Music Producer Reacts To Just A Notion By ABBA
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- Опубліковано 13 вер 2024
- In todays music producer reacts video we are reacting to Abbas 3rd comeback song 'Just A Notion'. ENJOY!
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#abba #justanotion #abbavoyage
Last time I did an ABBA reaction video there was a lot of people making nasty comments over my lack of knowledge on ABBA. Just want to remind you this is a first reaction and there will be more you know about ABBA than me especially if you’ve followed them a long time. so I’m asking nicely to you keep the comments constructive and peaceful. I’m just a music producer listening to a new song without much context. Don’t hate haha Thank you !
Ignore those comments, these people travel from video to video saying the same thing over and over, shouting into their own silly vacuum. You would think they'd be happy young people are learning about ABBA, who were all about having fun and being inclusive with their music. They are the worst kind of fan because they think they have some kind of ownership of ABBA's musical legacy. Real "OKAY BOOMER" situation.
Urs Geiser
I like your patience for good music and knowledge about music, but also your impartiality.
Often it's better not have too much information about the artists,
Thanks also Swedish Anna Rehnlund to explain us the Swedish tradition "dansebandmusik", specially in the long summer nights, I have suspected it.
You know what you known, the rest is to experience, learn or let be. Those who demand knowledge of you and at the same time is rude or makes nasty comments should study really hard what they don't know before they make such demands on any body else. That's my opinion. Keep up the good work!
I THINK YOU ARE JUST FINE! IT'S YOUR CHANNEL AND YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL PRODUCER. IGNORE THE NAY SAYERS....
You should not focuse on such comments, it is difficult for some to understand that it is possible to dissociate a song from the artists who recorded it, I personnally find it even creepy how some people almost believe they know every aspect of the life of their favourite artists as though they were the ones living it...
It's a great tune... ridiculously happy, the kids seems to universally like it from the reactions I have been watching. The old ABBA fans (I am one) wanted "Just Like That" so we have some massive pouters out there who should know better and understand just the fact that we have an entire album from a band who vowed never to come back is really a gift. I like I Still Have Faith in You the best, Don't Shut me Down Second and Just A Notion is to me awesome as almost a "bonus" track in a sense. And honestly, each of these tracks seems to touch upon (in one way or another) a musical Voyage that ABBA has taken and is inviting us on now. We have all heard horrible comeback albums from other massive bands and this (so far) is not one of them, in my opinion.
Don't Shut Me Down is a masterpiece, but Just a Notion is also brilliant - both are endlessly catchy from beginning to end!
It seems like the whole World is listening to the new ABBA Songs 🙂
Of course. 😉😀
At first I also preferred Don't Shut Me Down but after repeated listenings I think Just A Notion is a superb song and perhaps in my ABA top ten. This is a brilliant piece of music and it really elevates Schlagermusik to pop art.
It might surprise us with ABBA’s album chart performance. They have a very big fan base.
This song is so good. Excellent lyrics, vocals and instrumentation. Thank you for your reaction.
Frida and Agnetha could sing the telephone directory with their unique, intricate harmonies and it would still be fabulous.
"Just a Notion"
is ABBA's third single from the upcoming new album "Voyage"
It is a curious and unique case at the same time, it was a song that they recorded in 1978 during the previous sessions for the future album "Voulez Vous"
but later they discarded it
And now in this fantastic comeback ABBA retouches it and finally edits it
So it has the double character of old and new song at the same time, recorded between 43 years (quite a record), it has the charm of old and new together, and sounds wonderful
I must admit that I do not like disco or dance music
I enjoy it more listening to it relaxed
That's why "Voulez Vous" is not on my favorite ABBA album
but "Just a Notion" is a terribly addictive song, impossible to resist dancing to it
Its melody is beautiful, catchy and cheerful, the lyrics are pleasant, the voices are spectacular (there are great tones from Agnetha, the union with Frida is of excellence and those
A-HA-HA are a brand that is etched in your mind)
It's also a great musical production (the saxophone and the piano shine) and the ending is a beauty
It gives me the impression that "Just a Notion" is a great piece that stayed with the spirit of the versatility of "ABBA The Album" and has not yet been impregnated with the disco sound of "Voulez Vous"
but welcome that now ABBA reconsidered it to include it in the new "Voyage" album
ABBA did it again
This is a new treasure of
Agnetha Benny Björn Frida
the Fabs Four from Sweden
ABBA returned at a very high level to bring hope and joy to the world
I'm sorry to hear that you've had this going on. I think that your reactions are really spot on and I find it inspirational that young people like yourself are appreciating music that I grew up to.
