here. I bought it in 1981 as my first ABBA album I became a big fan after listening to this album. My next one was Voulez Vous as a gift. Then Super Trouper received as a Christmas gift in 1981. Followed by The Visitors, my second personally bought ABBA album.
@Marvin MQZ 'i couldn't imagine how sad my life would be without ABBA's music'.What a fact for some million people.Wether they say publicly this or not.Such a disarmingly beautiful confession.
@marvinquezada7203 i remember once in mid '90s i spotted a photo of Iceland's avant garde diva BJORK.She was pictured holding ABBa More Gold vynil.I also read her words amongst her other statements on them saying 'Arrival' is such a happy album. Abba saved my life'
I could put this comment in any of your ABBA reactions, but I choose here to just say "Thank you for the Music" It is a new data with updated statistics Recently, with your last two ABBA songs from "Voulez Vous" album, the total cumulative views on the ABBA playlist exceeded 40,000 Congratulations "The Album" got many more views, and in tandem with its predecessor "Arrival" both contributed a lot (and still do) and many of their songs are in the ABBA Top 10: 1) S.O.S. 2) Knowing me knowing you 3) Ring Ring 4) Eagle 5) When I kissed the teacher 6) That's me 7) I've been waiting for you 8) Money money money 9) My love my life 10) Fernando Also, and within all your musical reactions, there are three ABBA songs in your Top10, and five in your Top20, but all going up Well, we'll see when we'll reach 50,000 views and how are each one? (because everything is dynamic) Anyway, again a special thanks for your fantastic work from the first day you started the ABBA discography. Best regards from Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America
Hello dear friend, so nice to see you again at the start of the week with more ABBA songs to react and nothing better that begin with these special song, a Masterpiece! "Thank you for the music" (1977) has many interesting details There is an interview to Björn & Benny at 1976 Christmas time, there the reporter asks Them if have a preview of a song, and there both play the melody (without lyrics) of the future "Thank you for the music" as we said before "Thank you for the music" is the first song of the mini musical that ABBA performed on their 1977 Europe & Australia Tour, wich tittle was "The Girl with the Golden Hair" but with other lyrics in the second verse, with cited four singers, included John & Paul (The Beatles) the mini musical includes: Thank you for the music I wonder (departure) I'm a marionette Get on the carusel (the last song is the only that wasn't released in ABBA The Album) "Thank you for the music" is at the end of "ABBA The Movie", and shows ABBA in their homeland again and see Agnetha & Frida in the studio recording her voices, while Björn & Benny are in the controls "Thank you for the music" it's a very special song for the blonde singer Agnetha She just came back with ABBA from Australia, shortly after She got pregnant with her second child When it was time to record it, She was in advanced stage of pregnancy, and to recorded it She had to do it in a more forced position When you see her in each presentation, TV or live perfomances. Agnetha's face seems to transform with joy when interpreting "Thank you for the music": her gestures, her looks and her pouting are unmissable "Thank you for the music" was used as the last number of ABBA to a lot of TV presentation is one of the songs with more perfomances of ABBA It's like an ABBA hymn and classic wasn't a single (until 1983, after ABBA breakup), but should have been the 3rd single of "ABBA The Album" in UK 1978, follow to "The name of the game" and "Take a chance on me" but was a single in some countries, with "Eagle" After the success of "Chiquitita" in Spanish-speaking countries, ABBA also recorded it in Spanish and it was a great success in my country Argentina. And the ABBA album in Spanish language was called just like that "Gracias por la música" (Thank you for the music) with an official video in spanish too "Thank you for the music" also is the only ABBA song that included two versions in the same "The Album", at the end of the mini musical is the 'Doris Day version' In my personal opinion "Thank you for the music" is in my top 10 of all ABBA songs, for good lyrics, beautiful melody and greatest interpretation by a carismatic Agnetha and in my Top5 of all Agnetha songs as lead voice in ABBA and it is the last live performance of ABBA in that section sung almost 'a cappella' at the end of the last interview of ABBA in 1982 and in the new Voyage Concerts at the new ABBA Arena in London UK, since last May 2022, "Thank you for the music" was included in the set list at the final group
also, in a last interview to the live streaming of the ABBA comeback in September 2021 when the reporter asked for the hits, the own Benny said about songs that coul be hit or not, that "Thank you for the music" is a hit, although never was released as a single Now, after these reaction "I wonder (departure)" the next song in the 'mini musical' and in 'ABBA The Album' I wish you a great new week My best regards from Buenos Aires Argentina 🇦🇷 South America
Shout out to Adam! Thank you for asking Matt to do ABBA's entire catalogue and then including some post-ABBA solo material. Matt, I am now a subscriber. I've really enjoyed watching your ABBA journey, and now that I know you will be reacting to their music far into the future, I want to be along for the ride. Two songs from now is "I Am a Marionette," one of ABBA's darkest songs, and in my opinion, a true underrated gem!
