He/Him
4.
'...You're a teaser, you turn 'em on... Leave them burning and then you're gone... Looking out for another, anyone will do... You're in the mood for a dance....'
- Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad in Dancing Queen -
Those hats though.
Average: 9.4783
Highest score: 4 * 11.00 - @Epic Chocolat @funkyg @AllGagaLike @WhipperSnapper
30 * 10.00 - @Uno @TrueBeliever @haps @LTG @Scoundrel_Days @Filippa @Animalia @ohnostalgia @kalonite @constantino @idratherjack @Terminus @Ed72 @AGiantSheep @Mumty @ufint @Gotnomoretosay @Sprockrooster @WhatKindOfKylie? @tylerc904 @Mikey1701 @CasperFan @P'NutButter @chris4862 @SecretsOfFatima @GhettoPrincess @hownee @Hudweiser @Angeleyes @Remorque
Lowest score: 2 * 6.00 - @Weslicious @bichard
My score: 10.00
Y'all were asking for it since the top 40...
Well, the most classic of ABBA classics leaves us just falling short of a top 3 placing...
Work on the track began in August 1975 with the demo name of Boogaloo. As disco music was huge in the United States at the time, Benny and Björn sought inspiration in and were highly influenced by George McCrae's Rock the Boat, which was a hit of epic proportions around the world at the time. The girls layed down their vocals in September of that same year and the track was finished in December, so that makes it one of the first tracks to be completed for what was yet to be their fourth album.
It was eventually unleashed upon the world in August 1976, nearly a year after they had started working on the track, as the first single from Arrival and the rest is history really. The song was met with critical acclaim, it blew up radios all over the world and became a massive hit, selling over three million copies in 1976 alone.
It reached the top spot in Belgium (YAAAASSSETC.), The Netherlands, Germany and Mexico (and about a dozen other countries) and was a top 5 hit in France, Switzerland, Austria and Finland.
The song was released during the peak of ABBA-mania down undah, so it's kind of a given the song soared to the top of the charts in Australia and New Zealand.
It also got to the top of the Irish and English charts, where it was the last of three consecutive number ones (following Mamma Mia and Fernando). It was also their one and only number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and did the same on the Canadian charts.
Need I say more, people?
THIS IS A FUCKING CLASSIC OF EPIC BLOODY PROPORTIONS.
As ufint states: "ICONIC. That’s all."
THAT.
IS.
ALL.
The band has always been very vocal about how they felt when they first heard the recording. Agnetha has said how she "knew it would be massive" and Benny has told that "everybody in that studio was sure they had a massive hit" on their hands. Frida wouldn't be Frida without the addition of some drama though, as apparently she started crying of joy when hearing it first at her home after Benny had brought a tape recording in.
When ABBA Gold was released in 1992 the record company decided to re-release Dancing Queen with Lay All Your Love On Me as its b-side, becoming a minor hit around Europe again, but the compilation album was an epic success.
Now I know it's been overplayed to death on the radio, because it's their signature song, but bloody hell... Who can escape the sheer magic the moment Benny puts his hands across that piano, those layered (sometimes agressive) vocals come in, the strings, drums and guitar accompanying Benny's tinkling and the pure poetry of the lyrics about going to town and seducing someone, seen from the perspective of the music, not the narrator...
......
...............................
...............................................................
NO SERIOUSLY TELL ME THE FUCK WHO.
Two people were low scorers for this song. And because I'm that good of a person, I'll let them take the stage first?
Weslicious, sis?
"It's kind of become one of their signature tracks. Pairing this overexposure with the fact I think they have a lot better results in this ever so slightly above average score."
bichard, SIS?
"So we come to ABBA's most iconic song. And yes, it's clearly a masterclass in pop songwriting, production and delivery. But my heart has never been with it. I honestly can't articulate why. Is it the ubiquitous nature of the song? Probably not. I was never massively fond of it back in the days of yore when I was listening to my Grandma's Greatest Hits Volume 2 vinyl. I was too busy pulling my pud to Summer Night City, Angeleyes and Gimme. It's a middling ABBA song for me. Not bad, but nowhere near their best."
The only other vocal pop girls to not give this a 10 were VivaForever and Mina, of which the former had the following to say:
"I'll admit this has grown on me over the years, but it's still not as good as most of the covers I know, which in turn aren't as good as a lot of other ABBA songs. Like all other ABBA fans I live in fury that it's their biggest hit."
