Song Analysis - Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

 In the late parts of August and Early September, ABBA began working on what would become their newest single, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).  As we all know, ABBA liked to include something new and never heard before during their tours.  During ABBA's 1974-75 tour, they would perform new and/or unreleased tracks like Hey, Hey Helen, I've Been Waiting For You, Intermezzo No. 1, and So Long.  For the 1977 tour, there was the whole Girl With The Golden Hair segment with new songs that had never heard before as well as the not-overly serious track I Am An A.  And for the 1979 tour, ABBA would debut Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, I'm Still Alive, and The Way Old Friends Do.  (And as we all know, this way of thinking of having to include something new for a concert/tour is the whole basis for ABBA's I Still Have Faith In You and Don't Shut Me Down, released in 2021.)

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! is quite a unique track in a sense that it's sort of it's own unique music style.  It carries forward some of the disco elements from some of the tracks on Voulez-Vous, as in it has some strings and is quite a dance-able track, and it features more "mature" lyrics, but at the same time, it doesn't sound at all like the Voulez-Vous tracks.  Even though on more modern versions of the Voulez-Vous album, like the 2001 CD remasters, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! is included as a bonus track (same with Summer Night City), it really doesn't sound like any of the tracks on that album and stands out as its own unique song.  

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) on the surface, at least to me, seems like just a song about someone pining for the attention that comes with having a man to "take the shadows away", but it also seems to be about someone who is quite lonely and desperate.  Similar to If It Wasn't For The Nights which is about someone who finds life so lonely and not really worth living due to the loneliness of the evening times, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! is essentially those exact feeling of being alone in your flat, mindlessly watching TV to try and get through the loneliness and depression, and just feeling like there is truly no one out there.  So like, lyrics-wise, it's basically If It Wasn't For The Nights part 2.  

And in typical ABBA style, all of these depressed, gloomy, lonely lyrics are set to an extremely dance-able and upbeat track.  Because that's what ABBA do, haha.  They make depression and loneliness sound  FUN!  Haha jk.

Seeing as ABBA had already filmed the music video for this song on September 5th, 1979, they somehow managed to record this song in just under a week, yet their vocals don't sound rushed at all.  We've got those layers upon layers of vocal harmonies throughout the chorus, and even in the instrumental break, you've got some almost heavenly choral vocals from Agnetha and Frida hidden in the mix that when isolated sound so beautiful.  While Bjorn and Benny typically would record some background harmonies and backing vocals, by this point in ABBA's career their vocal additions had significantly decreased, and if they are in this song, I cannot hear them.  Agnetha's vocal performance is superb as well, and she not only hit that high note so effortlessly in the studio, she also managed to do it three times in one performance every night live in concert!  And there are plenty of bootleg and official audios from throughout the 1979 tour to prove that she sounded amazing.  

During the song's live performance, Frida would use the instrumental break to showcase her own dances, something that she very much liked to do, and it's honestly so fun to see Frida just having fun, dancing her heart out.

For ABBA's Spanish album, the song was recorded in Spanish, titled Dame! Dame! Dame! and well, I'm not going to say they didn't put their all into the Spanish album, but dare I say this version of the song definitely seems a lot more rushed and low-effort.  For example, in the chorus, Agnetha and Frida didn't record as many layers of harmony, and the track is left feeling kinda empty, and also Agnetha's vocals sound a lot more harsh and rough.  Which is fine, just in comparison to the English version, it's quite the contrast.

Anyways, the lyrics are roughly translated through Google Translate as follows:

Verse 1: The watch, it's already struck midnight and again I found that only the TV accompanies me.  blowing of that wind outside, live the desolation. My heart oppresses me with anguish.  

Pre-Chorus: There is nothing but loneliness, no one, not even for mercy

Chorus:  Give me, give me, give me love tonight.  Somebody help me to erase the shadows.  Give me, give me, give me love tonight.  Until dawn, see the day brighten

Verse 2: There are so many with great luck and fortune, everything they can get. So different from what I have to live, I find myself bored tonight, and the great darkness, it is my always obliged friendship.   

Pre-Chorus: There is nothing but loneliness no one, not even for mercy.