This song was re-released as a goodbye in 1983 when they split up. It has become an evergreen, and is regularly used in music shows on European television. They made another ode to music, 'I Let The Music Speak', which you'll hear on the Visitors album.
Fab review and music means so much to many of us. Making music has saved me from such tough time. Abba sprinkle magic over the music industry and saying why we all love music so much.
ABBA are without doubt the greatest pop band in history. Theyre greatesr hits ABBA GOLD was released back in 92 and is quite rightly one of the highest selling greatesr hits compilations. 32 million at the last count.
Here happens what I call "the Agnetha/Benny connection"... Amazing (obviously linked to the quality of Björn in the lyrics and Frida in the backing vocals). Take care, Matt (& Lucca) ❤🇨🇱👍
and I added the new song "Don't shut me down" and remember in Australia 1977 Tour Agnetha Benny singing together "He Is your brother" and in London 1979 Concert Agnetha Benny in the bridge of "Hole in your soul"
I’m glad you’ll get to hear some of the solo stuff. It’s very different, yet very familiar. Either in vocals for the girls and music for the boys. And everything that extends your journey is fine by us!
I agree with your comments on the VALUE of music and song in our lives. I had a argument with a friend of mine about music and creativity being especially important in the pandemic, how it got people through tough times, inspired them, gave them focus or a new creative outlet. Not just music but art and crafts. But he wasn't convinced it was of any real worth. I actually felt angry about the Arts not having any value to some , even if it's compared to the bigger picture, it still helped so many cope.
You could definitely see the direction that Benny and Bjorn were going in with this and in less than 10 years they had wrote the musical Chess with Tim Rice
So begins what was a 4 part mini musical experiment for them at the time. 3 of the tracks would make up the last songs on the album with the discarded 4th becoming Hole In Your Soul. On stage, there was a narrator between the tracks and I think their are bootlegs on YT of it by folk who recorded it. Fun fact or old fact, I was at the Sydney concert as a kid. Saw the whole thing happen before me. As a 'theatrical' whole unit, it was never performed again on stage. Likely only Thank You For The Music would be sung live in subsequent concerts.
Definitely a classic, surprised you weren't familiar with it? As you said the lyrics were clever and uplifting. I was, however, unaware it was part of a triptych of songs about being an artist, I am guessing the last song is "Super Trouper" ? No idea what was next for the second song.
My Mum's favourite Abba song. A song that could so easily (in the wrong hands) be just a cheesy, gloopy, over-sentimental piece of fluff. It has it's roots in schlager, European pop with simple tunes and often sentimental singalong lyrics and yes, it's theatrical. However, it's too well constructed and crafted to be be dismissed - it soars, and takes us to a place that all of us who love music understand. Agnetha's wonderful heartfelt vocal performance, the jazzy keyboards, the mandolin, there's something rather timeless about it.
@Marvin MQZ Oh totally, Marvin. There are very few Abba covers that I can bear to listen to. Most are like acts of murder. And don't get me started on the Mamma Mia show/films! I think a big part of it is the their voices and the magic they make together.