What I'm noticing is that the whole song feels like one big chorus. I'm sometimes unsure if I'm in the middle of a verse or a chorus. It's wild!
Dancing Queen is like a big chorus too and is their biggest hit, so...
@@alansilvavieira3880 🤔
I think it is more inverted, the chrous sounds more like a verse and the verses the chorus
@@alansilvavieira3880 What the hell are you talking about? Dancing Queen has a very clear verse/chorus structure. The only similarity is DQ and Just A Notion both begin with the chorus.
All great songs. Abba are incomparable.
Just a notion just proves we
are missing so much these days
when it comes to production. Yes,
songs sound better these days but
they can't move you like ABBA does.
It’s great it’s an old song that wasn’t released so we get best of the old as new to everyone’s ears with original young voices.
Benny Andersson is a master of piano....this song rocks....a-ha-ah....totally addictive...
Well I love this song. It is really an album track though in the digital age the lines between single, album, A side and B side etc are rather blurred. It's an unashamed nod to their schlager roots and I love them for that. The fact that it's a combination of 70's vocals and modern day production really does play to the lyrics in Don't Shut Me Down - "I'm now and then combined". Love the reactions Joe, keep up the good work!
SO glad to get your reaction to the song...I've been waiting. While it's an up tempo song and feels "like classic ABBA" My favorite of the 3 is "I still have Faith in you." Great channel...seen several other video reactions from other people in the music business: vocal coaches, etc and you videos are the best of the bunch! Thanks for sharing your expertise with us!!
Don't shut me down is my nr.1, just a notion my nr.2 and I still have faith nr. 3.
I love the slightly muffly sound. I get the picture of them all at a party jamming around a single mic with a glass in their hands. There is a real party vibe to this song. There are quite a few new vocal insertions. The BV’s and the reprise are all new.
All the vocals are from 78. The 94 edit didn't include the "new" backing vocals and what you call the "reprise" because it wasn't the whole song.
aged tapes - the highest pitch disappears after 10 years and bass geta muffled and then the tape magnetics imprint spead the next layer so there could be a bandecho - so muffling the sound would get rid of that
Always loved this song, and they’ve done a great job with the production and backing track. But ultimately the main point of the song is that is all about the A-ha-ha’s…. simply gorgeous sound those two ladies make! 💛
I like it . Nuff said.
To be fair...the last vocals before the fade out were recently recorded and actually I feel those are the highest sounding in the whole song...yea the sound quality doesn't really match those of today, but lets be realistic, not many artists can dig up an old song that was just a demo and remaster it to sound like this...kudos to Benny and Bjorn for not giving up on a gem that never made it to "Voulez-Vous"!
The vocals are from 1978 but the backing is from 2017-2021 (probably recorded in 2017 and mixed in 2021).
I knew ABBA was big in the world with its sound, but seeing so many people get touched by their music really does me a stir in my soul! When they made their breakthrough in the 1970s, the media did not exist in this way as it does today. When I look at different reactions, I get warm in my heart and have little hope for humanity. That when the music can unite is incredibly wonderful. If any group can do this, it's ABBA with its catchy music. Greetings from Sweden!
GO BUY ALL OF ABBA'S 8 STUDIO ALBUMS, SOON TO BE 9. SO MANY MASTERPIECES ON THEM. ABBA, ABBASOLUTELY ABBALICIOUSLY CATCHY EARCANDY MUSIC🤩🤩🤩🤩
3:47 it reminds me of a 50s song. Grease takes place in the 50s. So I agree. LOVE this song!!!
ABBA is fantastic, this is not their best song though. A nice happy tune and in Sweden we would call it "dansbandsmusik". The musicbands that travel all through the country of Sweden to play at the "folkpark", local places indoors or outdoors where you can dance in pairs all through the night. Just a notion sounds a lot like that kind of music. Not bad, not their best.
I agree with you on that the best one so far is Don't shut me down.
Thanks for good reactions. Interesting komments and thoughts. Thumbs up! 👍👍👍
Have a nice evening!
