Almost all my top scorers dropping out. Angeleyes is great.

Almost all my top scorers dropping out. Angeleyes is great.

 

 

Angel Eyes should have been on Gold but they were up against a CD running time limit. I'd rather they'd left Does Your Mother Know odd.

 

I gave TDBYC an 11 score!

15th, boo you all :angry: (especially J00prstar)

 

It's snapping at the heels of becoming my favourite ABBA song currently, such a masterpiece. There's such darkness, melancholy and beauty in these lyrics 💕

"The girl means business so I'll offer her a drink"

14. Voulez-Vous | 8.222



Highest Scores: 11: (Chapman, n4yr), 10: (spiceboy, Jester, Nina West, dandy, Ho-Lee Smokes, Liam.K), Lowest Scores: 3: (Last Dreamer)


At #14 is the counterpart to #16 - Voulez-Vous, released as a double A-side alongside "Angeleyes" in July 1979 as the 3rd single from ABBA's 6th studio album also titled Voulez-Vous. The title is french which means "Do you Want" & written and composed by Benny & Bjorn, with both Agentha & Frida sharing the lead vocals. A songwriting trip to the Bahamas saw the birth of its melody and the backing track was recorded in Miami with members of the disco group Foxy. This was the only ABBA song to be recorded outside of Sweden. Upon release the song wasn't a major success when compared to the band's hits before or after. It did manage to top the charts in Belgium, while reaching the top 3 in the UK, Ireland & Netherlands, as well as top 10 peaks in Switzerland, France & Spain. However it didn't perform as well in Australia & USA with peaks of #79 & #80 respectively. In the USA it was released on its own, while 'Angeleyes' was released a month later & fared slightly better by reaching #64. The track is also the only ABBA song to have been officially released as an extended dance remix – albeit only as a promo in the US, alongside its original version & was even included as a bonus track on the 2001 compilation The Definitive Collection.

One of ABBA's more full on disco numbers & its a strong & brilliant example of that genre. The introduction guitar parts certainly sound foreboding. Then the group kicks in with dark verses & melodies which effortlessly transforms into the chanting chorus,, which is simply fabulous & really sticks in your head, but in a good way. The horns & string arrangements all reinforce the dark mood of this track perfectly & gives this an almost menacing feel. Another solid offering from the group who always has a great understanding of the disco genre.

I detest The Day Before You Came, it's so long and plodding. Glad it went out when it did although gutted it got above the glorious Angeleyes!

The Day Before You Came is amazing - not my first choice to listen to but possibly their most exquisite piece of art. The mundane lyrics and almost bored vocals against the ever more menacing accompaniment is just brilliant.

 

Voulez Vous is the last song out that I don’t love. I think it’s quite a weak chorus by their standards and it goes on a bit. Great Top 13!

Edited December 5, 20213 yr by Jingle Jules

Voulez-Vous is catchy as hell but I do struggle with it a little as it feels like it runs out of steam 2/3 of the way through. The shorter edits are much better.

That’s a couple of my major faves out one after another :(

 

Hoping that Lay All Your Love On Me can make top 10 at least

Gutted for the forever underrated Angeleyes. It's just the perfect example of the impeccable harmonies, with a soaring chorus melody, it's incredible.

 

I am shocked at how low The Day Before You Came is though. I don't personally love it, but it's always top 3 on these "Best ABBA songs" polls that we see, and I just figured I was missing something, a bit like other people with Angeleyes!

'Voulez-Vous' really gets me going on the dancefloor! Although I admit it does tend to go on a bit towards the end.

The Day Before You Came is such an amazing song. Glad it’s done so well here

'Voulez-Vous' really gets me going on the dancefloor! Although I admit it does tend to go on a bit towards the end.

I feel the exact same about voulez vouz.