Although I don't actively seek it out much, because it's still C-listed at pretty much every radio station, I certainly wouldn't say I'm furious about it being their biggest hit. There's something to the song you just can't help but be sucked in. Yet I can't fault you for giving it an okay 8.
Mina, however, calls it "Iconic.", yet thinks it's "Not in the same category for me as the songs I've given 10s to, though.", while giving it neuf points. Ghurl, I won't even begin to list some songs you did give a 10 theaux.
I'm leaving constantino to fight y'all who quotes another chanteuse, who was actually inspired by the band when writing a certain song for her Born This Way album...
"Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping,spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it. This is a bop at its most joyous and irreverent and I will fight anyone who DARES to call this, one of the best pop songs ever written, overrated. Try me."
Tell 'em, girl.
Filippa states the obvious again, making my work seem easy, with "Abba’s signature song.". Thanks, sis.
TrueBeliever wants to teach the children "It’s impossible not to give their grand opus a 10, no matter how overplayed it might be. It’s one of the truly perfect pop songs and disco anthems. It all boils down to the incredible vocals, I think.".
And there's that word again... 'OVERPLAYED'.
Y'all truly overdid it. Though I guess you're right on a lot of levels.
WhatKindOfKylie? gave this "A 10 based on how iconic it is, and how much of an impact it made on ABBA's careers. This was the song that really proved they had staying power, and for the rest of the decade, the charts were all theirs. That said, not always one I listen to through choice, due to its overplayed status.", while SecretsOfFatima did so because it's "Euphoric, iconic and uplifting. Without doubt, their most well known song. Sometimes it is described as the best song in their discography – it is most certainly not. Even though it can be overplayed and overrated, I still adore it as the perfect piece of pop that it is.".
Hudweiser kinda thinks the same about the song as me, telling us it might be "Overplayed to the point of tedium, yes, and I hate the fact it's their go-to signature tune, leaving non-believers with the illusion that they were just shiny Eurodisco sell-outs, but crank this up to the max and feel the breadth of the production and it still blows me away, the soaring strings and keys after "having the time of your life" is everything pop-dreams are made of.", with tylerc904 agreeing in that "Obviously some people will feel this is overrated and overplayed, but it still holds up. The perfect pop song from start to finish, and such a tough one to actually sing. The girls are rarely given the credit they deserve for elevating a song like this. Some will say its bulletproof as a composition, but just look at the dozens of covers/renditions and you can see the magic required Agnetha and Frida.". All four members fucking SHINE on Dancing Queen and that's something that's always made me extremely happy when listening to it.
"The ultimate dance floor filler right?" asks GhettoPrincess, kinda answering her own question with "The chorus is particularly glorious.", with P'nutbutter reasoning with the naysayers, saying "Come on now, this is up there with Billie Jean for a pop masterclass".
It's "The first song" haps "listened to. Feeling gay for the first time." and poor ol' Sprockrooster goes one further, calling it "Absolutely gaytastic and this has to go top 3 right? RIGHT? Please let it happen cause I might regret not 11ing this.". Euhm...
idratherjack notes it's an "All time classic and as perfect as pop music gets. My mum hates ABBA (I pray for her soul nightly) but even she loves this." (all of the 10 givers here will form a prayer circle for the poor woman) and Mikey1701 admits he doesn't "‘use’ this very often and I do think that ABBA have much better tracks in their discography, but I can’t deny the cultural legacy that Dancing Queen has left on the world. Literally everybody knows it and I’ve met somebody who doesn’t like it (besides @bichard - but we don’t count ha or ha crimes against music tastes). Even my death metal rock fan brother has been known to bop to this. Infectious, joyous with just a twist of camp thrown in for measure- this is proof enough of Bjorn and Benny’s ability to craft an almighty pop banger. To put it simply, it is ‘pop’ personified.".
Well, as Epic Chocolat confesses...
"Easiest 11 to give."
Ta!
Enjoy!
The video was directed by Lasse Halström and featured the band performing the song in a club, that apparently allowed children?
The song was promoted around the world in 1976.
It was featured on Top Of The Pops, which was actually recorded in Australia...
...and in Germany...
...among countless others.
