You can POLL, you can jive, having the time of your life -- ILM Artist Poll #20 -- ABBA (RESULTS THREAD)

Stoked that On and On and On placed

I didn't vote because I don't know enough besides the big hits, but I'm enjoying this. Coincidentally, I was just reading Joe Boyd's (very entertaining) book White Bicycles this weekend and came across the part where he meets pre-Abba Abba in 1970. Not gonna transcribe the whole thing, but I like this bit:

After a friendly chat, Benny and Bjorn invited me to stick around: their girlfriends were starring in a turn-of-the-century revue in a hotel lounge, complete with top hats, high-kicking routines and old Swedish music hall songs. After the show, the five of us (yes, the dancers were Agnetha and Frida) went back to Benny's flat. We spent half the night talking, drinking, and playing records, mostly by obscure American soul singers. I told them they should go back to writing in English. We joked about whether or not they could ever write a song as successful as "Daydream."

(He means the Lovin' Spoonful tune, btw. Boyd got to know Benny through John Sebastian's ex-wife. The punchline to the chapter is that he takes a Hollywood job with Warner Bros and misses a chance at Abba's UK/US publishing rights.)

ok, continuing on and on and on...

first, just a recap:

31 On and On and On - 5 votes, 94 points
32 I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do - 5 votes, 93 points
33 When All Is Said and Done - 5 votes, 86 points
34 Tiger - 4 votes, 81 points
35 Arrival - 3 votes, 82 points, 1 #1 vote
36 Ring Ring - 4 votes, 81 points
37 Should I Laugh or Cry - 4 votes, 79 points
38 Super Trouper - 4 votes, 75 points
39 Me and I - 3 votes, 71 points
40 Thank You for the Music - 4 votes, 66 points
41 So Long - 3 votes, 64 points
42 I've Been Waiting for You - 3 votes, 63 points
42 That's Me - 3 votes, 63 points
42 Two for the Price of One - 3 votes, 63 points
45 Honey Honey - 3 votes, 59 points
45 Soldiers - 3 votes, 59 points

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2007/08/20/abba460.jpg
30. Like an Angel Passing Through My Room
The Visitors, 1981
(96 points, 5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiUO39kOadw

This song has what seems to be a bridge coming in very late in the composition and it gets cut off and turned into the coda. Quite nice.

http://members.multimania.nl/abbadfs/hpbimg/ABBA%20-%20Head%20Over%20Heels%20(UK).jpg
29. Head over Heels
The Visitors, 1981
(102 points, 5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL2_PZwKDPg

i've never been too crazy about this one tbh

well i am

you might say i'm

head over heels about it

'angel' i love tho. the way frida sings "love was one prolonged goodbye" gives me *feelings*

and it appears 'the visitors' is doing real well today

http://991.com/newGallery/Abba-Slipping-Through-340694.jpg
28. Slipping Through My Fingers
The Visitors, 1981
(108 points, 5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNaNVuWes_U

nnnnnng

28. Slipping Through My Fingers
The Visitors, 1981
(108 points, 5 votes)

re: this single cover, from http://www.coca-colaconversations.com/my_weblog/2012/01/abba-and-coca-cola-slipping-through-my-fingers.html:

I spent the afternoon re-filing items that had begun to stack up around my desk in the Archives. One of the items that gave me a chuckle was the ABBA record, "Slipping Through my Fingers" from 1981. This 45 rpm was a promotional created for Coca-Cola Japan by Discomate Records. The cover of the record features an illustration of the ABBA band members Benny Andersson Bjoun Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltslog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad and the back has the lyrics to the song and the advertising slogan used at the time in Japan, Yes Coke Yes. The record itself has the song on one side and an autographed photograph of the band. While the song was not one of the bands biggest hits, it was used in the musical and movie versions of Mamma Mia. As a collectible, you can find several copies on e-Bay for $ 40.00 to $ 60.00.

not sure why they thought a song about empty nest syndrome would help sell coke but

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_r-hbn1z58Xc/TUbLoxu5yZI/AAAAAAAAAJM/pxCNxNY96NQ/s1600/abba-angel.jpg
27. Angeleyes
Voulez-Vous, 1979
(111 points, 6 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzQeGbgz4-A

Slipping Through My Fingers is excellent, except that 'absent-minded smile' is such a clunker.