/Anna from Sweden
Its very much BAO! Kunde varit Sjöholm som sjöng
ROLANDS called and are feeling triggered by your "DAnsbandsmusic" comment HAHAHAHA
Urs Geiser
Thank you Anna for your information about "dansebandsmusik". Big country with great sympathetic people, only know South West Sweden. Will visit the East side, specially Gotland, but also and other parts. All the best for you!!!
@@ursgeiser6570 its very much like Benny Anderssons orkester. BAO have played in Sweden for 20 years and songs like ”Hem till mamma ” , ”om du var jag ” or ”En dag i sänder” from the last years are much the same style as Just a notion.
@@fredrikmoller629 thank you for this information. Several times I read BAO in comments without having the idea that the solution is so simple. On this "dansebandsconcert" (learnt by Anna) Benny and his orchester feel fine and have great fun with many happy fans. In Switzerland such "summer" concerts appen in the Alps with the original folk music (yodeling; end of People Need Love). All the best for you!!!
I have exactly the same. It reminds me of Grease. It was recorded in August 1978 so it makes absolutely sense, because the Grease soundtrack was huge and everywhere around that time.
Nowadays they can't make melodies, Abba can!!!!!
Well said! This is a real toe-tapper.
If you're a music producer, I'm a brain surgeon, and an astronaut.
Well Karen, I am and it’s my full time job haha make sure you send me photos when you get to mars ! 😃
Just A Notion is my favourite of the 3. It's joyous, energetic, and features superb keyboard flourishes from Benny, especially in the last :30 seconds.
Just so happy Abba are back after all this time, love the keyboards on this records. Think we have to give Abba the respect after all this time and to trust in Bjorn and Benny what is good to be released. Such a jolly positive song at a time of gloom.
Yiu say the girls older voices aren’t as good yet you didn’t spot that the girls older voices are there in the end of the song, lol. Personally I think they’re just as good.
All the vocals on Just a Notion are from 1978. Only the backing track is new. The "new" vocals are simply vocals that weren't heard in the edit released back in 94.
Sorry Jack you’re wrong. New vocals are added in the reprise towards the end before the fade out. Listen again.
@@yussepig6629 Bjorn has stated all the vocals are from 1978. I'll take his word over yours, thanks.
they havent got older sounding voices they still sound young and have only changed slightly
Yes. definitely older voices added in there. Very noticeable in Agnetha's voice in some parts of song.
Maravillosa canción
Saludos desde Barcelona
Abbas vocals new songs are recorded on old music equipment to keep the sound .
It's not all earlier vocals there's parts that have been recorded in present day.... So if you think it's just all earlier vocals you're pretty wrong there because there's a couple parts where They add a new verses and new vocal recording
I know it’s not all earlier vocals, there would have been some overdubs in places because that’s natural for all songs that get remixed and mastered. Especially from that long ago
You can definitely hear the parts where the girls voices are from now and when they're from then...
@@jay_ooh No, Bjorn himself said all the vocals are from 78. The edit from 94 was only half the song - that's why the rest sounds new!
@@grantc61 their older voices can be clearly heard in the end. last few lines. rest is from 1978, yes. but there is also new verse there (another take from 1978, I guess) in comparison to original take from ABBA unreleased.
@@robertwill23 Bjorn himself has stated that there were no new vocals recorded for this new release. The girls are just singing in their head voices at the end. I don't know why people keep spreading this misinformation.
In terms of charting, the top 3 albums are going to be Adele, Ed and ABBA. I’d like to think that ABBA will have a number 1, but I fear it’ll be a top 3 album instead with Adele grabbing the accolade. However. When the hologram shows kick off in the spring, I think Voyage and Gold will have a second wind, so there may be a chance at number 1 again. The world needs a happy album though… ABBA is uplifting whereas the other two (as much as I like their music) can be as miserable as f*** in their tunes!
Do not fear :-) Adele new album will be released two weeks later than Voyage. New Abba album will be no 1 just for at least one week.
@@Wojact_Taki Let’s pray for this!! It would be such a joy for them to have a number 1 album again. :)
@@SimplyTim_UK There is no need to pray for this, but there is need to pray for all 4 Abba members. And I will do that these evening :-). I think there is a big probability that Abba new album will be no 1 in UK Charts for a week after the realease.
@@Wojact_Taki Amen!
