Wow, I just want to thank everyone I am so glad so many liked this video! I just did another mini documentary on the song Solitaire by CARPENTERS ua-cam.com/video/E3rE9KgQVDo/v-deo.html I worked equally as hard on and I think you might like it
Thanks for this ode to one of ABBA's greatest albums, and definitely the most experimental and innovative. The title track and When All Is Said and Done are masterpieces. Frida, at the time devastated and heartbroken, shines on this album.
Gosh i feel so proud that there's also a place for Abba in newer Gens music faves.I come from an era where my Gen sometimes got treated savagely for loving Abba especially by some part of the music press that had dismissed them for being a forgettable commercial crap.(UK/Swedish/USA).Abba were 'convicted' and had to apologize for being what they honestly were.A Pure pop music band.(What a crime?)I'm so glad they/we now have the last laugh.
Yeah, I’m really glad that pop music is so much more respected today. As long as it’s emotionally true i think all kinds of music are valid! Long live Abba!
what a good job you did, my congratulations After having listened to and reacted to the entire album, you now gave ABBA and each song context in your research. I hope you continue with another album, it would be fabulous if you did it with the first one, "Ring Ring" (1973) precisely because it is the opposite of "The Visitors" in every sense. I leave you a big greeting from the distance of Buenos Aires Argentina in South America
Thank you so much I was a little nervous because I know people are long time fans of ABBA. I wanted to do the music justice! Hadn’t thought about that. I was going to go backwards. I haven’t heard a lot about ring ring. I like that it’s the opposite tough. I’ll definitely keep it in mind!
@@alexioverdo5225 Yes, dear friend, I agree. for theirs youth, for the love they put into ABBA's music and for the fantastic production in their research videos. let's make arrangements so that they know each other Maybe a couple has formed, and we act as intercessors hahaha (as we said on a TV program in my country that was for meeting couples)
@@popcornphilosopher Sorry for the delay in responding Last time I had to leave, but I wanted to stay until the end of your video and I gave you a small refund, very grateful Just as the album "The Visitors" approaches the breakup of ABBA, the album "Ring Ring" is already opposed by the same formation process of ABBA, even without the certainty of being a stable quartet and without the name yet defined. and with a decade of difference, a different sound too The freshness and excitement of "Ring Ring" contrasts with the rawness and maturity of "The Visitors" I hope you enter ABBA's Genesis, there is a lot there so you can make your contribution while you discover it. As my friend Alexio suggested, there is a "Bobby's Brother" channel, from a young man who does excellent research on ABBA, and that you can consult as encouragement and help. But at the same time it gives you the freedom to make your own path. I wish you an excellent weekend best regards from Buenos Aires, Argentina South America
You have to keep in mind that this grandiose, complex, dark album was released a mere 5 years after “Dancing Queen.” The amount of growth, maturity and evolution during that period is astonishing.
Yes, the growth kind of reminds me of the Beatles! Legendary! Btw there’s an Abba playlist if you haven’t seen it ua-cam.com/video/lmKLU3yNwS4/v-deo.htmlsi=SC4fn14WS3iD5L4_
Dancing Queen is incredibly catchy, but also has its darker side: the song is from the point of view of an older woman, regretting that her time has now passed.
Iam impressed and surprised by some of Agnetha's confessions that you narrated in part of the intro section!I recall reading them in one of my favest books i had bought in early '80s 'Abba in their own words" that i then lost.I remembered for decades those words of hers! Wow girl!
... Fantastic stuff, Io ! .. Great research as always, and it really puts this album and the songs into the context of what was happening in ABBA's lives at the time .. You are just wonderful at this. 🙏❤
The Visitors lp(1981) is heavily connected by both couple's divorces far more than the 'Super Trouper' album that was preceded in 1980.Agnetha moved away from Bjorn in Dec.'78 and the divorce typically came later on.Then followed Frida's and Benny's seperation about 2 years later.'When all is said and done" had wrapped in a lot of Frida's painful situation while her recording it , as she has said..
When all is said and done, is probably my second favorite song on the album. You can tell it has all that emotion wrapped up in it I really looking forward to hearing the Super Troupers album! I’ll probably check out the bonus tracks first though.
@@alexioverdo5225 On Matt Snider's channel, which has already finished making reactions to all the songs from all the ABBA albums, the album Super Trouper is the one with the most accumulated views (followed by Voulez Vous and The Album) and the songs Lay all your love on me and The winner takes it all are the ones that have the most views on their channel
Great work,I like your musical background,but this Foto with Agnetha and here mum is not here mum,it’s Astrid Lindgren . Björn produced the Musical Pippi with some Benny Songs and Lyrics from Björn .
Oh no really/??? it must’ve been mislabeled. I hate that so much. I wanted to include a picture of her real mother;( I’ll pin your comment. I want to check out that musical though. Is it Pippi Longstocking?
Fabulous effort.i would recomend you Bobby's brother channel.This dude developed into an Abba specialist doing self made small Abba docu videos under deep research.You'll love him.
I haven’t watched his videos yet, but I did use one of his clips he filmed the exterior of polar recording studio. I was looking for footage of it. They look very well-made …I look forward to checking them out!
@@popcornphilosopher He is an impressively passionate Abba fan and a 'demonic' investigator of Abba's past active years.A great source of selected, quite valid infos.
I remember buying the album in 1981. I was 14, and grew up with the band. I am a Frida fan. The frenetically paced opening track was a departure from Super Trouper. The darkness of the album, coupled with the music press of the time, convinced me this was their swan song. Still, it wasn’t disjointed. These guys were pros. They wanted The Visitors to be a different, yet current album. I Let The Music Speak is a tour de force performance from Frida. It hints at the magic of Chess. Like An Angel Passing Through My Room and Should I Laugh Or Cry were opportunities to let Frida’s lush mezzo soprano shine at last. It’s sad that they waited 40 years to reunite. It’s heartwarming that they got past the hurt to conjure up more magic. I do hope they put out one last album before hanging up their sequins.
After I do the bonus tracks, I’ll be doing super trooper. Very much. Look forward to it. Yes it would be nice if they did, one more album! Although I’ve just started on my Abba journey. I have a lot to listen to:)
@17:29 Yes, I would like to see a reaction to the album "Chess" (1984) - I have never seen anyone doing it. It's an effing great album ("Anthem", "One Night in Bangkok", "Nobody's Side", "Pity the Child", and "Endgame" are awesome), and it's probably the next step in ABBA's music evolution, at least sonically, since Tim Rice wrote most of the lyrics. There is also a documentary about the recording of "Chess" on UA-cam.✌
I was really hoping people would want that. I’m so curious about it. I heard there was another musical too called Pippi? But I don’t know the details about it. Thanks for the info about the documentary too!
@@popcornphilosopherPippi is their most recent musical, though it was mainly made by Björn with some music by Benny and others. Their other big musical collaboration after Chess would be Kristina från Duvemåla.
Two for the price of one is actually a very interesting song because it is based on the novelty that we used to do as kids call rounds where you would sing one lyric and another person sing another and it would be an interesting blend. That’s I believe the first time ABBA attempted that. And I just love the fact they go up an octave during the chorus.
I like your attention to detail! I love noticing things like that. I don’t know if you saw it but I’ve done quite a few ABBA videos there’s a playlist:ABBA Album PARTY! ua-cam.com/play/PLVaDWMlhe6SFje2D8LnNORUEyB2p0-VZ_.html
If I had to choose so far, this is been my favorite too! I have an ABBA playlist if you haven’t seen it btw ABBA Album PARTY! ua-cam.com/play/PLVaDWMlhe6SFje2D8LnNORUEyB2p0-VZ_.html
The version of LAAPTMR when just benny playing and frida alone in the room, putting together a song that totals up thier marriage breakup, hits me hard. Pure sadness and a gloomy emptiness
@@popcornphilosopher Yeah!Official video is a lyric one.But 'I still have faith in you' has an impactful proper one Both new songs are an unbelevable unexpected gift to Abba fans.
Wow! Chanced upon this by accident! What a refreshing, informative insight by someone who is clearly an ABBA fan, and who has done her research. Well done, missy! (No sexism in tended!)
Thank you I’m glad you enjoyed it! I am a newer Abba fan but have greatly enjoyed the journey so far. I have an Abba playlist and made another on Voulez vous if you haven’t seen it ua-cam.com/video/g4mVGwGIGmw/v-deo.htmlsi=yPP6-wJwgEl77hSO
Respectfully, I would like to correct your take on the harmony part of 'slipping through my fingers '. It was not Agnetha's and Agnetha's voice, it was Agnetha's and Frida's. You could verify this fact when you watch their great live performance of this song in TV's Dick Clavet Meets ABBA ❤👍😍
In the fab Cavet live version 1981 it's that 'fox' Frida that perfectly 'impersonates' her 'lil sisters' voice in the 'sleep in our eyes,her and me at the breakfast table".
Oh, maybe I wasn’t clear. I didn’t mean she was the only one doing the background vocals. . I found it in an Abba book that she put on the child voice to harmonize with herself
Well, my comment was NOT directed to the whole song as I agree there's a lot of remixing and redoubling of voices (ABBA's exquisite trademark), which in this song, was clearly Agnetha's. My actual comments was directed to the short clip of 'slipping through my fingers' which you showed in your clip above, which CLEARLY showcased the great harmonies between Agnetha and Frida (the mashing up of Agnetha's soprano and Frida's metzo was very very distinct here). However, I later realised that you were also right because you were not referring to the hormonization, but rather the redoubling of Agnetha's voice, which was true 😊❤. I'm enjoying your reaction though. Another thing is, as Agnetha and Frida have consistently denied any rifts ever existed between them, preferring to refer the scenario as being competitive and supportive at the same time, plus the fact that they are now well into their 70's and have recently regroup to produce their latest album Voyage, I'm not that keen to listen to any scrutiny of their relationship. As Frida referring her reunion with Agnetha as 'having fun with my little sister ' in an interview late last year, and Agnetha referring Frida as 'ohh my dear friend ' in her recent interview when relaunching her solo single, I humbly feel that fans should leave the matter as it is❤
Not sure if anyone has mentioned that around the time this album was recorded there was a bit of tension between Sweden and The USSR. Russian submarines were spying on Swedish naval bases in the Baltic Sea with Sweden sending depth charges in the water to try and deter the Russian subs from getting too close. One Russian sub grounded itself on Swedish territory. Also, Poland was trying to free itself from the USSR. Maybe these were the inspiration behind Bjorn’s lyrics for title track
I think I might’ve mentioned it in this video but maybe it was a different video. There’s a ABBA playlist if you haven’t seen it.ABBA Album PARTY! ua-cam.com/play/PLVaDWMlhe6SFje2D8LnNORUEyB2p0-VZ_.html
Thanks for the docu! But I discovered a mistake- it’s not Agnetha’s mother on the picture at 20:50- that’s actually Agnetha with Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren!
