D
Deleted member 312
No way Cassandra should be out before Tiger, I've Been Waiting For You, Eagle, Thank You For The Music, Happy New Year, I Do or Waterloo.
The Winner's Gonna Take It All: The final...
- Thread starter Remorque
- Start date
He/Him
53.
'...He read the matrimonial advertising pages... The cries for help from different people, different ages... But they had nothing to say... At least not until the day when something special he read...'
- Björn Ulvaeus in Two for the Price of One -
- Björn Ulvaeus in Two for the Price of One -
Dick Cavett seaux wanted to be a member there...
Average: 7.1304
Highest score: 4 * 10.00 - @Uno @DJHazey @chris4862 @Remorque
Lowest score: 1 * 0.00 - @Filippa
My score: 10.00
Seaux.²
The Visitors loses its first official album track at #53. Written and recorded in 1981, it was eventually released as the album's seventh track.
It deals with a man desperately seeking love through the ads to look for the girl of his dreams. Eventually he calls the number on one of those ads and finds what he was looking for in the form of Alice Whiting, after she hints he'd get a threesome when hooking up. All of that must have been quite the anticlimax for our poor friend as he realizes he isn't getting a ménage-à-trois, when he's introduced to Alice's mother who's living with her...
I gave it a 10 and I know exactly what for. I love Björn's deadpan delivery (bordering on sarcastic), I love Agnetha and Frida's exquisite two-part harmony, I love the upbeat nature of the song, I love the fanfare outro,...
And I'm just going to say it. I'm fucking ECSTATIC this song went as far as it did, because when I first started this I thought it would go out in the first few eliminations when we cut all the drivel from the first few albums. But I guess y'all jinxed it, because I LOVED reading about everyone coming round to this one these last few pages...
Y'all really came through with your commentary as well.
Let's start with one of our top scorers Uno...
"This song probably (definitely) does not deserve the 10 I am giving it, but it's a gigantic guilty pleasure of mine. The overlapping guy and girl voices during the chorus really make the song for me, and more than makes up for the silly (yet hilarious) topic they're singing about. It's one of the few male-lead songs that I don't find insufferable, and the instrumental after the final verse really drives the song home. I'd typically be annoyed that there was no real final chorus, but it suits the song so perfectly. I can just picture a man's distraught (or perhaps excited, even) face in a freeze frame after the "Meet my mother" line for comedic effect, and the instrumental playing as the video slowly zooms out and ends, like a corny sitcom. It's perfect.".
Preach a bit, sis. You've nailed it.
Filippa's our only vocal lowest scorer though... And when I say 'vocal' I'm reaching your Honor.
"Oh my god again...".
No shit.
A lot of you weren't really impressed with this song either.
kalonite calls it "A bit naff really." and VivaForever thinks it's "B-side quality. Unfortunate, as Should I Laugh or Cry and You Owe Me One are at least album quality.". Well, seeing as only the former was made when the album came to fruition, I'm inclined to agree about that one. It would have suited the album perfectly.
While ufint feels it sounds "out of place on this record. It's a throwback to their earlier work, but it doesn't quite have the zest it thinks it possesses.", One Stop Candy Shop considers it "The Visitors' only flaw. Do I really need a 'joke song' about Alice Whiting that ends with a bad pun? I Don't, I Don't, I Don't, I Don't, I Don't.". Is it that bad of a pun though? It actually showed Björn was capable of more than delivering dry one-liners...
For TrueBeliever it "Sounds reminiscent of the Ring Ring album – not a good thing. Then there’s the sudden inclusion of a ringtone … Choices.". Bish where? This is nowhere near the low quality of their debut album.
Mikey1701 is not holding back oh at all...
"This was a choice. The harmonies on the chorus are probably the only saving grace. Lyrics so banal they make Bang-A-Boomerang and Dum Dum Diddle look sophisticated in comparison, Bjorn on auto-pilot… this had no business making the final tracklist of the album, especially when they were sitting on Should I Laugh Or Cry. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, the last forty seconds or so prove you wrong. No wonder @bichard stans for this.".
