Abba

I debated whether to give this Abba album 4 or 5 stars. I decided on 5 because every time I play this album I feel so good about the music and it makes me smile a lot:) It's not perfect. But, it IS full of wonderful songs as Abba continues to find their musical identity. So here goes....1. Mamma Mia - A classic pop song. One of their most famous hits. The title became the name of the stage musical and eventual movie starring Meryl Streep. Classic, catchy pop song with terrific vocals from Agnetha and Frida.2. Hey, Hey Helen - This song seems to be about a woman torn between her conventional role as a wife/mother and wanting to find her independence. It's ok. Not my favorite.3. Tropical Loveland - My least favorite song from this album. The melody is decent. Frida does a fine job with what she's got to work with. But, a dull song with cliche lyrics with a tropical sound. I am surprised this is the only real solo song for Frida on the album.4. S.O.S. - Now, we have Abba's first real masterpiece. Excellent production. Agnetha's vocals are so vulnerable and pure. You feel her pain. Perhaps, my favorite Abba song of all time. But, maybe not. There's so many of them;)5. Man in the Middle - I really dig this song. Has a funky sound. About a wealthy man who is really empty inside.6 - Bang-A-Boomerang - It's funny. This song along with Rock Me and So Long are simple, almost bubble gum songs. But, are so fun and melodic they make the experience of this album all the more enjoyable!7. - I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do - A wonderful memory song for me. It always played at the ice rink when I was young and my mom would take my sister and I skating. It was a brand new hit back then. Great tune, the saxes, and incredible vocals from the girls.8. Rock Me. Bjorn does a decent job at lead on this rocker. The song is fun and you can't help but sing along to it.9. Intermezzo - I love this instrumental. Actually, very sophisticated for a pop song. Full of melodic and experimental passages.10 . I've Been Waiting For You - One of my favorites from the album. Agnetha has grown so much as a singer throughout the years But, back here, she is young....almost naive... declaring her devotion to that special someone. She has such an angelic, clear voice on this song and became part of why Agnetha is my favorite member of the group. This song has a bit of a country/pop feel to it.11. So Long - Great rocker! Frantic and full of energy.12. Crazy World - I still struggle to embrace Bjorn as a lead singer. But, this song was so well written and recorded. About a guy with "trust issues" lol13 - Bonus Medley - Pick a Bale of Cotton - On Top of Old Smokey - Midnight Special - I could have done without this. Kind of interesting. Frida does a great job with On Top of Old Smokey and Agnetha rocks out to the Midnight SpecialSo, I highly recommend this album for people interested in Abba and to all lovers of fine pop music.

First saw ABBA on American Bandstand in 1975 singing SOS and I do, I do, I do, I do, I do. If you've never seen this it can be found on youtube. A week or so later they were on The Midnight Special. Believe it or not until MTV started showing videos in the early 80's(?) I never saw them perform again though I did become a fan and buy their albums and tapes (yeah 8 track for the car) Between the quality of their songs, the voices of Agnetha and Frida, and of course the girls looks how could one not love this band?Too me nothing has changed from the original release of this album in the 70's, the songs are still great. The value in this deluxe package to me is the dvd TV performances and the pomo videos ABBA produced. As others have said listening to ABBA just leaves one feeling good. Seeing them perform only adds to the experience.Many have posted about the lip syncing and the lack of "live" singing. Not sure I agree with this assessment. The "Made in Sweden for Export" are promos and are synced. The bonus single performances "SOS seaside" and "Mama Mia in blue satin" are certainly live. The Australian Special I'm not sure if it's synced or not.In any case live or synced it doesn't take away from the value that comes in this package. If you weren't around in the 70's to see Agnetha and Frida you owe it to yourself to get this deluxe package. Entertainers just don't get any better than ABBA. I know I will be picking up their other deluxe cds soon.

The remastering of the music and unreleased videos are fantastic and more of what we've come to expect from the Deluxe collection. Although ABBA were still finding their music groove, there are plenty of defining moments which can only be described as the unique ABBA sound. Mamma Mia, SOS, I do I do I do were all huge and deservedly so, however other gems like Tropical Loveland, Hey hey Helen, and the much underrated I've Been Waiting for You are too classics. The fade out to the later is pure ABBA with stunning harmonies and a haunting melody.And don't forget the gorgeous photos back and front....ABBA clearly had aspirations. A must purchase for all fans of pop music.

It's so nice to finally get some TV appearances on DVD. Though I'm not a fan of the constant remastering of the ABBA collections these new Deluxe Editions do have some nice features. The only thing missing from this are the original videos but you can get them other places this has TV show performances which is always nice to see because Frida can never seem to get the lip synch right! If you are an avid fan like myself you need this in your collection!

Given that I'm a person who loves to collect early ABBA performances, the collection on the dvd section is priceless to me. I especially love Made in Sweden for Export which is pretty amusing. I've always loved the album so this is perfect for me.

La música de ABBA habla por si sola, pero hay que destacar la buena calidad del DVD con actuaciones poco conocidas.

Da 30 anni aspettavo la possibilita' di avere il documentario "Abba in Australia"......e invece oltre questo ritrovo" Abba for export".......straordinario pezzo di storia della musica anni 70.

Je confirme que les 4 membres d'A8BA venaient juste de prouver qu'ils n'étaient pas du genre à être juste des "one hit wonder" juste là pour proposer un seul "hit" Leur créativité a généré plusieurs autres albums, plusieurs autres hits !PS: Tu vas bien ? Depuis notre virée à Sanssat ?

The music world has certainly been a duller place without the magnificent four.'ABBA' the second official Abba album was originally released in the UK in 1975 and the World certainly was waiting for this release. Classic tracks that have become so well known, 'S.O.S' and 'Mamma Mia' two of the most memorable hits of all time make their first appearance here. Can you ever imagine the charts of the 70's without the sparkle and glamour of ABBA. Their music is just timeless and these classics will surely never be forgotten. One of the hidden gems is the fantastic 'I've Been Waiting For You' which was delegated to the 'B' side of 'So Long'. This track was released as a single in Australia and would have been a worldwide number 1 if released in 1975. This specific track highlights the wonderful vocals of Agnetha, who was only in her early 20's at the time. Excellent guitar work (shades of 'My Sweet L'Iord' guitar sections here). A couple of earlier singles appear here too. 'I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do' is reminicent of 50's style swing band music and is a treat to the ears. Soaring harmonies which lift your spirits at any time of the year. This must have been played at many wedding parties during the 70's. 'So Long' is the only single that did not chart in the UK and was in keeping with the 'Glam Rock' style at the time. The DVD shows both Anni-Frid (Frida) and Agnetha performing a strange style of dance in sections of their performance of this song. Dancing was not a strong point of the ladies, but they certainly were entertaining and you cannot keep your eyes away from the screen. I have this CD now in seven different formats (including 3 boxed sets) and this is worth every penny for the DVD alone. Seeing ABBA in Australia is wonderful and it is lovely to see all four members appearing so happy in their lives at that time. The packaging is back to the plastic cover (no sticky labels this time). Wonderful songs, wonderful memories of the mid 70's. Add this album to your collection... you won't regret it. How about a release of 'I've Been Waiting For You' in 2012 ?