@@christianoazzuro6711 Hmm. That album has been sat in my Amazon wishlist since it came out - it hasn't got down to a price I'm happy to pay for it yet. 🙂
Hi Matt, Oh dear🙁....😱 As an ardent ABBA fan since I was 12 yrs old (now 62) I never really liked this track 😱😱😱🤐 I know that this will offend other ABBA fans but I find it a bit too chintzy for my liking, I love Agnetha opening vocals but then that's as far as it goes for me, I know that it is considered as the ultimate ABBA song that even people who don't listen to ABBA think it defines ABBA, but for me....I just don't like it. Please any ABBA fans reading this I'm sorry if I've offended you. Matt the new lighting look great,. Look forward to your next abba review of "l Wonder (Departure") a song very close to my heart. 🇬🇧🙂
It’s a shame that the studio version didn’t have the narration to the ‘mini musical’ in between the songs as it was performed on tour. However when you hear the lyrics, you get the idea of the direction the story is going.
It would be a good idea to do that and also fade in/out 'Get on the carousel' for a few seconds between the 'TYFTM' and 'IW', then have the narration between 'IW' and 'I'AM'. Maybe a re-release of The Album' for the 50th anniversary perhaps?🤔
Great review and it is very clear that you and ABBA share the same philosophical view of the "concept" and "meaning" of music. Björn asks here in the lyrics: "When did it all start"? It is really a fantastic question on all levels, e.g. culturally and evolutionary. Would Australopithecus, H. erectus or H. neanderthaliensis have bopped to "Mamma Mia!" or "Hello Africa" the same way we do, or would it only have been unbearable noise to them?
I love that question! I'm a historian and anthropologist, so that line of thought is very much in my territory of interest. Cheers for the great comment, appreciate it.
@@mattsnider2667 Thank you for your interesting reply. I will not dwell on this much, because it might only interest you and me, and I do not want to scare your audience off. I could go on forever :( However, I must only share the following: About a month ago, I had the great fortune to visit University of Witwatersrand, Gauteng, South Africa, and their fantastic Evolutionary Studies Institute. In the specimen vault (these are true research specimens, not museum specimens) dedicated to hominids, there was this little skull from a 2-3 million year old Australopithecus on display. The skull had been opened to reveal the small fossilized brain of this individual, with brain windings and all perfectly visible. All sorts of bewildering thoughts immediately came up: How did "we" go from there until today's complex society? What part of "our" ethology and behaviour is still the same as then? How much of human evolution and development is down to genetics, epigenetic or "pure environmental" acclimation? Where does different kinds of cultural expression (including visual arts, music, literature etc) come in? How is advancement of technology going to impact on the future evolution of our species? And in the short course, where are we heading now? Technology has impacted on preserving cultural expressions since the stone age: rock carvings and painting gives us clues to visual arts and their meaning. Development of alphabets, hieroglyphs etc has made it possible for modern man to understand language both as a cultural expression and a way to develop and control societies. Musical instruments made from bone or leather ropes and stones have been excavated but I guess we really have no idea what message "music" using these tools conferred, obviously du to the fact that it was impossible to preserve these expressions, in contrast to paintings and language. "Archival music" in the form of note sheets etc of course gives historical clues but then only a number of hundreds of years back. Question: did music carry any cultural meaning back at the time of the rock paintings or was it only a means of "making noise" and scare predators away? Or, did all main forms of human cultural expression evolve simultaneously and developed further hand-in-hand with each other.? Anyway, a few minutes of meeting a fossilized "cousin" raised as many existential question in me as all textbook knowledge and decades of student interaction have done.
This song is also the closer of "ABBA - The Movie". I always shed a tear at the end of the movie when this song is played. 🥲 Perhaps you can watch it some day. 😃
If you mean this one yes indeed it's so emotional in the end.I love Frida's playful mood and coral-red coloured hair. ua-cam.com/video/jRd6xsu8j0g/v-deo.html ps Lyric video is also so beauuutiful.Like a music story in a 'motion book.'
Hey, folks! So I used some of the donations people have already made to repair my camera (which did indeed have a problem; shout-out to Stephan for bringing it to my attention), so hopefully the videos look better now (though sorry, I'm not any prettier ;). Cheers!