I so enjoyed this, great job ! .....you certainly did your homework, lots of gold nuggets here this lifelong Abba fan never knew. Speaking of CHESS the hit song One Night In Bangkok would have easily fit on The Visitors album . I like your artsy media effects !
Hey there good to hear from you ...thank you! I l usually do go down the rabbit hole. And I was hoping my curiosity would unearth a few things even big fans might not know ! So your comment really made my day:)
This is a really well done documentary. I’m a film editor and I’m impressed on how much work you did researching and compiling to create what is a deep yet very fun editorial on the visitors.
I like your video👍. I’ve been a fan since the 70s. I bought all the vinyl albums and still have them! I went to see Voyage recently, it was incredible!👍
Brilliant - Thank you, yours is a spot-on commentary for me + your take on the bookended Visitors & Angel songs is just so obvious and true! ❤ Looking forward to more of your video commentaries.
Thanks for your docummentary, I bought this album back in 1981, I remember that I found the Atlantic version in my country, on my way home, I was so happy because I felt that I was the only one who owned that ABBA album in the whole country. For me The Visitors was a song about an alien invasion, I imagine some of them coming to get people who were hidden in a basement or something, it was one from my favorite tracks from the album as well as I let the music speak, that song sounds sort of a Phantom of the Opera track, it's misterious and profound in so many levels. I always enjoyed The Visitors album and still do. Later I had to buy my country's version because it had the spanish version of Slipping through my fongers and When all is said and done, another favorite by the way. Sorry for the long story but my final point is that The Visitors album is a gem.
Thank you! Yeah I know the official meeting for the visitors is sort of political but I totally think they meant the double meaning of aliens! And thanks for sharing the story I love hearing people’s connection at the time!
Fun video. But . . . . "Two for the Price of One" isn't literally about a threesome lol. If you have a dated anyone who's mother is their best friend and 100% involved in their life every waking moment -- and sometimes in the middle of the night -- one gets a better picture of what's going on this song.
@@popcornphilosopher Two for the Price of One is tongue and cheek, not literal. It's talking of a situation where a mother is going to be coming in between the man and a woman - they will never have intimacy since the mother will always be in between them. It was common in pop culture at the time for one's mother in law to be portrayed as a character of conflict -- an obstacle to happiness. A salesman would lie and sell this situation as "Two for the Price of One", That "marching band" style music at the end of the song represents the laughter following f the joke. About as far away from a threesome as one could get lol.
Calm down. The lyric is about a guy who THINKS he is going to have a threesome and learns at the end that the girl is referring to being a package deal with her mother. So it is indeed about a threesome in a way.
What an excellent video! Every time I went to type a comment correcting something you’d said, your next sentence would be what I was going to correct. So well researched. And YES to reacting to CHESS. The original 1984 concept album is just amazing. It’s almost pure ABBA but without Agnetha and Frida.
Thank you I really wanted this to be a love letter to my new discovery of this album that I enjoyed so much! I was a little nervous I wasn’t going to get it, right. I’m super curious about Chess! It’s right up my alley. I love musicals.
@@popcornphilosopher the good thing about the original chess concept album is that it was recorded at Polar using all of the usual ABBA session musicians and was engineered by Michael Tretow. You’ll recognise the sound immediately. It’s never quite as good on subsequent stage versions and with cast/live albums
@@discogareth yeah, I saw that there was even a new one as well! I’ll definitely remember to listen to the original concept album although it might be kind of fun to listen to maybe the best track and compare all three.
Thank you, I never understood why in the second verse of Slipping Through My Fingers Agnetha makes the harmonies to herself and I didn't like it. Now, forty years later, I know the reason and all has a different meaning. Thank you again!
regarding 'Like an angel passing through my room' - listen to the additional versions of it that was released on the extended album and you will hear the many variations that were created before eventually deciding on the released version
I bought this album in 1981. I had a part time job and was able to afford albums instead of singles. I was always an ABBA and but this is the only ABBA album I owned. I loved all the songs and listened to it many times. It still remains a favorite and I have multiple copies. It says it's digital on the album. This was just before CDs. It was considered cool, I guess.
I have a couple artists owned their last album too. It’s always an interesting way of knowing an artist. Oh and yeah they made that distinction when I researched it. It was the first album to be recorded digitally, but it was not the first CD.
totally love this! VERY well researched and I say this as a life long Abba fan (life long as in, from the mid seventies thru now). YES to a video about Chess.
Thank you I was hoping the true fans would still like this! And I think I am going to do Chess. I’m trying to figure out how I’m gonna tackle ir but I look forward to it:)
@@popcornphilosopherFor some reason it was released in the USA in Feb, '83 when Abba had practically disbanded.However it was their 13th no1 in the Eurochart almost 2 years back.
Took time for me to love the album, especially after the super catchy, “Super Trooper”. Now, some forty plus years later, I adore it and it is my favourite Abba LP. Superb writing and production!
I always, always thought of The Visitors as someone having a mental breakdown. I was very disappointed when they said it was a Soviet dissident. I still see it as someone losing their mind!
I think a lot of people feel that way & I was kinda disappointed that it wasn’t about aliens but I like Frida‘s idea that it could be about whatever you want it to be! Btw working on a Voulez vous doc right now! it should be up in the next week
@@popcornphilosopher Voulez-Vous and The Visitors are my fav studio albums. Visitors was newer, harder, but Voulez-Vous had this Wall of Sound feel that made every song a show-stopper. :D
@@popcornphilosopher Oh, no, it's a FANTASTIC album. I would rate it number one with Visitors. "Angeleyes" I will listen to for hours on a loop. One of their best tracks. I used to listen to it when I was about 9 and it made me cry when I thought of this heartless bastard breaking the poor girl's heart!! :D
I really still think that the genesis of it (particularly the opening verse) could have been inspired by Agnetta's struggles with social anxiety, something that Bjorn would have been extremely familiar with. As he wrote it, he could well have taken the story into a more political theme, leaving the original premise in the words. It doesn't have to be black and white. And frankly, the classy thing to do would be to double-down on the political read rather than say to the press "yes it's about my ex-wife's mental illness" which would be unnecessary and crass.
Interesting. One thing: I had heard from multiple sources that although there was conflict between Agnetha and Frida towards the end of ABBA's original run, as there was between all of the members, Agnetha and Frida were actually good friends.
Someone said that Frida said that Agnetha is like a sister. Which I think it’s probably pretty true and I said sisters fight sometimes but they love each other.
@@popcornphilosopher It's during a recent BBC interview when Frida talked about how magical it was to be back in the studio with her "little sister." When the clip was played back to Agnetha, you could hear how moved she was by the comment and called Frida "her dear friend." Both have also mentioned seeing each other on vacation.
Agnetha was never mean spirited but she was pig headed and it was more her that was hell bent on the divorce. Despite all of this it showed incredible maturity in the way the divorce, business, and parenthood were handled. The image of Agnetha sobbing in her hotel room during the tour is a bit extreme. For a portion of the tour she had her hockey player boyfriend with her and while in California and Nevada she also had their 2 kids there too. Agnetha for sure is an Aries but I believe her moon is in Cancer and this has kept her grounded and to her occasional detriment quite the homebody. Frida has her moon in Libra which provides the ying and yang and allows her to view stories from many perspectives. Like the fabled scales both her moods and opinions can swing back and forth. At the end of the day it makes her a very forgiving person because it gives her such insight in what other people are feeling. Along with Agnetha’s common sense approach it means that any falling out the 2 girls experienced would be short lived and easily forgotten. As for The Visitors album……I always felt it was a bit off the mark. Im convinced that the girls recorded much of their parts alone….look at it. Not a single song is entirely in unison. They all involve solo verses, if not the song in its entirety. They felling of connectedness between the 2 girls is missing from this album. There’s no Dancing Queen, Angeleyes, On and On and On, Mamma Mia, Take a Chance on Me, Waterloo……none of those 3 rd voice masterpieces. To me this evokes even greater sadness than the song lyrics. I do agree that Frida shines in this album but when Agnetha sang about her divorce in the previous albums “Winner Takes it All” she wailed and moaned. She chewed up the scenery and held nothing back. Her anger and pain were like vomit on the studio floor. I understand it when she says it was cathartic. Frida’s When All is Said and Done is lovely, but she doesn’t cough up her bitter pill of anguish. It’s like she spit it out and put it in a little tin that she could keep with her for another time. She puts on her big girl panties and sings in a robotic voice and somehow distances herself from the situation. She rises above the dirty alleys of divorce-town but she doesn’t transcend and I always thought that this was a lost opportunity and instead of cheering for her bravery I rather pitied her sensibility. In the end she does get her swan song with Like and Angel……most people only see sadness in this song. Alone…..somber…..reflective……I don’t find this to be mournful at all. I find this offering great comfort. Frida witnesses and accepts the ghosts in the room. We will always have demons and we will always have angels. Sometimes the demon will piss in our parade. And sometimes when we need it the most we will feel the comforting hand of an Angel on our shoulder telling us there’s more than one dimension. Time and life exist in many layers. Like motes of dust than only appear in the beam of light that pierces the darkness we are both big and small. Our journeys are unique but the paths we walk are well worn. The baggage we carry may bend our shoulder but it also provides the blankets we wrap ourselves in to make it through the cold nights. And that brings hope. That’s what I walk away with as this albums ends. Hope. And 39 years later that hope was rewarded. Amen, ABBA.
I actually wasn’t saying it was only about the divorce. From the research, it was oft reported also about how grueling the tour was and how she didn’t feel as close to the rest of the band members anymore. But really, it’s probably subjective.
I dont know about the 2 girls personally i just adore Agnehta .All i need to know is Agnetha is gorgeous and her voice sweet . We all have faults her face had none LOL
@@popcornphilosopher my friend you report and present with class and its fun none of us know theses people personally . I just know Agnetha is gorgeous like a fine work of art nothing can change that . When I meet my maker im doomed for all my wrong doings but the way Agnethas eyes are formed shaped and her perfect shape well nice work by the Gods ! I appreciate her beauty and her vocal in SOS well when she says "I wish I understood" i am reduced to my component parts and cant function ! Your videos are great
Outstanding visions Otisblack3921. I am not surprised you have those, considering what ABBA's music can conjure, but is not common to find them. A great find, indeed. Thank you for sharing. I might get more inspired to share some about this album, given how well our Popcorn Philosopher has summoned us here...