Agree with you, W Taki.
Adele? Ashamed to say I don' know any of her songs - and I'm not even curious! All I know is that she did a James Bond one - but what it sounds like - not a clue! Says a lot about me!!!
My favourite is I Still Have Faith In You by a mile but i do love the other 2
Iam glad it seems noone is left unsatisfied.They offered something good for everyone.
Great reaction. Just a Notion was partly released in 1994 in Thank You for the Music Box set and in 2005 as part of the Complete Studio Recordings as part of ABBA Undeleted. The vocals are from the 1978 recording. The instruments are from 2021
More clarity and detail if the vocals were recorded today? WTF ? With very few exceptions recorded "vocals" today are obscured/enhanced/ distorted/ manufactured with a range of technologies. That's not clarity. I'm amazed that someone could make such a bizarre claim.
I do agree that there is a lack of clarity in Just a Notion's production. It takes careful listening with headphones to hear the amazing complexity of the instrumentation and vocals.
Hi mark, I have listened to the song both in my studio monitors and my pro mixing headphones and still stand by my opinion. Have a nice day.
I prefer music from the 70s and 80s specifically because the vocals don't sound so crisp and...fake! New songs are so digitized and compressed that they sound almost robotic. Old music sounds more natural and, to my ears at least, more pleasing.
You should listen to Storms mix of just a notion... it's padded and full and a decent length. Absolutely jitterbug & yes unconventional for today's market. But it's the last dance so I think this will wipe Adele come Christmas because globally there are more abba fans and it's got a beat.... not same old sad.
You had me up to the moment you said "Grease." I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're referring to the movie "Grease," yes? Have you ever been to the theatre? And at the risk of making me feel all peely wally, may I ask a younger person in the industry: Why is it that, after a certain point, contemporary songs (Adelle, Taylor Swift, Sheeren, Halsey, etc.) all just... end. They pick a moment that seems very arbitrary to me and they stop singing. The music stops. You mentioned the lack of fade outs. How did that become a 'thing' and why is it so accepted? Is it because most modern songs lack a vamp? Are the artists afraid of high notes? Why do they do that and who started it?
I don’t know why songs end so abruptly now tbh. Sometimes it makes sense but other times it’s not so good having that 100% energy to 0. Sort of kills the moment.
It's good but not one of the best. I disagree that the vocals would be better today. Think about the clarity of "As good as new" or "The name of the game". The vocals are very clear and enunciated well in those songs recorded in the late 70s. However, I do agree that vocals lack clarity here, but I don't think it's anything to do with technology. Could it be that these vocals were recorded but never meant to be released? Perhaps this was a sing-through and not meant to be a release. I think that it's badly mixed here in 2021. The vocals are from 1978 and the music was added recently. The demo version of JAN has been available for some time, and the vocals are much clearer there, so it looks as if something has been lost in the remixing. My favourite out of the 3 so far is I still have faith in you, followed by Don't shut me down. Nice, confident review, and it was good to hear your perspective.
Dont shut me down think it could ABBA best song ever but just but this song is catching getting album for sure the only only album ABBA greatest hits
Their voices Are much better today because you get a mature depth
Urs Geiser
Hello Joe. Great competent and honest reaction!!!
I'm followed ABBA since a week before they won the ESC 1974 (I saw them with a Swedish version of Waterloo on Swiss TV). I'm music fan, not a ABBA fan, but they have some masterpieces (Still+Shut too), surprised the music world with different styles and a great spectrum of music. They were one of the first artists with special music video (long before MTV starts, today an advantage for all young reactors).
Benny is a totally professional musician all this years. Once I have seen a documentary (don't remind me of the name and when), where he plays with his Folk-Jazz-Pop-Band *Just a notion" in hall or a summer concert. Live this title - with a good instrumental part - could be a banger, in comparison with "Does your mami know" was a banger on Wembley 79 together with Hole in my soul, both as one title. This concert shows all great facets of ABBA. Greating to all Swedish, would like to come to such a summer concert next year.
For me "Just a notion" belongs on the Very Best Double Album (UK park cover, German Musikladen after the great success of Mamma Mia + Fernand, before Dancing Queen), a treasure trove of fantastic simple melodies, shows us, from where all four come and which unbelievable great developement they made till Still+Shut.
