Customer Reviews

ABBA - Gold: Greatest Hits

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3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

I was in high school when most of ABBA's work was originally released. At that time, no one considered cool would have admitted to enjoying stuff like this. All the cool people I knew were listening to Lynyrd Skynrd and Bachman Turner Overdrive. Now, all these years later, it is at last safe for me to admit I love these songs.

There is a whole new generation of kids listening (or perhaps pretending not to listen) to ABBA's music as interpreted by the new Swedish group, the A-Teens. I must say, I'll have to stick with these originals. If you think you need only one silly seventies pop-dance album, this may be the one for you.

Most of ABBA's songs are syrupy sweet with a dance-able swaying thump in the background, ala Dancing Queen, Fernando, Knowing Me, Knowing You. I love them all. I can never quite decide whether these are smirky camp or absolutely serious, but perhaps that is part of the appeal. The enigma of ABBA.

What surprised me, revisiting some of the early songs, like SOS and Waterloo, is the almost rock and roll feel. The beat is harder and faster before the group went completely disco.

Still, I think if ABBA has a live-forever pop classic, it has to be Dancing Queen, which has pride of place here as the first track. This really sums up everything you need to know about Pop.

It would be easy for me to give any Abba CD less than 5 stars, if you consider their music in comparison to all rock music. However, if you consider their music in comparison to all pop, the rating must be different. Abba didn't create good pop, they created excellent pop. Bennie and Bjorn could churn out one catchy tune after another, and Agnetha and Frida could sing in harmony well enough that those of us that watched them on tv fell in love instantly and became immediate Abba fans.

This CD collects the majority of Abba's biggest hits, though they may have been hits in Germany or England or the United States. I know that when I bought this CD (which I purchased after "More Abba Gold" - which I'll talk about momentarily) I recognized nearly every song, which says that most of them did get good airplay.

Most of these songs are classic 70s pop songs, with very little if any disco influence. And while most of the songs are catchy and do little to press the boundaries of rock music, there are a few songs that transcend the genre. Most particularly "Lay All Your Love On Me", "I Have a Dream", "Fernando", "One of Us", and "Thank You for the Music", which in hindsight is the group's goodbye and thank you to fans.

I enjoy Abba's music. It's generally easy on the ears, you can sing or hum it, and pretty darn well written. However, Abba is much more than the music on this CD. If you like this CD you may want to try "More Abba Gold", which has miscellaneous hits of somewhat lower stature (less sales) than those on this CD. While the "More Abba Gold" CD songs sold less than these, I think the music is more complex in some cases, and often shows that Abba was more than just catchy tunes. One step further would be to buy the albums and catch Abba as they were originally released and appreciated by those of us who bought their albums.

Yes, it's a bit of nostalgia from the 70s and early 80s. It's music we heard so often on the radio, and perhaps even more often on our record players (that thing that plays those round black plastic thingies with the grooves on each side). It's takes us back to a fun time when maybe life was just a little less complicated. And yes, it's very listenable and among the best of pop music...go have fun listening...

I recently bought the ABBA Gold Greatest Hits CD and something just doesn't sound right! I have the original recordings on LP and 45, so I have a reference other than memory. Someone has done some serious re-mixing on this compilation. It almost sounds like they are singing in a living room with overstuffed chairs. The rhythm track sounds like someone beating on a plastic garbage can with a broom. The originals had heavy compression on the vocals and lush reverb which was an integral part of the ABBA sound. It sounds like in this version they are using some sort of noise gate on the vocals, because they tend to unnaturally disappear between syllables. I was amazed that of all the 173+ reviews only one shared my disappointment with this compilation from a technical standpont. I certainly agree with that review. that "the new (1993) version is extremely boring and in no way reproduces the musical excitement of the real ABBA from the 70s and 80s." The recordings, as originally released, were masterpieces that did not need to be "improved upon".The A-Teens recordings sound closer to the originals in terms of production technique than this collection does.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ONE YEAR LATER, November 26, 2004..... I wrote my original review of ABBA Gold back on December 2, 2003, and my opinion of it has not changed. It does not sound like the original ABBA recordings, even though Michael Tretow, the original recording engineer produced this CD. I have gained some insight into the magic Michael Tretow put into the original mixes. I recently purchased The Winner Takes it All (The ABBA Story) DVD. Michael talks about doubling up the instruments and the vocals to make the recordings sound bigger than life. The doubled instruments and voices were also changed in pitch slightly to enhance the sound. If you listen closely to the original ABBA vinyl recordings, you can hear this chorusing effect. The sound is sort of like a choir of angels singing along with the 4 ABBA vocalists. This effect is lacking on the ABBA Gold CD, where the vocals tend to get lost in the mix, particularly low listening levels. It has nothing to do with some special ethereal quality of phonograph records versus compact discs. ABBA Gold is a re-mix. It is nearly impossible to duplicate all of the aspects of the original mix, a decade and a half later. I wonder if the original 2-track mix tapes that were sent to the record pressing plant are still in a vault somewhere. It would be wonderful if they could be put on CD. You think ABBA Gold is good? The original mix on CD would blow you away!