Well, let's see what the good sis has to say for herself, eh? bichard? "I give no fucks whatsoever, this song is great and easily the best Bjorn lead in ABBA's discography. Bjorn's deadpan delivery really suits the song and A&F's girlish backing vocals are the cherry on top. Love it.".
I'm agreeing with the latter. Yes, I am.
WhatKindOfKylie? asks "Is it bad I actually like this? On an album that is prodominantly dark, it's nice to have some light amongst the shade."... Look at us agreeing for once!
tylerc904 calls it "A silly little album cut, nothing more. It’s quite divisive so will probably be out soon.". Well, look who's suddenly Mr. Know-It-All...
For Mumty it's neither "a masterpiece, nor is it a disaster. But I still question Bjorn’s judgement on including it in the album." and CasperFan, while absolutely loving this, thinks it "sounds so out of place on the album though. A bit of a strange subject, quirky and a bit rude! Great chorus though and the fairground outro?? Beautifully bizarre...". Just the right amount.
JonBcn admits "There was a time when I thought this was the worst thing they’d ever put to tape. I’d always skip it, and it seemed dreadfully out of place on a claustrophobic, tense album. But I’ve come to love it; the girls’ harmonies are an absolute master class (listen to that first chorus from 1:10 – 1:22), and let’s face it: the punch line is pretty damned funny.".
Those harmonies were the highlight of the song for some others too. Hudweiser thinks "The girls' backing vocals in the choruses elevate this one. The rest of it, save for the outro, is a bit slack." and although Epic Chocolat thinks the harmonies are "Masterful", he also thinks the song's "weirdly patched together.".
idratherjack didn't quite get the punchline, I think... "The subject matter is so icky but I can't help but laugh at the big reveal of the mother and daughter threesome on offer followed by the jubilant oom-pah band outro. I hate to admit it but it has grown on me! It is so out of place on The Visitors though and I'd have swapped this out for the majestic Should I Laugh Or Cry...". I don't think she's suggesting a threesome with her mother though, gurl... Though if that's your interpretation, do you.
"Catchy throwback!" is what P'nutbutter gets out of this one, while constantino keeps finger-snapping "Cost-effective bop! C’mon value for money!".
SecretsOfFatima gets something totally different though... "Come on promiscuity. Love the chorus.". Well... Lemme agree on that second part.
Mina suggests they "Change the final lyric to "brother" and you have the exact ad that the brother-sister duo who are Kristen Wiig's housemates in Bridesmaids would put out. For the mental imagery that generated - you're welcome.".
Let's end this write-up with the commentary from one of my fellow highest scorers. Oh, chris4862...
"I fucking adore this song with no shame, and yes I would put it above Winner."
Sis...
The song was performed in 1981 during their TV special Dick Cavett Meets ABBA to promote the release of The Visitors.
The above version was also included on their 1986 Live album, which featured several outtakes recorded during their active years.
Average: 7.1304
Highest score: 4 * 10.00 - @Uno @DJHazey @chris4862 @Remorque
Lowest score: 1 * 0.00 - @Filippa
My score: 10.00
Seaux.²
The Visitors loses its first official album track at #53. Written and recorded in 1981, it was eventually released as the album's seventh track.
It deals with a man desperately seeking love through the ads to look for the girl of his dreams. Eventually he calls the number on one of those ads and finds what he was looking for in the form of Alice Whiting, after she hints he'd get a threesome when hooking up. All of that must have been quite the anticlimax for our poor friend as he realizes he isn't getting a ménage-à-trois, when he's introduced to Alice's mother who's living with her...
I gave it a 10 and I know exactly what for. I love Björn's deadpan delivery (bordering on sarcastic), I love Agnetha and Frida's exquisite two-part harmony, I love the upbeat nature of the song, I love the fanfare outro,...
