Customer Reviews

Thank You for the Music

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I titled my review The Only Box Set Worth Buying because box sets are pretty expensive and when you shed out the dough, you want to be worthwhile. But with ABBA, it's guaranteed to be worthwhile. This box set contains all the ABBA hits and B-Sides. For this review to be easier, I will comment each CD seperately.

CD 1:

This is ABBA in their early years. It includes their first single : People Need Love which is very catchy. Three songs that surprised me on this CD are He Is Your Brother, Hasta Manana and Dance (While The Music Still Goes On) which are really good. And of course you have all the disco-pop hits : Waterloo, S.O.S., Mamma Mia, Fernando and Dancing Queen. My favorite song on this CD is That's Me.

CD 2:

This CD contains mostly Disco songs such as Knowing Me, Knowing You, Take A Chance On Me, Does Your Mother Know, Voulez-Vous, Angel Eyes, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! and I Have A Dream. It also has the song Happy Hawaii which was never published on an album but only as a b-side to Knowing Me, Knowing You and the BEST track of the CD and of the ENTIRE BOX SET has to be the previously unreleased full-length version of Summer Night City, a song that truly captures the ABBA spirit.

CD 3:

This CD exposes the years of the Super Trouper and The Visitors albums. The latter going almost completely against ABBA's style of pure pop is quite interesting. Cherished hits also appear on this one like: The Winner Takes It All, Super Trouper, Lay All Your Love On Me, Our Last Summer, One Of Us and Head Over Heels­. However, ABBA started to expose their darker side with songs such as : The Visitors, When All Is Said And Done, Like An Angel Passing Through My Room, Under Attack and The Day Before You Came. On this CD, I have four equally favorite songs : Elaine, The Day Before You Came, Cassandra and Under Attack.

CD 4:

This CD consists of B-Sides, the collector's treat on this box set. Some songs turned out to be really good like : Dream World, Thank You For The Music(alternate version), Merry-Go-Round, Pick A Bale Of Cotton/On Top Of Old Smokey/Midnight Special, You Owe Me One and Slipping Through My Fingers/Me And I (Live). But other songs like Hej Gamle Man were just not necessary and Abba Undeleted, which may be a treat for some isn't really that much of a treasure (23 minutes of track that didn't make it to the albums and studio footage). On the plus side, I like their singing in different languages but couldn't they have put the whole Waterloo French version and the whole Waterloo Swedish version instead of a medley, same goes for Ring Ring. This is one of the reasons why I bought ABBA Oro. My favorite song on this CD is You Owe Me One, a poppish song that reminds me of Me And I on the Super Trouper album.

Well, that sums it up. Pretty much all the songs are good, except for a few on CD 4 and I think that buying this box set is money well spent. 4 CDs, 66 tracks, 4 and 1/2 hours of golden music. Who can beat that!

In my mind, ABBA are the greatest entertainers of all time, so do yourself a favor, buy Thank You For The Music!

If you are looking for a 'Complete' Abba Collection, then "Thank You For the Music" is the set for you. From reading the book that came with the CD set, it appears that most of Abba's released material is on here. The released material is contained on 3 CDs and a 4th CD contains rare unreleased material.

It seems that nowadays everything that is above 2 CDs that is considered a "Boxed Set". There really have become 2 categories of Boxed Sets. The first is a "Classic Boxed Set". This comes in a covered box about the size of an LP and contains CDs (sometimes in jewel cases, sometimes just on the bottom of the box) and a book about the same size. The second type is more like a 5.5" x 10" hardcover book which I term "Hardcover Box Set'. The CDs basically are stored in the hardcover binding and the book is in the middle. I much prefer what I call the Classic Boxed Set to the Hardcover format. The ABBA set is a Hardcover format. This is disappointing to me because for a 'Complete' collection, I would have liked to see the better presentation. Each CD has an A or B on it and a corresponding pseudo autograph of one of the band members first name.

But don't let the presentation deter you. The content is in this set. What is nice is that the first 3 CDs contain the released material. All of the released material is in sequential order of the release dates. ABBA Gold which is a greatest hits CD did not do this. In the attached book, Carl Magnus Palm has an outstanding disocgraphy that tells when and where every song was recorded and a brief abstract containing some useful information on the song. The discography is also contains pictures of ABBA album covers and singles.

The real gem of this set is the 4th CD - this contains the rare and unreleased material. There are 2 medleys - "Pick a Bale of Cotton" and "Abba Undeleted". The Abba Undeleted medley is fantastic. It basically has raw unmastered recordings melded together - outstanding. There are also non English versions of Waterloo, Ring Ring, and Honey Honey.

