Quite happy that Dancing Queen is out. Obviously ABBA wouldn’t be quite where they are today without it and I hugely respect it for the giant of pop that it is. However I’d rather listen to pretty much everything else that’s left in so it’s good that others are getting their chance to shine.

I mean I like Dancing Queen, but I'd never sit and listen to it.

The roar of guns and cannons almost made me cry

11. Fernando | 8.444



Highest Scores: 11: (spiceboy, Simon, cider man), 10: (Jester, Nina West, LM Fan, Iz , ___∆___, Dante77, Eduardo), Lowest Scores: 0: (Last Dreamer)


Just outside the top 10 at the #11 spot is Fernando, released in March 1976 as the brand new track for the 1976 compilation album simply titled Greatest Hits& was also later included on the group's 4th studio album Arrival. The song was not originally released as an ABBA song but as a solo single by band member Frida & featured on her Swedish solo album Frida ensam in 1975. The song was composed by Benny & Bjorn and carried the working title of 'Tango'. The writers made last minute changes to the title before recording & the name 'Fernando' was inspired by a bartender of that name who worked at a club the band frequented in Stockholm, Sweden. The following the song was re-recorded by ABBA with completely different lyrics by Bjorn.

Upon release the song became one of ABBA's best selling singles of all-time by topping the charts in 13 countries such as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK & Germany, Hungary, Mexico & South Africa, as well as top 5 peaks in Norway, Sweden, Canada, Spain, Denmark, Finland & New Zealand. It also became their 4th top 20 hit in the USA, peaking at #13 & went onto sell over 10 Million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all-time.

For most of the rate this was ranked in the top 10 up until the last couple of rates which caused this to plummet just outside the top 10, but still retains a pretty strong average of 8.4 & only missed the top 10 by 1 point. This song was quite different & ambitious to anything they've tried before with its long flowing melody lines and lyrics about fighting in a liberation war in Central America & its influences of Scandinavian folk music which totally works well within the context of the song & the panpipes really sets the mood, being wistful, exotic & gentle. The chorus is rousing & the verses are stunning thanks to the top-notch production. There's something otherworldly about this that makes this track all the more interesting & plus its a great ABBA record that thanks to its enormous success gave them permission to stretch out further with their sound.

Edited December 6, 20213 yr by Nina West

Right then Buzzjack we are now finally down to the top 10 ABBA songs, but before we start that countdown here's the rundown of the results 11-20:


11. Fernando - 8.444
12. Dancing Queen - 8.416
13. Chiquitita - 8.263
14. Voulez-Vous - 8.222
15. The Day Before You Came - 8.2
16. Angeleyes - 8.044
17. The Name of the Game - 8.027
18. Money, Money, Money - 7.833
19. Waterloo - 7.75
20. When All is Said and Done - 7.6



Here's what's to feature in the top 10:

SOS
Mamma Mia
Knowing Me Knowing You
Take A Chance on Me
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
The Winner Takes It All
Super Trouper
Lay All Your Love on Me
One of Us
Don't Shut Me Down


Thoughts? Predictions? please feel free to share...

Happy that Dancing Queen missed the tip 10. I know it’s one of the biggest songs but it just doesn’t click with me in the slightest.

 

Fernando on the other hand I really enjoy.

Aside from Mamma Mia being in there that’s an amazing top 10

Oh I'm quite surprised 'Super Trouper' is still here, I thought I remembered that not being particularly popular on here. (I like it though so not complaining).

I’m amazed Gimme Gimme Gimme and Don’t Shut Me Down made the top 10 over Fernando

Where are those happy days, they seem so hard to find

10. SOS | 8.472



Highest Scores: 11: (Jester), 10: (Nina West, PaulM1983, Aaron, n4yr, Liam, HausofGucci), Lowest Scores: 0: (Ho-Lee Smokes)


Kicking off the top 10 is SOS, released in June 1975 as the 5th single from ABBA's self-titled 3rd studio album. The song was originally recorded in Swedish by Agnetha on her 1975 solo album Elva kvinnor i ett hus & was written by Benny, Bjorn & Stig Anderson. It's working title was "Turn Me On" before being re-titled by Stig, though the lyrics he provided were re-written by Bjorn & features a heavy influence from the Wall of Sound instrumentation of Phil Spector and the melodies of the Beach Boys. The track was among the first of 3 songs recorded for the group's 1975 album ABBA. It was stated by Bjorn himself that, after 3 years of trying figure out what style would define them, ABBA found its identity as a pop group with the release of "SOS".

