ABBA: The Album

ABBA: The Album
Studio album by ABBA
Released	12 December 1977
Studio	Marcus, Metronome and Glen Studios, Stockholm and Bohus Studio, Kungälv
Length	40:01 (Polar LP 1977)
Label	Polar; Epic (UK); Atlantic (US original release)
Producer	Benny Andersson; Björn Ulvaeus;
ABBA chronology
Original UK album cover

ABBA: The Album (also known as simply The Album) is the fifth studio album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in Scandinavia on 12 December 1977 through Polar Music, but due to the massive pre-orders the UK pressing plants were not able to press sufficient copies before Christmas 1977 and so it was not released in the UK until January 1978. The album was released in conjunction with ABBA: The Movie, with several of the songs featured in the film. Altogether the album contained nine songs.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
NME	7/10[2]
Rolling Stone	favorable[3]

The album contained two UK number-one singles, "Take a Chance on Me" and "The Name of the Game", as well as European hits "Eagle" and "Thank You for the Music".[4]

Overview

The album includes three songs from ABBA's 1977 tour mini-musical The Girl with the Golden Hair performed during each of their European and Australian shows in 1977. Andersson and Ulvaeus wanted to offer more than "a run through of their hits and assorted album tracks" for their concerts.[5] Although the songs received a "less-than-tumultuous" reception during the first performances of the mini-musical, three of the tracks ("Thank You for the Music", "I'm a Marionette", and "I Wonder (Departure)" were included on the new album. A fourth song written for the musical, "Get on the Carousel", was rewritten as the up-tempo track "Hole in Your Soul" with "a substantial part of the melody [being] incorporated into [its] middle eight". Parts of "Get on the Carousel" appeared in ABBA: The Movie.[6] The "25-minute opus" had storyline about a talented "small-town girl leaving her hometown" on her "quest for stardom",[5] with each song representing a different part of her personality. Fältskog and Lyngstad shared the lead-role and wore matching blonde wigs and costumes "for optimum dramatic effect".[6]

ABBA: The Album reached No. 1 in many territories. In the UK it debuted at the top and remained there for seven weeks,[7] ending up as the third biggest selling album of the year (behind the movie soundtrack LPs of Saturday Night Fever and Grease). In the US it became their highest charting album, where during 1978 ABBA undertook a big promotional campaign.[4] Due to the Cold War, Western music was actively discouraged throughout Eastern Europe at the time. Despite this, ABBA: The Album sold an unprecedented one million copies in Poland in 1977, exhausting the country's entire allocation of foreign currency. In Russia, only 200,000 copies were permitted to be pressed; however, demand within the USSR indicated they could have sold 40 million copies.[8]

ABBA: The Album was first released on CD in 1984. The album has been reissued in the format by PolyGram (later Universal Music) four times; first in 1997, then in 2001, in 2005 as part of The Complete Studio Recordings box set and again in 2007 as a two disc 'Deluxe Edition'.

On November 3, 2017, the album was released as a double vinyl mastered at Abbey Road Studios using half speed mastering.

Cover artwork

Polar's official cover featured an entirely white background, and is the basis for current CD versions. However, Epic Records' original UK release of the LP featured a blue background on the front cover, fading to white at the bottom. It also featured a gatefold sleeve. The back cover was altered, incorporating a similar photo of ABBA to that used elsewhere in the world for the inner sleeve, and referencing tracks included in ABBA: The Movie. The inner gatefold was designed to look like an air mail envelope, similar to the style later used for Gracias Por La Música and even had a photo of ABBA incorporated into a stamp in the corner.

This was the first and only time that Epic radically broke away from the standard Polar Music design for an ABBA album. The UK design for ABBA: The Album has only been re-issued on CD format once, as part of a limited edition boxed set released by the Japanese arm of Universal Music in 2004.