And I'm just going to say it. I'm fucking ECSTATIC this song went as far as it did, because when I first started this I thought it would go out in the first few eliminations when we cut all the drivel from the first few albums. But I guess y'all jinxed it, because I LOVED reading about everyone coming round to this one these last few pages...
Y'all really came through with your commentary as well.
Let's start with one of our top scorers Uno...
"This song probably (definitely) does not deserve the 10 I am giving it, but it's a gigantic guilty pleasure of mine. The overlapping guy and girl voices during the chorus really make the song for me, and more than makes up for the silly (yet hilarious) topic they're singing about. It's one of the few male-lead songs that I don't find insufferable, and the instrumental after the final verse really drives the song home. I'd typically be annoyed that there was no real final chorus, but it suits the song so perfectly. I can just picture a man's distraught (or perhaps excited, even) face in a freeze frame after the "Meet my mother" line for comedic effect, and the instrumental playing as the video slowly zooms out and ends, like a corny sitcom. It's perfect.".
Preach a bit, sis. You've nailed it.
Filippa's our only vocal lowest scorer though... And when I say 'vocal' I'm reaching your Honor.
"Oh my god again...".
No shit.
A lot of you weren't really impressed with this song either.
kalonite calls it "A bit naff really." and VivaForever thinks it's "B-side quality. Unfortunate, as Should I Laugh or Cry and You Owe Me One are at least album quality.". Well, seeing as only the former was made when the album came to fruition, I'm inclined to agree about that one. It would have suited the album perfectly.
While ufint feels it sounds "out of place on this record. It's a throwback to their earlier work, but it doesn't quite have the zest it thinks it possesses.", One Stop Candy Shop considers it "The Visitors' only flaw. Do I really need a 'joke song' about Alice Whiting that ends with a bad pun? I Don't, I Don't, I Don't, I Don't, I Don't.". Is it that bad of a pun though? It actually showed Björn was capable of more than delivering dry one-liners...
For TrueBeliever it "Sounds reminiscent of the Ring Ring album – not a good thing. Then there’s the sudden inclusion of a ringtone … Choices.". Bish where? This is nowhere near the low quality of their debut album.
Mikey1701 is not holding back oh at all...
"This was a choice. The harmonies on the chorus are probably the only saving grace. Lyrics so banal they make Bang-A-Boomerang and Dum Dum Diddle look sophisticated in comparison, Bjorn on auto-pilot… this had no business making the final tracklist of the album, especially when they were sitting on Should I Laugh Or Cry. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, the last forty seconds or so prove you wrong. No wonder @bichard stans for this.".
Well, let's see what the good sis has to say for herself, eh? bichard? "I give no fucks whatsoever, this song is great and easily the best Bjorn lead in ABBA's discography. Bjorn's deadpan delivery really suits the song and A&F's girlish backing vocals are the cherry on top. Love it.".
I'm agreeing with the latter. Yes, I am.
WhatKindOfKylie? asks "Is it bad I actually like this? On an album that is prodominantly dark, it's nice to have some light amongst the shade."... Look at us agreeing for once!
tylerc904 calls it "A silly little album cut, nothing more. It’s quite divisive so will probably be out soon.". Well, look who's suddenly Mr. Know-It-All...
For Mumty it's neither "a masterpiece, nor is it a disaster. But I still question Bjorn’s judgement on including it in the album." and CasperFan, while absolutely loving this, thinks it "sounds so out of place on the album though. A bit of a strange subject, quirky and a bit rude! Great chorus though and the fairground outro?? Beautifully bizarre...". Just the right amount.
JonBcn admits "There was a time when I thought this was the worst thing they’d ever put to tape. I’d always skip it, and it seemed dreadfully out of place on a claustrophobic, tense album. But I’ve come to love it; the girls’ harmonies are an absolute master class (listen to that first chorus from 1:10 – 1:22), and let’s face it: the punch line is pretty damned funny.".
