Those famous Abba contrasts: war drums🥁 at the beginning, but peaceful lyrics, even a cry for common sense in the sense of preserving peace (current then - actual and now, unfortunately) All these thoughts imbued with melancholic feelings and so well dressed in a very progressive pop harmony (this mostly applies to this entire album from 1981) did not even have the primary goal of being widely accepted by everyone, because they had so many ambiguous and very deep messages (and the risk is consciously accepted that many will interpret the messages from them as they see fit, regardless of what the songwriter originally meant) Abba was never inclined to commercialism (and many accused her of that) - even more: with this album they went to the other extreme... but they could afford it because they had long been proven as a musical great and they no longer had the need for this. Someone here has already mentioned that the multi-layered vocals in the chorus are no longer so juicy, and he believes that this was the result of a lack of understanding when switching from analog to digital recording techniques, but I think that maybe this was done consciously, just like the pessimistic tone of Agnetha's voices on this track. Although it is professional critics rated these songs quite highly, I personally prefer their classic works that you keep skipping even though I often suggest them... - try at least 'Fernando' for the next reaction (there's so much more to discover about this band, and then it will better understand this later stage of theirs in terms of their upgrade) - of course: this is just my well-intentioned suggestion, and you decide as always
'The Visitors', was the first album (with original songs) to be recorded and mixed digitally, and to be produced in the new format, for that time: The Compact Disc (CD). It is considered a fairly experimental album, since it represents a musical evolution, already advancing in the 80's. At that time no one imagined it would be the last... (until 'Voyage' in 2021). Good video, Lil mann ✌️ Love ❤️ from Chile 🇨🇱🤗👍
My mother bought to me the album The Visitors when it came out, and it was a shock, without a doubt their most serious and dark album, compositionally incredible, and the sound and production was from another world, for that year there was no album that sounded so good, with themes that deal with issues such as separations, the passage of time, and even political issues, something unusual for them... At first It was difficult for me to assimilate it, but over time it became my favorite ABBA album, and it was the last one they published (except for 2 singles the following year), until 40 years later with the release of Voyage in 2021...
I love this song. Someone posted the isolated vocals of this and the vocals and harmonies are incredible. The chorus sounds like a literal choir. The music may dull the richness of those harmonies but this song remains one of my favourites off The Visitors album. Agnetha's vocals are sorrowful and haunting, and the lyrics are incredibly poignant. A+ song.
"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" love those lyrics btw.And that haunting sound too.
Sweden, Neutral since 1815 was in a bad position in the 1980's. The Soviet Warsaw Pact and Nato were advisories for decades. Bjorn who served in the Swedish Army, remembered Russia's invasion of Finland in the Cold Winter of 1939. Sweden almost went to war with Russia and over 7,000 Swedes went to join the Finns against Russia. Bjorn was Making the factual statement that Sweden, though Neutral would have to choose a side if a European war broke out. If the Bugler starts to play, we too must dance, is a great line. Sweden Recently joined Nato and gave up neutrality.
Even Celtic the Piper and On and on and on, which sounds like got inspired from Renegades Cadillac (60's), if You listen carefully guitar and structure?
Bjorn has always been concerned about wars everywhere. This song definitely shows his concern about this "beast" stirring up and one line that I always sends chills is "let's not look the other way taking a chance,'cause if the bugler starts to play, we too must dance". Great truth if we don't do anything to stop war we will all suffer.
The Visitors album was their first to be recorded in digital as opposed to the previous analogue. I think it threw them a bit in adjusting to it as what worked before in analogue didn't quite come out the same in digital. I did think the vocals became a bit smothered in the mix with the backing track sometimes swallowing the vocal lines. The diction suddenly became less clear than before and the warmth of their mixes became a bit drier.
Originally this was apparently intended as an instrumental. Then with lyrics about nuclear threat but without drums. The message of if we don't challenge the leaders, we will be next in line to die was very focused on 1981 and Russian nuclear submarines appearing off the Swedish coast. So glad they changed their minds. It's a beautiful, eerie message that unfortunately is still totally relevant in 2025 when we live in a planet run by insane leaders
Don't know if we're hearing what you're hearing, but I've noticed that most songs on this channel sound very compressed/overdriven. That might cause the vocals to dip down as the wall of sound hits in the chorus. Maybe?
@@LilmannReactsthey’re not cheap headphones, and I don’t think spending 1000s is necessary either, but mayb, if possible, try out others in that same range. Not all headphones sound the same despite being similarly priced. Maybe your headphones have settings you can change too?
@@LilmannReacts ok that's weird, they should sound amazing at that price, I wonder if it could be the headphone jack on your laptop. I just have never noticed the vocals in the chorus being drowned out.
Those famous Abba contrasts: war drums🥁 at the beginning, but peaceful lyrics, even a cry for common sense in the sense of preserving peace (current then - actual and now, unfortunately)
All these thoughts imbued with melancholic feelings and so well dressed in a very progressive pop harmony (this mostly applies to this entire album from 1981) did not even have the primary goal of being widely accepted by everyone, because they had so many ambiguous and very deep messages (and the risk is consciously accepted that many will interpret the messages from them as they see fit, regardless of what the songwriter originally meant)
Abba was never inclined to commercialism (and many accused her of that) - even more: with this album they went to the other extreme... but they could afford it because they had long been proven as a musical great and they no longer had the need for this.
