ABBA Gold

 

ABBA Gold was released in 1992

Track Listing:

1. Dancing Queen

2. Knowing Me, Knowing You

3. Take a Chance on Me

4. Mamma Mia

5. Lay All Your Love on Me

6. Super Trouper

7. I Have a Dream

8. The Winner Takes It All

9. Money, Money, Money

10. SOS

11. Chiquitita

12. Fernando

13. Voulez-Vous

14. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

15. Does Your Mother Know

16. One of Us

17. The Name of the Game

18. Thank You for the Music

19. Waterloo

Genre: Disco / Pop

ABBA is one of the best selling bands of all time, ABBA Gold is their best selling album.  I cant say the first time I had the misfortune of hearing ABBA but I'm sure it was very young.  This album made it into my collection through marriage.  My wife owned this before we started dating (this may have been a deal breaker if I knew she liked ABBA, but I digress).

Now, I'm not just an ABBA hater who hasn't actually heard their music.  I know most of these songs, and I just dont care for the repetitive songs, simplistic verse/chorus/verse/chorus pattern, the major reliance on synths and the lyrical content.  Pretty much every song here is either a love song or a love lost song.  It gets draining quickly.

But, some of this is new to me because I actively avoid ABBA if I can.  I'm skipping some of the biggest songs in theis write up, sticking to songs I don't immediately recognise. 

Knowing Me, Knowing You is fun.  And by that I mean formulaic and repetitive (also thay whisper section is atrocious).  Lay All You're Love on Me is a breath of fresh air.  I never would have expected a love song from ABBA, especially not utilizing a super unique verse/chorus/verse/chorus(x2) pattern.

Shockingly, Super Trouper isn't a love song, its actually about them disliking performing.  Its still the same formula as every other song on the album, nothing special here.

I Have a Dream is not only bad, but also boring as hell.

The Winner Takes It All is next.  Isn't this basically just Knowing Me, Knowing You again? It's got the same feel, just different words.

Money, Money, Money.  Hey this looks like it might be different, she's complaining about needing money.  Oh, there it is, she's looking for love from a rich man. (I will admit this song at least has a more unique sound to it.  More distinct electric adds much needed depth).

Chiquitita - Honesty this just sounds like Take a Chance on Me part 2.

Voulez-Vous.  Now, I think we've finally hit a decent song.  I like the pace, the upbeat tempo really meshes well with the driving bass.  Its still a song about trying to get fucked, but at least this one isn't also boring.

Does Your Mother Know.  Huh, I forgot the guys could sing to since they're not prominent in any of the previous songs.  Honestly, this song sounds like a b-side from Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Finally on to my favorite song on the album, Waterloo.  It marks the end of this album and for that I'm grateful. 

With a stunning 16 red songs, this is going to be one of my least favorite albums in my collection.  Its formulaic pop music that doesn't take a stand or get interesting very often.  Most if it's just background noise at a mellow pace and doesn't go anywhere.  I can see why it's popular, it's not abrasive, the singers are good, they know how to hit the right notes and the lyrics are repetitive enough that you can learn the lyrics to the chorus the first time you hear it.  The song structures are familiar and mostly in major keys so have that happy upbeat sound.  Its not for me, I dont care for Pop in general.

This is not one Ill be listening to again.

1/5