The Winner's Gonna Take It All: The final...
- Thread starter Remorque
- Start date
Under Attack is in my top 15 ABBA songs, definitely. I do agree with what Hudweiser said though, in terms of not being able to understand what they're saying during the chorus.
"Thinking nothing's gonna stop him now/ Should I want to, I'm not sure, I won't know how" is almost impossible to make out and has definitely taken a bit of the joy out of it for me.
"Thinking nothing's gonna stop him now/ Should I want to, I'm not sure, I won't know how" is almost impossible to make out and has definitely taken a bit of the joy out of it for me.
I am rooting for Lay All Your Love On Me now! Almost my #11 too that.
He/Him
24.
'...I have a very good friend... The kind of girl who likes to follow a trend... She has a personal style... Some people like it, others tend to go wild...'
- Agnetha Fältskog in Head Over Heels-
Tragique.
Average: 8.4130
Highest score: 13 * 10.00 - @SecretsOfFatima @chris4862 @WhipperSnapper @P'NutButter @CasperFan @Mikey1701 @WhatKindOfKylie? @DJHazey @Gotnomoretosay @idratherjack @bichard @haps @TrueBeliever
Lowest score: 1 * 4.00 - @Epic Chocolat
My score: 9.00
This one was tied with Under Attack for most of the voting process... Typically seaux.
Head Over Heels was written and recorded in 1981 during the sessions for The Visitors and was eventually released as the second song on the tracklisting of the record. In March 1982, it was eventually released as the last single off the album and was a double A-side with The Visitors.
It didn't really set the charts alight, as the song only reached #25 in the United Kingdom and only nearly scraped the top 20 of Germany and Switzerland, but it did however reach the top 15 in Ireland, was a top 10 hit in France, Austria, Poland and The Netherlands and became a top 3 hit in Belgium... There's no accounting for taste, is there, girls?
In Australia it wasn't even given a single release and the record company opted for The Visitors as a single A-side for the United States, instead of the double feature we got with Head Over Heels.
Chart sidenote: it was their least successful single since I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do and broke their streak of 18 consecutive top 10 singles in the United Kingdom, which made them tie with The Beatles in terms of hit runs... The song was never performed live and wasn't promoted nearly as much as their previous work (I mean, it didn't even receive a single televised performance...), so maybe that's where its failure lies.
Disappointing chart stats aside, this song was always extremely enjoyable for me. You can hear elements of the tango in its production (after all, its working title was Tango for a while) and the vocal production is something only Benny and Björn could come up with. Agnetha gives us a fantastic performance, while Frida doesn't deliver all that much in terms of vocals, yet stole all the spotlight in other ways... But more on that below!
Let's start with bichard who reminds us this "was my profile name on PJ for a number of years. As such, I adore it. I know a lot of fans see it as a lesser song on The Visitors and bemoan its single release, and I would agree that When All Is Said And Done would have made a better follow-up to One Of Us, but that doesn't take away from the fact that this is a wonderful, light-hearted ABBA song and a fine single. Perhaps nothing could save their chart career by that point. Follow-up singles were hardly successful either, after all..."... I'm hearing nothing but the truth here. I know this was one of your favourites, so I'm very sorry I'm having to throw this one out already...
chris4862 calls it the "bop of all bops", SecretsOfFatima agreeing, saying it's an "Iconic bop, Agnetha’s vocals and Frida Streep’s video performance are life giving.", with P'nutbutter thinking it's "Such an underrated single and I actually know somebody like this song's subject.". Don't we all...
tylerc904 loves "that this manages to fill the “old skool” ABBA vibe while also having that menacing quality that runs through the album." and disagreeing with him is Hudweiser, saying "Sorry @bichard , I know you love it but for me it's clearly the weakest link on The Visitors. A shallow (for them) attempt to back-pedal their emotions to the lighter sounds of the last couple of LPs to no avail. They'd matured, gone through so much turmoil only to kind of paper over the heartbreak with fairground synths. That this was ever chosen as a single over When All is Said and Done remains a capital crime in music. Plus points are a zesty vocal from Aggie, the theatrical nature of it all (and indeed 95% of the album), and that deranged video.".