The song was performed in front of the royal family of Sweden during an all-star gala at the Royal Swedish Opera, the day before Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath were to be wed in 1976.
- Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad in Dancing Queen -
Those hats though.
Average: 9.4783
Highest score: 4 * 11.00 - @Epic Chocolat @funkyg @AllGagaLike @WhipperSnapper
30 * 10.00 - @Uno @TrueBeliever @haps @LTG @Scoundrel_Days @Filippa @Animalia @ohnostalgia @kalonite @constantino @idratherjack @Terminus @Ed72 @AGiantSheep @Mumty @ufint @Gotnomoretosay @Sprockrooster @WhatKindOfKylie? @tylerc904 @Mikey1701 @CasperFan @P'NutButter @chris4862 @SecretsOfFatima @GhettoPrincess @hownee @Hudweiser @Angeleyes @Remorque
Lowest score: 2 * 6.00 - @Weslicious @bichard
My score: 10.00
Y'all were asking for it since the top 40...
Well, the most classic of ABBA classics leaves us just falling short of a top 3 placing...
Work on the track began in August 1975 with the demo name of Boogaloo. As disco music was huge in the United States at the time, Benny and Björn sought inspiration in and were highly influenced by George McCrae's Rock the Boat, which was a hit of epic proportions around the world at the time. The girls layed down their vocals in September of that same year and the track was finished in December, so that makes it one of the first tracks to be completed for what was yet to be their fourth album.
It was eventually unleashed upon the world in August 1976, nearly a year after they had started working on the track, as the first single from Arrival and the rest is history really. The song was met with critical acclaim, it blew up radios all over the world and became a massive hit, selling over three million copies in 1976 alone.
It reached the top spot in Belgium (YAAAASSSETC.), The Netherlands, Germany and Mexico (and about a dozen other countries) and was a top 5 hit in France, Switzerland, Austria and Finland.
The song was released during the peak of ABBA-mania down undah, so it's kind of a given the song soared to the top of the charts in Australia and New Zealand.
It also got to the top of the Irish and English charts, where it was the last of three consecutive number ones (following Mamma Mia and Fernando). It was also their one and only number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and did the same on the Canadian charts.
Need I say more, people?
THIS IS A FUCKING CLASSIC OF EPIC BLOODY PROPORTIONS.
As ufint states: "ICONIC. That’s all."
THAT.
IS.
ALL.
The band has always been very vocal about how they felt when they first heard the recording. Agnetha has said how she "knew it would be massive" and Benny has told that "everybody in that studio was sure they had a massive hit" on their hands. Frida wouldn't be Frida without the addition of some drama though, as apparently she started crying of joy when hearing it first at her home after Benny had brought a tape recording in.
When ABBA Gold was released in 1992 the record company decided to re-release Dancing Queen with Lay All Your Love On Me as its b-side, becoming a minor hit around Europe again, but the compilation album was an epic success.
Now I know it's been overplayed to death on the radio, because it's their signature song, but bloody hell... Who can escape the sheer magic the moment Benny puts his hands across that piano, those layered (sometimes agressive) vocals come in, the strings, drums and guitar accompanying Benny's tinkling and the pure poetry of the lyrics about going to town and seducing someone, seen from the perspective of the music, not the narrator...
......
...............................
...............................................................
NO SERIOUSLY TELL ME THE FUCK WHO.
Two people were low scorers for this song. And because I'm that good of a person, I'll let them take the stage first?
Weslicious, sis?
"It's kind of become one of their signature tracks. Pairing this overexposure with the fact I think they have a lot better results in this ever so slightly above average score."
bichard, SIS?
"So we come to ABBA's most iconic song. And yes, it's clearly a masterclass in pop songwriting, production and delivery. But my heart has never been with it. I honestly can't articulate why. Is it the ubiquitous nature of the song? Probably not. I was never massively fond of it back in the days of yore when I was listening to my Grandma's Greatest Hits Volume 2 vinyl. I was too busy pulling my pud to Summer Night City, Angeleyes and Gimme. It's a middling ABBA song for me. Not bad, but nowhere near their best."
The only other vocal pop girls to not give this a 10 were VivaForever and Mina, of which the former had the following to say:
"I'll admit this has grown on me over the years, but it's still not as good as most of the covers I know, which in turn aren't as good as a lot of other ABBA songs. Like all other ABBA fans I live in fury that it's their biggest hit."