Track listing

All tracks written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus except where noted.[9]

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Eagle"		5:51
2.	"Take a Chance on Me"		4:05
3.	"One Man, One Woman"		4:33
4.	"The Name of the Game"	Andersson Stig Anderson Ulvaeus	4:54

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Move On"	Andersson Anderson Ulvaeus	4:42
2.	"Hole in Your Soul"		3:41

*The Girl with the Golden Hair*: Three Scenes From a Mini-Musical
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
3.	"Thank You for the Music"		3:48
4.	"I Wonder (Departure)"	Andersson Anderson Ulvaeus	4:33
5.	"I'm a Marionette"		3:54
Total length:			40:01

CD edition
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Eagle"	5:50
2.	"Take a Chance on Me"	4:07
3.	"One Man, One Woman"	4:34
4.	"The Name of the Game"	4:54
5.	"Move On"	4:43
6.	"Hole in Your Soul"	3:41
7.	"Thank You for the Music"	3:50
8.	"I Wonder (Departure)"	4:34
9.	"I'm a Marionette"	4:09
Total length:		40:22

2001 CD edition bonus track
No.	Title	Length
10.	"Thank You for the Music" (Doris Day version)	4:03

*The Complete Studio Recordings* bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
10.	"Al Andar" (Spanish version of Move On)	Andersson Anderson Ulvaeus Buddy McCluskey Mary McCluskey	4:43
11.	"Gracias por la música" (Spanish version of Thank You for the Music)	Andersson Anderson Ulvaeus B. McCluskey M. McCluskey	3:49

2007 deluxe edition (The Watershed Album) bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
10.	"Eagle" (single edit)		4:25
11.	"Take a Chance on Me" (live version; alternate mix)		4:25
12.	"Thank You for the Music" (Doris Day version)		4:03
13.	"Al Andar" (Spanish version of Move On)	Andersson Anderson Ulvaeus B. McCluskey M. McCluskey	4:43
14.	"I Wonder (Departure)" (live version)	Andersson Anderson Ulvaeus	4:27
15.	"Gracias por la música" (Spanish version of Thank You for the Music)	Andersson Anderson Ulvaeus B. McCluskey M. McCluskey	3:49

2007 deluxe edition DVD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Eagle"/"Thank You for the Music" (Star Parade, ZDF)
2.	"Take a Chance on Me" (Am Laufenden Band, Radio Bremen)
3.	"The Name of the Game" (ABBA Special, TBS)
4.	"Thank You for the Music" (Mike Yarwood's Christmas Show, BBC)
5.	"Take a Chance on Me" (Star Parade, ZDF)
6.	"ABBA On Tour in 1977" (Rapport, SVT)
7.	"Recording ABBA – The Album" (Gomorron Sverige, SVT)
8.	"ABBA in London, February 1978" (Blue Peter, BBC)
9.	"ABBA in America, May 1978" (Rapport, SVT)
10.	"ABBA – The Album Television Commercial I" (UK)
11.	"ABBA – The Album Television Commercial II" (Australia)
12.	"International sleeve gallery"

Singles

"The Name of the Game"/"I Wonder" (live) (October 1977)
"Take a Chance on Me"/"I'm a Marionette" (January 1978)
"One Man, One Woman"/"Eagle" (Edited version) (1978, Taiwan)
"Eagle" (single edit)/"Thank You for the Music" (May 1978)
"Thank You for the Music"/"Eagle" (edited version) (1978, Chile)
"Move On"/"Mamma Mia" (1978, Chile)
"Thank You for the Music"/"Our Last Summer" (1983)

Personnel

ABBA

Agnetha Fältskog – lead vocals (2, 5, 7), co-lead vocals (1, 4, 6, 9), backing vocals
Anni-Frid Lyngstad – lead vocals (3, 8), co-lead vocals (1, 4, 6, 9), backing vocals
Björn Ulvaeus – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, co-lead vocals (5), backing vocals
Benny Andersson – keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals[10]