You’re authentic, insightful AND pretty. Best of all worlds. 😊
@@pascal-Z Haha, too kind, but thank you, Pascal. 😊
@@mattsnider2667 Pascal is 100% correct!
No wonder your recent vlogs look different. Picture quality looks nicer.
VERY much enjoying your ABBA reactions😀. It might be a good idea to replay the first track of the first album, [Ring Ring], before playing the first track of the last album in their initial career [The Visitors], to hear the transformation/development etc of the groups journey.🤔
A separate comment, taking your reflection on the music and its meaning,
taking advantage of "Thank you for the music"
Music is an artistic value and an expression of freedom
Sometime in my youth I was told something like that
"Music is the art of combining sounds well"
(always clarifying that not everyone makes "good music",
even some "believe they make music")
Music allows us to appreciate a variety of artists, genres, cultures.
I think there is nothing that allows us to define exhaustively that "this is music and this is not music"
We all have tastes and opinions, and surely very different, and even within the same artist or gender
Example: I don't like Rolling Stones or AC/DC or Pink Floyd,
but that doesn't make me deny them as musicians and part of the world of music and their talent as artists.
Music that is of good quality, transcends eras, cultures, generations, borders, languages,
is what is called ageless or timeless music.
These included old musicians as Bach or Mozart, to classic groups like Beatles or ABBA
(each one can replace the musician or group or artist of their opinion and preference)
In this last difficult time in which we live, the world going through the Covid pandemic,
music played a very important role of resilience
There was a moving moment in which, in the midst of the confinement due to the health measures,
in a town in Spain that I don't remember now, everyone went out to their balconies to sing "Chiquitita"
(precisely a song by ABBA, which you will see on the next album). ,
as a way to cheer up and unite in adversity
The music for me was also that resilience in this time
At the age of 65, it helped me to maintain lucidity and hope
Today I literally give "Thanks for the Music"
in my case it will be for ABBA, Beatles and other artists
It's because of the Beatles, who revolutionized culture from their music
It's because of ABBA because I consider them the best example of resilience,
coming back after 35 years and singing in 5 languages
But I want everyone to have their "Thanks for the Music"
there are so many musical geniuses that have helped us stay alive with joy and hope
without a song or dance, what are we? Thanks for the music !
Greatly sang by Agnetha! I’ve read that she was pregnant when she sang this and had to sing it in a reclined position. The next track, I Wonder (Departure), sang beautifully by Frida, as if trying to compete with Agnetha. The theme is similar to “Move On” but in a more personal level. She wonders if she can leave her hometown and move to another to possibly pursue a career. She’s both frightened and hopeful.
Yes thank you ABBA for the music and thank you Matt for your reactions. 👍
You are very welcome. And "I'm a Marionette" will be up in a few hours! :)
ABBA the Album was the first album I ever brought back in 1978 and it remains my favorite Abba Album followed by the visitors and voulez vous.
I reflect how different my life would have been without the beauty of Abba catalog.. They lifted my spirits to the rafters and even made sorrow a beautiful event ❤
So thank you Abba for your music.
Same here. I bought it in 1981 as my first ABBA album I became a big fan after listening to this album. My next one was Voulez Vous as a gift. Then Super Trouper received as a Christmas gift in 1981. Followed by The Visitors, my second personally bought ABBA album.
@Marvin MQZ 'i couldn't imagine how sad my life would be without ABBA's music'.What a fact for some million people.Wether they say publicly this or not.Such a disarmingly beautiful confession.
@marvinquezada7203 i remember once in mid '90s i spotted a photo of Iceland's avant garde diva BJORK.She was pictured holding ABBa More Gold vynil.I also read her words amongst her other statements on them saying 'Arrival' is such a happy album. Abba saved my life'
I could put this comment in any of your ABBA reactions,
but I choose here to just say "Thank you for the Music"
It is a new data with updated statistics
Recently, with your last two ABBA songs from "Voulez Vous" album,
the total cumulative views on the ABBA playlist exceeded 40,000
Congratulations
"The Album" got many more views,
and in tandem with its predecessor "Arrival"
both contributed a lot (and still do)
and many of their songs are in the ABBA Top 10:
1) S.O.S.