Gold is an impressive and valuable mineral. But the most impressive and enduring of all is platinum and for that reason alone, this album should be retitled for future editions.

It is almost superfluous trying to review a body of the "greatest" work from arguably the best pop-act the music world has ever known. How do you evaluate a collection of songs that has seeped into the consciousness of pretty much anyone who was around in the mid to late 70's and which continues to impress even the most cynical music listener today?

The best that you can do is merely to remember the exhiliration on first hearing the soaring strings and harmonies of "Dancing Queen" and not quite believing a song could sound so beautiful. Or to recall the moment you thought you might stop breathing as you listened to the aching resignation and almost gorgeous pain in "The Winner Takes it all". Or to decribe the marvel when you first recognised the maturity and balance contained in the mini-opus "The name of the game". Or maybe to smile at the day you knew you had died and gone to pop heaven whilst being serenaded with the delightful suggestiveness of "If you change your mind, I'm the first in line, Honey I'm still free, take a chance on me". And I could go on in similar vein with and each and every one of the remaining tracks.

"ABBA Gold" is a only a sample of music that has transcended time and genres and (now it can be said) generations. A souvenir if you like of the joy and fun and the sheer brilliance of being alive which was contained in just about all of ABBA's 3 to 4 minute pop gems.

Hyperbole and exaggeration? Maybe. But the fact remains that ABBA's music and genius continues to impress people and critics all over the world with its timeless simplicity and complexity, its technical brilliance and a mastery of that most essential element of all great songs - the "hook". Add to that the glorious sounds of Agnetha and Frida harmonising together (every time) and you know that ABBA will never be bettered.

The real point to buying this album is not to be reminded of the days when a pop song could be equally sublime and fun nor to confirm in one sitting that ABBA were (and are) the absolute masters of songwriting and singing the perfect tune. The real point of this collection should be to lead you to discover the wealth of treasures contained in ABBA's lesser known albums and album tracks.

I also was in Jr. High School and High School when Abba was cranking out top 10 hits. In those days I snuck into the record shop and hid my Abba albums under the cover of Led Zeppelin and then ditched the Zeppelin at the check out counter. It was imperative to hide your face while purchasing Abba albums. They were that uncool. To admit you loved Abba in geometry class was to court disaster and be ostracized for the rest of your life.

Such nonsense mattered as a 14 year old, now I can openly say Abba's music is wonderful and their arrangements were as innovative as anything coming out of the 70's. It is simply impossible to listen to Dancing Queen or Take a Chance on Me and not want to hear the songs again and again. The vocal intricacies on Take a Chance are equal to the harmonies on most Beach Boys records. How about Waterloo? Three minutes of the most pulsing, catchy music ever put on a disc.

Abba's music sounds better today than it ever did, particularly when you know what dreck was produced by other bands in the intervening years. They might not have been Dylanesque lyrically, but few have ever written songs with such clever hooks, bridges and infectious rhythm. Thirty years after the fact, the impossible has happened: Abba has finally become cool!

Abba's music is electric, vibrant and fresh despite the passage of time. The group, as Amazon so correctly points out, had a special versatility that enabled them to produce many different types of songs. There's the classic "Dancing Queen" that almost everybody recognizes as being distinctly Abba with their 1970's pop sound; but there's also the rock and roll style of "Does Your Mother Know." "Does Your Mother Know" is just one of the many songs on this CD that has a great musical arrangement as well.

Abba was also very capable of capturing the intensity of one's feelings about love affairs and romance. I enjoyed how they compared a romance to Napoleon's infamous battle with their song entitled "Waterloo." "The Winner Takes It All" also captures the intense bitterness of a lost romance. They sing of other universal themes such as the quest to become rich ""Money, Money, Money" and the sheer delight of celebrating love without ties with "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)."