Oh honey, I was absolutely not trying to be critical of you or your observations….they actually inspired me to make my post. Well done, you! It was also rather astute of you to to navigate us to the headspace the member were occupying in the months preceding the onset of these recordings…..the pushing and pulling that must have been passively unsettling yet aggressively mundane. No wonder Bjorn leaned toward a more provocative subject matter in his storytelling @@popcornphilosopher
I love it too! I actually just posted a new reaction to the bonus track ABBA REACTION- Shoulda been on THE VISITORS? ua-cam.com/video/mjHUyIsai9Y/v-deo.html
This album always sacred me when it came out especially the title track and those scary lyrics of terror. Recently now I’ve rediscovered the album and absolutely love many of the songs and now understand the lyrics of so many of the songs which express so perfectly the emotion of breakup, bitterness, forgiveness.
Loved your video.. I must admit also after Super Trouper album full of commercial songs, The Visitors for me is still missing something, that commercial sound Abba were known for. Why Should I Laugh Or Cry was left off the album in place of Two For The Price Of One still baffles me..
*should l laugh or cry* had been a much better choice for the album. *should l laugh or cry* is generally a much better song than the slighty stupid and rather boring *two for the price of one* and would have fitted much better to mood and of the album.
Very interesting remarks and ideas you share Popcorn Philosopher. The alien double entendre was almost obvious for a conscious ABBA listener at the time... Perhaps it requires a bit extra to be had. It is something not so far out when one considers some of Bjorn Ulvaeus at the time variously shared influences; Richard Bach's "Jonathan Livingstone Seagull" inspiring "Eagle", his own words on "Move On" and his concordance with Alvin's Toffler prescient book "The Third Wave". All expanding and dimension exploratory readings/texts (very relevant in my own growing process, if I may share). And so the sometimes alluded connection of an "Angel passing" and "The visitors' not so unexpected" as external forces presenting themselves is so fitting with the actual music and the album's forming concept, once one considers elements like some of those this video shares with us listeners. Furthermore, Bjorn's as the lyricist, threading his own thoughts, feelings and experiences, together with what he senses the other ABBA members were feeling and living, plus his catch of the times and society truly becomes center in this album. I was utterly surprised, later on, seeing him speaking Spanish with a presenter on TV, around the same time of this album. His command of the language there is more proper of a native speaker than of a person miming a few words, while he kept his smile! His confident one. His talent with language, his sweet & slightly naughty grin, I haven't seen something like that before and he has done such conscious language tricks with us all along, one could discover later, even now decades past! No wonder, since he has lay upon us bare direct messages and we audiences and media have not realized, less acknowledged or commented some rather obvious meanings in ABBA's lyrics. From that in your face mixture of mocking and! celebratory experience of the frat, macho spirit on "King Kong Song", the psychological commentary of "Dum Dum Diddle",(to name songs lyrics that were often derided by critics aannd fans) up to the - so close it bites - hidden meaning, nobody seems to catch yet, of... (I confess, it took me too long also to realize) of "Two for the price of One". Now in retrospect, no wonder Bjorn threw that onto us; unsuspecting listeners and he has kept his smile to himself, until now. Yes, laying it bare; you get the girl AND her mother, most always in a relationship! In our country we have a saying; "when you are a boy and meet a girl, look at her mother". She will be like her in many respects ...sometimes not so later in time. Plus, at many occasions her mother will certainly be present in your life. Some would not know if to laugh or cry when they assume this. That song end fanfare gets full sense with such second level interpretations, as all the work the group placed with its harmonies and it all that was placed in it, on top of a lyric a bit more nuanced that the bare little joke presented in the lyrics. Like that, there are many passing angles to this album, as such and as a step in their inspiring path on the special changing times they take part. Will be attentive. Cheers
Yeah, a lot of people corrected me about the alien interpretation. But I’m pretty sure that he meant the double meaning! I heard a little bit of Eagle and really liked it so I’m really excited to hear that track when it comes up on my reactions. That’s interesting to hear about him speaking Spanish in and his command of a lot of different types of languages which maybe why their music is so beloved round the world. I hadn’t heard some of the other tracks you mentioned like king Kong in Dum Dum diddle. ! One great thing about Abba is that I have no shortage of material to react to! I’m so glad you enjoyed the video. And thank you for the interesting info. Cheers to you too!
@@popcornphilosopher Extra nice to communicate with you, more so since your videos are uniquely superb already. And let's add a "Visitors" meaning as it appeared at many (UK at least, at that time) large scoreboards on weekends to name those outsider teams in sports games: Visitors 00 vs Home 00 ABBA had been visitors since their start (being not English native, coming from a remote and few populated country). So that word might hold a charge in that sense as well for them, as for certain also had certain flair to those attending stadiums and playfields either locals, or ... ☺Everytime the game is on again, which is life itself. In this angle The Visitors became a subtle way to call an album by naming (or signaling, probably better said) themselves again.
Hello Popcorn, I’m really enjoying your reac-umentaries! Around the time of the release of ABBA’s *The Visitors* I was extremely busy studying music theory. I remember one critic saying that ‘I Let The Music Speak’ is like ‘Thank You For The Music’ - with a degree (LOL). The first time I heard ‘When All Is Said And Done,’ I could tell it was a digital recording. I agree with you that the title track ‘The Visitors’ sounds warmer, as it was originally processed through a modified 32-input Harrison 3232-C analogue audio mixing console. It was considered future-proof 🔮🔮 according to producer Giorgio Moroder, who used that same desk to record Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’ in 1976 at Musicland in Munich. In the late 1970s, Polar and Musicland were THE two most state-of-the-art recording studios in the world. And one more thing, I am a Scorpio too... 🔦📙🔍🎧♏
Hey fellow Scorpio! Ihad no idea the same desk was used on I feel love one of my favorite dance songs of all time! I’m a big Giorgio Moroder fan. Someday I’d like to do something on him. Well, now that makes sense that Frida and Agnetha did their 80’s solo album there. Instead of going elsewhere. Not to mention why the visitors and the 80s tracks sounded so good!
That’s coming up in a reaction actually ! I have an ABBA playlist by the way if you haven’t seen it ua-cam.com/play/PLVaDWMlhe6SFje2D8LnNORUEyB2p0-VZ_.html&si=SoIiNo8zHKXnNSLm
Well done! It was nice watching this. But I should note that you overstate the importance of analog/digital tape recorders. There are far more factors that shape the sound. The equipment, like microphones, pre-amps, the mixing desk, the equalizers, and even the acoustics of the studio, are just as crucial. You can make "warm" sounding recordings even on a digital tape recorder. Those early digital reel-to-reel recorders were, AFAIK, highly regarded for their sound (the same could not be said for ADAT, however, which came later).
I didn’t actually mean only that. I talk about it more when I reacted to the album. I discussed a lot of this. I just thought it was interesting that it was the first album recorded digitally and that it was “too clean” was already being discussed when making digital warmer is still discussed even today
Are you referring to the visitors? That is one of the theories I read about. well I read about it possibly being about mental health. Well, it would make sense that they might not want to talk about it in Interviews for instance
Visitors is political, there is interview with Bjorn where he confirms that and it's also stated in a biographical book of ABBA by Carl Magnus Palm - it is about socialism and moment of petrified waiting of a person , in their apartment for a cops to show up an arrest them as political prisoners.
I appreciate the work and creativity you put into these videos! Please do more a couple more ABBA album reactions. I suggest "The Album" then "Voulez-vous"
The Visitors song (and album) was released at a time when the US was in a cold war against Russia. That's how a bunch of us reacted at the time it was released. Because why? Chess the musical about a Russian chessmaster and the Cold War was made just after The Visitors was released.
huh?? No. There is zero melodic or structural semblance to any of those. There are intentional instrumental references to Dancing Queen and If It Wasn't For the Nights but DSMD is not a direct "combination" of any ABBA songs. It's entirely unique.
Are you gonna do a tribute to Robert Palmer ? . ITs his 20th Anniversary this month, on the 26th. A lot of channels are reacting to him lately Because of the Anniversary .
In the song Two For The Price Of One, The original lyrics differ from what was actually released. He called the number and a voice said, "Alice Whiting", The voice was husky and it sounded quite exciting - Originally it was He called the number and a voice said, "Alice Lexie", The voice was husky and it sounded quite sexy. But was changed as was thought to be too risque for their image
POPCORN PHILOSOPHER: The most interesting time for me as it pertains to ABBA, (me, now being a 62 year old man, here in 2024) was their 1981 concept-album "THE VISITORS"; it was a radical, unexpected change, from the glamorous Pop Scene, to a much more Adult Contemporary sound. When I saw the album cover of "THE VISITORS", I was almost stunned! The setting was this Massive Mansion Museum with books and artifacts from floor to ceiling. Their clothing was so 'early 1980s'. Long, long gone were the silky, shiny disco jumpsuits. From what I have read, Anni-Frida & Agnetha were in self-purchased, classic outfits. Benny & Bjorn were in muted-colored, woven sport jackets and those very in-style, skinny-type neck ties, which they verily wore on the music videos & the "LIVE" STV Promotional Concert Footage they videotaped, to further promote the new album. A HUGE & unexpected change was at hand for ABBA...until nearly 40 years later, with "VOYAGE"; a "brand new" change. I had recently started my lifelong career as a radio broadcaster by 1981 & when I put on the turntable the 2nd single released from the LP here in the U.S.: "When All Is Said & Done", I nearly JUMPED OUT OF MY SEAT, when I heard a processing effect...what we call in the recording business... "Gated Reverb", on ABBA's long time drummer Ola Brunkert's snare drum! That sound was INSTANTLY AMAZING & MIND-BLOWING TO ME...!!! (I guess one needs to be somewhat of an audio engineering 'guru/aficionado', to know what exactly what "Gated Reverb" is, and the kind of equipment that is used, in the CORRECT AUDIO-CHAIN, to create it.) But that sound, from his drum kit, BLEW ME AWAY!!! Benny had NEVER used that EFFECT on previous albums, on Ola's snare drum. And, YOU ARE SO VERY CORRECT, in that "THE VISITORS", was indeed one of Europe's FIRST "nearly" full digital recordings to be made, by the incredible, talented engineer, Michael Tretow, at POLAR Studios, Sweden. (PRAISE to your research, in noting that it is more than likely that Benny & Michael used Universal Audio's [AUD] Cooper Time Cube on some of the vocal processing! A GREAT CATCH there!) It was a WHOLE BRAND NEW ERA of "ABBA" to me, at that very specific space & time, in my life. Seeing them now, in "A.I." form, ("VOYAGE"), to keep the "ABBA SPIRIT" alive...well...from what I understand, it's a very good, exceptionally well produced, extremely profitable venue...much like The Beatles "LOVE" at The Mirage Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA...this keeps us "old farts" still in tune with their legacies and introduces young people to their huge, massive, vast catalog. BUT...for some reason, I just can't get past 1981; that incredible year in music, out of my mind, heart & spirit...I try; just unable to. ABBA: "The Visitors" ua-cam.com/video/T_xFpjlrF38/v-deo.htmlsi=EYXBCvc4G7D_0jO5 Thank you "Popcorn Philosopher"; I believe YOU'RE ONE OF THE VERY FIRST to perform a true "DEEP-DIVE" here in the land of You Tube; to take a real, up close look, at the incredible, "THE VISITORS" project...from ABBA. *BolsaChicaRadio* Radio Broadcaster Audio Mixdown Engineer Sound Reinforcement Technician Los Angeles, CA, USA 1979-2019 (retired)
@@popcornphilosopher You must know that some Agnetha fanatics are going straight to the barricades when someone mentions her weaknesses. In their eyes she has no weaknesses and if you mention them nonetheless, then you are an Agnetha hater though you said the truth. On the contrary they believe everything that's written about Frida, even the lies. It's sad but one can't change these people anymore.