The attached book is also a nice thing to have in your collection. There is a 'brief' foreward from Frida, Agnetha, Benny, and Bjorn to introduce the collection. Manager and lyric writer Stig Anderson also writes a brief preface. On the page with the Stig Anderson preface is a photo of the band in which Agnetha and Frida wear the kitty shirt/dresses from the SOS video. In general, I wish all of the photos were larger - especially that one. The whole booklet contains lots of pictures and photos that really embelish it nicely. There are then 3 articles by various writers the chronicle the history and impact of the band, a section on ABBA memorabilia (that includes a photo of the ABBA action figures), a section devoted to ABBA outfits (yes the kitty shirt/dresses are mentioned), the discography, and a section on credits to the box set.

There is something for everyone on this boxed set. It is good for the deep fan as well as good for the casual fan. Highly recommended.

ABBA. One of those groups considered guilty pleasures by many. Why? Listen to the music. Their voices frequently blended better than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The arrangements were appropriate and often quite inventive. The music and lyrics were infectious and sometimes deceptively dark and challenging. There was their wardrobe, but nobody's perfect.

This set showcases many of the reasons that ABBA has both retained their original fans and made an impressive number of new ones in recent years. Quite simply, these are gifted musicians who have an obvious love of what they do. Let not any serious music lover ever apologize again for an affinity for this Swedish supergroup.

As for the music, two complaints. One, a few of the songs appear in edited form, compared to those on the original albums. And two, not enough of them are included (yes, I realize it's a 4-disc set and that the discs are crammed with material, but this is ABBA). Another disc or two could be filled with perhaps lesser-known, but equally essential tunes like "As Good As New" (from VOULEZ-VOUS), "Andante, Andante" (SUPER TROUPER), and "Tiger" (ARRIVAL). Oh, well. Maybe there will be a THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC, VOLUME 2.

Those minor flaws notwithstanding, this is a wonderful collection. If you remember ABBA, this will be like a visit with a few old friends. If you don't, be prepared to make some new ones. And no apologies.

This is a great greatest hits collection for all you Abba fans from around the world. The 4 CD box set called "Thank You For The Music" is "Abba Gold" and "More Abba Gold" put together, plus add some b-sides, unreleased songs, and Abba in the studio (on disc 4), and you've got a collection of some of the greatest songs ever heard. Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid (or Frida as she is called) has created some wonderful music in the 70s and early 80s with their style of harmony and creating a sound all their own. In the 66-page booklet, you will find photos, liner notes, and stories on how they got started, their videos and photos of the costumes they wore from their concerts. Highlights include "Dancing Queen," to me that is their signature song. "You can dance/you can jive/having the time of your life" is all I can say about it. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" is one of their serious songs about broken relationships and heartbreak. "Take A Chance On Me" is one my favorite songs from Abba, especially the a capella intro at the beginning. Of course you have to have some rare Abba recordings like their b-sides. Take "Lovelight" for example, this song is a flip side of "Chiquitita" from the "Voulez-Voul" album. The song itself is typical Abba singing about love and romance and like the song says "your love is shining like a lovelight" or something like that. "Happy Hawaii" is probably the best original version of "Why Did It Have To Be Me." It almost sounded like "California Girls" from the Beach Boys but when they recorded the former song for the "Arrival" album, they felt it was unsatisfied and re-recorded it as the latter instead. I guess it shows us how little we know about the group and how they re-invent a song. Disc 4 has "Abba Undeleted," which has the group behind the scenes in the studio and how Benny and Bjorn (the priciple songwriters)put their heads together and just experiment melodies, harmonies and instruments and you'll hear demos of "Take A Chance On Me," "Baby" (later called "Rock Me"), a Swedish Tango version of "Fernando," a try out version of "Just Like That" and more. This song and "I Am The City" were both recorded for a new studio album at the time, but by the time they broke up in 1983, they never finished it. "I Am The City" ended up on "More Abba Gold" and "Just Like That" is the only song you'll hear on this collection. They may never reunite for a tour, but with Benny and Bjorn's words and Frida and Agnetha's singing, they're some things better left unsaid about them and I'm glad their music has touched us all. Thanks, Abba, for the music.

Thank you for the Music is an absolute necessity for anyone who truly loves and appreciated ABBA. It includes all the hits the rest of the world knows, such as Dancing Queen and Mamma Mia, but also includes other absolute masterpieces that portray the fantastic ABBA sound, but weren't as well known at the time they were written.

Bjorn and Benny are truly great composers, and many of the songs on Thank you for the Music will enlighten listeners to their ability at creating timeless music classics.

If you are even remotely an ABBA fan, this boxed set is a must have, so you can appreciate all of ABBA's work, and also enjoy hearing the "creating" process taking in place in the "ABBA undeleted" track on Disc 4.

