The Nation's Favourite Abba Song

[rubcale]

ITV are hosting this programme on Sunday night from 21.00-22.30hrs.

Says "as voted for by the British public". Don't know how, I never saw nor heard anything relating to the voting.

This was done before by another channel and I can't remember exactly but I think The Winner Takes It All beat Dancing Queen which you would expect to win.

It also says: "Abba fans including Joe McElderry, Dermot O'Leary, Terry Wogan and Louis Walsh also contribute".

Why these boring old fa*ts have to be trotted out to destroy during what will probably otherwise be a good show is beyond me.

[Chris]

Yes Rub, Channel 5 did it a few years ago. Apparently the voting's been just on the ITV website.

[ManicKangaroo]

This was another show STV appeared to have opted out of showing, we got the Scottish Sport Awards instead

[Chris]

Winner Takes It All came top.

[rubcale]

How on earth did The Day Before You Came come in at #3?

I don't think there were that many votes. The fact that two records tied for #13 and #15 is unlikely (but not impossible) would suggest that.

Although it was supposed to be all Abba's singles they arbitrarily excluded Angel Eyes which was double-A with Voulez-Vous and was the side initially promoted - it was played on Juke Box Jury.

Fav Abba song: Andante Andante
Fav Abba single: Angel Eyes
Fav Abba #1: Knowing Me Knowing You

[raliverpool]

Dec 7, 2010 19:11:20 GMT 1 rubcale said:

How on earth did The Day Before You Came come in at #3?

Because it is a critically acclaimed track (Radiohead's Thom Yorke & Arcade Fire's Wim Butler are big fans of the song .... I can't imagine either really liking Dancing Queen or I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do), and one of the greatest travesties in popular music how it only reached UK#32 in 1982, as Abba had got lyrically & musically dark and sophisticated on by far their best album The Visitors" leaving the public to buy Bucks Fizz; Dollar; Tight Fit and Bardo records instead.

According to Michael Tretow, ABBA's longtime sound engineer, this was the last ABBA song ever recorded. He further went on to state that Agnetha performed the lead without the lights on and said that mood had become sad and everybody in the studio knew that 'this was the end'.

As indeed the sense of foreboding in its lyrics suggests that Agnetha's narrative is from a deceased person prior to meeting her killer. Much like the band itself was ... doomed.

[Chris]

The Day Before You Came is a brilliant song. The Blancmange version is fab too.

[ManicKangaroo]

RESULTS:

1. The Winner Takes It All
2. Dancing Queen
3. The Day Before You Came
4. Thank You For The Music
5. Knowing Me Knowing You
6. Mamma Mia
7. Fernando
8. One Of Us
9. Name Of The Game
10. Chiquitita
11. Gimme Gimme Gimme
12. Take A Chance On Me
13. I Have A Dream
14. Lay All Your Love On Me
15. SOS
16. Super Trouper
17. Waterloo
18. Summer Night City
19. Does Your Mother Know
20. Voulez-Vous
21. Under Attack
22. Money Money Money
23. I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do
24. Head Over Heels
25. Ring Ring

[orthon7]

It WILL be shown by STV, (Scottish TV). They are showing it
from 8.30pm to 10pm on Monday December 20th

It was very, very hard for me to get into 'The Day Before You Came', in 1982.
As with all ABBA's Singles, I bought it, but I did not understand why they were
suddenly being so bleak, & gloomy. However, as the Decades have gone by
I have appreciated the Song more and more.

It tends to be the favourite ABBA Single of many people who hated ABBA.

The Critics love it too - 'NME' said it should have been a No.1 Hit.

Many people in the Music Industry also love it.

As do many ABBA Fans. Hence why it was No.3 in the Top 25.

If Universal wanted to, they could Re-Issue it, & get it into the UK
Top 10 - to be the Hit it should have been in 1982.

It has only sold about 400,000, (UK), on 'More Gold', so there are many
people left to buy it. (After all - over 4,820,000 copies of 'Gold' have been
sold in the UK).

I noticed that parts of 'Eagle' were played in the TV Show, as well as
the Instrumental 'Bridge', from 'When All Is Said & Done', being played
at the start & end of every Advert break. (And how powerful it sounded!
It was a huge mistake not to make it a 1982 Single, in the UK, Ireland, &
Continental Europe).

[vastar iner]

Not a bad list. Think I'd swap 4 with 23, move 17 and 25 well up, and plonk 13 dead last.

[Chris]

Dancing Queen's never been one of my Abba faves. Fernando would be my No.1 with TDBYC at No.2.

[rubcale]

Dec 7, 2010 21:51:22 GMT 1 orthon7 said:

I noticed that parts of 'Eagle' were played in the TV Show, as well as
the Instrumental 'Bridge', from 'When All Is Said & Done', being played
at the start & end of every Advert break. (And how powerful it sounded!
It was a huge mistake not to make it a 1982 Single, in the UK, Ireland, &
Continental Europe).

Agree - big mistake not to release "When All..." as a single in the UK. Considering they weren't half as popular in the US it did pretty well there.

[rubcale]

Surprises for me One Of Us Top 10 and Money way down at #22 (although it's not one of my favs).

[PurpleCareBear]

Dec 9, 2010 15:52:37 GMT 1 rubcale said:

Dec 7, 2010 21:51:22 GMT 1 orthon7 said:

I noticed that parts of 'Eagle' were played in the TV Show, as well as
the Instrumental 'Bridge', from 'When All Is Said & Done', being played
at the start & end of every Advert break. (And how powerful it sounded!
It was a huge mistake not to make it a 1982 Single, in the UK, Ireland, &
Continental Europe).

Agree - big mistake not to release "When All..." as a single in the UK. Considering they weren't half as popular in the US it did pretty well there.

I agree too ! It's one of my top 5 ABBA tracks,for sure.My number one would be The Day Before You Came.