Chorus

Pre-Chorus:  There is nothing but loneliness No one, no mercy

Chorus

ABBA did lip-sync to Dame! Dame! Dame! once on Spanish TV in 1980, making that its only performance, and after the 1979/80 tour, ABBA performed the song one final time as part of the Dick Cavett Meets ABBA TV special in 1981. I just have to say it is so funny to me to see them all standing so still on stage when singing this very upbeat song, especially when you compare how they were all over the stage during their 1979/80 tour lol.  However they fully made up for it when the ABBA-tars perform the song in the ABBA Voyage show as the performance is fully choreographed and Frida even gets her instrumental dance break lol.

Anyways, the song is good, I love it a ton as I do with like all of ABBA's songs, and it turned out to be a fairly popular song as well, reaching number one in at least seven countries!

Song Analysis - Under My Sun

Sometime during preparations for ABBA's 1979 tour, ABBA and their entire tour crew were rehearsing this new song that Bjorn and Benny had prepared titled Under My Sun, a new version of Rubber Ball Man that had been recorded on August 8th.  As far as I know, ABBA had never recorded this song in the studio, and yet we do have a sole recording of this song - a bootleg recording from their rehearsals in August of 1979.  

The recording is not of professional quality, yet they sound really, really good.  Although during the recording they're all goofing around a bit, as can be heard during the second verse when Agnetha and Frida are laughing, and when they sing "higher, higher" at the end of the song, they both sound extremely good.  Something that, dare I say, ABBA's live recordings lack is that metallic sound of their voices blending together, yet when Agnetha and Frida sing the line "There is no way I will let this moment pass me by, listen to me now, set yourself free now," in the last chorus they managed to capture that sound and it's so crystal clear and perfect.  

The song is a completely different vibe than Rubber Ball Man.  Although the bootleg recording of Under My Sun seems to be a bit sped up and as a result Agnetha and Frida sound rather "chipmunk-y", Under My Sun seems to be more fleshed out song.  At least in this rehearsal audio, they have a lot more instruments, and the sound seems a lot more fun.  Plus Agnetha and Frida's goofing around definitely adds to the vibes.  The song also seems to fit quite well with the soundscape of the 1979 tour, specifically the live versions of If It Wasn't For The Nights and As Good As New, which I mean is obvious considering they're using the exact same instruments and everything as they're literally rehearsing for that tour.

As the song was never officially released or recorded, we don't have the lyrics, but I believe they are as follows: 

Verse 1:  
I lead my love alone
I don't hide it
Sometimes I am an open steamy fire
That the water can't swell

Verse 2:
Now everything is cold
You can't hide it
Now let your body slowly take you higher
Let your dreams be fulfilled

Chorus:
You are the one
You're the new star
Under my sun
Second to none
You're the true star
Under my sun

There is no way I will let this moment pass me by
Listen to me now
Set yourself free now
You are the one
You're the one star
Under my sun

Verse 3:
I lead my life alone
I don't hide it
Because I am an open steamy fire
That the water can't swell

Verse 4:

You're in the danger zone
You can't hide it
Now, let your body slowly take you higher
Let your dreams be fulfilled

Chorus:
You are the one
You're the new star
Under my sun
Second to none
You're the true star
Under my sun

There is no way I will let this moment pass me by
Listen to me now
Set yourself free now

(You are the one, you're the new star, you are the one, you're the one star)
You are the one
You're the true star
Under my sun
Second to none
You're the true star
Under my sun

There is no way I will let this moment pass me by
Listen to me now
Set yourself free now
You are the one
You're the one star
Under my sun
You are the one
You're the one star
Under my sun

Higher

Higher higher

Based on the fact the all the verses are exactly the same, I get the feeling this version of the song wasn't finished either.   And I'm honestly not entirely sure what the song is about either.  The lyrics are a bit disjointed and not complete, the verses don't match with the chorus, which is completely fine by the way, but you can just tell that it's incomplete.

I am so curious what was the reason for revising Rubber
Ball Man into Under My Sun, and were they intending to finish and then perform the song during the 1979 tour as a new song, or was it just them messing about while rehearsing?  I guess we'll never really know.  

Interestingly enough, clearly Bjorn and Benny liked portions of the melody and had been eagerly trying to turn it into something usable.  It wasn't until 1982 that they were able to reuse a part of the song and turn it into something they saw releasable.  The melody of lines such as "Sometimes I am an open steamy fire that the water can't swell," and "Now let your body slowly take you higher, let your dreams be fulfilled," would be used in Under Attack when Agnetha sings, "It's just like taking candy from a baby, and I think I must be..." and "I hardly dare to think of what would happen, where I'd be if I fell."  (I find it interesting how parts of Under My Sun became Under Attack, like, both songs have the word "under" in it lol)

Although Under My Sun was not released officially, the song exists on YouTube if you look it up, and some versions even have some chatter and discussion before the full run through of the song, which can give some insight into the reason why Under My Sun is there in the first place.  Here's the translation of what they're saying from the YouTuber Aggy Productions USA:

Benny: Would it be radical to take it away now? 