Having been exposed to Abba during my youth in the 70's, I realized how profound their influence has been on my sense of music scope and appreciation. Before the unoffical 'ressurection' and revival of everything Abba in pop circles during the early to mid 90's, I stumbled upon a cassette of their greatest hits and gave it a cursory listen. It was at that point I realized that they had a LOT more dimension than what I initially gleaned from radio and previous exposure.

I was unable to find anything on cd at my record store at the time (this was summer of 1992) excepting an import of 'Abba -The Singles' which served nicely. Then of course came the second coming of Abba of sorts with 'Abba Gold' and such and then finally this box set "Thank You For The Music".

Most would say that a box set would likely be a bit superfluous and only for a hardcore fan. That assesment may be correctly stated but anyone who is an afficianado of popular music in general would likely benefit from the exposure this collection has to offer. I won't go on and say every song is superb - there are some 'throwaways' on the last disc. But it warrants the 5 (*****) star review on the merits of the sheer expansiveness and breadth of the output of one of pop music's finest.

Everything is captured here - the swirling elegance of 'Dancing Queen' (which transcends the oft affixed 'disco' label to it with a nicely understated piano track in the background while the vocals and violins swirl around it), to the rollicking rush of 'Waterloo', the plaintive melodies of 'S.O.S.', the earnest balladry of 'Fernando'(if you consider it cheesy then you haven't listened to it fully), to the mystique of 'Knowing Me, Knowing You', the great pop harmonies of 'Take A Chance On Me', and onward. To add, some of the musical arrangements and production is of the highest order of magnitude. A pop guilty pleasure to be sure - if one were to consider appreciating music of this caliber something of a secret.

Half the pleasure of listening to this box set is (especially for the unitiated) listening to the material that garnered little or no media exposure. There's many a tune on here that I have found on an equal if not at times superior standing to some of the singles that cracked the charts. To elaborate on them would take up too much space here but that alone makes it worth the 'price of admission'.

To close, it baffles me at times of the seemingly commonly quoted statement of how Abba never made headway in North America. They may have not had the penetration of say, The Beatles or even The Bee Gees and Olivia Newton-John. But they DID get a foothold into American music. Chart statistics will show that they had 14 top 40 hits including 4 top 10s and a #1 (Dancing Queen) here in the US - none too shabby at all. When I started listening to their catalogue, what astonished me was the songs that I had heard from them before of which according to the charts, failed to make impact.

I would venture a guess and state that during their heyday Abba may have been overshadowed somewhat by other musical entities in North America but by no means were they compromised. This stuff is enduring the test of time and has put them in an echelon occupied by very few peers and contemporaries. Don't be surprised if Abba continues to be observed in a new light, perhaps kindling a reappreciation for their efforts as well as converting new legions of fans.

To close 2 words - Great Stuff.

This is a superb collection. Beautifully boxed, wonderful photos, really interesting historical comments, AND, great music!! Packaged in 1994, the first three of the four discs contain 52 tracks recorded from 1972 to 1982. The chronological order is neat, as it lets you experience the gradual maturing of the group over the decade. Most tracks are familiar to ABBA-ites, but a few are new or somewhat different arrangements. Recording is crystal clear. The fourth disc of another 14 cuts is an odd and interesting collection of previously unreleased works and other behind-the-scenes studio tapes, the popular hits in other languages, etc. When I bought the set, I thought this disc might really be a bit of a waste, but not at all. There are even some cuts that I think could have made it if released in the States at the time. So, I really recommend all four of the discs. If you're already hooked, you'll love the set. If you sort of like ABBA, you'll get hooked. If you're just browsing (and have the bucks to spare), and like the genre,it's definitely worth a shot.

It is very true that North Americans, especially those in the USA, do not appreciate Abba enough. In fact, many people I know here in the US have never heard of Abba... "oh, yeah, I think I've heard that Dancing Queen song before."

Abba was too often criticized as being a fabricated pop group, and dismissed for their 70's fashions and weak lyrics. But that "fabricated pop" was actually rock and roll's most complicated and professional music composing, something not even Elton John could achieve. And the neither the clothes they wore nor the lyrics they sang matters; for their music was the important part, not the words. And as far as the clothes... well, if you judge music by a musician's clothes you are REALLY stupid.

One of the most successful groups of all time (thought it was surprisingy limited in America), ABBA is truly one of the few artists who truly deserve a boxed set like "Thank You For The Music". In their 11 - year tenure, Anni - Frid "Frida" Lyngstad, Bjorn Ulvaeuss, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Faltskog created a string of classic pop singles that hold up against the best of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. They also had many lesser known album tracks that were just as good.

Both these aspects are included on "Thank You For The Music", a four - cd, 66 - track collection of ABBA's work from 1971 to 1983, including all their biggest hits plus many album tracks and a disc of unreleased material.