@@Lisa-M What kind of childish nonsense is that? :D We don't belive the tabloid style press at all, regarding any ABBA member... Nor all these "documentaries" from people that don't even know their real names, or speak their language. I only listen to what they actually say themselves, in Swedish. Or people that worked with them.
@@herrbonk3635 I said 'some Agnetha fanatics' and not 'all Agnetha fans' so why do you feel addressed? It's no childish nonsense. Believe it or not but these kind of Agnetha freaks exist. Ask TheFridaFan what she was accused of when she mentioned in one of her videos that Agnetha had a relationship with her stalker which is just the truth. Or just watch the videos of the I Do x5 performance where Frida nudges Agnetha with her elbow. Read the comments of the Agnetha fanatics who assert still today that Frida did that with bad intentions because she was jealous of her. It doesn't interest them that it was just acting for the show. And that's just two examples. There are a lot more.
Oh my gosh, I’m soooooo glad l found your channel, I have loved Abba and Kate Bush since I was 11 and 12 years old! They’ve been my inspiration and solace for decades. This is bliss, the number of videos I now have ready to watch is just AWESOME! Thank you for being so fair and real, and talking about the girls equally, which too few people do. Recently Frida spoke of Agnetha as “her little sister”, and I think that’s right, sisters are just like this. PS loved the photo where they swapped the girls’ faces😝
I know that photo made me laugh! Yes, sisters might fight, but they also love each other. you do have a lots of Kate bush videos for sure! We’re in the middle of a Never for Ever deep dive. Thank you and welcome!
Agneta is pronounced with a “common” G, a common N [not ñ like in Spanish] and an E like in _hey_ but twice as long. Listen how Mikael Tretow [their sound engineer] is pronouncing her name.
I know I have such a hard time with it. Although this video Agnetha did say the Spanish pronunciation is OK ua-cam.com/video/5HJmW8EY8m0/v-deo.htmlsi=uilgq0LrE53ocKBu although it’s old, so maybe she doesn’t feel that way anymore lol
You are correct that gn in Agnetha shall not be pronounced in Swedish like in Italian (like a Spanish ñ), but it shall actually not be pronounced with a common g either although that is better than the ñ.
who in their right mind could leave the prettiest women in the world Agnetha . She is so gorgeous I cant put it into words . If I was her husband for one day I would be happy lucky Bjorn Agnethas face look at it its perfection AND your awesome too ! Real content no fluff knowledgable and entertaining ! Great work popcorn ! ohhh Tell me something good chaka ! Great great song !
Agnetha was the main one who wanted to split. Björn worked hard to make it work but as he put it, "it was the combo of 2 egocentrics". It just didn't work. "The Winner Takes It All" was written more from Björn's perspective.
I think those quotes where Agnetha talks about Lena are dubious. Where did they come from? I don’t think Agnetha has ever been that indiscreet. She’s too classy for that. Nice summing up of The Visitors, btw. Also, the comments about her “falling out” with Frida. Don’t buy that she said that.
It was from an interview she did in Prive magazine in 1981. I guess I don’t look at it as not classy, though. I think it’s great if she was honest. Because relationships are complicated and breaking up a marriage is tough,for anybody. More than likely she doesn’t feel like that anymore because time changes how people see things. I was just trying to report on what was going on then that inspired the music.
@@popcornphilosopher It's disarmingly honest.Those words were also featured in my copy of 'Abba in their own words' book compiled by Rosemary Yorke published by Omnibus 1981.
Honest Words of a woman that felt shattered deep inside,no matter if their divorce was a conscious decision of both sides.'You can't live with someone for 8 years and feel as if nothing had happened' i kinda recall her also saying this.
@@alexioverdo5225 oh, that’s cool that it was also in a book! I agree I do think it’s disarmingly honest! Now I kind of wish I put the full quote in because I think it says a lot of where she was at that time.
@@popcornphilosopher btw Chapter about it in the book was titled 'Divorce" if i remember well.Other chapters were 'Abba and The Money" and 'Abba and The Fans".All words compiled are self told.No fakery,reporter's rumours or speculations.Just them in their own words..
Just got into this channel, and I must thank the host for this interesting analysis of what for many critics, was Abba’s best Album. Maybe is not the best on my personal opinion but every time I hear this album, it leaves me thinking and melancholic however it shows how professional and talented the 4 of them are. More when their previous albums always transmitted happiness, of course with master quality but this one was very ‘dark’, let’s say.
Thank you I am so glad you enjoyed it! If you didn’t see it I recently posted The Visitors BONUS TRACKS mini doc ua-cam.com/video/i0rje39diCk/v-deo.html
You mentioned something going on. Did you know that Agnatha also had a song called I can’t break loose around the same time, written by the same songwriter?
Oh interesting I didn’t know that I am dying to hear it! That’s one of my favorite 80s songs. Were they both friendly with the songwriter or something?
Thank you... I'm just so very glad y'all liked it! I don't know if you like carpenters.... I have a new reaction coming out in an hour and another mini doc tomorrow.
![Abba’s CHAOTIC Era-The MAKING of “Voulez Vous” [Documentary]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/g4mVGwGIGmw/mqdefault.jpg)
Wow, I just want to thank everyone I am so glad so many liked this video! I just did another mini documentary on the song Solitaire by CARPENTERS ua-cam.com/video/E3rE9KgQVDo/v-deo.html
I worked equally as hard on and I think you might like it
Thanks for this ode to one of ABBA's greatest albums, and definitely the most experimental and innovative. The title track and When All Is Said and Done are masterpieces. Frida, at the time devastated and heartbroken, shines on this album.
Thank you so much I greatly appreciate that! Sometimes tragedy makes great art! I always say if it makes a good song it might all be worth it;)
Gosh i feel so proud that there's also a place for Abba in newer Gens music faves.I come from an era where my Gen sometimes got treated savagely for loving Abba especially by some part of the music press that had dismissed them for being a forgettable commercial crap.(UK/Swedish/USA).Abba were 'convicted' and had to apologize for being what they honestly were.A Pure pop music band.(What a crime?)I'm so glad they/we now have the last laugh.
Yeah, I’m really glad that pop music is so much more respected today. As long as it’s emotionally true i think all kinds of music are valid! Long live Abba!
what a good job you did,
my congratulations
After having listened to and reacted to the entire album, you now gave ABBA and each song context in your research.
I hope you continue with another album, it would be fabulous if you did it with the first one, "Ring Ring" (1973) precisely because it is the opposite of "The Visitors" in every sense.
I leave you a big greeting from the distance of
Buenos Aires Argentina
in South America
Thank you so much I was a little nervous because I know people are long time fans of ABBA. I wanted to do the music justice! Hadn’t thought about that. I was going to go backwards. I haven’t heard a lot about ring ring. I like that it’s the opposite tough. I’ll definitely keep it in mind!
Hey Eduardo don't think she's gotta meet 'Bobby's brother?The level of this video reminded me of him.
@@alexioverdo5225
Yes, dear friend, I agree.
for theirs youth, for the love they put into ABBA's music and for the fantastic production in their research videos.
let's make arrangements so that they know each other
Maybe a couple has formed, and we act as intercessors hahaha (as we said on a TV program in my country that was for meeting couples)
@@popcornphilosopher
Sorry for the delay in responding Last time I had to leave,
but I wanted to stay until the end of your video and I gave you a small refund, very grateful
Just as the album "The Visitors" approaches the breakup of ABBA,
the album "Ring Ring" is already opposed by the same formation process of ABBA,
even without the certainty of being a stable quartet and without the name yet defined.
and with a decade of difference, a different sound too
The freshness and excitement of "Ring Ring" contrasts
with the rawness and maturity of "The Visitors"
I hope you enter ABBA's Genesis,
there is a lot there so you can make your contribution while you discover it.
As my friend Alexio suggested, there is a "Bobby's Brother" channel,
from a young man who does excellent research on ABBA,
and that you can consult as encouragement and help.
But at the same time it gives you the freedom to make your own path.
I wish you an excellent weekend
best regards from
Buenos Aires, Argentina
South America
My favorite album ever
It is incredible!
You have to keep in mind that this grandiose, complex, dark album was released a mere 5 years after “Dancing Queen.” The amount of growth, maturity and evolution during that period is astonishing.
Yes, the growth kind of reminds me of the Beatles! Legendary! Btw there’s an Abba playlist if you haven’t seen it ua-cam.com/video/lmKLU3yNwS4/v-deo.htmlsi=SC4fn14WS3iD5L4_
Dancing Queen is incredibly catchy, but also has its darker side: the song is from the point of view of an older woman, regretting that her time has now passed.
Iam impressed and surprised by some of Agnetha's confessions that you narrated in part of the intro section!I recall reading them in one of my favest books i had bought in early '80s 'Abba in their own words" that i then lost.I remembered for decades those words of hers! Wow girl!
Yeah, I did a lot of research lol! I went down the rabbit hole. Thank you so much! I appreciate you noticing!
... Fantastic stuff, Io ! .. Great research as always, and it really puts this album and the songs into the context of what was happening in ABBA's lives at the time .. You are just wonderful at this. 🙏❤
Hey there good to hear from you! Thank you so much I was a little nervous. I know how many people love Abba I wanted to get it, right:)
The Visitors lp(1981) is heavily connected by both couple's divorces far more than the 'Super Trouper' album that was preceded in 1980.Agnetha moved away from Bjorn in Dec.'78 and the divorce typically came later on.Then followed Frida's and Benny's seperation about 2 years later.'When all is said and done" had wrapped in a lot of Frida's painful situation while her recording it , as she has said..
When all is said and done, is probably my second favorite song on the album. You can tell it has all that emotion wrapped up in it I really looking forward to hearing the Super Troupers album! I’ll probably check out the bonus tracks first though.
@@popcornphilosopher Oh!Super Trouper is also a fantastic album!Non-dark but also mature and super mellow!
@@alexioverdo5225 I’m super excited for it! The production work on the later Work is especially incredible
@@alexioverdo5225
On Matt Snider's channel, which has already finished making reactions to all the songs from all the ABBA albums, the album Super Trouper is the one with the most accumulated views (followed by Voulez Vous and The Album) and the songs Lay all your love on me and The winner takes it all are the ones that have the most views on their channel
Great work,I like your musical background,but this Foto with Agnetha and here mum is not here mum,it’s Astrid Lindgren .