(almost inaudible) Bjorn: Huh? 

Benny: Would it be radical to remove it? 

Bjorn: Which One? 

Benny: " Under My Sun " 

Bjorn: Yes, but it's not that one now is it? 

Benny: Yes. 

Bjorn: But it says " SOS " on my... 

Agnetha: No... 

Bjorn: That's right, it doesn't.... 

Bjorn: Removing it? It would be a good and radical move.... 

Anni-Frid: How come? 

Benny: But let us at least record it as it is..... 

Anni-Frid: Do you mean it wouldn't be in? 

Benny: This program sounds a bit to long doesn't it? 

Agnetha: Yeah... 

Benny: And it feels a bit unsteady.... 

Agnetha: Why can't we skip it then? 

Benny: But lets record as we have learned.... 

Bjorn: We can play it for a while... 

Agnetha: Why is that!?! HaHa... 

Bjorn: It's easy to remove.... 

Agnetha" We don't want to! 

(One or both of the girls are talking but it's inaudible)

Agnetha :"....Leave my love alone...rubberball man....under my sun..." 

 

*Whistling* Benny: Ok?! " La Paloma Blanca ...." haha. 

Bjorn: Could I get some guitars here... Bjorn: Ok, 1,2....Tune them up.... 

Unknown: Ok....

Just from this conversation alone I think it's obvious that Under My Sun was intended to be a part of the 1979 tour as a new song, either before or after SOS, but at least the guys were just not quite sure about it and ultimately they removed the track. I also find it interesting that while Agnetha and Frida were getting ready to sing the song, one of them sang "rubber ball man" instead of Under My Sun, which shows that the song had only been recently changed from Rubber Ball Man to Under My Sun.  Also can I just say how much I with ABBA would release more ABBA chatter like this but like officially?  I love hearing them in their element, just working things out and discussing things and it's always such a treat when we get to hear it!

For funsies, on my own I attempted to slow down the tempo and lower the pitch a bit, and the result is actually pretty nice.  I did have this up on my old YouTube channel, but like I'm trying to avoid anything bootleg so I can't upload it there again, but here it is here on my blog. :3

Happy 75th Birthday, Gorel!

 Today is Gorel Hanser's 75th birthday!  Gorel Hanser has been a part of ABBA's story since the very beginning, and she remains one of ABBA's most beloved friend and trusted colleague.   Happy birthday, Gorel.  I hope she has an absolutely incredible day celebrating with all her family and friends. <3

Song Analysis - Rubber Ball Man

 Appearing at the 16:20 mark in ABBA Undeleted is the unreleased recording, Rubber Ball Man.  The song was recorded on August 8th, 1979, after the release of Voulez-Vous the album in April, so I wonder if the song was originally intended to be just a single like Gimme Gimme Gimme! would end up being, or it was written for possible inclusion on a future album, which as we know would end up being Super Trouper. 

However, obviously the song never ended up being good enough and subsequently got scrapped, but not completely as shortly afterwards during rehearsals for the 1979 tour ABBA were recorded messing around with a new version of the same melody, this time called Under My Sun, but more on that in a future post

I actually really enjoy Rubber Ball Man. The song itself is sort of like an ode to fans and what it feels like to be a fan of an artist.  The opening line, "The poster on the wall of a dear friend, I wish there was a way that I could show you how your songs set me free," I think perfectly sums up what it's like to be a fan of an artist, and honestly reminds me a ton of my own experience being an ABBA fan. I have ABBA plastered all over my bedroom walls, but unlike a few certain special fans, I have never really been able to express to the ABBA members themselves how much their songs have meant to me.  Of course I will always remember how fortunate I was to be allowed to send in letters and fanmail to the ABBA members through Gorel Hanser, so in a way they know how much ABBA has meant to me, but I still probably won't ever get the opportunity to tell the ABBA members in real life.  And like, I'm sure they hear this story all the time of how much their music has meant to us fans and getting the opportunity to tell my story won't make much of a difference in their life, but it would be nice.  And like, the next like in the first verse, "the hero of them all you're a legend.  I guess I'll never get a chance to know you, still you're close as can be," really resonates with me hahaha, because yeah, I don't think I'll ever get the chance to like know them irl but like I don't want to know them I'd just want to meet them, but regardless, I'm still the dedicated fan that I am.