WhatKindOfKylie? just can't get over the chart statistics and asks us all "How and why did this fantastic piece of pop, break ABBA's long reign of UK top 10 hits?! Ok, so perhaps it is the most frivolous song on the entire album, but that is what makes it stand out even more personally. It's so fast paced too, I almost feel exhaused by the time it ends. Wonderful!". 't Is, sis.
Reminding us of another iconic group is Mina, telling us "The song is catchy enough and oddly reminds me of Girls Aloud's She for similar themes.".
Now y'all know I won't let an opportunity like this slip away, n'est-ce pas?
Mikey1701 does have an issue with it, yet still comes to that point where you can't help but appreciate a fantastic pop song... "The transition from USSR bashing on the title track to a song about a woman who loves to shop is somewhat jarring. It’s not so much a 180 degree turn around, more like 720 degrees. But once you get past that, you get to a wonderful moment of lightness on an album that is by and large bleak in its soundscape.".
VivaForever comes to the conclusion that "Yeah, it's basic as hell, but I've always loved it. It's such a cute little song.", kalonite screams "POP TANGO. I love this. I just wish there was something... fuller to the production.", poor ol' Sprockrooster "Loving that melody/jingle a lot and that is one catchy chorus. But still the song lacks an umph." and constantino admitting to "loving the glam-rock vibes going on here. The 80s sure did ABBA well, huh? I’m getting a bit of Queen and I’m not mad about it...". Queen? Some of these girls are going to come for you, you know that, right?
TrueBeliever adores "this song! This is another one of their songs that tickles my cerebrum. It makes my chest physically swell and lift, and the hairs on my neck stand up. No other ABBA song waxes and wanes better than this forgotten masterpiece. It’s aurally kaleidoscopic, with the girls’ vocals perfectly complimentary; when one goes up, the other goes down. It’s a perfect juxtaposition. Top 4 contender for my 11.", while CasperFan states the song was "Sadly a flop and the beginning of the end for the chart fortunes of ABBA but it’s a racking song and can’t understand it’s failure. Great melody and vocals.".
Filippa, however, "will never understand, why this one was chosen as a single.".
ufint simply tell us this is "Dedicated to Elizabeth Warren.".
Her reaction to being mentioned in an ABBA discography rate?
WOW! indeed...
The music video features Agnetha performing the song, Benny almost non-existant, Frida as a high society socialite who runs manically from shop to shop, pushing through unknown jungles everyday, exhausting her husband with all her attention seeking, played by Björn. One Stop Candy Shop always thought "Them switching partners in the video was awkward, but the song is nice."...
It was their last video to be directed by long-time collaborator Lasse Halström too.
As it features a queen acting like a diva, OF COURSE a lot of you were going to love it!
Mikey1701 explains "Of course what really makes this a standout is the music video. Agnetha is largely sidelined despite singing lead vocals, the limelight firmly on Queen Frida, who serves up lewk after lewk, each more atrocious-yet-incredible than the next. The pièce de résistance is obviously her gold baco-foil jacket complete with that fucking enormous collar, complimented with her iconic red spiky weave.".
Mina calls the video "iconic from start finish - that awful bright red mullet Frida is sporting that is her actual hair and not a wig! The glamour shots of Benny at the piano! The hideous metallic oversized clothing! Frida leading a whipped Bjorn around toting her bags!".
Mumty calls it "iconic, yet the song misses the mark somewhat.", while idratherjack calls it his "favourite ABBA video! Frida running amok in the Swedish Primark is a joy to behold. As is her slipping and falling on her arse on the ice (I'd pay good money to see the outtake) As is her applying scarlet makeup with a trowel. What a woman. What an icon.".
AND HERE SHE IS!