Björn produced the Musical Pippi with some Benny Songs and Lyrics from Björn .
Oh no really/??? it must’ve been mislabeled. I hate that so much. I wanted to include a picture of her real mother;(
I’ll pin your comment. I want to check out that musical though. Is it Pippi Longstocking?
@@popcornphilosopher Never mind,you did a fantastic job!Even many of us lifelong Abba fans still learn.
Yes Pipip L@@popcornphilosopher
Pippi Longstocking
I highly recommend the interview with Agnetha and Astrid Lindgren the photo was taken for.
Fabulous effort.i would recomend you Bobby's brother channel.This dude developed into an Abba specialist doing self made small Abba docu videos under deep research.You'll love him.
I haven’t watched his videos yet, but I did use one of his clips he filmed the exterior of polar recording studio. I was looking for footage of it. They look very well-made …I look forward to checking them out!
@@popcornphilosopher He is an impressively passionate Abba fan and a 'demonic' investigator of Abba's past active years.A great source of selected, quite valid infos.
Only two songs make me cry. Slipping through my fingers is one of them
I love that song!
This is awesome. Thank you so much for doing this! I was just listening to this album 😊
Ha ha great minds think alike! Thank you for watching!
I remember buying the album in 1981. I was 14, and grew up with the band. I am a Frida fan. The frenetically paced opening track was a departure from Super Trouper. The darkness of the album, coupled with the music press of the time, convinced me this was their swan song. Still, it wasn’t disjointed. These guys were pros. They wanted The Visitors to be a different, yet current album. I Let The Music Speak is a tour de force performance from Frida. It hints at the magic of Chess. Like An Angel Passing Through My Room and Should I Laugh Or Cry were opportunities to let Frida’s lush mezzo soprano shine at last. It’s sad that they waited 40 years to reunite. It’s heartwarming that they got past the hurt to conjure up more magic. I do hope they put out one last album before hanging up their sequins.
After I do the bonus tracks, I’ll be doing super trooper. Very much. Look forward to it. Yes it would be nice if they did, one more album! Although I’ve just started on my Abba journey. I have a lot to listen to:)
@17:29 Yes, I would like to see a reaction to the album "Chess" (1984) - I have never seen anyone doing it.
It's an effing great album ("Anthem", "One Night in Bangkok", "Nobody's Side", "Pity the Child", and "Endgame" are awesome), and it's probably the next step in ABBA's music evolution, at least sonically, since Tim Rice wrote most of the lyrics.
There is also a documentary about the recording of "Chess" on UA-cam.✌
I was really hoping people would want that. I’m so curious about it. I heard there was another musical too called Pippi? But I don’t know the details about it. Thanks for the info about the documentary too!
I second that, but please make sure you listen to the original concept album from 1984, not the Broadway cast recording from 1988.
@@popcornphilosopherPippi is their most recent musical, though it was mainly made by Björn with some music by Benny and others. Their other big musical collaboration after Chess would be Kristina från Duvemåla.
I have videos made secretly from this 3,5 h musical ,fantastic show @@JF-sh2sm
Original cast please ,the double CD ,One night in Bankok 7/8 at the beginning @@popcornphilosopher
Two for the price of one is actually a very interesting song because it is based on the novelty that we used to do as kids call rounds where you would sing one lyric and another person sing another and it would be an interesting blend. That’s I believe the first time ABBA attempted that. And I just love the fact they go up an octave during the chorus.
I like your attention to detail! I love noticing things like that. I don’t know if you saw it but I’ve done quite a few ABBA videos there’s a playlist:ABBA Album PARTY!
ua-cam.com/play/PLVaDWMlhe6SFje2D8LnNORUEyB2p0-VZ_.html
Excellent video, thank you!
This is my favorite ABBA album. I like it so much precisely *because* it is so dark and has this eerie undertone.
If I had to choose so far, this is been my favorite too! I have an ABBA playlist if you haven’t seen it btw ABBA Album PARTY!
ua-cam.com/play/PLVaDWMlhe6SFje2D8LnNORUEyB2p0-VZ_.html
The version of LAAPTMR when just benny playing and frida alone in the room, putting together a song that totals up thier marriage breakup, hits me hard. Pure sadness and a gloomy emptiness
Yes, please do Chess. Love your channel xx
On it! I’m definitely doing something for chess!
Bjorn's lyrical genius will never be replaced by AI
So glad I got to see them on their 79 US tour! I brought Agnetha and Frida flowers and handed them to them on stage!
Thank you for a professionally done documentary.
Wow, thank you so much!
Its not Agnetha's Mother, but its Astrid Lindgren at 20:45!
Please please pleeeeease do other abba albums in videos like this. I need in depth dives on them
I’m actually working on one right now it should come out in a week or so!
Can you please do similar docus about the other ABBA albums ?
Yes, I definitely plan on it. After I do the bonus tracks from this album, I’ll do super trooper next:)
@@popcornphilosopher Great news regarding Super Trouper ( meaning Giant Spot Lights) , ABBA’s own favorite album.
'One of us' has finally kinda found its happy ending sequel in their 2021 release 'Don't Shut me down'.
Really!?! I’m excited to hear it!
@@popcornphilosopher when this came out in Sept'21 via live streaming it was a sacred moment.We cried our eyes out that afternoon,worldwide.
I am excited to watch you hear it!
@@popcornphilosopher Yeah!Official video is a lyric one.But 'I still have faith in you' has an impactful proper one Both new songs are an unbelevable unexpected gift to Abba fans.
@@robertschatz7781 YEAH!
Terrific!
Aww Thank you!
Wow! Chanced upon this by accident! What a refreshing, informative insight by someone who is clearly an ABBA fan, and who has done her research. Well done, missy! (No sexism in tended!)
Thank you I’m glad you enjoyed it! I am a newer Abba fan but have greatly enjoyed the journey so far. I have an Abba playlist and made another on Voulez vous if you haven’t seen it ua-cam.com/video/g4mVGwGIGmw/v-deo.htmlsi=yPP6-wJwgEl77hSO
Respectfully, I would like to correct your take on the harmony part of 'slipping through my fingers '. It was not Agnetha's and Agnetha's voice, it was Agnetha's and Frida's. You could verify this fact when you watch their great live performance of this song in TV's Dick Clavet Meets ABBA ❤👍😍
In the fab Cavet live version 1981 it's that 'fox' Frida that perfectly 'impersonates' her 'lil sisters' voice in the 'sleep in our eyes,her and me at the breakfast table".
Oh, maybe I wasn’t clear. I didn’t mean she was the only one doing the background vocals. . I found it in an Abba book that she put on the child voice to harmonize with herself
There’s so many clips I’m gonna need to see! Haha
Frida is mixed more in the background @@alexioverdo5225
Well, my comment was NOT directed to the whole song as I agree there's a lot of remixing and redoubling of voices (ABBA's exquisite trademark), which in this song, was clearly Agnetha's.
My actual comments was directed to the short clip of 'slipping through my fingers' which you showed in your clip above, which CLEARLY showcased the great harmonies between Agnetha and Frida (the mashing up of Agnetha's soprano and Frida's metzo was very very distinct here).
However, I later realised that you were also right because you were not referring to the hormonization, but rather the redoubling of Agnetha's voice, which was true 😊❤.
I'm enjoying your reaction though.
Another thing is, as Agnetha and Frida have consistently denied any rifts ever existed between them, preferring to refer the scenario as being competitive and supportive at the same time, plus the fact that they are now well into their 70's and have recently regroup to produce their latest album Voyage, I'm not that keen to listen to any scrutiny of their relationship. As Frida referring her reunion with Agnetha as 'having fun with my little sister ' in an interview late last year, and Agnetha referring Frida as 'ohh my dear friend ' in her recent interview when relaunching her solo single, I humbly feel that fans should leave the matter as it is❤
Not sure if anyone has mentioned that around the time this album was recorded there was a bit of tension between Sweden and The USSR. Russian submarines were spying on Swedish naval bases in the Baltic Sea with Sweden sending depth charges in the water to try and deter the Russian subs from getting too close. One Russian sub grounded itself on Swedish territory. Also, Poland was trying to free itself from the USSR. Maybe these were the inspiration behind Bjorn’s lyrics for title track
I think I might’ve mentioned it in this video but maybe it was a different video. There’s a ABBA playlist if you haven’t seen it.ABBA Album PARTY!
ua-cam.com/play/PLVaDWMlhe6SFje2D8LnNORUEyB2p0-VZ_.html
Thanks for the docu! But I discovered a mistake- it’s not Agnetha’s mother on the picture at 20:50- that’s actually Agnetha with Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren!
yeah, I I actually pinned the comment at one point. Unfortunately, the picture was mislabeled. I really wanted to post a picture of Agnetha’s mother!
Thumbnail is so pro!
Wow, thank you. I tried several different ones before I came up with that one:)
I so enjoyed this, great job ! .....you certainly did your homework, lots of gold nuggets here this lifelong Abba fan never knew. Speaking of CHESS the hit song One Night In Bangkok would have easily fit on The Visitors album . I like your artsy media effects !
Hey there good to hear from you ...thank you! I l usually do go down the rabbit hole. And I was hoping my curiosity would unearth a few things even big fans might not know ! So your comment really made my day:)
This is a really well done documentary. I’m a film editor and I’m impressed on how much work you did researching and compiling to create what is a deep yet very fun editorial on the visitors.
The visitors track was always played in gay clubs in London and was extended, as soon as it came on we were up and dancing
It totally would’ve got me up and dancing too! Sounds like fun times!
Love your creative approach and the genuineness of it all.. being inspired means being alive 🙂
Thank you so much I apreciate thar....I think it's probably my favorite I've made. And I agree whole heartedly being inspired!
(New Sub)
Great video... again!, Congratulations 👌
ABBA is wonderful 😍😍😍😍
Please more 🙏
Love ❤️ from Chile 🇨🇱😘👍
Thank you so much! There will be more! The bonus tracks are next. Wow Chile!
I think She's got to 'meet' Bobby's brother!
This video gives me fairy-tale vibes. I am a grown-up man taken in a dreamy world by you.
I love that! That’s maybe one of the best compliments ever!
good work!
Thank you so much!
I like your video👍. I’ve been a fan since the 70s. I bought all the vinyl albums and still have them! I went to see Voyage recently, it was incredible!👍
Thank you. That’s so cool, I’m dying to see Voyage. Bet it was incredible!
The Visitors was a great album but certainly not their best for me. I preferred Voulez Vous and Super Trouper.
Can’t wait to hear them!