For all young musician this means: Have Faith In You and self confidence, but Go Your Own Way (greatings from Fleedwood Mac).
A month ago after I saw the Voyage tracking list (specially times and title names) and found comments of group members and super trouper ABBA fans (hey brother), I have lower expectations. I will be happy with 2-3 further great songs (masterpieces???).
Otherwise I will take the double Live CD Wembley 79 and celebrate ABBAs past highlight.
At last a remark to Joe: Adele, Ed Sheran, .... , Inhaler (!!!!!! that's the future), it doesn't matter and is unimportant. The only - what sells - is good music, to make us happy and spend us energy . All the best for all music fans.
A hard ironic question to ABBA members and all ABBA fans: what are the differences of the new version. the Arrival (cover band) version of 99 and the old ABBA version 78? This phenomenal female voices only in the background of such a indifferent sound wall. Even from time to time a recognize 2-3 tones of sax. Yes the honky tonk piano, of course.
As Joe says the music and voice production .......... .
As Bjorn says in an interview "a ridiculously happy song"; that means for me, a gift for ABBA fans.
There is an undeleted banger (great refrain. melody and voices, blows in my mind since years; no hope says Benny in an current interview; sadly, why not a gift as promotor for the Abbatare start).
Only the vocals were from 1978. All the backing track is new. I am surprised this passed you by.
I agree about the muddy mix. Presumably, the original vocal elements couldn't be cleaned up enough and had to be hidden behind the backing track. Question becomes why not just record the vocals again? Perhaps doing the other 9 new tracks took priority and it was just easier to do it the way they did it here..
Great review. Love it!!
vocals seem so thin. Don’t shut me down is so much more catchy and so much more ABBA 😘. Maybe that’s why they discarded this song earlier
Well reviewed!
Say ABBA would ask you for a recording, how would you produce it?
Just A Notion - has the classic ABBA sound, but I find it a bit mediocre. I guess what would be called the bridges with the key-change are nice, but the rest of the song seems to just chug along and not really go anywhere. "Just Like That" would have been a much better addition to the Voyage album IMO, a much better song and one us die-hard ABBA fans have been praying to have for years! "Don't Shut Me Down" is still the best of the new tracks from Voyage so far.
True!!!
Amen!
Another thing... Have you listened to Molly Sanden singing Husavik (live at Oscars) here on UA-cam? I would very much like to see a reaction from you on that one. It is from the movie Eurovision song contest: The story of fire saga. It is a wonderful performance that she does there.
Just A Notion has been one of my favorite ABBA songs since it came out as just a clip of the song on their box set in 1994... I don't think you could really compare this to don't shut me down , they're in different categories honestly because one was a brand new song, the other was an unfinished song that they revisited
Yes. In their songs, we'll follow their voyage, from the beginning (this song) to the end - (guess this is it, their last recording.)
Try another ABBA. First 30 seconds I've thought it's 'Status Quo 'until began singing Frida and Agnetha
"ABBA On and On and On Live 1981 - Dick Cavett Meets ABBA"
Joe do you think there is some sort of spiritual messages in there songs now ?
Yes, Don't shut me down is the best among those three released songs. I would prefer I still have faith in you if there were not Disney tunes in that song ;-) But it is only a music.
Perhaps listen to a broader range of music so you don't have Disney shit as a reference?
@@grantc61 Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.
Listen to "Just A Notion - (ABBA 2021) - Cover by Horia Ioan - Yamaha Geno" on UA-cam, which brings out the true beauty in this composition.
Hi..it supposted be like when they left..)
Would love you to do a reaction to this song by the Benny Andersson Orchestra which he formed because he could not get the girls back to ABBA in 2001. The specific song is "Story Of A Heart" and deserves attention in the west as it is classic abbaresque but for some reason never got released in Australia. He had another terrific Swedish singer Helen Sjorholm sing it. It would have gone straight to No.1 in my humble opinion if they had released it....ua-cam.com/video/V1LIVJdCcmE/v-deo.html
Hey Joe/ others. I note your comment that the mix is a bit “flat” or compressed. I’m genuinely curious- who would have mixed the song, and why might they have signed off on this version? I absolutely love the song, but I’m curious about your take: what would you have done differently? I’m also wondering how ageing ears might perceive the mix differently. I’ve had tinnitus for 20 years (from loud music, sadly). I definitely have to turn up the treble on my audio equipment. So I wonder how an older studio engineer (or Benny & Bjorn) might hear the mix? I imagine that Ludwig, Benny’s son and a producer, must also have listened closely to the mix. He’s aged about 40, I’d guess. Thanks for reading!