And the chorus of the song is basically about the crowd going wild watching the Rubber Ball Man perform on stage, doing whatever he does, clapping his hands and letting his feat dance, jumping up and down and the audience jumping along as well, some of them screaming.  It's amazing how the words themselves are so simple yet perfectly describe that feeling of being at a concert to see an artist that you love.  I personally have only ever been to two concerts my entire life, and the this definitely reminds me of my second concert when I went to see Sabrina Carpenter live.  I wasn't a "jumping up and down, nobody's standing still, some of us screaming" type of fan, but I was surrounded by them, haha, and like it's nice.  I definitely learned that experience that I prefer to just sit and take in a concert rather than jump along and sing along, but that's just me and I'd never try to take away from everyone else's enjoyment. 

 The music itself is quite groovy and funky and really doesn't sound like any of the other songs from this era of ABBA songs, which is quite interesting to me.  Also, Agnetha and Frida sing the song in unison together, though I personally hear Frida more prominently, specifically on the line, "look at your fans how we love you Rubber Ball Man."  As this song is just a demo, there aren't any like added harmonies or backing vocals either, so the song is very plain in that way.  However, I love it, and while it certainly doesn't fit the vain of other ABBA songs from this era, I find it to be really lovely and I'm kinda sad they never completed it. 

Song Analysis - Sång till Görel

June 21st, 1979 marked Vice President of Polar Music, Gorel Johnsen, aka the one and only Gorel Hanser,'s 30th birthday!  And to celebrate the occasion, on June 7th, 1979, ABBA together with Stig wrote a song in honor of Gorel's birthday.  Not many people got special songs written for them by ABBA, in fact the only two people, as far as we know, to receive that honor were Gorel and Stig, which goes to show how important the two of them were to ABBA.

Now I don't really have much to say in terms of analysis of the song, as the song is pretty self-explanatory.  This song is also really unique in the singing arrangements as well.  The song begins with an intro sang by Agnetha and Frida, which is translated as follows:

Verse 1: From Skultorp Görel sailed to Sweden and Polar.  She came, she was seen, she conquered, and that's why she stays.  Now she sits as director, and Stikkan's great comfort There she will sit until she dies and hear Stikkan's Voice.

Then in the first chorus we have all four ABBA members singing with Stig interjecting,

Chorus: ABBA:Where is Görel, say, where is Görel, hey  Stig: I manage nothing without you  ABBA: Where is Görel, say, where is Görel, hey, Stig: Can someone answer me?

Then the second verse is sang by Stig, with Agnetha and Frida adding some backing vocals.  Verse 2: She manages the hardest, we have a star.  And you call up and she answer that 'This is Sweden's voice'.  Agnetha, Frida, all of us, Björn and Benny, too, they cause her stress with small cries.  (Agnetha and Frida; Görel!  Görel!) Yes, who doesn't!

Followed by the next chorus that is sang by everyone together rather than having Stig interject.  

The third verse is sang by Bjorn and Benny but they're rather quiet hahaa.  Verse 3: In summer night's happenings, in Autumn's rain and haze, she talks, always smiling with her licensees.  They call from Brasil, from Japan and Iraq, and she always has the same style and they have the same business.

Followed by another chorus, and then the fourth and final verse, sang by Agnetha and Frida, verse 4: Yes, Görel is thorough, and she checks on what happens.  She keeps her little hand in it and much, much more.  And now is it still the one who should have a little hand.  When her Anders afterwards calls, sometimes we catch it.

Then there is one last chorus and the song ends. 

Interestingly, this song, along with I Have A Dream and Little Things, is one of the few songs to feature a non-ABBA vocalist on a song.  This song also is one of the few songs to feature (at least) one verse sang by Agnetha and Frida together and another verse sang by Bjorn and Benny together.  The only other song that I can think of that features that sort of verse structure is He Is Your Brother from 1972.  This song and I Am An A from 1977 are also the only songs to mention the ABBA members' names in it.  And this song marked the last Bjorn, Benny, and Stig musical composition together.  

