Interesting that it’s this high. I prefer I Still Have Faith In You but can understand the charm to this

Don't Shut Me Down is a little new but it's certainly quality, though I do still prefer I Still Have Faith In You

 

excellent top 5! would choose either Gimmex3 or Lay All Your Love to win but I won't be mad whatever

DSMD is too high, it’s great but not that great.

 

the top 5 is incredibly solid !

LAYLOM/TWTIA top 2 pls

THIS!

Lay All Your Love On me to win!

'Don't Shut Me Down' is excellent, but WAY too high.

 

Mind you, I think I did give it a 9 so.

Surprised at how high Don’t Shut Me Down finished. It’s still a great song though.

Folks, that build to the 2nd chorus of Don't Shut Me Down, followed by a key change and an army of harmonies, is life affirming. Absolute perfection. It still gives me goosebumps.

Great result for Don’t Shut Me Down! I do think it deserves its place even though I wouldn’t have wanted it to get right to the top.

 

It’s just the perfect comeback. The lyric “I’m now and then combined” still gets me every time. They’re the same old ABBA and yet different. It’s a message to the public, and the fans and to themselves all at the same time. Just magic.

 

Stunning Top 5; well chosen all.

Looking forward to seeing how the Top 5 pans out. I genuinely have no clue how it will go.

Just like a child, stubborn and misconceiving

5. One of Us | 8.916



Highest Scores: 11: (King Rollo, Viper), 10: (Qween, PaulM1983, LM Fan, Iz 💀, Herbs, Feel the Fever, ___∆___, Lukuzz, Eduardo, Jade, Liam.k), Lowest Scores: 5: (Tawdry Hepburn)


At the #5 spot is One of Us, released in December 1981 as the lead single from ABBA's 8th studio album The Visitors. The song had the working titles of "Number 1" & "Mio Amore" and was one of the last songs recorded for the album, with lead vocals by Agentha. It was one of a number of tracks that explored the darker territory of Björn and Benny's songwriting, as both their divorces were beginning to influence their musical output. The band favoured releasing it as the lead single & the majority of the record companies agreed with him, as it proved to be a wise move as it would become ABBA's final #1 of their careers.

Upon release this was the group's first official single release in which both couples within' the band had divorced. It would be ABBA's last major worldwide hit by topping the charts in Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands & Germany, as well as top 5 peaks in Israel, Austria, Switzerland, UK & South Africa. This would mark the group's final appearance in the UK top 10 for 39 years. The song wasn't released in the USA until February 1983, and proved to be their worst-ever performing song there by missing the top 100 at #107, though this could be attributed to the fact that this came more than a year after it was released everywhere else & they were already disbanded by that time.

This proved quite consistantly popular throughout this rate with several high scores consisting of 2 11's, 11 10's, then the rest were mostly 8's & 9's, with just 2 middling scores, which is quite surprising considering that this doesn't seem to be all that well known & came at a time when the group's success was about to wane. However this in my opinion stands as one of ABBA's most underrated & stellar recordings in this tale about a dying relationship. The melancholy yet rich vocal melodies & downbeat tones gives this a rather haunting sound as it highlights the sadness of the lyrics. Overall this is a quality ABBA track with crisp production & should be more loved & remembered, but at least its well appreciated on here.

Love ‘One Of Us’, it’s one that’s really grown on me over the years.

The average of the next entry is 8.942

 

There's 4 entries left, any guesses?

 

Every second of One of Us is beautiful, right from the shimmery opening. What a travesty that it wasn’t their 10th Number 1.

 

I can’t call it at all but think TWTIA might well win.

Edited December 11, 20213 yr by Jingle Jules

Surely the win is between Knowing Me and The Winner Takes!

Ready for another entry!!!

Find the end of the rainbow, with a fortune to win

4. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) | 8.942



Highest Scores: 11: (Iz 💀, Chapman, Feel the Fever), 10: (spiceboy, Jester, Nina West, PaulM1983, Run For Cover, ready for it, Aaron, Lukuzz, slowdown73, Viper, Cameron, n4yr, Hide&Seek, Jade, HausofGucci, Liam.k), Lowest Scores: 3: (Last Dreamer)


At #4 is Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight), which was recorded in August 1979 in order to help promote their North American and European tour of that year & was then released in October 1979 as a brand new track on ABBA's Greatest Hits Vol 2 album as a brand new track. The song was written & composed by Benny & Bjorn, with the lead vocals sung by Agentha, with the melody line played on an ARP Odyssey synthesizer. Originally ABBA had recorded another song titled "Rubber Ball Man", which was planned as a single, & featured the typical ABBA arrangement. The song was performed by the group during rehearsals for its 1979 tour as "Under My Sun". However, the group felt that "Gimme Gimme Gimme". with its disco sound would be a better choice and thus 'Rubber Ball Man' remained nothing more than a demo. In 2005 the song was sampled by Madonna for her worldwide hit "Hung Up" after she sent a letter to Benny & Bjorn asking permission to use the song as a sample, which they agreed making this only the 2nd time that an ABBA track had been officially sampled.

Upon release the song was yet another highly successful hit for the group by topping the charts in Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Japan & Switzerland, while reaching top 5 peaks in Austria, Netherlands, Norway, UK & Germany. In the USA & Canada the song was edited down from 4:48 to 3:36, by ABBA's American label Atlantic, but it didn't seem to get a proper release in either of those countries.

This proved to be quite a darkhorse throughout this competition, starting out in the lower regions of the top 10 before gradually climbing to a respectable top 5 peak. A powerhouse of an ABBA record here, anchored by dramatic production, prominent synths & guitars, pounding disco beats & one hell of a cracking hook that makes this an instant ABBA classic. Then there's that fantastic breakdown with those fabulous strings & sinister choir vocals which mixes with the pulsating synths & deep bass-lines before eurputing into an epic chorus. On the whole its a wonderful pop gem & surely one of ABBA's greatest singles (which I know i've said many, many times), but with a group like this whose released classic after classic - its hard not to keep piling on the praise for this amazing band.

Just the final 3 now "Knowing Me Knowing You" VS "The Winner Takes It All" VS "Lay All Your Love On Me"

 

Who will WIN, stay tuned 2 find out....

Would’ve like to see this finish a bit higher, out of the songs left I’d have had it in my top three.

Thought One of Us would be too 3. Great song !

 

Gimme Gimme Gimme is iconic too, one of my all time favourite songs from any artist !