Although I don't actively seek it out much, because it's still C-listed at pretty much every radio station, I certainly wouldn't say I'm furious about it being their biggest hit. There's something to the song you just can't help but be sucked in. Yet I can't fault you for giving it an okay 8.
Mina, however, calls it "Iconic.", yet thinks it's "Not in the same category for me as the songs I've given 10s to, though.", while giving it neuf points. Ghurl, I won't even begin to list some songs you did give a 10 theaux.
I'm leaving constantino to fight y'all who quotes another chanteuse, who was actually inspired by the band when writing a certain song for her Born This Way album...
"Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping,spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it. This is a bop at its most joyous and irreverent and I will fight anyone who DARES to call this, one of the best pop songs ever written, overrated. Try me."
Tell 'em, girl.
Filippa states the obvious again, making my work seem easy, with "Abba’s signature song.". Thanks, sis.
TrueBeliever wants to teach the children "It’s impossible not to give their grand opus a 10, no matter how overplayed it might be. It’s one of the truly perfect pop songs and disco anthems. It all boils down to the incredible vocals, I think.".
And there's that word again... 'OVERPLAYED'.
Y'all truly overdid it. Though I guess you're right on a lot of levels.
WhatKindOfKylie? gave this "A 10 based on how iconic it is, and how much of an impact it made on ABBA's careers. This was the song that really proved they had staying power, and for the rest of the decade, the charts were all theirs. That said, not always one I listen to through choice, due to its overplayed status.", while SecretsOfFatima did so because it's "Euphoric, iconic and uplifting. Without doubt, their most well known song. Sometimes it is described as the best song in their discography – it is most certainly not. Even though it can be overplayed and overrated, I still adore it as the perfect piece of pop that it is.".
Hudweiser kinda thinks the same about the song as me, telling us it might be "Overplayed to the point of tedium, yes, and I hate the fact it's their go-to signature tune, leaving non-believers with the illusion that they were just shiny Eurodisco sell-outs, but crank this up to the max and feel the breadth of the production and it still blows me away, the soaring strings and keys after "having the time of your life" is everything pop-dreams are made of.", with tylerc904 agreeing in that "Obviously some people will feel this is overrated and overplayed, but it still holds up. The perfect pop song from start to finish, and such a tough one to actually sing. The girls are rarely given the credit they deserve for elevating a song like this. Some will say its bulletproof as a composition, but just look at the dozens of covers/renditions and you can see the magic required Agnetha and Frida.". All four members fucking SHINE on Dancing Queen and that's something that's always made me extremely happy when listening to it.
"The ultimate dance floor filler right?" asks GhettoPrincess, kinda answering her own question with "The chorus is particularly glorious.", with P'nutbutter reasoning with the naysayers, saying "Come on now, this is up there with Billie Jean for a pop masterclass".
It's "The first song" haps "listened to. Feeling gay for the first time." and poor ol' Sprockrooster goes one further, calling it "Absolutely gaytastic and this has to go top 3 right? RIGHT? Please let it happen cause I might regret not 11ing this.". Euhm...
idratherjack notes it's an "All time classic and as perfect as pop music gets. My mum hates ABBA (I pray for her soul nightly) but even she loves this." (all of the 10 givers here will form a prayer circle for the poor woman) and Mikey1701 admits he doesn't "‘use’ this very often and I do think that ABBA have much better tracks in their discography, but I can’t deny the cultural legacy that Dancing Queen has left on the world. Literally everybody knows it and I’ve met somebody who doesn’t like it (besides @bichard - but we don’t count ha or ha crimes against music tastes). Even my death metal rock fan brother has been known to bop to this. Infectious, joyous with just a twist of camp thrown in for measure- this is proof enough of Bjorn and Benny’s ability to craft an almighty pop banger. To put it simply, it is ‘pop’ personified.".
Well, as Epic Chocolat confesses...
"Easiest 11 to give."
Ta!
Enjoy!
The video was directed by Lasse Halström and featured the band performing the song in a club, that apparently allowed children?
The song was promoted around the world in 1976.
It was featured on Top Of The Pops, which was actually recorded in Australia...
...and in Germany...
...among countless others.
The song was performed in front of the royal family of Sweden during an all-star gala at the Royal Swedish Opera, the day before Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath were to be wed in 1976.