Sång till Görel was released on a limited edition 12-inch blue vinyl single at Gorel's 30th birthday party, and that remains it's only official release, and as a result, is also one of the rarest items for ABBA fans to collect.  But it is available online, and it is still such a treat to listen to.  You can really feel the love that the ABBA members and Stig had and still have for Gorel. :')

Song Analysis - I Have A Dream

March 27, 1979 saw the start of recording the final song for ABBA's Voulez-Vous album. With working titles such as I Know A Song, and Take Me In Your Armpit (what does this mean though??? hahahah), the song would eventually become I Have A Dream.  Now, musically, I Have A Dream is almost lullaby-esque, and to add to that theme, even features a choir of children from the International School Of Stockholm.  However, as I've been deeply paying extra attention to the lyrics of this song in preparation for this post, I realize this song seems to almost be about trying to get through hard and dark times, depression even.  Unlike If It Wasn't For The Nights that is pretty much about giving up, I Have A Dream is about pushing through it with a more positive outlook.

The line "I have a dream, a fantasy, to help me through reality.  And my destination makes it worth the while.  Pushing through the darkness, still another mile" hints at the reality not being a very nice, pleasant place.  And that can be for any reason, like the world being at war or your own mental health issues.  But the narrator of the song hold on to this fantasy, this dream, that everything will be okay in the end no matter what.  You just have to continue pushing onward.

My personal viewpoint on life has always been "Everything happens for a reason."  Whether or not you fully understand when negative things happen in life, ultimately there is a reason why you have to go through this rough patch, and you will make it out, possibly even as a better person.  And I realize this song is basically that.  The line "I believe in angels, something good in everything I see." I think means that no matter what happens, there is something good to come out of it.  And the angels are basically there watching over and guarding you.  And literally the first line of the song, "I have a dream, a song to sing to help me cope with anything," is the narrators way of getting through these things with optimism.  

I also used to wonder what the line "if you see the wonder of a fairy tale, you can take the future even if you fail," but I think I understand the meaning now.  If you always make sure to keep your innocence, imagination, or even your dream for what you want in life in tact, you'll be able to take whatever life hits you with.  And it's okay if you fail at first, because ultimately, "when I know the time is right for me, I’ll cross the stream."  If you're meant to make it through and succeed, you will.  And it will happen.

Frida sings the lead vocals in this sing, in fact she sings the first verse and chorus alone, only to be joined by the other three members in the second verse.  Then Agnetha joins her in the second chorus, singing in beautiful harmony. Then finally, the third and final verse and chorus are joined by a children's choir.  Until 2021, with the release of Little Things, this song remained the only officially released ABBA song to feature voices other than the ABBA members on it.  (Sang Till Gorel which features vocals from Stig Andersson, while being pressed on vinyl for Gorel Hansers 30th birthday, I wouldn't count as an official ABBA release.)

At some point in 1979, possibly in the summer (it'd have to be prior to September 5th, the day they recorded the music video), ABBA recorded the song in Spanish, titled "Estoy Soñando".  And the song is generally the same song, but dare I say a bit less philosophical...?  Like, it could just be that the translation from Spanish to English via Google Translate lost some of the meaning, but the translation seems kinda dull and bland in comparison to the original English lyrics. 

The lyrics are, verse 1: I dreamt it, and the heart spoke to me about love with emotion. If you live the magic of fairies that do goo, you will see that the future smile too.

Chorus:  I believe in little angels who always protect me from falling.  I believe in little angels that the beautiful life they make me.  See and I will arrive. I dreamt it."

Verse 2:  I dreamt it. It was not an illusion and it helped me in my affliction. And the fantasy to the darkness transforms the day in a truth."

and the third verse is the same as first.

Bjorn and Benny also seemed to have opted out of recording the Spanish version despite the fact that they're seen lip syncing to it in the music video, and I'm also not sure if they got the children's choir back for the recording of the Spanish version or if it's just Agnetha and Frida's vocals layered over and over again to get a more full sound.  Regardless, of course Agnetha and Frida sound amazing as always.   Estoy Soñando would be released as a single in Spanish-speaking territories with the regular English version of Does Your Mother Know as the B-Side, but with the title "Sabe Tu Madre."  Honestly I think it would have been fun if Bjorn attempted to do that song in Spanish, but despite the fact that he claimed to speak fluent Spanish, he never recorded any Spanish vocals...  ABBA also recorded a music video for Estoy Soñando that was recorded at the same time as the Gimme Gimme Gimme music video, but interestingly there is no music video for I Have A Dream.  The song would also eventually be included on ABBA's Spanish album in 1980.