Disc 1 covers their early years, 1971 to 1977. Starting off with some pre - "Waterloo" tracks, right from the beginning ABBA showed some true potential. However, they didn't break big until 1974's immortal classic "Waterloo". The rapid fire succession of hits that followed like "Honey Honey", "S.O.S." and "Mamma Mia" were top notch pop singles, while album tracks like "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)" and "Crazy World" could have just as easily been hits themselves. This disc is also notable since it includes the band's two biggest worldwide hits, "Fernando" and the timeless "Dancing Queen" (their only number one hit here in America).

Disc 2 covers 1977 to 1979. Kicking off with "Knowing Me, Knowing You", ABBA started to create more experimental music, such as "I Wonder (Departure)". However, their best songs at this point were still straightforward feel - good pop numbers like "Summer Night City", the bouncy "Take A Chance On Me" (a number three hit in America), "Does Your Mother Know" and "I Have A Dream".

Disc 3 covers their final years, 1980 to 1983. Starting off with the somber divorce ballad "The Winner Takes It All" (written about Agnetha and Bjorn's divorce and a true musical masterpiece), their music at this point touched on personal (Frida and Benny's marriage ended in 1982, immortalized by the excellent "When All Is Said And Done" and the lush "One Of Us"), political (the powerful Cold War anthem "The Visitors") and even immortality (the chilling "Like An Angel Passing Through My Room"). Still, they had time to create upbeat pop songs like "On And On And On" and "Head Over Heels". One of their best b - sides is on here as well, the beautiful "Cassandra". Closing out the disc is their final single "Under Attack", a good song but not a great one and also an innapropriate swans song (they should have either "When All Is Said And Done" or "Thank You For The Music" as a farewell single).

Disc 4 is filled with unreleased material, all of which are really good, especially songs like "Dream World" (an early version of "Does Your Mother Know") and "Put On Your White Sombrero". The "ABBA Undelted" medley is a 23 minutes long. It features only mere snippets of unreleased songs, but listening to many of them you can see how pretty much everything ABBA released could have been a big hit. My favorite song in the medley is "Just Like That", a Culture Club - style song that I think cold have been a huge hit circa 1985.

Overall, an excellent collection of ABBA's music. As bonus, the set comes with a 66 page booklet filled with track information, some intriguing liner notes and many great photos. A truly great set for a truly great band.

Here you get all of Abba's classic hits in one outstanding package, together with a selection of album tracks, B-sides and rarities. Famous songs dominate the first three CD's including Waterloo, SOS, Mamma Mia, Fernando, Dancing queen, Money money money, Knowing me knowing you, Name of the game, Take a chance on me, Summer night city, Chiquitita, Does your mother know, Voulez-vous, Angel eyes, Gimmie gimmie gimmie, I have a dream. Winner takes it all, Super trouper, Lay all your love on me and One of us. Of course, these songs are generally available on other compilations but the advantage of this set is that you get all the minor hits and other important recordings as well as all the big hits. Honey honey was a hit for Abba in some countries but not Britain, where Sweet Dreams (a duo featuring Polly Browne, former lead singer of Pickettywitch) had a top ten hit with it.

Within those first three CD's, all tracks are presented in chronological order and clearly illustrate the development of the group from its early folk-influenced pop music through the disco era and beyond. Much of the music on the first two CD's is happy, cheerful music, reflecting the joy and pleasure they had in being together. Sad songs were a rarity in those days, though there were some - like Knowing me knowing you. When the strains in their relationships surfaced, sadder songs became a more significant part of their repertoire and this shows on the third CD - there are plenty here.

Among the album tracks, everybody (except those who are only interested in the hits) has their personal favorites. Some of mine (The piper, Why did it have to be me, Move on, Nina pretty ballerina) are not here but others (Another town another train, When I kissed the teacher, Dance while the music still goes on, The way old friends do) are here. I see other reviews in which others name their favorite omissions. I love those tracks too, but even four CD's cannot include everything. All the original albums (often with extra tracks) are available at a reasonable price and that is the only way to get all the great album tracks.

The final CD is devoted to rarities but is clearly designed to appeal to a much larger audience than Abba's die-hard fans - it isn't filled with boring alternate takes that are only slightly different from the standard versions. Some of these tracks have since become less rare - Put on a white sombrero and the folk medley have since been added as bonus tracks to re-mastered original albums - but it's still great to see these tracks here.

A truly comprehensive boxed set has since been released containing nine CD's and two DVD's but its price will deter all but the most die-hard fans. This boxed set was designed for a mass market and succeeds brilliantly in that. Die-hard fans may decide to buy this box anyway, whatever reservations they may have. For everybody else, this is the ultimate Abba compilation.