Additional musicians

Ola Brunkert – drums
Lars O. Carlsson – flute, saxophone
Malando Gassama – percussion
Rutger Gunnarsson – bass
Roger Palm – drums (on "Take a Chance on Me", "One Man, One Woman", and "Thank You For the Music")
Janne Schaffer – lead guitar (on "Eagle")
Lasse Wellander – lead guitar, rhythm guitar

Production

Benny Andersson – producer, arranger
Björn Ulvaeus – producer, arranger
Michael B. Tretow – engineer
Rutger Gunnarsson – string arrangements
Rune Söderqvist – design
Barry Levine – photography
Björn Andersson – illustrations
Rune Söderqvist – illustrations
Jon Astley – remastering (1997 re-issue, 2001 re-issue)
Tim Young – remastering (1997 re-issue)
Michael B. Tretow – remastering (1997 re-issue, 2001 re-issue)
Henrik Jonsson – remastering (The Complete Studio Recordings box set)

Charts

Album

Country/Chart (1977–78)	Position
Australia	4
Austria[11]	2
Belgium	1
Canada CRIA Chart	7
Canada RPM Chart	8
Finland	2
Germany	2
Japan	9
Mexican International Albums Chart	1
The Netherlands	1
New Zealand	1
Norway[11]	1
Rhodesia	2
Sweden[11]	1
Switzerland	1
UK Albums Chart[12]	1
USA Billboard 200	14

UK chart position by week

According to The Official Charts Company, the album spent 39 consecutive weeks (and total weeks) in the top 40 from 4 February 1978 to 21 October 1978. It was also the first ABBA album to debut at number one.

Weekly chart positions from 4 February 1978 to 21 October 1978:
1-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-2-2-3-5-5-5-6-5-5-4-5-2-4-5-7-6-9-14-14-15-18-22-27-20-20-20-20-24-38-36

For the first 14 weeks the album charted along with Greatest Hits and Arrival. All three were in the top 15 at the start of March 1978.

Singles

Singles – UK

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1977	"The Name of the Game"	UK Singles Chart	1
1978	"Take a Chance on Me"	UK Singles Chart	1

Singles – Norway

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1977	"The Name of the Game"	Norwegian Singles Chart	3
1978	"Take a Chance on Me"	Norwegian Singles Chart	8

Singles – USA and Canada

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1977	"The Name of the Game"	Billboard Hot 100 – USA	12
1978	"The Name of the Game"	Billboard Adult Contemporary – USA	9
	"Take a Chance on Me"	Billboard Hot 100	3
	"Take a Chance on Me"	Adult Contemporary	9
1977	"The Name of the Game"	RPM Singles – Canada	14
		RPM Adult Contemporary – Canada	12
		CRIA Singles – Canada	15
		RPM Singles – Canada	3
		RPM Adult Contemporary – Canada	7
		CRIA Singles – Canada	7

Certifications and sales

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Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[13]	2× Platinum	200,000^{^}
Denmark	—	225,000[14]
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[15]	Platinum	57,618[15]
Netherlands (NVPI)[16]	Platinum	100,000^{^}
Norway	—	200,840[17]
Germany (BVMI)[18]	Platinum	500,000^{^}
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[19]	Platinum	20,000^*
Japan	—	300,000[20]
Sweden	—	753,420[21]
United Kingdom (BPI)[22]	Platinum	300,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)[23]	Platinum	1,000,000^{^}
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone

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gollark: Is that the Macron ISA?