The Finnish a cappella chorus ensemble Rajaton released a cover of the song on their 2006 ABBA tribute album Rajaton Sings ABBA With The Lahti Symphony Orchestra. Here they are performing it live in Toronto (in the most shakiest of qualities)...
And that's about it sadly...
- Agnetha Fältskog in Head Over Heels-
Tragique.
Average: 8.4130
Highest score: 13 * 10.00 - @SecretsOfFatima @chris4862 @WhipperSnapper @P'NutButter @CasperFan @Mikey1701 @WhatKindOfKylie? @DJHazey @Gotnomoretosay @idratherjack @bichard @haps @TrueBeliever
Lowest score: 1 * 4.00 - @Epic Chocolat
My score: 9.00
This one was tied with Under Attack for most of the voting process... Typically seaux.
Head Over Heels was written and recorded in 1981 during the sessions for The Visitors and was eventually released as the second song on the tracklisting of the record. In March 1982, it was eventually released as the last single off the album and was a double A-side with The Visitors.
It didn't really set the charts alight, as the song only reached #25 in the United Kingdom and only nearly scraped the top 20 of Germany and Switzerland, but it did however reach the top 15 in Ireland, was a top 10 hit in France, Austria, Poland and The Netherlands and became a top 3 hit in Belgium... There's no accounting for taste, is there, girls?
In Australia it wasn't even given a single release and the record company opted for The Visitors as a single A-side for the United States, instead of the double feature we got with Head Over Heels.
Chart sidenote: it was their least successful single since I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do and broke their streak of 18 consecutive top 10 singles in the United Kingdom, which made them tie with The Beatles in terms of hit runs... The song was never performed live and wasn't promoted nearly as much as their previous work (I mean, it didn't even receive a single televised performance...), so maybe that's where its failure lies.
Disappointing chart stats aside, this song was always extremely enjoyable for me. You can hear elements of the tango in its production (after all, its working title was Tango for a while) and the vocal production is something only Benny and Björn could come up with. Agnetha gives us a fantastic performance, while Frida doesn't deliver all that much in terms of vocals, yet stole all the spotlight in other ways... But more on that below!
Let's start with bichard who reminds us this "was my profile name on PJ for a number of years. As such, I adore it. I know a lot of fans see it as a lesser song on The Visitors and bemoan its single release, and I would agree that When All Is Said And Done would have made a better follow-up to One Of Us, but that doesn't take away from the fact that this is a wonderful, light-hearted ABBA song and a fine single. Perhaps nothing could save their chart career by that point. Follow-up singles were hardly successful either, after all..."... I'm hearing nothing but the truth here. I know this was one of your favourites, so I'm very sorry I'm having to throw this one out already...
chris4862 calls it the "bop of all bops", SecretsOfFatima agreeing, saying it's an "Iconic bop, Agnetha’s vocals and Frida Streep’s video performance are life giving.", with P'nutbutter thinking it's "Such an underrated single and I actually know somebody like this song's subject.". Don't we all...
tylerc904 loves "that this manages to fill the “old skool” ABBA vibe while also having that menacing quality that runs through the album." and disagreeing with him is Hudweiser, saying "Sorry @bichard , I know you love it but for me it's clearly the weakest link on The Visitors. A shallow (for them) attempt to back-pedal their emotions to the lighter sounds of the last couple of LPs to no avail. They'd matured, gone through so much turmoil only to kind of paper over the heartbreak with fairground synths. That this was ever chosen as a single over When All is Said and Done remains a capital crime in music. Plus points are a zesty vocal from Aggie, the theatrical nature of it all (and indeed 95% of the album), and that deranged video.".
WhatKindOfKylie? just can't get over the chart statistics and asks us all "How and why did this fantastic piece of pop, break ABBA's long reign of UK top 10 hits?! Ok, so perhaps it is the most frivolous song on the entire album, but that is what makes it stand out even more personally. It's so fast paced too, I almost feel exhaused by the time it ends. Wonderful!". 't Is, sis.