Someone here has already mentioned that the multi-layered vocals in the chorus are no longer so juicy, and he believes that this was the result of a lack of understanding when switching from analog to digital recording techniques, but I think that maybe this was done consciously, just like the pessimistic tone of Agnetha's voices on this track.
Although it is professional critics rated these songs quite highly, I personally prefer their classic works that you keep skipping even though I often suggest them... - try at least 'Fernando' for the next reaction (there's so much more to discover about this band, and then it will better understand this later stage of theirs in terms of their upgrade) - of course: this is just my well-intentioned suggestion, and you decide as always
'The Visitors', was the first album (with original songs) to be recorded and mixed digitally, and to be produced in the new format, for that time:
The Compact Disc (CD).
It is considered a fairly experimental album, since it represents a musical evolution, already advancing in the 80's.
At that time no one imagined it would be the last... (until 'Voyage' in 2021).
Good video, Lil mann ✌️
Love ❤️ from Chile 🇨🇱🤗👍
My mother bought to me the album The Visitors when it came out, and it was a shock, without a doubt their most serious and dark album, compositionally incredible, and the sound and production was from another world, for that year there was no album that sounded so good, with themes that deal with issues such as separations, the passage of time, and even political issues, something unusual for them... At first It was difficult for me to assimilate it, but over time it became my favorite ABBA album, and it was the last one they published (except for 2 singles the following year), until 40 years later with the release of Voyage in 2021...
This is one of my favorite abba songs. As a Finnish it reminds of the Winter war between Finland and Russia.
I love the fact you are going down the rabbit hole and not just reacting to the hits. Well done Lil Man.
LOVE this MASTERPIECE Song ❤❤
I love this song. Someone posted the isolated vocals of this and the vocals and harmonies are incredible. The chorus sounds like a literal choir. The music may dull the richness of those harmonies but this song remains one of my favourites off The Visitors album. Agnetha's vocals are sorrowful and haunting, and the lyrics are incredibly poignant. A+ song.
"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" love those lyrics btw.And that haunting sound too.
Sweden, Neutral since 1815 was in a bad position in the 1980's. The Soviet Warsaw Pact and Nato were advisories for decades. Bjorn who served in the Swedish Army, remembered Russia's invasion of Finland in the Cold Winter of 1939. Sweden almost went to war with Russia and over 7,000 Swedes went to join the Finns against Russia. Bjorn was Making the factual statement that Sweden, though Neutral would have to choose a side if a European war broke out. If the Bugler starts to play, we too must dance, is a great line. Sweden Recently joined Nato and gave up neutrality.
There exists no "normal" ABBA song, each song is unique. 😀
Even Celtic the Piper and On and on and on, which sounds like got inspired from Renegades Cadillac (60's), if You listen carefully guitar and structure?
Bjorn has always been concerned about wars everywhere. This song definitely shows his concern about this "beast" stirring up and one line that I always sends chills is "let's not look the other way taking a chance,'cause if the bugler starts to play, we too must dance". Great truth if we don't do anything to stop war we will all suffer.
I feel the same👍👍👍
The lyrics probably has something to do with cold war in 80's as the title song Visitors?
The Visitors album was their first to be recorded in digital as opposed to the previous analogue. I think it threw them a bit in adjusting to it as what worked before in analogue didn't quite come out the same in digital. I did think the vocals became a bit smothered in the mix with the backing track sometimes swallowing the vocal lines. The diction suddenly became less clear than before and the warmth of their mixes became a bit drier.
Love the beat of this one and the joining of there voices but all the other instruments are just electric How do they do this so well?
Originally this was apparently intended as an instrumental. Then with lyrics about nuclear threat but without drums. The message of if we don't challenge the leaders, we will be next in line to die was very focused on 1981 and Russian nuclear submarines appearing off the Swedish coast.
So glad they changed their minds. It's a beautiful, eerie message that unfortunately is still totally relevant in 2025 when we live in a planet run by insane leaders
😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Dark song with deep lyrics ...we are far from Mamma Mia !! ❤
Don't know if we're hearing what you're hearing, but I've noticed that most songs on this channel sound very compressed/overdriven. That might cause the vocals to dip down as the wall of sound hits in the chorus. Maybe?
Maybe look at some better headphones? I've had headphones before that dulled vocals because of poor voice coils or inferior wiring.
Ill look into it these where 259.99
@@LilmannReactsthey’re not cheap headphones, and I don’t think spending 1000s is necessary either, but mayb, if possible, try out others in that same range. Not all headphones sound the same despite being similarly priced. Maybe your headphones have settings you can change too?
@@LilmannReacts ok that's weird, they should sound amazing at that price, I wonder if it could be the headphone jack on your laptop. I just have never noticed the vocals in the chorus being drowned out.
Abba mixes became more muddy in the vocals with digital recording, which is kind of ironic.
It was my headphone jack wasnt pushed in i must of pulled it out a lil rocking out to a metallica reaction before🤣🤣🙏