References

https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000312170
"NME Album Reviews – Abba". NME. UK. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
Rockwell, John (23 March 1978). "ABBA: The Album : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1991). Guinness Book of Rock Stars. Enfield: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 1. ISBN 0-85112-971-4.
Palm, Carl Magnus (1 September 2008). Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Real Story of Abba. ISBN 9781847724199.
Tesch, Christopher Patrick ; editor: Matthew (2008). ABBA : let the music speak : an armchair guide to the musical soundscape of the Swedish supergroup (1st ed.). Fairfield Gardens, Qld.: Christopher J N Patrick. pp. 43–45. ISBN 9780646496764.
"Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
Oldham, A, Calder, T & Irvin, C: "ABBA: The Name of the Game", page 201. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1995
"Album the-album « ABBA – The Album | Albums | ABBA". Archived from the original on 21 May 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
http://www.abbaomnibus.net/songs/whosings.htm
"swedishcharts.com". Retrieved 7 July 2009.
"Number 1 Albums – 1970s". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
"Canadian album certifications – Abba – The Album". Music Canada. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
Orsted, Knud (3 June 1978). "Sales In Denmark Hit New High At $64 Mil; Imports Bite Reduced" (PDF). Billboard. p. 98 – via American Radio History.
"Abba" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
"Dutch album certifications – ABBA – The Album" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 5 August 2018. Enter The Album in the "Artiest of titel" box.
Hultin, Randi (8 September 1979). "Abba The World". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
"Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Abba; 'The Album')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
"IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1979". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
"ABBA Cracks Japan Mart; Sales Surge". Billboard. 10 March 1979. p. 76. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Google Books.
Schulman, Leif (8 September 1979). "Abba The World". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
"British album certifications – Abba – The Album". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 August 2013. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type The Album in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
"American album certifications – Abba – The Album". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 August 2013. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] ttps://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000312170

[2] "NME Album Reviews – Abba". NME. UK. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2011.

[3] Rockwell, John (23 March 1978). "ABBA: The Album : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2011.

[:0-4] Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1991). Guinness Book of Rock Stars. Enfield: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 1. ISBN 0-85112-971-4.

[books.google-5] Palm, Carl Magnus (1 September 2008). Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Real Story of Abba. ISBN 9781847724199.

[TeschChristopher-6] Tesch, Christopher Patrick ; editor: Matthew (2008). ABBA : let the music speak : an armchair guide to the musical soundscape of the Swedish supergroup (1st ed.). Fairfield Gardens, Qld.: Christopher J N Patrick. pp. 43–45. ISBN 9780646496764.

[7] "Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

[8] Oldham, A, Calder, T & Irvin, C: "ABBA: The Name of the Game", page 201. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1995

[9] "Album the-album « ABBA – The Album | Albums | ABBA". Archived from the original on 21 May 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2013.

[10] ttp://www.abbaomnibus.net/songs/whosings.htm

[swedishcharts1-11] "swedishcharts.com". Retrieved 7 July 2009.

[12] "Number 1 Albums – 1970s". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2011.

[CanadaAbbaThe_AlbumalbumCertRef-13] "Canadian album certifications – Abba – The Album". Music Canada. Retrieved 28 August 2013.

[14] Orsted, Knud (3 June 1978). "Sales In Denmark Hit New High At $64 Mil; Imports Bite Reduced" (PDF). Billboard. p. 98 – via American Radio History.

[FinlandAbbaThe_AlbumalbumCertRef-15] "Abba" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 28 August 2013.

[NetherlandsABBAThe_AlbumalbumCertRef-16] "Dutch album certifications – ABBA – The Album" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 5 August 2018. Enter The Album in the "Artiest of titel" box.

[17] Hultin, Randi (8 September 1979). "Abba The World". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2018.

[GermanyAbbaThe_AlbumalbumCertRef-18] "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Abba; 'The Album')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 28 August 2013.

[Hong_KongAbbaThe_AlbumalbumCertRef-19] "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1979". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 January 2016.

[20] "ABBA Cracks Japan Mart; Sales Surge". Billboard. 10 March 1979. p. 76. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Google Books.

[21] Schulman, Leif (8 September 1979). "Abba The World". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2018.

[United_KingdomAbbaThe_AlbumalbumCertRef-22] "British album certifications – Abba – The Album". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 August 2013. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type The Album in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.

[United_StatesAbbaThe_AlbumalbumCertRef-23] "American album certifications – Abba – The Album". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 August 2013. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.