Upon release the song became ABBA's first major worldwide hit since 'Waterloo' & marked a significant turnaround in the group's fortunes and returned them to the top 10 in many countries. It topped the charts in Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, South Africa & Germany, and was a top 3 hit in Austria, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Zimbabwe & Switzerland. In the UK it reached a #6 peak & started a run of 18 consecutive top 10 hits. The song also became their 2nd top 20 hit in the USA by reaching a #15 peak, due in part to their iconic performance on 'American Bandstand' & has been included on lists of the most significant performances in the show's 31 seasons by several reviewers and critics.

ABBA's other big hit from their early days & dare I say it, this is not only far, far better than that big Eurovision winning hit, but still to this day stands as an amazing piece of music. The dramatic introduction, story telling piano riffs crossed with minor key synths that really sets the tone for what's to come, a tale of intense romantic despiar delivered through pleading verse melodies & stunning piano work by Benny. Then the instantly memorable yet catchy chorus kicks in, bakced by simple yet beautiful guitars. However the best part of the song is that brilliant key change in the second half of the chorus which creates a devesating & crushing atomsphere, yet delivered in such a euphoric way. This would be a perfect start to ABBA's peak period of solid gold hits.

I am rather pleased to see 'Dancing Queen' miss the top 10, I can't deny it.

Surprised SOS isn't higher, it's the ABBA song even the cool critics seem to love!

 

It is a genius track, and I agree much better than Waterloo. Glad it deservedly revived their commercial fortunes and put them on the path to bigger things.

I didn't end up voting in this, but I would say that...

 

I'm glad Dancing Queen didn't make the Top 10... I can't listen to it these days

It's a shame Fernando didn't make the Top 10... love the song

 

There are some brilliant songs in that Top 10... couldn't pick what will be No.1, but one of these five would be good for me.

 

Take A Chance on Me

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

The Winner Takes It All

Super Trouper

Lay All Your Love on Me

 

I always hear the opening lines to SOS as 'happy gays'

I wouldn't mind seeing a 'Lay All Your Love on Me' win.

Fernando is my least favourite ABBA song.

 

The winner must take it all. :)

SOS making the top 10 is well deserved!

SOS is so nice, happy it made the top 10.

Just one look and I can hear a bell ring

9. Mamma Mia | 8.583



Highest Scores: 10: (spiceboy, Jester, Nina West, Tawdry Hepburn, Aaron, slowdown73, J00prstar, Liam), Lowest Scores: 4: (Last Dreamer)


Another HUGE number drops at #9 - Mamma Mia, released in September 1975 as the 6th single from the group's 3rd self-titled studio album ABBA. It was written by Benny, Bjorn & Stig Anderson with the lead vocals shared by Agentha & Frida. The song's name is derived from Italian, where it is an interjection used in situations of surprise, anguish, or excitement & corresponds to the English interjection "my, my", but literally means "my mum". This was also the last track recorded for the album & it was one of the 4 songs from the album to have a music video made to promote the album. Initially however the song was never intended to be released as a single, as ABBA offered it to British pop group Brotherhood of Man, who turned it down. The group's Australian label RCA asked for 'Mamma Mia' to be released due to its popularity there, but Polar Music refused. However Stig anderson agreed & it became a huge success there. After its success over there, Epic Records in the UK took notice of ABBA for the first time since their Eurovision win & from then on began to heavily promote the group's singles with the immediate result of 'SOS' going top 10, then this soon followed. In 1999, 'Mamma Mia' would also be used as the title to a successful musical stage production that was written by Benny & Bjron, which in turn would be later made into a hugely successful movie in 2008.

Upon release the song would be a massive success by topping the charts in Australia, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany & UK, where it would be group's 2nd UK #1 there. It also hit top 5 peaks in Belgium, Norway, Austria, Italy, New Zealand & Yugoslavia. However it didn't fare quite as well in the USA by only managing a #32 peak, despite being one their best known songs. To date it is ABBA's 7th biggest selling song in the UK with sales of 860,000 copies.

Yet another fantastic ABBA number which I think its safe to say that this can be classed as one of ABBA's many signature hits. The song is a great showcase for ABBA's musical inventiveness, from the distintive marimba to the slightly chromatic piano and percussion riff that opens the song, along with fantastic electric guitar riffs that rings throughout, then there's the catchy vocal melodies & littered with hooks & that iconic chorus which is what makes this song an absolute ABBA classic. In-fact the music & arrangements are incredible & the song itself isan incredibly efficient piece of writing that, one you hear this it will never leave your head. However much like 'Dancing Queen', I do think this suffers from being too overplayed, but you can't deny its greatness & truly deserves its iconic status as a firm classic in ABBA's discography.

Edited December 8, 20213 yr by Nina West

9th is fair for Mamma Mia, it’s similar to Dancing Queen and Waterloo in that in and of itself it’s a fantastic song but they just did a lot better.

Mamma Mia was my first ever Abba song, well deserved 10 and great placement overall!