ABBA went on to perform this song live on their 1979/80 tour, with each performance featuring a children's choir from the different cities.  And in Japan, the children's choir would sing the lyrics to the song in Japanese.    

ABBA only performed this song on two TV shows, first in early 1979 on the TV 300 Millones and last on The Late Late Breakfast Show from Stockholm in 1982.

If I'm being honest, when I was younger, I found the song too slow for my liking and in a way, the slow pace of the song makes it kind of boring, however that's not to say I didn't like it, it just wasn't a song that I found myself actively listening to.  However, it's different these days.  Especially when you realize how deep the lyrics really are, it just adds a completely new dimension to the song, and I love it.

Song Analysis - As Good As New

 Recorded in March 1979, As Good As New tells the story of a woman that chose to leave a relationship for whatever reason, only to realize it as a mistake.  She realizes how good things were before, and that maybe she wasn't meant to leave in the first place.  So now, feeling like a whole new person, as good as new, here she is standing here again, and tries to convince her former partner that has changed for the better, and that they're meant to be together forever.  

Reconciliation is always a good thing, and I think this song is really nice and upbeat.  It's not uncommon for ABBA to write a song about a relationship ending, but a relationship reconciling?  That's a new one!  And it's an overall positive song, which I like.

Interestingly, thees theme is sort of revisited a good 38 years later when Bjorn wrote the lyrics to "Don't Shut Me Down" for ABBA's Voyage project.  Don't Shut Me Down is also about a character revisiting an old relationship and trying to convince her partner that she has changed for the better, and is a completely different person now. 

Similarities include:

As Good As New: "Boy, I was tough packin’ all my stuff sayin’ I don’t need you anymore I’ve had enough."

Don't Shut Me Down: "When I left I felt I’d had enough, but in the shape and form I appear now, I have learned to cope, and love and hope is why I am here now."

As Good As New: "And now look at me standing here again ’cause I found out that my life is here gotta have you near..."

Don't Shut Me Down: "Will you leave me standing in the hall or let me enter?"

As Good As New: "as good as new and growin’ too, yes, I think it’s takin’ on a new dimension. It’s as good as new, my love for you, just like it used to be and even better."

Don't Shut Me Down: "I’m not the one you knew, I’m now and then combined. And I’m asking you to have an open mind. I’m not the same this time around." 

Also, the synths in Don't Shut Me Down as can be heard just after the first verse and during the second verse sound like a slowed down version of the guitar just after the strings intro in As Good As New.  Agnetha takes the lead vocals on both songs as well, and even with the 38 year difference in recording, she still sounds amazing and does sound like "now and then combined."  

One of my favorite parts in As Good As New is the first half of the chorus before the rest of the instruments and clapping kicks in, the "As good as new my love for you and keepin’ it that way is my intention.  As good as new and growin’ too, yes, I think it’s takin’ on a new dimension." because it's just Agnetha, Frida, and Bjorn singing together with Benny's synths and the strings accompanying them, and their combined vocals and harmonies sound heavenly.  I also love the "clap clap clap-clap-clap"s in the second half of the chorus.  And honestly the best part of the song in my opinion is in the last two choruses when Agnetha and Frida sing "Good as new.  Good as new." as backing vocals and they just sound so good.

Although ABBA did not perform this song on any TV shows, they did perform this song as the 4th track of ABBA's 1979/80 tour, making it Agnetha's first solo spot during the concert, where she was introduced as Bjorn's old friend, "a good friend of mine, a very good, old friend of mine, the blonde one," as Bjorn would say, and they sounded awesome live, as can be heard on ABBA's Live At Wembley album from 2014.  We also have official visual footage on the ABBA in Japan DVD, although it is synced to the studio track.  And bootleg audio and video exists as well.  (Also based on photographs, I think it can be assumed that ABBA performed this song live when they performed as surprise guests at some Bjorn Skifs concerts at clubs in Landskrona and Norrköping.)