"Lay All Your Love On Me" has a beautifully haunting disco flavor that deserves recognition all on its own. Powerful! The musical arrangement is strikingly beautiful and very sensitively delivered. I also particularly enjoyed the somewhat autobiographical song entitled "Thank You For The Music." The lyrics are very well written:

I'm nothing special; in fact I'm a bit of a bore
If I tell a joke, you've probably heard it before
But I have a talent, a wonderful thing
'cause everyone listens when I start to sing
I'm so grateful and proud
All I want is to sing it out loud

So I say
Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me

Although some people may be tempted to say that the lyrics to Abba songs are just too sugary sweet to be enjoyable; I for one disagree. There is a refreshing honesty to the lyrics that reminds me of a naivet? I myself once had and lost when I learned some painful lessons along the way in my life. That nostalgia probably helps me enjoy Abba's music even more; and I would imagine that at least some other people would feel the same way that I do.

One note: if you want longer "dance" versions of some of these songs, you'll be disappointed here. The CD gives you 19 songs so there's not much time for longer versions. That's a minus, admittedly, but this CD remains quite strong anyway. Hey, the proof is in the pudding: despite being released years ago, the CD is still a big seller! SMILE

The quality of the sound is excellent and the song set is nicely laid out.

The liner notes are excellent. John Tobler contributes an extensive essay about the history of the group that also includes some information about their personal lives. The liner notes include song credits, pictures of the covers of their record albums and quite a few nice color pictures of the group. You won't get the lyrics to the songs, though.

All in all, this is an awesome CD for Abba fans as well as people who want to get to know Abba. I would also recommend this CD for fans of great pop music with a 1970's flavor to it. Try this CD--you won't be disappointed.

FIRST- Of note to people who are obsessed with track length (as I am) is the fact that two songs (Voulez Vous & The Name of the Game) are somewhat shorter than their album versions

I thought I would do it track by track:
1. Dancing Queen (3:52) - probably the best-known song on this album- it is truly a classic. It needs no introduction
It's definitely not the best track on the album, but it is a great song.

2. Knowing Me, Knowing You (4:02) - a classic song. A great performance by Frida

3. Take A Chance On Me (4:04) - A nice song. I love the A'Capella beginning. The live version on ABBA LIVE (CD) is also really great- and it sounds faster

4. Mamma Mia (3:33) - A classic ABBA track. I love it!!!

5. Lay All Your Love On Me (4:34) - To me, this is the best song on the album. It has a great sound to it. Very disco-ish or early 80s-ish. From the classic album Super Trouper

6. Super Trouper (4:14) - A good song. This is the opening track from their masterpiece album of the same name. You really should look into the Super Trouper album

7. I Have A Dream (4:44) - a great song. I actually didn't like it until I heard the live version- so you may want to check that out on ABBA LIVE (CD) or on ABBA IN CONCERT (DVD). A beautiful track with a children's choir.

8. The Winner Takes It All (4:55) - another great track from the Super Trouper album- and it's probably the most beautiful song on ABBA Gold

9. Money, Money, Money (3:08) - a great song. It has a cabaret type of sound.

10. S.O.S. (3:21) - Not one of my favorites, but for a lot of people this is one of their best songs. I must say, though, they may have a point- listen to it and you'll see.

11. Chiquita (5:26) - My least favorite song on this album. But, it was a major hit in many Spanish-speaking countries

12. Fernando (4:13) - I love this song. To me, it's one of Frida's greatest performances (and that's saying a lot). If you like it, you should hear the live version on ABBA LIVE (CD).

13. Voulez Vous (4:22 [edit- the album version is 5:09, so we lose 47 secs.]) - A great venture into disco. Very upbeat. If you like it, you should hear the whole Voulez Vous album and you should see the performance on ABBA IN CONCERT (DVD)

14. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) (4:48) - Another great disco classic. It was recently sampled by Madonna on the song "Hung Up."
If you like Gimme! You may want to see/hear the live version on ABBA LIVE (CD) or on ABBA IN CONCERT (DVD) and you may want to hear "Hung Up" by Madonna

15. Does Your Mother Know (3:15) - I used to hate this song, but now it's one of my favorites. The 50s rock type of sound to it is great. From the Voulez Vous album- I just love it. If you like it, you should hear the live version (on ABBA LIVE [CD] or on ABBA IN CONCERT [DVD])- it has a great guitar solo part not found in the studio version

16. One Of Us (3:58) - arguably the best track on The Visitors album. Although I'm not so sure about that, it still is great. Check out that bassline!!!!