2) Knowing me knowing you
3) Ring Ring
4) Eagle
5) When I kissed the teacher
6) That's me
7) I've been waiting for you
8) Money money money
9) My love my life
10) Fernando
Also, and within all your musical reactions,
there are three ABBA songs in your Top10, and five in your Top20,
but all going up
Well, we'll see when we'll reach 50,000 views and how are each one?
(because everything is dynamic)
Anyway, again a special thanks for your fantastic work
from the first day you started the ABBA discography.
Best regards from
Buenos Aires,
Argentina,
South America
Hello dear friend, so nice to see you again at the start of the week with more ABBA songs to react
and nothing better that begin with these special song, a Masterpiece!
"Thank you for the music" (1977)
has many interesting details
There is an interview to Björn & Benny at 1976 Christmas time,
there the reporter asks Them if have a preview of a song,
and there both play the melody (without lyrics) of the future "Thank you for the music"
as we said before
"Thank you for the music"
is the first song of the mini musical that ABBA performed on their 1977 Europe & Australia Tour,
wich tittle was "The Girl with the Golden Hair"
but with other lyrics in the second verse,
with cited four singers, included John & Paul (The Beatles)
the mini musical includes:
Thank you for the music
I wonder (departure)
I'm a marionette
Get on the carusel
(the last song is the only that wasn't released in ABBA The Album)
"Thank you for the music"
is at the end of "ABBA The Movie", and shows ABBA in their homeland again
and see Agnetha & Frida in the studio recording her voices,
while Björn & Benny are in the controls
"Thank you for the music"
it's a very special song for the blonde singer Agnetha
She just came back with ABBA from Australia,
shortly after She got pregnant with her second child
When it was time to record it, She was in advanced stage of pregnancy,
and to recorded it She had to do it in a more forced position
When you see her in each presentation, TV or live perfomances.
Agnetha's face seems to transform with joy when interpreting "Thank you for the music":
her gestures, her looks and her pouting are unmissable
"Thank you for the music"
was used as the last number of ABBA to a lot of TV presentation
is one of the songs with more perfomances of ABBA
It's like an ABBA hymn and classic
wasn't a single (until 1983, after ABBA breakup),
but should have been the 3rd single of "ABBA The Album" in UK 1978,
follow to "The name of the game" and "Take a chance on me"
but was a single in some countries, with "Eagle"
After the success of "Chiquitita" in Spanish-speaking countries,
ABBA also recorded it in Spanish and it was a great success in my country Argentina.
And the ABBA album in Spanish language was called just like that
"Gracias por la música" (Thank you for the music)
with an official video in spanish too
"Thank you for the music"
also is the only ABBA song that included two versions
in the same "The Album", at the end of the mini musical
is the 'Doris Day version'
In my personal opinion
"Thank you for the music"
is in my top 10 of all ABBA songs,
for good lyrics, beautiful melody and greatest interpretation by a carismatic Agnetha
and in my Top5 of all Agnetha songs as lead voice in ABBA
and it is the last live performance of ABBA
in that section sung almost 'a cappella' at the end of the last interview of ABBA in 1982
and in the new Voyage Concerts at the new ABBA Arena in London UK, since last May 2022,
"Thank you for the music" was included in the set list at the final group
also, in a last interview to the live streaming of the ABBA comeback in September 2021
when the reporter asked for the hits, the own Benny said about songs that coul be hit or not,
that "Thank you for the music" is a hit, although never was released as a single
Now, after these reaction
"I wonder (departure)"
the next song in the 'mini musical' and in 'ABBA The Album'
I wish you a great new week
My best regards from
Buenos Aires Argentina 🇦🇷
South America
Shout out to Adam! Thank you for asking Matt to do ABBA's entire catalogue and then including some post-ABBA solo material. Matt, I am now a subscriber. I've really enjoyed watching your ABBA journey, and now that I know you will be reacting to their music far into the future, I want to be along for the ride.
Two songs from now is "I Am a Marionette," one of ABBA's darkest songs, and in my opinion, a true underrated gem!