Hey EyeEmBee, Bernard Lohr has apparently worked with B&B as their sound engineer for decades. Given how different JAN sounds from Don't Shut Me Down or I Still Have Faith, I can only guess it's intentional. I think they must have wanted a wall-of-sound feel to it. I'm very disappointed ABBA did this. I understand they wanted to do a throwback, feelgood song to link the past with the present but JAN simply isn't very good. And the mix is rubbish, too.
I can also only guess that there might be some high frequency hearing loss involved but, again, I really hope that has no bearing on Voyage overall!
This is what they call old mixed with the new. The vocals are an alternate take recorded in 1978. There was a snippet released in 1994 with different vocals. The backing track however is all brand spanking new. And with today’s technology mixed in pretty damn well. Here is a comparison video to show the original and the new version. What do you think. I’d be interested to know your thoughts ua-cam.com/video/3de1mMqUylo/v-deo.html
I’m sorry mate your wrong here. It’s been completely re-recorded from backing to vocal layers and top vocals. If you listen to the vocals from the 78 and 91 versions you will hear that clearly.
I’m sorry to say sir but you are wrong. Have multi sources including interviews with the boys stating only the backing track production was re-recorded. They retained the vocals from the original because they thought they were “great”. Here’s one source if you fancy a read: www.udiscovermusic.com/news/abba-new-song-just-a-notion/
I love this song. It’s so positive and catchy. But it’s my least favourite of the three. I really wish that they’d recorded new vocals though, mainly for consistency. The vocals are a bit muffled and not as punchy as they could have been with an up to date recording. It’s going to be interesting to see how it fits in to the whole album and the order of the tracks… it may “redeem” itself. But I do love this song and it would’ve been a great song to add to the Voulez Vous album.
To me it is "just" an OK song, however I really have issues with the mixing in there. the vocals are from the original 1978 recordings, I could accept some lower quality with those, but the backing track is supposed to be brand new , so it shouldnt be that blurry...
All in all I feel it lacks the spatial depth so characteristic of the abba sound, here it just seems like if all the sound was forcefully pushed in the middle of a big room, there's much loudness, it's blurry and at some point Benny's piano even covers the vocals... Even if it was far from being the best quality, the snippet M. Tretow did mix for the undeleted track sounded much clearer.
Agree, it is not the production level you'd expect from an ABBA recording (noth then and certainly not now). It reminds me of the american version of ring ring from 73!. ( also a muddy mix)I Love the song though. I hope the cd version on the voyager record sounds better then the yt version
Yes i do hear what you do.But maybe they let it sound that "raw" on purpose.Just to make it sound like a "jamming" good time open air party song.Iremember Benny saying he had to convince Agnetha changed her way of performing while recording "TDBYC".He told her to sound flat and ordinary just to match the song's storyline.Who knows, i will justify them.Ilove them so deeply.
@@marcodebrabander5751 Hate saying it, but I feel the same way. It's not that it's a bad song [I'm singing it in my head all the time!], but it still sounds like a demo to me. I have said on other reactions that this track gives me the vibe of a group having a party 'singsong' together, and I find that is the best way to think about it. I will no doubt get negative feedback from some for even saying that, but so be it. I'm almost 60, and can remember watching them win Eurovision, and have always been a fan right from the start, and as a fan, would be happy if I only like half of the tracks. I am not a 'hater' or a 'pouter', I'm just a fan, as are we all.
@@christianoazzuro6711 that thought crossed my mind too. It is possible he choose this concept for the production of the song but I doubt it. He is to much of a perfectionist and with TDBYC it was a intentional artistic discission. On this song I can not feel that. It sounds a litte bit muddy and overcompressed.
@@christianoazzuro6711 I find it unlikely, especially since they even reworked on real live tracks such "The Way Old Friends Do" before releasing them on an album or as an EP in order to get the sound quality expected for a record.
To me it makes no sense that someone who thought that songs such as "Fernando" or "One Of Us" did not meet the quality criteria to be EPs would go on to release "Just A Notion" in that current version as such...