Speaking of Bjorn's very old friend, I have seen SO MANY PEOPLE claim sexism from Bjorn for referring to his ex-wife as an "old friend", acting like it demeans her somehow, and it doesn't support the narrative that they weren't able to act civilly toward one another during ABBA's post-divorce era.  I will say, Bjorn and Benny's banter and speeches on stage have always been a bit awkward, even during their speeches in ABBA Voyage, and they have a very unique sense of humor that a lot of people don't get.  Carl Magnus-Palm in several of his books has said that it's very reminisce of the ABBA members' cabaret show days (Festfolk in 1970, and also prior to that Bjorn, Benny, Svenne, and Lotta did a cabaret show together.  I think Frida, too, did some cabaret style shows.)  Like referring to Agnetha as the "the little blonde girl," as Benny says when introducing he song "I'm Still Alive' later on in the setlist could be seen as demeaning, but I know that was never his intention.  Plus, one thing to remember is that Agnetha is 5 years younger than Bjorn and Frida, and 4 years younger than Benny, so compared to the rest of them, she is the "little blonde girl."  (Also Bjorn and Benny referring to Agnetha and Frida as "the girls" is not sexist either!  Frida and Agnetha also refer to Bjorn and Benny as "the boys" and no one ever claims they're sexist for saying that.)  And on the topic of Bjorn calling Agnetha his friend, while of course no divorce is a happy one, as Agnetha once said, Bjorn and Agnetha, and all of ABBA for that matter, have always been extremely professional and kept marital struggles or co-parenting issues or whatever happens when a marriage ends out of their public image.  And Bjorn calling Agnetha his friend I think was only to prove that even with whatever was going on after their divorce, they would always remain friends, which has proven to be correct even after 40 years.

Anyways, back to the topic of As Good As New, this song is awesome, especially as it's an actual wholesome, positive, and optimistic track.  Although it is a very disco-inspired track, the song itself holds up in modern day really well, not overly dated.  It's a very good song, and in my opinion, the perfect opener for their Voulez-Vous album.

Velvet Jumpsuits

 Last night I finished a new set of costumes...  Two new sets of costumes actually.  ABBA's velvet jumpsuits from 1976, and ABBA's Voyage jumpsuits that are recreations of the 1976 jumpsuits. :D

As usual, a more detailed post is available on my sewing blog.

Song Analysis - Kisses Of Fire

 Okay now this song I have been SO excited to write about.  Why?  Well, while I have always said Tropical Loveland is my all time favorite ABBA song, over the last 14 years that I have called myself an ABBA song, this song has slowly been rising to the top as one of my absolute favorites.  If someone asked me to list a song that is ABBA at their best, ABBA at their PEAK, I would say Kisses Of Fire.  While Agnetha sings the first verse alone, the rest of the song is sang joint with Frida, and their voices just mold together perfectly.

Recording for this song commenced on February 7th, 1979, and this song is another song to come directly from Bjorn and Benny's songwriting trip to the Bahamas.  The song is a very general song about someone who finally feels like "in love".  For the first time, they feel like this love is real, it's passionate, it's fiery, and they've basically never felt this high in love before.  But, it's not all sunshine and rainbows, as in the second verse we have the line, "still it’s making me scared that my love is so strong. Losing you, it’s a nightmare, babe, and to me it’s new," basically indicating how, while this love affair feels like it's the real thing, there's always that bit of anxiety being like "but what if I lose this?"  But in a way, it adds a sense of realism I think, to always have those skeptical or anxious thoughts.  

I think I read this comment from a reviewer probably in ABBA on Record, on the theme that Voulez-Vous was ABBA's step into the mature realm, that ABBA had finally graduated to the bedroom, and yeah, this song is definitely that.  But also in a way, it's never felt dirty.  This song is definitely targeted more towards adults, and it's about a fiery passionate love, but it's not overly dirty.  But it's definitely not for children, haha.  

Now, for me, the real highlight of the song is the vocals.  Already in the first verse, sung solo by Agnetha, we have her slow and sweet vocals that sounds so crystal clear and perfect, but in the background we've got these beautiful "ooooh"s harmonizing behind her, and we've got some Bjorn and Benny mixed in there as well.  Then we get launched straight into the most incredible chorus ever, with Agnetha and Frida's voices harmonizing together, and they're not singing in unison but rather harmonized to the point that you can make out their individual voices slightly and you get that beautiful metallic sound.  And the way they sing the line "I’m riding higher than the sky and there is fire," specifically the "Aaaah, I'm riding higher...." never fails to send a chill down my spine.  Like every time I listen to it, they just sound so good!  We've got the layers upon layers of harmonies throughout the chorus as well, with Bjorn and Benny definitely audible throughout the song, especially on the line "Kisses of Fire."  Bjorn also sings the "I'm at the point of no returning" and "caught in a landslide of emotion" lines at the end of the song.  Also, one of my absolute favorite parts of the song is Benny's piano scattered throughout the song.  I highlighted it in this video in case you wanted to hear it by itself.

