Customer Reviews

ABBA Gold - Greatest Hits [VHS]

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With the availability of "The Definitive Collection" DVD, there really is no reason to own "ABBA Gold," unless you need to complete your collection of ABBA videos. "ABBA Gold" offers up previously unavailable (on DVD) videos for "I Have a Dream," "Lay All Your Love on Me" and the 1992 version of "Dancing Queen." "Lay All Your Love on Me" is really just highlights from other videos.

In addition to the videos is a short featurette, which essentially covers the same material that was covered in the documentary "The Winner Takes it All," and the only band member interviewed is Bjorn.

I may be wrong on this point, but the video quality seems a tad worse than "The Definitive Collection." "The Winner Takes it All," for instance, is washed out in some segments and the contrast is too bright in others. Other clips seem sharper than they appear in TDC, so I've no idea if any remastering of the original prints was involved. The sound quality seems to be identical to "The Definitive Collection."

If money were the issue, I'd definitely spend it on TDC. "I Have a Dream" is a good song, but to me, not reason enough to purchase "Gold" over TDC.

This is probably the best group ever for millions around the world. I grew up listening to ABBA songs and loved their music then, now that the years have passed I feel I love and enjoy the ABBA music even more. Since these videos were made long time ago we can't compare them with the videos that can be done now, still they're great and worth the money you pay for, you'll be sure of that as soon as you reproduce the tape. I think it has never been a specific music video for "Lay all your love on me", the video included in this VHS is a combination of several stills and shots made for other videos. This is a must-have item for me and it should be for anyone who loves good music.

Music videos included (HI-FI, Stereo, Digitally Mastered)

1. Dancing Queen - 1976
2. Knowing Me, Knowing You - 1976
3. Take A Chance On Me - 1977
4. Mamma Mia - 1975
5. Lay All Your Love On Me - 1980
6. Super Trouper - 1980
7. The Winner Takes It All - 1980
8. Money, Money, Money - 1976
9. S.O.S. - 1975
10. Chiquitita - 1979
11. Fernando - 1976
12. Voulez Vous - 1979
13. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) - 1979
14. Does Your Mother Know - 1979
15. One Of Us - 1981
16. I Have A Dream - 1979
17. The Name Of The Game - 1977
18. Thank You For The Music - 1977
19. Waterloo - 1974

As the members of ABBA continually declare that they won't reunite - though I still hold out hope for an induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to get them on stage together one more time - all we will have for now are their music videos. And ABBA GOLD, the group's greatest hits on video, is a satisfying treat of our craving to see ABBA as one. From "Dancing Queen" to "Waterloo", 19 videos in all, not only do you get to hear their timeless recordings, you also get to see how they changed to what they wore through the years in which their videos were released. (Check out the infamous costumes they wore in "Waterloo" and "Mamma Mia".) My only complaint, albeit a minor one, is that the videos are not in chronological order. Otherwise, they are fun to watch. Buy the video - it's a worthwhile investment for ABBA fans old and new. P.S. For the reviewer who felt that there was not enough concert footage, if you haven't seen it, you need to check out ABBA-THE MOVIE. Unfortunately, however, it's next to impossible to locate on VHS, so watch your cable listings.

I just wanted to take a trip down memory lane. And for that Abba Gold is a lot of fun! It also has an interesting documentary of Abba's history as told by Bjorn and Michael Tretow their recording engineer. The DVD also adds a 1992 version of Dancing Queen. Though frankly I didn't see how the 1992 Dancing Queen was much different from the original one.

The video quality isn't that great, but it reminds me of how I saw it when I was a kid dancing in front of the tv. The costumes, tons of blue eyeshadow, the 70's hairstyles, the bad lip synching, the disco all bring me back. It's all before MTV and the production values by today's standards are very amateurish. I find it charming. And hey, my 3 year old daughter loves this DVD!

Okay, so maybe the Definitive Collection is a better DVD of Abba's videos, but it's twice the price and doesn't have a documentary. If you're a die-hard Abba fan and will buy multiple DVDs, then this isn't the DVD for you. But if you just want to buy one ABBA DVD, then this gives you a lot for your money.

I went through my teens with ABBA, when others listend to AC/DC it was ABBA for me and this video shows why. Their music is forever, you won't get tired of it, it always takes you back to a magical place. ABBA GOLD is pure music. It shows 4 sweds at what they were born and love to do. Their videos are the best for their time. You will not be able to turn it off. I have been a ABBA fan since 1979. I've waited a long time for this, but now at least their music is back. Any ABBA fan will enjoy this video. There is something for everybody on this one. So, let ABBA Mania being again.

If you love ABBA, this is a "must have". Take a trip down to the seventies and enjoy the unique ABBA-style of each video clip. The only disappointment is that two of the video clips (i.a. Dancing Queen) are compilations of other clips, presumably made by the producers of this tape.

The Abba - Gold Greateat Hits VHS was a real treat for someone like myself who heard their music on the radio and purchased a few tapes, but had never really seen any film of them performing. Some of the videos seem kind of dated by today's standards, but the music is good so it doesn't really matter. The best segments are the songs done live in front of an audience, unfortunately there are only a few of these. Almost all the songs were great, most rocked, but the quality of their ballads varied depending on ones taste. It's amazing that these two girls could be such foxes and also have such beautiful voices. Benny and Bjorn were gifted songwriters.

ABBA gold is a great video for fans of this 80's group. The quality is comparable to late 70 - early 80's videos. The disappointment is that there is precious little concert footage, which I was hoping for. Still, if you love the music as much as I do, this tape is well worth the investment.

With a lot of the Abba product they could release (Abba The Movie, Abba-In Concert, hell, maybe even a solo Frida/Agnetha video collection), Abba Gold on DVD is a copout.

This video collects the biggest of the big Abba videos, but wouldn't anyone who wants an Abba video collection go spring for the entire collection. The History documentary is extracts from which is also available in it's entirity on the excellent THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL documentary.

Abba is great, but a repackaged inferior video collection is lame on Polygram's behalf.

Why release this, when the definitive collection is available for a similar price, and contains more videos? Simple answer ... greed!

All they have done is add three videos not available on The definitive Collection DVD, and a 25 minute doco to drag you in. But look closer, and you will see that two of the videos are not true videos:

Lay All Your Love on Me - this is nothing more than extracts from other ABBA videos. ABBA never made an actual video for this song.

Dancing Queen 1992 - this is the original 1976 video re-edited with some extracts from other videos added. People should not expect anything new in this regard.

I Have a Dream - This english video may not be available on the Definitive Collection, but the Spanish version is included as an added bonus. Depends on how much you love the song.

The Doco - 25 minutes of stuff taken mostly from the documentary "The Winner Takes it all".

'ABBA GOLD' DVD is therefore an unnecessary purchase if you already own 'The Definitive Collection' DVD and 'The Winner Takes It All' DVD.