It is a miracle this album was ever made,but due to the pair resilence and dedication it was made
Brilliant - Thank you, yours is a spot-on commentary for me + your take on the bookended Visitors & Angel songs is just so obvious and true! ❤ Looking forward to more of your video commentaries.
I’m so glad you enjoyed both videos! These are my favorite kind of videos to make so that means a lot to me!
This is so well done
Thank you I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for your docummentary, I bought this album back in 1981, I remember that I found the Atlantic version in my country, on my way home, I was so happy because I felt that I was the only one who owned that ABBA album in the whole country. For me The Visitors was a song about an alien invasion, I imagine some of them coming to get people who were hidden in a basement or something, it was one from my favorite tracks from the album as well as I let the music speak, that song sounds sort of a Phantom of the Opera track, it's misterious and profound in so many levels. I always enjoyed The Visitors album and still do. Later I had to buy my country's version because it had the spanish version of Slipping through my fongers and When all is said and done, another favorite by the way. Sorry for the long story but my final point is that The Visitors album is a gem.
Thank you! Yeah I know the official meeting for the visitors is sort of political but I totally think they meant the double meaning of aliens! And thanks for sharing the story I love hearing people’s connection at the time!
Fun video. But . . . . "Two for the Price of One" isn't literally about a threesome lol. If you have a dated anyone who's mother is their best friend and 100% involved in their life every waking moment -- and sometimes in the middle of the night -- one gets a better picture of what's going on this song.
Hmm. Interesting I’m not sure what you mean
@@popcornphilosopher Two for the Price of One is tongue and cheek, not literal. It's talking of a situation where a mother is going to be coming in between the man and a woman - they will never have intimacy since the mother will always be in between them. It was common in pop culture at the time for one's mother in law to be portrayed as a character of conflict -- an obstacle to happiness. A salesman would lie and sell this situation as "Two for the Price of One", That "marching band" style music at the end of the song represents the laughter following f the joke. About as far away from a threesome as one could get lol.
Calm down. The lyric is about a guy who THINKS he is going to have a threesome and learns at the end that the girl is referring to being a package deal with her mother. So it is indeed about a threesome in a way.
What an excellent video! Every time I went to type a comment correcting something you’d said, your next sentence would be what I was going to correct. So well researched. And YES to reacting to CHESS. The original 1984 concept album is just amazing. It’s almost pure ABBA but without Agnetha and Frida.
Thank you I really wanted this to be a love letter to my new discovery of this album that I enjoyed so much! I was a little nervous I wasn’t going to get it, right. I’m super curious about Chess! It’s right up my alley. I love musicals.
@@popcornphilosopher the good thing about the original chess concept album is that it was recorded at Polar using all of the usual ABBA session musicians and was engineered by Michael Tretow. You’ll recognise the sound immediately. It’s never quite as good on subsequent stage versions and with cast/live albums
@@discogareth yeah, I saw that there was even a new one as well! I’ll definitely remember to listen to the original concept album although it might be kind of fun to listen to maybe the best track and compare all three.
Thank you, I never understood why in the second verse of Slipping Through My Fingers Agnetha makes the harmonies to herself and I didn't like it. Now, forty years later, I know the reason and all has a different meaning. Thank you again!
Oh I love that! I wondered the same thing when I reacted to it. Im glad I could reveal the mystery! Thanks for watching:)
would like for you to react to "chess", the original cast recording :)
I really want to do this!
regarding 'Like an angel passing through my room' - listen to the additional versions of it that was released on the extended album and you will hear the many variations that were created before eventually deciding on the released version
Yeah, I think I put one of the versions and hit this video. I felt like the Madonna version was a cross between that version and the recorded version.
This is really good work regarding my absolute favorite pop album.
You presented some details I have never heard before.
TAK ❤
I was hoping to find a few things that even longtime fans might not know. So that makes me very happy. Thank you.:)
I bought this album in 1981. I had a part time job and was able to afford albums instead of singles. I was always an ABBA and but this is the only ABBA album I owned. I loved all the songs and listened to it many times. It still remains a favorite and I have multiple copies. It says it's digital on the album. This was just before CDs. It was considered cool, I guess.
I have a couple artists owned their last album too. It’s always an interesting way of knowing an artist. Oh and yeah they made that distinction when I researched it. It was the first album to be recorded digitally, but it was not the first CD.
Fantastic, insightful review - thank you! 😊
I completely agree with you regarding Björn’s vocals on TFTPOO.
Right! Totally works with the song. Actually, that song really grew on me too
totally love this! VERY well researched and I say this as a life long Abba fan (life long as in, from the mid seventies thru now). YES to a video about Chess.
Thank you I was hoping the true fans would still like this! And I think I am going to do Chess. I’m trying to figure out how I’m gonna tackle ir but I look forward to it:)
My favourite ABBA album !
Mine too! Although I’ve only heard one so far…
In the United States "When All Is Said and Done" was the first single from this album.
Yeah that’s what I read! I think I might even included that but I’m not sure if I edited it out
Impressive documentar.BEAUTIFUL video.
That’s so kind. Thank you.!
Both benny and bjorn have a habbit of already having their new loves already broken in before they end relationships
One of us made the Billboard babbling under chart 101 to 110
Interesting!
@@popcornphilosopherFor some reason it was released in the USA in Feb, '83 when Abba had practically disbanded.However it was their 13th no1 in the Eurochart almost 2 years back.
Took time for me to love the album, especially after the super catchy, “Super Trooper”. Now, some forty plus years later, I adore it and it is my favourite Abba LP. Superb writing and production!
I really look forward to super trooper that will be coming after I do the bonus tracks! But I can’t imagine it being better than this album!
I always, always thought of The Visitors as someone having a mental breakdown. I was very disappointed when they said it was a Soviet dissident. I still see it as someone losing their mind!
I think a lot of people feel that way & I was kinda disappointed that it wasn’t about aliens but I like Frida‘s idea that it could be about whatever you want it to be! Btw working on a Voulez vous doc right now! it should be up in the next week
@@popcornphilosopher Voulez-Vous and The Visitors are my fav studio albums. Visitors was newer, harder, but Voulez-Vous had this Wall of Sound feel that made every song a show-stopper. :D
@@CathyKitson oh nice I picked the right album then! I feel like it’s an underrated album.
@@popcornphilosopher Oh, no, it's a FANTASTIC album. I would rate it number one with Visitors. "Angeleyes" I will listen to for hours on a loop. One of their best tracks. I used to listen to it when I was about 9 and it made me cry when I thought of this heartless bastard breaking the poor girl's heart!! :D
I really still think that the genesis of it (particularly the opening verse) could have been inspired by Agnetta's struggles with social anxiety, something that Bjorn would have been extremely familiar with. As he wrote it, he could well have taken the story into a more political theme, leaving the original premise in the words. It doesn't have to be black and white. And frankly, the classy thing to do would be to double-down on the political read rather than say to the press "yes it's about my ex-wife's mental illness" which would be unnecessary and crass.
Kudos for your insite into the Visitors Album. It's about time the Visitors was given credit for. I really enjoyed Agnetha & Frida's comments🎉😢
I agree such a great album! I really enjoyed finding out about it. Thank you. I’m glad you liked it.:)
Interesting. One thing: I had heard from multiple sources that although there was conflict between Agnetha and Frida towards the end of ABBA's original run, as there was between all of the members, Agnetha and Frida were actually good friends.
Someone said that Frida said that Agnetha is like a sister. Which I think it’s probably pretty true and I said sisters fight sometimes but they love each other.
@@popcornphilosopher It's during a recent BBC interview when Frida talked about how magical it was to be back in the studio with her "little sister." When the clip was played back to Agnetha, you could hear how moved she was by the comment and called Frida "her dear friend." Both have also mentioned seeing each other on vacation.
Te olvidaste de Frida y Benny. Agnetha no sólo ella es ABBA.
You probably didn’t watch the whole video. I have interviews from Frida and Benny in the video
Agnetha was never mean spirited but she was pig headed and it was more her that was hell bent on the divorce. Despite all of this it showed incredible maturity in the way the divorce, business, and parenthood were handled. The image of Agnetha sobbing in her hotel room during the tour is a bit extreme. For a portion of the tour she had her hockey player boyfriend with her and while in California and Nevada she also had their 2 kids there too. Agnetha for sure is an Aries but I believe her moon is in Cancer and this has kept her grounded and to her occasional detriment quite the homebody. Frida has her moon in Libra which provides the ying and yang and allows her to view stories from many perspectives. Like the fabled scales both her moods and opinions can swing back and forth. At the end of the day it makes her a very forgiving person because it gives her such insight in what other people are feeling. Along with Agnetha’s common sense approach it means that any falling out the 2 girls experienced would be short lived and easily forgotten. As for The Visitors album……I always felt it was a bit off the mark. Im convinced that the girls recorded much of their parts alone….look at it. Not a single song is entirely in unison. They all involve solo verses, if not the song in its entirety. They felling of connectedness between the 2 girls is missing from this album. There’s no Dancing Queen, Angeleyes, On and On and On, Mamma Mia, Take a Chance on Me, Waterloo……none of those 3 rd voice masterpieces. To me this evokes even greater sadness than the song lyrics. I do agree that Frida shines in this album but when Agnetha sang about her divorce in the previous albums “Winner Takes it All” she wailed and moaned. She chewed up the scenery and held nothing back. Her anger and pain were like vomit on the studio floor. I understand it when she says it was cathartic. Frida’s When All is Said and Done is lovely, but she doesn’t cough up her bitter pill of anguish. It’s like she spit it out and put it in a little tin that she could keep with her for another time. She puts on her big girl panties and sings in a robotic voice and somehow distances herself from the situation. She rises above the dirty alleys of divorce-town but she doesn’t transcend and I always thought that this was a lost opportunity and instead of cheering for her bravery I rather pitied her sensibility. In the end she does get her swan song with Like and Angel……most people only see sadness in this song. Alone…..somber…..reflective……I don’t find this to be mournful at all. I find this offering great comfort. Frida witnesses and accepts the ghosts in the room. We will always have demons and we will always have angels. Sometimes the demon will piss in our parade. And sometimes when we need it the most we will feel the comforting hand of an Angel on our shoulder telling us there’s more than one dimension. Time and life exist in many layers. Like motes of dust than only appear in the beam of light that pierces the darkness we are both big and small. Our journeys are unique but the paths we walk are well worn. The baggage we carry may bend our shoulder but it also provides the blankets we wrap ourselves in to make it through the cold nights. And that brings hope. That’s what I walk away with as this albums ends. Hope. And 39 years later that hope was rewarded. Amen, ABBA.
I actually wasn’t saying it was only about the divorce. From the research, it was oft reported also about how grueling the tour was and how she didn’t feel as close to the rest of the band members anymore. But really, it’s probably subjective.