You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end

13. Chiquitita | 8.263



Highest Scores: 11: (LM Fan, Viper), 10: (Qween, spiceboy, Nina West, ready for it, Lukuzz, Liam, Liam.k), Lowest Scores: 1: (Last Dreamer)


#13 is Chiquitita, released in January 1979 as the lead single from ABBA's 6th studio album Voulez-Vous with Agentha performing the lead vocals. The title is a Spanish term of endearment for a woman meaning "little one". Originally"If It Wasn't for the Nights" was gonna be the album's lead single, but after 'Chiquitita' was completed those plans were abandoned, and it would remain an album track. Many versions of the song exist with working titles of "Kålsupare", "3 Wise Guys", "Chiquitita Angelina" and "In The Arms of Rosalita". There was even a revised version which had a sound that was influenced by the Peruvian song "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" performed by Simon and Garfunkel.

Upon release the song proved to be one of ABBA's biggest hits, it was featured in a 1979 UNICEF charity event, the group donated half the single's royalities to UNICEF. The song managed to top the charts in Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand. Spain Switzerland & South Africa, and hit top peaks in Sweden, UK, Germany, Australia & Norway. Making it the most successful single from the album in terms of global charts and one of the most famous charity songs ever. In 2014, all ABBA members agreed on donating 100% of the royalties from the song to UNICEF.

I always find releasing a ballad as the first single quite risky, especially as this replaced "If It Wasn't For The Nights", which iitself feels like it would have been a rather safe choice. But obviously 'Chiquitita' was the better choice as it stands as one of ABBA's finest ballads. This may take a little longer to grow on some fans who are used to their more instant up-tempo numbers, but this is a stunning number that soars over the gentle cresendos, interweaving melodies & beautiful piano beats that gives this a far more sophisicated & elegant feel. This song is easily one of ABBA's most transcendent singles.

The next to drop will be a BIG ONE

Edited December 5, 20213 yr by Nina West

Hoping it's Dancing Queen.

Same. I wouldn't mind that just bowing out now.

Voulez Vous - one of my least faves but still catchy

Chiquitita - Beautiful song. Vocals are on point. Great song I associate with winter

I really can't bear 'Chiquitita', and I always hear it as "chicken tikka"

Leave them burning and then you're gone

12. Dancing Queen | 8.416



Highest Scores: 11: (ready for it, Liam.k), 10: (spiceboy, Jester, Nina West, LM Fan, ___∆___, cider man, Dante77, n4yr, Eduardo, Liam), Lowest Scores: 2: (Run For Cover)


A bit of a shock at #12 with Dancing Queen, which is perhaps ABBA's most famous song of their career. Released in August 1976 as the lead single from their 4th studio album Arrival. Musically it is a Europop version of American disco music. As disco music dominated the the US charts, the band decided to follow that trend. The recording sessions began in 1975, under it's demo title 'Boogalo' & as the sessions progressed Benny & Bjorn found inspiration from various other works such as the rhythm from George McCrae's 'Rock Your Body', the drumming on Dr John's 1972 album 'Dr John's Gumbo' & the opening melody from "Sing My Way Home" by Delaney & Bonnie. Once Frida heard the song with the backing track, she apparantley started crying & the group instantly knew that the song would be massive (they weren't wrong). The band wanted to release the song as the follow up to 'Mamma Mia', but their manager Stig Anderson insisted 'Fernando' should be first, as he felt it would appeal to a broader audience. In 2015 the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, as well as being their only song to be ranked on the Rolling Stone list of 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time.

Upon release 'Dancing Queen' was a worldwide #1 hit, topping the charts in more than a dozen countries including their native Sweden where it spent 14 weeks at the top, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Germany, UK, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, South Africa & USA where it became ABBA;s only #1 over there. In the UK it is their biggest selling song, being their only Million seller with 1,65 million chart sales. It was even got re-released in the UK in 1992 & peaked at #16 ,taking advantage of an ABBA revival sparked by the success of Erasure's Abba-esque EP.

Thought that this would be a shoe-in for a top 10 placement here, considering that it is ABBA's signature hit, but maybe decades of over-play may have made the voters on here sour slightly towards it. But it's legacy is undeniable & cemented ABBA's dominance as an International act over the next few years, being known as the group's classic period. The song itself represents everything good about the band, a great dancing beat, amazing melodies, beautiful arrangements & stunning yet catchy hooks. Upon those opening piano runs, it's not only instantly memorable, but pulls in you into its euphoric rhythms & sheer qualiity production. A nearly perfect pop song that would set the tone for the rest of their careers.

Too high x