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

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
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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.

yeah As Good As New is another for the singles-that-shoulda-been list; Girls Aloud should cover it.

no room for Dum Dum Diddle at this point i guess :/

and from a deep cut to one of their best-known singles:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Mamma_Mia_Intermezzo_No_1.jpg
17. Mamma Mia
ABBA, 1975
(152 points, 8 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unfzfe8f9NI

triple-layered bellbottoms!

Every time I've listened to My Mama Said since submitting my ballot, I think I should've at least made it my #2.

one last one and i'm out for today. take it away, b&b:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/Doesyourmotherknow.jpg
16. Does Your Mother Know
Voulez-Vous, 1979
(157 points, 8 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkL7Fkigfn8

recap:

16 Does Your Mother Know - 8 votes, 157 points
17 Mamma Mia - 8 votes, 152 points
18 If It Wasn't for the Nights - 5 votes, 151 points
18 Under Attack - 7 votes, 151 points
20 Chiquitita - 7 votes, 150 points
21 Eagle - 7 votes, 148 points
22 As Good as New - 6 votes, 142 points
23 Bang-a-Boomerang - 5 votes, 128 points, 2 #1 votes
24 My Mama Said - 5 votes, 116 points
25 Money, Money, Money - 6 votes, 112 points
25 One of Us - 4 votes, 112 points, 1 #1 vote
27 Angeleyes - 6 votes, 111 points
28 Slipping Through My Fingers - 5 votes, 108 points
29 Head Over Heels - 5 votes, 102 points
30 Like an Angel Passing Through My Room - 5 votes, 96 points
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

and i'll be wrapping it up tomorrow!

My Mama Said madee it! I thought for sure it wouldn't!!! My #5!

Yeah, I figured it would based on how many people talked about it in the voting thread, but 24 isn't high enough for it. humbug.

Agreed. Boo.

do not shoot the messenger he is too busy twisting in his office chair to "if it wasn't for the nights" right now

I really should have voted for Eagle.

Really surprised Bang-a-Boomerang is so high, I had it low down on my list. Even though lyrically it isn't a masterpiece that chorus is so great. I always put that one and Dum Dum Diddle togther, wonder if that will place too.

If It Wasn't for the Night is such a great song. I always thought the album tracks on Voulez-Vous are way better than the singles.

There is no mystery with If It Wasn't For The Nights imo, the few people that voted for it scored it highly. Two less voters than the song it tied with, but I was actually surprised it was so low. Was my #2.

delighted 'if it wasn't for the nights' placed so high, genuinely kinda shocked 'chiquitita' didn't place higher, smh if 'fernando' places higher than it (which surely it is but still).

i was sick and tired everythiiiiiing when you called me last night from glaaaas-gow/all i do is eat and sleep and siiiiiiiiiiing...

i haven't been able to stop singing super trouper for days now.

Didn't vote for it, but echoing the "If It Wasn't for the Nights" fandom. Good work ILM!

do not shoot the messenger he is too busy twisting in his office chair to "if it wasn't for the nights" right now

― yorba linda carlisle (donna rouge), Wednesday, June 6, 2012 2:48 PM (5 hours ago)

I thought you were a lady!

"Super Trouper" seems surprisingly low.

I was just thinking that. Perhaos I shouldve voted for it.

I thought you were a lady!

I did for a long time until he posted a photo in a wdyll thread a while back.

I somehow missed "Eagle" off my ballot too. :(

I have given up on "King Kong Song" making it now - I should have repped for it.

Otherwise, no complaints so far!

I don't think Hey Hey Helen is gonna make it, which is really sad. But this has been great thus far.

haha yeah i am a fella. my DN is from an italo disco song. (one that, coincidentally, i think would sound pretty good mixed out of "summer night city" in case anyone's DJing anytime soon)

ok, gonna wrap things up today! this has been super fun tho

you might want to avert your eyes, balls

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7c/Fernando_Hey_Hey_Helen.jpg
15. Fernando
“Fernando” b/w “Hey Hey Helen” single, 1976
(196 points, 9 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQsjAbZDx-4