I dont know about the 2 girls personally i just adore Agnehta .All i need to know is Agnetha is gorgeous and her voice sweet . We all have faults her face had none LOL
@@popcornphilosopher my friend you report and present with class and its fun none of us know theses people personally . I just know Agnetha is gorgeous like a fine work of art nothing can change that . When I meet my maker im doomed for all my wrong doings but the way Agnethas eyes are formed shaped and her perfect shape well nice work by the Gods ! I appreciate her beauty and her vocal in SOS well when she says "I wish I understood" i am reduced to my component parts and cant function ! Your videos are great
Outstanding visions Otisblack3921. I am not surprised you have those, considering what ABBA's music can conjure, but is not common to find them. A great find, indeed.
Thank you for sharing. I might get more inspired to share some about this album, given how well our Popcorn Philosopher has summoned us here...
Oh honey, I was absolutely not trying to be critical of you or your observations….they actually inspired me to make my post. Well done, you! It was also rather astute of you to to navigate us to the headspace the member were occupying in the months preceding the onset of these recordings…..the pushing and pulling that must have been passively unsettling yet aggressively mundane. No wonder Bjorn leaned toward a more provocative subject matter in his storytelling @@popcornphilosopher
It must be horrible being in a band with your ex-husband/wife let alone tour with them
Yes, especially when they all seemed pretty close originally!
The Visitors is the best album.
I love it too! I actually just posted a new reaction to the bonus track ABBA REACTION- Shoulda been on THE VISITORS?
ua-cam.com/video/mjHUyIsai9Y/v-deo.html
"Best" is your opinion, not a fact, thank goodness.
@@TorkG8 how embarrassing
Very perceptive....
Thank you!
This album always sacred me when it came out especially the title track and those scary lyrics of terror. Recently now I’ve rediscovered the album and absolutely love many of the songs and now understand the lyrics of so many of the songs which express so perfectly the emotion of breakup, bitterness, forgiveness.
It is a great album! If you didn’t see it I recently posted The Visitors BONUS TRACKS Doc
ua-cam.com/video/i0rje39diCk/v-deo.html
Loved your video.. I must admit also after Super Trouper album full of commercial songs, The Visitors for me is still missing something, that commercial sound Abba were known for. Why Should I Laugh Or Cry was left off the album in place of Two For The Price Of One still baffles me..
Thanks for sharing! I haven’t heard why should I laugh or cry yet. But I’m starting the bonus tracks starting tomorrow 2 new videos !
@@popcornphilosopher The track fits in with the mature sounding ‘dark’ rest of the album.. Glad to be a subscriber now, enjoy your videos..
*should l laugh or cry* had been a much better choice for the album. *should l laugh or cry* is generally a much better song than the slighty stupid and rather boring *two for the price of one* and would have fitted much better to mood and of the album.
Very interesting remarks and ideas you share Popcorn Philosopher. The alien double entendre was almost obvious for a conscious ABBA listener at the time...
Perhaps it requires a bit extra to be had. It is something not so far out when one considers some of Bjorn Ulvaeus at the time variously shared influences; Richard Bach's "Jonathan Livingstone Seagull" inspiring "Eagle", his own words on "Move On" and his concordance with Alvin's Toffler prescient book "The Third Wave". All expanding and dimension exploratory readings/texts (very relevant in my own growing process, if I may share). And so the sometimes alluded connection of an "Angel passing" and "The visitors' not so unexpected" as external forces presenting themselves is so fitting with the actual music and the album's forming concept, once one considers elements like some of those this video shares with us listeners.
Furthermore, Bjorn's as the lyricist, threading his own thoughts, feelings and experiences, together with what he senses the other ABBA members were feeling and living, plus his catch of the times and society truly becomes center in this album.
I was utterly surprised, later on, seeing him speaking Spanish with a presenter on TV, around the same time of this album. His command of the language there is more proper of a native speaker than of a person miming a few words, while he kept his smile! His confident one. His talent with language, his sweet & slightly naughty grin, I haven't seen something like that before and he has done such conscious language tricks with us all along, one could discover later, even now decades past!
No wonder, since he has lay upon us bare direct messages and we audiences and media have not realized, less acknowledged or commented some rather obvious meanings in ABBA's lyrics. From that in your face mixture of mocking and! celebratory experience of the frat, macho spirit on "King Kong Song", the psychological commentary of "Dum Dum Diddle",(to name songs lyrics that were often derided by critics aannd fans) up to the - so close it bites - hidden meaning, nobody seems to catch yet, of... (I confess, it took me too long also to realize) of "Two for the price of One".
Now in retrospect, no wonder Bjorn threw that onto us; unsuspecting listeners and he has kept his smile to himself, until now. Yes, laying it bare; you get the girl AND her mother, most always in a relationship!
In our country we have a saying; "when you are a boy and meet a girl, look at her mother". She will be like her in many respects ...sometimes not so later in time. Plus, at many occasions her mother will certainly be present in your life. Some would not know if to laugh or cry when they assume this. That song end fanfare gets full sense with such second level interpretations, as all the work the group placed with its harmonies and it all that was placed in it, on top of a lyric a bit more nuanced that the bare little joke presented in the lyrics.
Like that, there are many passing angles to this album, as such and as a step in their inspiring path on the special changing times they take part.
Will be attentive. Cheers
Yeah, a lot of people corrected me about the alien interpretation. But I’m pretty sure that he meant the double meaning!
I heard a little bit of Eagle and really liked it so I’m really excited to hear that track when it comes up on my reactions. That’s interesting to hear about him speaking Spanish in and his command of a lot of different types of languages which maybe why their music is so beloved round the world. I hadn’t heard some of the other tracks you mentioned like king Kong in Dum Dum diddle. ! One great thing about Abba is that I have no shortage of material to react to! I’m so glad you enjoyed the video. And thank you for the interesting info. Cheers to you too!
@@popcornphilosopher Extra nice to communicate with you, more so since your videos are uniquely superb already.
And let's add a "Visitors" meaning as it appeared at many (UK at least, at that time) large scoreboards on weekends to name those outsider teams in sports games: Visitors 00 vs Home 00
ABBA had been visitors since their start (being not English native, coming from a remote and few populated country). So that word might hold a charge in that sense as well for them, as for certain also had certain flair to those attending stadiums and playfields either locals, or ... ☺Everytime the game is on again, which is life itself.
In this angle The Visitors became a subtle way to call an album by naming (or signaling, probably better said) themselves again.
That’s not Agnetha mother
Hello Popcorn,
I’m really enjoying your reac-umentaries!
Around the time of the release of ABBA’s *The Visitors* I was extremely busy studying music theory. I remember one critic saying that ‘I Let The Music Speak’ is like ‘Thank You For The Music’ - with a degree (LOL). The first time I heard ‘When All Is Said And Done,’ I could tell it was a digital recording. I agree with you that the title track ‘The Visitors’ sounds warmer, as it was originally processed through a modified 32-input Harrison 3232-C analogue audio mixing console. It was considered future-proof 🔮🔮 according to producer Giorgio Moroder, who used that same desk to record Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’ in 1976 at Musicland in Munich. In the late 1970s, Polar and Musicland were THE two most state-of-the-art recording studios in the world.
And one more thing, I am a Scorpio too... 🔦📙🔍🎧♏
Hey fellow Scorpio! Ihad no idea the same desk was used on I feel love one of my favorite dance songs of all time! I’m a big Giorgio Moroder fan. Someday I’d like to do something on him. Well, now that makes sense that Frida and Agnetha did their 80’s solo album there. Instead of going elsewhere. Not to mention why the visitors and the 80s tracks sounded so good!
ABBA recorded digitally since " knowing me knowing you"
From when I was told and read this was the first album to ever be recorded digitally. Although they said it was not the first CD.
According to Wikipedia, digitally recorded albums were being released (very few, at first) all the way back in 1977.@@popcornphilosopher
head over heels was a horrible song then and is now... Should I laugh or cry should have been on original vinyl instead......
That’s coming up in a reaction actually ! I have an ABBA playlist by the way if you haven’t seen it ua-cam.com/play/PLVaDWMlhe6SFje2D8LnNORUEyB2p0-VZ_.html&si=SoIiNo8zHKXnNSLm
Well done! It was nice watching this. But I should note that you overstate the importance of analog/digital tape recorders. There are far more factors that shape the sound. The equipment, like microphones, pre-amps, the mixing desk, the equalizers, and even the acoustics of the studio, are just as crucial. You can make "warm" sounding recordings even on a digital tape recorder.
Those early digital reel-to-reel recorders were, AFAIK, highly regarded for their sound (the same could not be said for ADAT, however, which came later).
I didn’t actually mean only that. I talk about it more when I reacted to the album. I discussed a lot of this. I just thought it was interesting that it was the first album recorded digitally and that it was “too clean” was already being discussed when making digital warmer is still discussed even today
Everyone thinks that this song is political when it is actually about a nervous breakdown. Anni-Frid hinted about this back when it was released.
Are you referring to the visitors? That is one of the theories I read about. well I read about it possibly being about mental health. Well, it would make sense that they might not want to talk about it in Interviews for instance
Visitors is political, there is interview with Bjorn where he confirms that and it's also stated in a biographical book of ABBA by Carl Magnus Palm - it is about socialism and moment of petrified waiting of a person , in their apartment for a cops to show up an arrest them as political prisoners.
I appreciate the work and creativity you put into these videos! Please do more a couple more ABBA album reactions. I suggest "The Album" then "Voulez-vous"
Thank you! I am planning on doing them all! But I had plan to go backwards and circle back around to the latest!
The Visitors song (and album) was released at a time when the US was in a cold war against Russia. That's how a bunch of us reacted at the time it was released. Because why? Chess the musical about a Russian chessmaster and the Cold War was made just after The Visitors was released.
I’m really excited to hear Chess that reaction is coming up! That’s very interesting!
Yes don't shut me down is a combination of summer night city and i am the city and dream world
huh?? No. There is zero melodic or structural semblance to any of those. There are intentional instrumental references to Dancing Queen and If It Wasn't For the Nights but DSMD is not a direct "combination" of any ABBA songs. It's entirely unique.
I am the city is on my list coming up, so I’ll have to check it out to see which one of you I agree with lol
@@joerichardwad1645 Agree.!Well sonically I also get a sense as if it's the 'blending spirit' of DQ and Super Trouper.For me a new total masterpiece.
Are you gonna do a tribute to Robert Palmer ? . ITs his 20th Anniversary this month, on the 26th. A lot of channels are reacting to him lately Because of the Anniversary .
I don’t think I’ll be able to. I have too many things coming up already unfortunately
Klasse!! Vielen Dank für die tolle Dokumentation. 🎉
Danke!
By far, their greatest album. It reflected a maturity not yet captured before by them. Mature, yet remaining refreshingly youthful.