This song is just ABBA at their peak and while it's not necessarily a classic ABBA song with Sad Lyrics, Happy Music, or describing emotion as "feeling blue" or with some "Aha"s scattered throughout, it's got that ABBA sound and it's the ABBA sound at it's most perfect.  I just can't tell you enough how much I love it.  

Much to my disappointment, ABBA never performed the song live, but they did perform an early mix of the song on the TV special ABBA in Switzerland.  I think most notably it's missing strings from the song, and possibly some vocal overdubs.  But it also sounds really, really good. Like it was this performance that I first saw while browsing YouTube in 2011-ish that made me fall in love with the song.  I was just scared to admit it because I didn't think my parents would have wanted me listening to a song like this, but at the same time, the whole reason why I fell in love with ABBA in the first place was the literal sound and music, not even the lyrics, haha. 

 

Anyways, this song gets an 12/10 for me.  Like it's just perfect, and in my opinion, the perfect song to introduce someone to ABBA if your main interest is their sound.

Song Analysis - Does Your Mother Know

 In February, 1979, Bjorn and Benny came up with a demo track for a song titled I Can Do It featuring reworked parts of the song Dream World.  Eventually, the song would become the song Does Your Mother Know, and first appeared on the TV show, ABBA In Switzerland, which was recorded that same month.  However, ABBA continued to work on the song in March, 1979 before it eventually became the version that was released on the album.

The song is honestly a bit controversial.  On one hand, at a time when so many rock and pop stars were know to do very creepy things like sleeping with fans, but not just that but sleeping with minor fans who were younger than the age 18, Does Your Mother Know is a song about actively turning down the opportunity to be close with a minor and saying NO.  On the other hand, an adult should not be getting turned on by a minor, should not be calling them hot, and should not be flirting with them.  That's just a no-no.  

Bjorn has said in an interview with The Economist in 2018, that in today's day and age, he probably would hesitate on writing this song, but the song was inspired by a young fan who came up to him and he turned her away.  So I find it to be awesome that he chose to take that experience and write a song about actively saying no to the "advances" of a minor fan, something that other rock stars, both of that time and even in modern day, completely disregarded.  

Now, while I never praise the Mamma Mia! musical franchise, but the scene in which the character of Pepper is trying to flirt up Tanya and Tanya, despite acting rather flirtatiously and honestly creepy back in the scene (I haven't seen Mamma Mia!, never have never will, but I have watched this clip,) it suggests that the song doesn't necessarily mean a literal child.  The song could be about someone significantly younger trying to make flirtatious advances to someone older, but the older person is like, "No, you are a child in comparison to me.  So no."  And that's a fine interpretation of the song.

So, while the song is definitely very icky, I think it proves to be a fairly decent song once you actually read into it and understand the context.  I can't for the life of me remember which song, but there is a song that I think I saw in a RoomieOfficial video on YouTube about a guy actively trying to turn away a "child", and I was thinking "omg yay another song like Does Your Mother Know that can be interpreted for good! but then there was a line that went something along the lines of "leave before I change my mind" and I was like ewwwwww.  So as far as I know, Does Your Mother Know remains one of the only songs to not be that level of disgusting because the narrator of the song never suggests that he wants to change his mind.  He sets a boundary, that is to only dance and flirt (still wrong but it's something), and will not step past that. 

Musically, the song is great.  I love that for the first time since the Arrival album, Bjorn got another lead vocal, and his vocals are great in this song.  Agnetha and Frida's backing vocals are amazing, especially in the post-chorus, with their high pitched "Does your mother know?"s.  When ABBA would perform this song live during the 1979/80 tour, the song is just full of energy and it is so fun seeing Bjorn dash all over the stage.  There's one moment especially during ABBA in Concert before the second verse where you can see Agnetha playing with Benny at his piano and it is just absolutely adorable.  The song is just so fun live on stage.  ABBA also took the moment to hang out and highlight with their different backing musicians.  They kinda took the highlighting the musicians in a bit of a "flirty" route which honestly, not my fave, but I'm happy to see Mats Ronander, Lasse Wellander, and Rutger Gunnarson get the spotlight for a bit.

Anyways, here is a compilation of their performances of Does Your Mother Know.

 

Also, I have to share this bootleg clip of ABBA live in Copenhagen in 1979, where you can see Agnetha and Frida dancing together during Does Your Mother Know. Absolutely adorable.