17. The Name Of The Game - (4:00 [edit- the album version is 4:53, so we lose 53 secs.]) - a beautiful song (although the full length version on ABBA The Album is much better as it has an extra verse)

18. Thank You For The Music (3:51) - great song. Although it released as a single in 1983, it was a track on 1977's ABBA The Album. It is often seen as a farewell song (which it does serve well as), but it is actually one of four songs from ABBA's mini musical "The Girl With the Golden Hair" (this and two others are available on ABBA The Album. One song is unavailable on any album although it can be heard on ABBA The Movie)

19. Waterloo (2:42) - their first major hit. It has a glam rock-ish sound to it. WOW. If only it were longer

ALSO RECOMMENDED: ABBA LIVE and MORE ABBA GOLD.
(I personally prefer More ABBA Gold to ABBA Gold)

I believe that there is a new genertaion of ABBA fans emerging, I'm on of them, I'm only 18, the reason for this new generation of fans is simply the timeles quality of ABBA's music especially their music on the Gold album. I can still remember the first time I heard "Dancing Queen". The song had a tremendous effect on me. I feel that song is their best one. "The Winner Takes It All" is a break up song but the thing that make the lyrics so poignant is that this was actually happening to ABBA and they sang about it! "SOS", "Gimme Gimme Gimme", "Voulez Vous", are some of the great dance songs of ABBA. The CD is just awesome. The sound is still fresh after all these years and you can credit Benny and Bjorn for that. I cannot recommed this CD high enough! Go out and get it today!

Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket! If I were a conniving CD producer & peddler and had the opportunity to issue "ABBA Gold" and "ABBA More Gold," I'd likely take the most solid ABBA tunes and tactfully divide them evenly between both CDs, and add the lesser known "fillers" as an afterthought.

Well...being an Abba fanatic, I found plenty to enjoy with both CDs. But the first "ABBA Gold" is an absolute gem if you are a casual ABBA fan and want to purchase a "Best of" collection that's packed with the richest and finest ABBA hits.

Seriously, you won't find yourself skipping a few tracks every time a tune ends. Track 1 goes right into "Dancing Queen," and --in my opinion-- the following five songs are not only hits, but some of ABBA's most solid work. You get a diverse selection of their music from sorrowful "SOS" to playful "Money, Money, Money" (a particular favorite of mine, as it's one of those few tunes where you get to hear Frida's powerful and sultry
voice in the forefront!), to sweet & nasty "Gimme Gimme Gimme!"
The full spectrum of ABBA is in this collection.

I really find no filler tracks in ABBA Gold. Admittedly, "I Have a Dream" and "Does Your Mother Know" are two ABBA tunes that always lost me, but when I chat with other ABBA fans, I find myself in the minority. The only way this CD will not fulfill your needs is if you are one of those folks (like me) who discovered ABBA, think they are one of THE greatest, and want ALL ABBA! On the other hand, you can be a fairly avid fan and still get almost all the ABBA you'll need on this CD.

Yep, I was one of those 10-11 year old kids who loved disco when it was popular, and then totally rejected it by the time I was 13 (okay, maybe 14). But during when this music was at its peak in 1977-78, there were very few bands that I liked more than this fab foursome from Sweden, who at the time just happened to be one of the most popular in the world.

As some reviewers have mentioned, there was a certain naivete` about ABBA that was so appealing back then. Part of it was that their music was upbeat without being too silly. Another part of it was the gorgeous vocal harmonies between lead singers Agnetha and Frida. Now that I've come full-circle to appreciate the 70's disco I grew up on, as well as the 80's metal and 90's grunge and industrial that I've grown into, I can say that nothing quite brings back the way I felt in my early double-digit days more than putting on GOLD, the definitive ABBA greatest-hits CD.

The CD begins with their first U.S. #1 hit "Dancing Queen", the song that broke them into mega-stardom. Relentlessly upbeat, this song helped define the disco era. It all ends with their very first U.S. (and international) hit "Waterloo", which they recorded back in 1973, and showed that they were upbeat even before there was disco. In between are 70's classics like "Fernando", "Mamma Mia" (which was so well-utilized in the wonderful film THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT), "Money, Money, Money", "Take A Chance On Me" (during which is impossible to resist the urge to toe-tap), and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (Ah-ha!). There are some 70's curios like "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)", "Does Your Mother Know", and "S.O.S." but even these are entertaining. There are even some early-'80's gems like "Super Trouper" and "The Winner Takes It All" (which is probably the greatest disco-love-ballad ever).

Listen, I don't listen to this CD often, and it is in fact the only ABBA CD I own. But, every once in a while, maybe every 3-4 months, I need to hear some of this music. And if that's what you need to do too, then I think you need to get this CD. 'Cause if it's an ABBA fix you need, then there isn't another CD you can get that can satisfy it as well as ABBA GOLD! :)