Fun fact. Agnetha was 9 month pregnant and recorded the vocals while laying down on a bed in the studio
Oh my god! How in the heck?! Incredible, what a trooper!
@@mattsnider2667 she really is a super talent and have a voice from heaven. The album had to be recorded in time so she just got there and did her job
You look great! Newly saturated 😁
This song was re-released as a goodbye in 1983 when they split up. It has become an evergreen, and is regularly used in music shows on European television. They made another ode to music, 'I Let The Music Speak', which you'll hear on the Visitors album.
Fab review and music means so much to many of us. Making music has saved me from such tough time. Abba sprinkle magic over the music industry and saying why we all love music so much.
ABBA are without doubt the greatest pop band in history. Theyre greatesr hits ABBA GOLD was released back in 92 and is quite rightly one of the highest selling greatesr hits compilations. 32 million at the last count.
Here happens what I call "the Agnetha/Benny connection"... Amazing (obviously linked to the quality of Björn in the lyrics and Frida in the backing vocals).
Take care, Matt (& Lucca)
❤🇨🇱👍
@Marvin MQZ
S.O.S. is another great example!
❤🇨🇱👍
and I added the new song
"Don't shut me down"
and remember in Australia 1977 Tour
Agnetha Benny singing together
"He Is your brother"
and in London 1979 Concert
Agnetha Benny in the bridge of
"Hole in your soul"
I’m glad you’ll get to hear some of the solo stuff. It’s very different, yet very familiar. Either in vocals for the girls and music for the boys. And everything that extends your journey is fine by us!
❤
I agree with your comments on the VALUE of music and song in our lives. I had a argument with a friend of mine about music and creativity being especially important in the pandemic, how it got people through tough times, inspired them, gave them focus or a new creative outlet. Not just music but art and crafts. But he wasn't convinced it was of any real worth. I actually felt angry about the Arts not having any value to some , even if it's compared to the bigger picture, it still helped so many cope.
You could definitely see the direction that Benny and Bjorn were going in with this and in less than 10 years they had wrote the musical Chess with Tim Rice
New camera? Looks great!
So begins what was a 4 part mini musical experiment for them at the time. 3 of the tracks would make up the last songs on the album with the discarded 4th becoming Hole In Your Soul.
On stage, there was a narrator between the tracks and I think their are bootlegs on YT of it by folk who recorded it.
Fun fact or old fact, I was at the Sydney concert as a kid. Saw the whole thing happen before me. As a 'theatrical' whole unit, it was never performed again on stage. Likely only Thank You For The Music would be sung live in subsequent concerts.
There is also a wonderful early version of this song released called „the Doris Day version“, in which they sing it more stripped down.
Definitely a classic, surprised you weren't familiar with it? As you said the lyrics were clever and uplifting. I was, however, unaware it was part of a triptych of songs about being an artist, I am guessing the last song is "Super Trouper" ? No idea what was next for the second song.
what a pretty song...and perfectly crafted.
Agnetha sang this while she was pregnant with her second child, Christian.
An absolutely iconic song. Along with Waterloo, this was my late Dad's favourite Abba song.
My Mum's favourite Abba song. A song that could so easily (in the wrong hands) be just a cheesy, gloopy, over-sentimental piece of fluff. It has it's roots in schlager, European pop with simple tunes and often sentimental singalong lyrics and yes, it's theatrical. However, it's too well constructed and crafted to be be dismissed - it soars, and takes us to a place that all of us who love music understand. Agnetha's wonderful heartfelt vocal performance, the jazzy keyboards, the mandolin, there's something rather timeless about it.
@Marvin MQZ Oh totally, Marvin. There are very few Abba covers that I can bear to listen to. Most are like acts of murder. And don't get me started on the Mamma Mia show/films! I think a big part of it is the their voices and the magic they make together.
@Marvin MQZ Lol.'not that easy explain a wonder..They are utopic.Cheers Marvin.
@@MarkSatchwillArt Cher did a decent job i think.