To me the only explanation would be that the quality of the bands was so deteriorated that there was too much noise which couldnt be cleaned so it needed to be covered in a way or another, but in such a case, why use it at all, it's not like if 9 songs instead of 10 would have been an awful thing
Joe is so great!🥰
Much as I love ABBA and thought the first two Voyage singles amazing, this one doesn't cut it for me. It's in no way offensive and is pleasant enough in its own way, but that's all - I find it dull and to my ears, the production sounds mushy and lacks the clean crispness of I Still Have Faith and Don't Shut Me Down. It's also been pointed out a few times in the media that the intro sounds rather like Mike Batt's 70s novelty hit 'Remember You're a Womble', which cannot be a good thing under any circumstances. Don't get me wrong, I've been a life long fan of ABBA, but this just sounds to me like lazy second rate filler from one of the early albums, down there with I Am Just a Girl and Man in the Middle. If it wasn't deemed suitable for release in 1978, why now? And I'm racking my brains as to why this of all songs should be used to spearhead the release of the new album??? I'm keeping my fingers crossed That the other 7 tracks on the new album have a bit more about them and match up to the brilliance of the first two singles.
Hello again, Rob! Well said, although I Am Just A Girl really isn't that bad! Sitting in the Palmtree, perhaps? Crazy World? Innumerable duff Bjorn leads.
@@grantc61 Hi Again! Yes, agree with those two. We could add King Kong Song and Rock 'n' Roll Band to the list too. From the tail end of their 80s career we could also add 'You Owe Me One' - now that was a stinker and probably the worst to feature Frida and Agnetha on lead. In comparison, Just a Notion is pretty good!
@@robdean2645 We must part company again, I'm afraid, at least when it comes to You Owe Me One. Yes, it's a bizzarely puerile song but the HARMONIES! Absolutely gorgeous. Just A Notion is, for me, just cringe. Benny has been writing and playing BAO-style music too long.
I really hope that's not reflected too much in Voyage.
With regards the mixing on this track - I feel like they may have been going for an "ELO" sound. Listen to almost any ELO track and you'll hear that mid-rangey sock-over-the-microphone effect, even recently-released ones. It strikes me more as an artistic choice than a failing of the source material, particularly as the arrangement is so similar to something ELO might have done. By 1978 multitrack tape recording was about as good as it was ever going to get. The essentially-contemporary Chiquitita has plenty of detail in the verses. Indeed, Michael Tretow's 1993 remasters wrung a frightening amount of HF content out of those tapes, going a little too far in the opposite direction!
Don’t Shut Me Down is the best of the three by a clear mile, followed by I Still Have Faith and finally Just A Notion.
I actually prefer the original 1978 mix to this one, as Frida’s vocals were much more audible on that one.
It is what it is, a new-ish ABBA song, but won’t be a fan favourite.
I would have preferred ABBA remastered and released ‘Just Like That’ along with most fans, because it’s a better song both vocally and lyrically and would have been a better fit in with Voyage.
Looking forward to your reaction to the album. 🙏
I love your Chanel and your videos👍👍👍👍
If those vocals had been recorded today all i would hear is nasally twang and be unable to differentiate them from a hundred other "artists" singing through autotune.
Not a knock, just saying bud.
Dont shut me down is the best o and your very cute x
thank you ! i agree it is the best on the new album
"...not vocal clarity...", "there is also a lot going on..." - too much for me, lack of beauty and harmony, comical lyrics and voices at the end of the song... All of that makes it hard for me to like Just a Notion.
Agreed. I think it's meant to be a light-hearted boogie woogie tune but that piano is shocking.
This is an excellent tune with subpar mixing and production. Listen to Emilia Sjöberg's rendition. She makes this song into a big hit!
Very fair comment. It's not a good song nor a good recording. I think ABBA have included it because it's "now and then combined" (it follows "Don't Shut Me Down" on the album) but it's a mistake.
Incidentally, the backing track and the mix are new. Yeah, bad.
Disappointing. Not a B tune. More a C tune.
This is an excellent composition with a less than stellar mixing and production. Listen to "Just A Notion - (ABBA 2021) - Cover by Horia Ioan - Yamaha Geno" which brings out the beauty in this song.
@@emmany7120 I know music pretty well, and don’t need another version to judge the Melody and lyrics. It’s a B- minus tune. But these days, that’s still something.