Well said! That’s a great way of putting it:)
In the song Two For The Price Of One, The original lyrics differ from what was actually released. He called the number and a voice said, "Alice Whiting", The voice was husky and it sounded quite exciting - Originally it was He called the number and a voice said, "Alice Lexie", The voice was husky and it sounded quite sexy. But was changed as was thought to be too risque for their image
Interesting! Even the released version is a little daring!
Maybe being not too old for sex was sufficient.
POPCORN PHILOSOPHER: The most interesting time for me as it pertains to ABBA, (me, now being a 62 year old man, here in 2024) was their 1981 concept-album "THE VISITORS"; it was a radical, unexpected change, from the glamorous Pop Scene, to a much more Adult Contemporary sound. When I saw the album cover of "THE VISITORS", I was almost stunned! The setting was this Massive Mansion Museum with books and artifacts from floor to ceiling. Their clothing was so 'early 1980s'. Long, long gone were the silky, shiny disco jumpsuits. From what I have read, Anni-Frida & Agnetha were in self-purchased, classic outfits. Benny & Bjorn were in muted-colored, woven sport jackets and those very in-style, skinny-type neck ties, which they verily wore on the music videos & the "LIVE" STV Promotional Concert Footage they videotaped, to further promote the new album. A HUGE & unexpected change was at hand for ABBA...until nearly 40 years later, with "VOYAGE"; a "brand new" change.
I had recently started my lifelong career as a radio broadcaster by 1981 & when I put on the turntable the 2nd single released from the LP here in the U.S.: "When All Is Said & Done", I nearly JUMPED OUT OF MY SEAT, when I heard a processing effect...what we call in the recording business... "Gated Reverb", on ABBA's long time drummer Ola Brunkert's snare drum! That sound was INSTANTLY AMAZING & MIND-BLOWING TO ME...!!! (I guess one needs to be somewhat of an audio engineering 'guru/aficionado', to know what exactly what "Gated Reverb" is, and the kind of equipment that is used, in the CORRECT AUDIO-CHAIN, to create it.) But that sound, from his drum kit, BLEW ME AWAY!!! Benny had NEVER used that EFFECT on previous albums, on Ola's snare drum.
And, YOU ARE SO VERY CORRECT, in that "THE VISITORS", was indeed one of Europe's FIRST "nearly" full digital recordings to be made, by the incredible, talented engineer, Michael Tretow, at POLAR Studios, Sweden.
(PRAISE to your research, in noting that it is more than likely that Benny & Michael used Universal Audio's [AUD] Cooper Time Cube on some of the vocal processing! A GREAT CATCH there!)
It was a WHOLE BRAND NEW ERA of "ABBA" to me, at that very specific space & time, in my life.
Seeing them now, in "A.I." form, ("VOYAGE"), to keep the "ABBA SPIRIT" alive...well...from what I understand, it's a very good, exceptionally well produced, extremely profitable venue...much like The Beatles "LOVE" at The Mirage Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA...this keeps us "old farts" still in tune with their legacies and introduces young people to their huge, massive, vast catalog.
BUT...for some reason, I just can't get past 1981; that incredible year in music, out of my mind, heart & spirit...I try; just unable to.
ABBA: "The Visitors" ua-cam.com/video/T_xFpjlrF38/v-deo.htmlsi=EYXBCvc4G7D_0jO5
Thank you "Popcorn Philosopher"; I believe YOU'RE ONE OF THE VERY FIRST to perform a true "DEEP-DIVE" here in the land of You Tube; to take a real, up close look, at the incredible, "THE VISITORS" project...from ABBA.
*BolsaChicaRadio*
Radio Broadcaster
Audio Mixdown Engineer
Sound Reinforcement Technician
Los Angeles, CA, USA
1979-2019
(retired)
Tittle tattle nonsense Agnetha is a strong woman and an amazing artist and still going strong today . Don’t believe all you read
Wait, I didn’t say anything to the contrary? In fact in my reaction to Agnetha’s latest song I say the same thing.
@@popcornphilosopher You must know that some Agnetha fanatics are going straight to the barricades when someone mentions her weaknesses. In their eyes she has no weaknesses and if you mention them nonetheless, then you are an Agnetha hater though you said the truth. On the contrary they believe everything that's written about Frida, even the lies. It's sad but one can't change these people anymore.
@@Lisa-M What kind of childish nonsense is that? :D We don't belive the tabloid style press at all, regarding any ABBA member... Nor all these "documentaries" from people that don't even know their real names, or speak their language. I only listen to what they actually say themselves, in Swedish. Or people that worked with them.
@@herrbonk3635 I said 'some Agnetha fanatics' and not 'all Agnetha fans' so why do you feel addressed? It's no childish nonsense. Believe it or not but these kind of Agnetha freaks exist. Ask TheFridaFan what she was accused of when she mentioned in one of her videos that Agnetha had a relationship with her stalker which is just the truth. Or just watch the videos of the I Do x5 performance where Frida nudges Agnetha with her elbow. Read the comments of the Agnetha fanatics who assert still today that Frida did that with bad intentions because she was jealous of her. It doesn't interest them that it was just acting for the show. And that's just two examples. There are a lot more.
Oh my gosh, I’m soooooo glad l found your channel, I have loved Abba and Kate Bush since I was 11 and 12 years old! They’ve been my inspiration and solace for decades. This is bliss, the number of videos I now have ready to watch is just AWESOME! Thank you for being so fair and real, and talking about the girls equally, which too few people do. Recently Frida spoke of Agnetha as “her little sister”, and I think that’s right, sisters are just like this. PS loved the photo where they swapped the girls’ faces😝
I know that photo made me laugh! Yes, sisters might fight, but they also love each other. you do have a lots of Kate bush videos for sure! We’re in the middle of a Never for Ever deep dive. Thank you and welcome!
@@popcornphilosopher I’m sooo looking forward to catching up and continued watching. Your videos are awesome!🤗
Agneta is pronounced with a “common” G, a common N [not ñ like in Spanish] and an E like in _hey_ but twice as long.
Listen how Mikael Tretow [their sound engineer] is pronouncing her name.
I know I have such a hard time with it. Although this video Agnetha did say the Spanish pronunciation is OK ua-cam.com/video/5HJmW8EY8m0/v-deo.htmlsi=uilgq0LrE53ocKBu
although it’s old, so maybe she doesn’t feel that way anymore lol
You are correct that gn in Agnetha shall not be pronounced in Swedish like in Italian (like a Spanish ñ), but it shall actually not be pronounced with a common g either although that is better than the ñ.
@@popcornphilosopher Why should a Swedish name be pronounced in Spanish? 🙂
@@Magnus--Johansson _gn_ skulle varit för komplicerat att förklara skrifligt.
@@zootallures6470 -- Med Internationella fonetiska alfabetet ser det ut så här: [ŋn]
who in their right mind could leave the prettiest women in the world Agnetha . She is so gorgeous I cant put it into words . If I was her husband for one day I would be happy lucky Bjorn Agnethas face look at it its perfection AND your awesome too ! Real content no fluff knowledgable and entertaining ! Great work popcorn ! ohhh Tell me something good chaka ! Great great song !
Agreed she really is an angel with a voice to match! Thank you. I’m so glad you liked it! Harley did a lot of research. I’m glad you noticed haha
Agnetha left Björn.
@@katharinaogrady oh ok dont blame her
Agnetha was the main one who wanted to split. Björn worked hard to make it work but as he put it, "it was the combo of 2 egocentrics". It just didn't work. "The Winner Takes It All" was written more from Björn's perspective.
I think those quotes where Agnetha talks about Lena are dubious. Where did they come from? I don’t think Agnetha has ever been that indiscreet. She’s too classy for that. Nice summing up of The Visitors, btw. Also, the comments about her “falling out” with Frida. Don’t buy that she said that.
It was from an interview she did in Prive magazine in 1981. I guess I don’t look at it as not classy, though. I think it’s great if she was honest. Because relationships are complicated and breaking up a marriage is tough,for anybody. More than likely she doesn’t feel like that anymore because time changes how people see things. I was just trying to report on what was going on then that inspired the music.
@@popcornphilosopher It's disarmingly honest.Those words were also featured in my copy of 'Abba in their own words' book compiled by Rosemary Yorke published by Omnibus 1981.
Honest Words of a woman that felt shattered deep inside,no matter if their divorce was a conscious decision of both sides.'You can't live with someone for 8 years and feel as if nothing had happened' i kinda recall her also saying this.
@@alexioverdo5225 oh, that’s cool that it was also in a book! I agree I do think it’s disarmingly honest! Now I kind of wish I put the full quote in because I think it says a lot of where she was at that time.
@@popcornphilosopher btw Chapter about it in the book was titled 'Divorce" if i remember well.Other chapters were 'Abba and The Money" and 'Abba and The Fans".All words compiled are self told.No fakery,reporter's rumours or speculations.Just them in their own words..
Just got into this channel, and I must thank the host for this interesting analysis of what for many critics, was Abba’s best Album. Maybe is not the best on my personal opinion but every time I hear this album, it leaves me thinking and melancholic however it shows how professional and talented the 4 of them are. More when their previous albums always transmitted happiness, of course with master quality but this one was very ‘dark’, let’s say.
Tack! Thank you for this fun and interesting documentary.
Thank you I am so glad you enjoyed it! If you didn’t see it I recently posted The Visitors BONUS TRACKS Doc
ua-cam.com/video/i0rje39diCk/v-deo.html
Oh, and thank you for the super thanks! Your my first so I didn’t even realize what it was!
Its actually Frida and Agnetha harmonizing on Slipping through my fingers, they sing it live on Dock Cavet presents
Talking about war is not political.
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What is the cartoon with the girl and animals shown during thr Slipping Through My Fingers segment?
Great reaction - you have put a lot of effort to make it so interesting in many levels.
Thank you I am so glad you enjoyed it! If you didn’t see it I recently posted The Visitors BONUS TRACKS mini doc
ua-cam.com/video/i0rje39diCk/v-deo.html
@@popcornphilosopher oh yes I did. TDBYC is one of my favorites!
@@KatarinaMyrberg yes,, both songs have been on replay for the last week!
You mentioned something going on. Did you know that Agnatha also had a song called I can’t break loose around the same time, written by the same songwriter?
Oh interesting I didn’t know that I am dying to hear it! That’s one of my favorite 80s songs. Were they both friendly with the songwriter or something?
You're very close .'Can't shake loose" 1983.
@@alexioverdo5225 ahh good to know. I’d like to cover this!
The visitors
Wow!11,000 views within 10 days!
Thank you I know I can’t even believe it! It’s my first longform video to go that high:)
@@popcornphilosopher well deserved.Such a fine well researched job for a start!
Thank you... I'm just so very glad y'all liked it! I don't know if you like carpenters.... I have a new reaction coming out in an hour and another mini doc tomorrow.
@@popcornphilosopher I'll be here!
@@alexioverdo5225 Awesome!