@@christianoazzuro6711 Hmm. That album has been sat in my Amazon wishlist since it came out - it hasn't got down to a price I'm happy to pay for it yet. 🙂
Hi Matt, Oh dear🙁....😱
As an ardent ABBA fan since I was 12 yrs old (now 62) I never really liked this track 😱😱😱🤐 I know that this will offend other ABBA fans but I find it a bit too chintzy for my liking, I love Agnetha opening vocals but then that's as far as it goes for me, I know that it is considered as the ultimate ABBA song that even people who don't listen to ABBA think it defines ABBA, but for me....I just don't like it.
Please any ABBA fans reading this I'm sorry if I've offended you.
Matt the new lighting look great,.
Look forward to your next abba review of "l Wonder (Departure") a song very close to my heart.
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It’s a shame that the studio version didn’t have the narration to the ‘mini musical’ in between the songs as it was performed on tour. However when you hear the lyrics, you get the idea of the direction the story is going.
It would be a good idea to do that and also fade in/out 'Get on the carousel' for a few seconds between the 'TYFTM' and 'IW', then have the narration between 'IW' and 'I'AM'. Maybe a re-release of The Album' for the 50th anniversary perhaps?🤔
Great review and it is very clear that you and ABBA share the same philosophical view of the "concept" and "meaning" of music. Björn asks here in the lyrics: "When did it all start"? It is really a fantastic question on all levels, e.g. culturally and evolutionary. Would Australopithecus, H. erectus or H. neanderthaliensis have bopped to "Mamma Mia!" or "Hello Africa" the same way we do, or would it only have been unbearable noise to them?
I love that question! I'm a historian and anthropologist, so that line of thought is very much in my territory of interest. Cheers for the great comment, appreciate it.
@@mattsnider2667 Thank you for your interesting reply. I will not dwell on this much, because it might only interest you and me, and I do not want to scare your audience off. I could go on forever :( However, I must only share the following:
About a month ago, I had the great fortune to visit University of Witwatersrand, Gauteng, South Africa, and their fantastic Evolutionary Studies Institute. In the specimen vault (these are true research specimens, not museum specimens) dedicated to hominids, there was this little skull from a 2-3 million year old Australopithecus on display. The skull had been opened to reveal the small fossilized brain of this individual, with brain windings and all perfectly visible.
All sorts of bewildering thoughts immediately came up: How did "we" go from there until today's complex society? What part of "our" ethology and behaviour is still the same as then? How much of human evolution and development is down to genetics, epigenetic or "pure environmental" acclimation? Where does different kinds of cultural expression (including visual arts, music, literature etc) come in? How is advancement of technology going to impact on the future evolution of our species? And in the short course, where are we heading now?
Technology has impacted on preserving cultural expressions since the stone age: rock carvings and painting gives us clues to visual arts and their meaning. Development of alphabets, hieroglyphs etc has made it possible for modern man to understand language both as a cultural expression and a way to develop and control societies. Musical instruments made from bone or leather ropes and stones have been excavated but I guess we really have no idea what message "music" using these tools conferred, obviously du to the fact that it was impossible to preserve these expressions, in contrast to paintings and language. "Archival music" in the form of note sheets etc of course gives historical clues but then only a number of hundreds of years back. Question: did music carry any cultural meaning back at the time of the rock paintings or was it only a means of "making noise" and scare predators away? Or, did all main forms of human cultural expression evolve simultaneously and developed further hand-in-hand with each other.?
Anyway, a few minutes of meeting a fossilized "cousin" raised as many existential question in me as all textbook knowledge and decades of student interaction have done.
This song is also the closer of "ABBA - The Movie". I always shed a tear at the end of the movie when this song is played. 🥲 Perhaps you can watch it some day. 😃
If you mean this one yes indeed it's so emotional in the end.I love Frida's playful mood and coral-red coloured hair.
ua-cam.com/video/jRd6xsu8j0g/v-deo.html
ps Lyric video is also so beauuutiful.Like a music story in a 'motion book.'
@@christianoazzuro6711 Yes, that's it but in this video the end is missing. There is an aerial view of water and boats at the end of the movie.
@@Lisa-M rightly observed!that's such a beatiful emotional finale those very last seconds.