Those harmonies were the highlight of the song for some others too. Hudweiser thinks "The girls' backing vocals in the choruses elevate this one. The rest of it, save for the outro, is a bit slack." and although Epic Chocolat thinks the harmonies are "Masterful", he also thinks the song's "weirdly patched together.".
idratherjack didn't quite get the punchline, I think... "The subject matter is so icky but I can't help but laugh at the big reveal of the mother and daughter threesome on offer followed by the jubilant oom-pah band outro. I hate to admit it but it has grown on me! It is so out of place on The Visitors though and I'd have swapped this out for the majestic Should I Laugh Or Cry...". I don't think she's suggesting a threesome with her mother though, gurl... Though if that's your interpretation, do you.
"Catchy throwback!" is what P'nutbutter gets out of this one, while constantino keeps finger-snapping "Cost-effective bop! C’mon value for money!".
SecretsOfFatima gets something totally different though... "Come on promiscuity. Love the chorus.". Well... Lemme agree on that second part.
Mina suggests they "Change the final lyric to "brother" and you have the exact ad that the brother-sister duo who are Kristen Wiig's housemates in Bridesmaids would put out. For the mental imagery that generated - you're welcome.".
Let's end this write-up with the commentary from one of my fellow highest scorers. Oh, chris4862...
"I fucking adore this song with no shame, and yes I would put it above Winner."
Sis...
The song was performed in 1981 during their TV special Dick Cavett Meets ABBA to promote the release of The Visitors.
The above version was also included on their 1986 Live album, which featured several outtakes recorded during their active years.
D
Deleted member 16293
No loss. It hung around long enough.
And here it is!
Surely the whole point of the song is the mother and daughter threesome? I thought that was the big reveal? What is the "two for the price of one" then?
Or am I just a mucky pup?
Surely the whole point of the song is the mother and daughter threesome? I thought that was the big reveal? What is the "two for the price of one" then?
Or am I just a mucky pup?
Oh absolutely , i can only dream of the masterpiece that 10th album would've been with those tracks as benchmarks. Latter day ABBA is my favourite ABBA
It mainly lost points from me for the lazy as fuck 'make up a name to create a rhyme' moment with 'Alice Whiting/Exciting'.
Still, bop!
And yeah, I assumed the last line implied that the two your getting for the price of one is mother and daughter in a sexual way rather than a 'if you date me you date my mother/she'll know all our business' kind of way as she says meeting the mother will be perfect for him.
Still, bop!
And yeah, I assumed the last line implied that the two your getting for the price of one is mother and daughter in a sexual way rather than a 'if you date me you date my mother/she'll know all our business' kind of way as she says meeting the mother will be perfect for him.
Not just me then!
I had never heard Two For The Price Of One before doing this rate and it went from "what the hell is this" to "low key bop" within 3 plays.
I bloody love it. A nice slice of cheese during quite a moody era (for ABBA).
It stands out like a sore thumb on The Visitors but maybe that was the point, to inject a bit of "fun" into it.
I'd have swapped it for Should I Laugh Or Cry personally.
I'd have swapped it for Should I Laugh Or Cry personally.
I think that it's inclusion on The Visitors was for that very reason and I suspect that was also the reason for Head Over Heel's inclusion (along with an excuse to showcase Frida's iconique fashion sense).
But I will agree that Should I Laugh Or Cry should have made it on the album instead of Two. It's so menacing.
Should I Laugh Or Cry fits in so much better with the icy glacial synthpop of The Visitors and was totally wasted as a B-side. It's my best discovery of the rate and I hope we don't see it for a long, long time.
He/Him
You ain't right for this.
Yasss. Give me a paranoid pop gloomfest any day and save the "levity" for B-sides. The Visitors is nearly flawless, and now that this song is out I can re-imagine the tracklist just as you suggest!
