The February page of my 2015 Abba calendar has this great picture of Frida and Benny during the 1979 tour...
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Posted with BlogsyCollection - Mamma Mia 7" Single
Here are a few pictures of the Spanish release of "Mamma Mia" which has one of the more unusual single covers...
Mamma Mia Singles Covers
To celebrate "Mamma Mia" going to number 1 in the UK on this day in 1976 I have produced this image showing different versions of the 7" single cover from around the world....
Friday, 30 January 2015
Abba Date - 31st January 1976
On the 31st January 1976 Abba finally returned to the top of the UK singles chart when "Mamma Mia" replaced Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" at the number 1 spot. The top five selling singles in the UK that week were -
- Abba - "Mamma Mia"
- Silk - "Forever And Ever"
- Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
- Miracles - "Love Machine"
- Sailor - "Glass Of Champagne"
The single had been released almost two month earlier and had originally entered the chart at number 43 before making steady progress to the top of the charts. "Mamma Mia" stayed at the number 1 spot for two weeks before being replaced by Silk's "Forever And Ever".
The single would eventually become the 21st biggest selling single of the year ; "Dancing Queen" was the 4th and "Fernando" was the 7th.
"Mamma Mia" also reached number 1 in Australia (for an amazing 10 weeks), Germany, Costa Rica, Ireland and Switzerland. The table below shows the chart positions from around the world..
Abba Museum Record Collection
Here are a few pictures I took during my visit to the Abba Museum in the exhibit which featured Abba records from around the world ... after seeing this I realised I still have a way to go with my own collection
Thursday, 29 January 2015
The Very Best Of Abba Album
Today I have been listening to a double album titled "The Very Best Of Abba" (see the images below) which from what I can find out was originally released in Germany and the Netherlands in 1976. The album includes the following tracks -
Side A
- Ring Ring
- So Long
- Sitting In The Palm Tree
- Suzy-Hang-Around
- Hasta Manana
- S.O.S
Side B
- Mamma Mia
- Tropical Loveland
- Rock Me
- Lovr Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)
- People Need Love
- Intermezzo No. 1
Side C
- Fernando
- My Mama Said
- What About Livingstone
- Hey, Hey, Helen
- Honey, Honey
- Bang-A-Boomerang
Side D
- I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
- Nina, Pretty Ballerina
- Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)
- Gonna Sing You My Lovesong
- I've Been Waiting For You
- Waterloo
Abba The Complete Recording Sessions
Earlier this morning I logged my pledge towards Carl Magnus Palms updated version of "Abba The Complete Recording Sessions" ; I would urge all Abba fans to do the same to ensure that we get to see the new version of this book...
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
Archive - Disco 45 Magazine
Here is the cover of a magazine called "Disco 45" which used to print song lyrics to all of the biggest hits of the day. Although Abba are on the cover the only mention they receive in the magazine is in a postal offer to purchase a music sheet book for their "Greatest Hits Vol. 2" album.
Abba Monopoly #4
Last Abba Monopoly post for today .... here are some pictures of the playing cards from the game
Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Abba Monopoly #1
Here are are a few pictures of the Abba Monopoly board game which I received last weekend...
"Gracias Por La Musica" Review
As well as "Chess" the latest issue of Classic Pop magazine in the UK also includes a review of the deluxe version of "Gracias Por La Musica"...
"Chess" Review From Classic Pop Magazine
The current issue of "Classic Pop" magazine in the UK includes the following review of the remastered "Chess" album...
Take A Chance On Me Music Sheet
Following my post this morning the latest Abba sheet music I have added to my collection is for "Take A Chance On Me" - here is a picture of the front cover...
Monday, 26 January 2015
Abba Date - 27th January 1978
On the 27th January 1978 Abba released their latest single "Take A Chance On Me" in the UK. The single reached the number 1 spot on the 18th February (replacing the Brotherhood Of Man's "Figaro") where it stayed for 3 weeks before being knocked off the top of the chart by Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights".
Take A Chance On Me was the 9th biggest selling single of 1978 in the UK and it also reached number 1 in Austria, Belgium, Ireland and Mexico. The table below shows various chart positions from around the world -
Updated Abba Book Mentioned
The website noise11.com has just published the following article regarding Carl Magnus Palm's updated version of "Abba The Complete Recording Sessions"...
Chess Singles #2
As a follow-up to my last post here are a few more of the singles released from the "Chess" album...
Chess Singles #1
To mark the anniversary of "Chess" entering the UK Top 40 I thought I would share this image of some of the singles released from the album from around the world. My personal favourite is "Heaven Help My Heart" which should have been a much bigger hit in the UK than it actually was.
Sunday, 25 January 2015
Abba Date - 26th January 1985
On the 26th January 1985 the "Chess" album entered the UK Top 40 album chart at number 35 - the album then spent five weeks climbing up the chart before peaking at number 10 w/c 2nd March.
The album reached number 1 in Sweden and number 2 in New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland. The table below provides details of the chart positions I have been able to find -
Abba Included On Compilation Album
Abba's classic track "Fernando" is included on a new compilation album "Jackie Love Songs" which is released in the UK tomorrow.
Abba Studio Albums Review
The following brief review of Abba's Studio Albums box set is included in this months Mojo magazine in the UK...
Saturday, 24 January 2015
Abba Date - 25th January 1988
On the 25th January 1988 Agnetha released her latest solo single "The Last Time" in the UK. The single, which included "Are You Gonna Throw It All Away" on the b-side, was available in 7", 12" and 3" CD single formats.
Bjorn Poster
This poster of Bjorn was the poster pin up in issue 22 of the International Abba Magazine...