Head Over Heels is so awesome

Hey, alright - Voulez-Vous deep cuts!

http://abba_music.tripod.com/money_s.jpg
25 (tie). Money, Money, Money
"Money, Money, Money" b/w "Crazy World" single, 1976/Arrival, 1977
(112 points, 6 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETxmCCsMoD0

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a7/Money_Money_Money.jpg

http://www.avatune.com/pics/0806201042.jpg
25 (tie). One of Us
The Visitors, 1981
(112 points, 4 votes, 1 #1 vote)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIKAe8Wi0S0

i didn't know lasse hallstrom (who did 'my life as a dog') directed videos for them!

ok need to work but be back later

I first heard "Slipping Through My Fingers" on the way to the hospital with my wife to give birth to our first daughter. Needless to say, the song has resonated for me ever since.

What I love about "Angeleyes" is, despite the bouncy tune, production and title, the song is basically about the Devil as a lover.

>i didn't know lasse hallstrom (who did 'my life as a dog') directed videos for them!

also directed 'ABBA: The Movie'

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075617/

almost posted a youtube to one particular clip in the film but there is a good chance the song might chart

a couple more:

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/E9AvMAZ5ZKo/0.jpg
24. My Mama Said
Waterloo, 1974
(116 points, 5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92L6balksi8

Seeing as The Visitors is killing it today, here's an essay about it of some repute by Taylor Parkes from 1995's Melody Maker freebie Unknown Pleasures:

page one
page two
page three
page four

xp TOO LOW

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/ABBA_-_Bang-A-Boomerang.jpg
23. Bang-a-Boomerang
ABBA, 1975
(128 points, 5 votes, 2 #1 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CsJCa2TlXU

Started the Spotify playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/mondosalvo/playlist/6HeINFTYwemhQGbwG9Yukl

thanks!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/72/ABBA_-_As_Good_As_New_%28Mexico%29.jpg
22. As Good as New
Voulez-Vous, 1979
(142 points, 6 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXmB8fLlFrM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/90/ABBA_-_Eagle.jpg
21. Eagle
ABBA: The Album, 1977
(148 points, 7 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDI7x1nwTUw

ok lunch and then i'll do 20-16 after

Some stuff outside of the top 20 I was sure would be in there, so looking forward to some surprises.

Eagle is fantastic. I love them at their most teutonic and imperial.

ok, entering the top 20! starting with my favorite two-note timpani appearance in all of music:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/Chiquitita_Lovelight.jpg
20. Chiquitita
Voulez-Vous, 1979
(150 points, 7 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzdfPEsf7qY

<3

Chiquitita would have been my #1 -- so triumphant at the end!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c6/ABBA_-_Under_Attack.jpg
18 (tie). Under Attack
The Singles: The First Ten Years/“Under Attack” b/w “You Owe Me One” single, 1982
(151 points, 7 votes)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAYB46Z_osM

http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/ZZs5WHVOOH4/hqdefault.jpg
18 (tie). If It Wasn't for the Nights
Voulez-Vous, 1979
(151 points, 5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cygAFdzCcdU

woah! amazed at If It Wasn't For The Nights showing up so high. WHY was it not a single?? it's baffling.

that essay that Ismael just posted is one of my fave essays ever from one of my fave books ever; highly recommended.

Starting to give up on You Owe Me One appearing, but Under Attack is fair compensation (voted for it as well).

Also, wondering if I Know There's Something Going On will crack the top 20 or be shunned. I could see people voting strictly ABBA ballots in an ABBA poll, but that's an excellent track imo.

before i started this poll i was worried the top 19 would just be 'ABBA gold' in a different order and i am really pleased that this is not the case

cf. 'if it wasn't for the nights' placing in the top 20

I'd probably have had If It Wasn't For The Nights as my no.1 were I submitting today (was actually my no.3, so not far out). It's an absolute joy.

it really is marvelous

not sure why "as good as new" wasn't a single either

I guess there's only so many singles you can release. It's not like they were putting out duds.