Reminding us of another iconic group is Mina, telling us "The song is catchy enough and oddly reminds me of Girls Aloud's She for similar themes.".
Now y'all know I won't let an opportunity like this slip away, n'est-ce pas?
Mikey1701 does have an issue with it, yet still comes to that point where you can't help but appreciate a fantastic pop song... "The transition from USSR bashing on the title track to a song about a woman who loves to shop is somewhat jarring. It’s not so much a 180 degree turn around, more like 720 degrees. But once you get past that, you get to a wonderful moment of lightness on an album that is by and large bleak in its soundscape.".
VivaForever comes to the conclusion that "Yeah, it's basic as hell, but I've always loved it. It's such a cute little song.", kalonite screams "POP TANGO. I love this. I just wish there was something... fuller to the production.", poor ol' Sprockrooster "Loving that melody/jingle a lot and that is one catchy chorus. But still the song lacks an umph." and constantino admitting to "loving the glam-rock vibes going on here. The 80s sure did ABBA well, huh? I’m getting a bit of Queen and I’m not mad about it...". Queen? Some of these girls are going to come for you, you know that, right?
TrueBeliever adores "this song! This is another one of their songs that tickles my cerebrum. It makes my chest physically swell and lift, and the hairs on my neck stand up. No other ABBA song waxes and wanes better than this forgotten masterpiece. It’s aurally kaleidoscopic, with the girls’ vocals perfectly complimentary; when one goes up, the other goes down. It’s a perfect juxtaposition. Top 4 contender for my 11.", while CasperFan states the song was "Sadly a flop and the beginning of the end for the chart fortunes of ABBA but it’s a racking song and can’t understand it’s failure. Great melody and vocals.".
Filippa, however, "will never understand, why this one was chosen as a single.".
ufint simply tell us this is "Dedicated to Elizabeth Warren.".
Her reaction to being mentioned in an ABBA discography rate?
WOW! indeed...
The music video features Agnetha performing the song, Benny almost non-existant, Frida as a high society socialite who runs manically from shop to shop, pushing through unknown jungles everyday, exhausting her husband with all her attention seeking, played by Björn. One Stop Candy Shop always thought "Them switching partners in the video was awkward, but the song is nice."...
It was their last video to be directed by long-time collaborator Lasse Halström too.
As it features a queen acting like a diva, OF COURSE a lot of you were going to love it!
Mikey1701 explains "Of course what really makes this a standout is the music video. Agnetha is largely sidelined despite singing lead vocals, the limelight firmly on Queen Frida, who serves up lewk after lewk, each more atrocious-yet-incredible than the next. The pièce de résistance is obviously her gold baco-foil jacket complete with that fucking enormous collar, complimented with her iconic red spiky weave.".
Mina calls the video "iconic from start finish - that awful bright red mullet Frida is sporting that is her actual hair and not a wig! The glamour shots of Benny at the piano! The hideous metallic oversized clothing! Frida leading a whipped Bjorn around toting her bags!".
Mumty calls it "iconic, yet the song misses the mark somewhat.", while idratherjack calls it his "favourite ABBA video! Frida running amok in the Swedish Primark is a joy to behold. As is her slipping and falling on her arse on the ice (I'd pay good money to see the outtake) As is her applying scarlet makeup with a trowel. What a woman. What an icon.".
AND HERE SHE IS!
The Finnish a cappella chorus ensemble Rajaton released a cover of the song on their 2006 ABBA tribute album Rajaton Sings ABBA With The Lahti Symphony Orchestra. Here they are performing it live in Toronto (in the most shakiest of qualities)...
And that's about it sadly...
I don't wanna talk...
This elimination is just too heartbreaking for words.
Which song has it's peak #2? That means we could be looking at the winner.
Waterloo is categorically not better than Under Attack and Head Over Heels.
See also: The Name Of The Game.
Co-signed.
If Summer Night City doesn't make the Top 20 I will invoke the spirit of Kim Woodburn on this thread.