The Album
Encyclopedia
(P) 1977 Polar Music International AB, Stockholm, Sweden.
Stig Anderson
helped us with the lyrics on "The Name of the Game", "Move On" and "I Wonder (Departure)".
The Album was remastered and reissued in 2001 with one bonus track:
The Album was remastered and reissued again in 2005 as part of the The Complete Studio Recordings
box set with following bonus tracks:
Tracks 10–11, vocals recorded January 1980. These two songs are from the album Gracias Por La Música
(Septima SRLM 1, June 23, 1980).
The Album was reissued again in 2007 (October 15) as a 30th Anniversary of the original release, called the 'Deluxe Edition'. This features the same track listing as the 2005 release along with four additional tracks;
The 'Deluxe Edition' reissue also came along with a bonus DVD with the following clips:
The Album was reissued once again in 2008 as part of the The Albums
box set but without any bonus tracks.
An early version of "Take a Chance on Me". A brief excerpt of the track was released in the box set Thank You for the Music.
A song written for the 1977 Tour with lyrics written by all four, jokingly depicting themselves as A, B, B and A. The song was never considered for a studio version, but parts of the chorus were later reused in "Free as a Bumblebee", and as that song never progressed beyond the demo, the chorus surfaced during the songwriting sessions for the stage musical Chess
, as the UK number 1 hit single "I Know Him So Well
".
Another song from the 1977 Tour, written for the mini-musical The Girl with the Golden Hair. The song was considered too weak to progress as a studio recording, but the chorus surfaced as a melody line in "Hole in Your Soul" (the part "...ahaa-, the songs you sing are too romantic..."). "Get On the Carousel" appears in ABBA: The Movie.
An early version of "Move On".
A demo instrumental recorded during The Album sessions. Some parts surfaced in the recording sessions for Chess and resulted in a melody line in the track "Merano". A brief excerpt of this song was released in the box set Thank You for the Music.
Additional musicians
Production
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 – UK
Singles – Norway
Singles – USA and Canada
Stig Anderson
Stig Anderson
Stig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
helped us with the lyrics on "The Name of the Game", "Move On" and "I Wonder (Departure)".
CD re-issues, bonus tracks
The Album was remastered and reissued in 1997 with no bonus tracks.The Album was remastered and reissued in 2001 with one bonus track:
- "Thank You for the MusicThank You for the Music"Thank You for the Music" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally featured on the group's fifth studio album ABBA: The Album and was released as a single on November 6, 1983, to promote the Epic Records compilation album Thank You for the Music: A Collection of Love Songs...
" (Doris DayDoris DayDoris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
version) (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:03
The Album was remastered and reissued again in 2005 as part of the The Complete Studio Recordings
The Complete Studio Recordings (ABBA album)
The Complete Studio Recordings is a box set of all of the studio material released by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released on 7 November 2005 and consists of 9 CDs and 2 DVDs, plus a full colour booklet with timeline and photos. Another booklet containing the complete lyrics was also...
box set with following bonus tracks:
- "Al Andar" (Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus, Buddy McCluskey, Mary McCluskey) – 4:43
- Spanish version of "Move On".
- "Gracias Por La Música" (Andersson, Ulvaeus, B. McCluskey, M. McCluskey) – 3:49
- Spanish version of "Thank You for the Music".
Tracks 10–11, vocals recorded January 1980. These two songs are from the album Gracias Por La Música
Gracias Por La Música
Gracias Por La Música is a 1980 album by Swedish pop group ABBA . Gracias Por La Música was originally released due to the unexpected surge in popularity for the group in Latin American countries such as Mexico and Argentina after the release of the Spanish language versions of "Chiquitita" and "I...
(Septima SRLM 1, June 23, 1980).
The Album was reissued again in 2007 (October 15) as a 30th Anniversary of the original release, called the 'Deluxe Edition'. This features the same track listing as the 2005 release along with four additional tracks;
- "Eagle" (Single edit) – 4:25
- "Take a Chance on Me" (Live version; alternate mix) – 4:25
- Originally released as B-side of 1979 single "I Have a Dream"
- "Thank You for the Music" (Doris Day version) – 4:03
- "Al Andar" – 4:43
- "I Wonder (Departure)" (Live version) – 4:27
- Originally released as B-side of 1977 single "The Name of the Game"
- "Gracias Por La Música" – 3:49
The 'Deluxe Edition' reissue also came along with a bonus DVD with the following clips:
- "Eagle"/"Thank You for the Music" (Star Parade, ZDF)
- "Take a Chance on Me" (Am Laufenden Band, Radio Bremen)
- "The Name of the Game" (ABBA Special, TBS)
- "Thank You for the Music" (Mike Yarwood's Christmas Show, BBC)
- "Take a Chance on Me" (Star Parade, ZDF)
- "ABBA on tour in 1977" (Rapport, SVT)
- "Recording ABBA – The Album" (Gomorron Sverige, SVT)
- "ABBA in London, February 1978" (Blue Peter, BBC)
- "ABBA in America, May 1978" (Rapport, SVT)
- "ABBA – The Album Television Commercial I" (UK)
- "ABBA – The Album Television Commercial II" (Australia)
- International Sleeve Gallery
The Album was reissued once again in 2008 as part of the The Albums
The Albums
The Albums is a box set of recordings by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released on November 11, 2008 through Universal Music. The box set includes nine discs, the first eight are all of the original studio albums the way they were originally released between 1973 and 1981 while the ninth disc...
box set but without any bonus tracks.
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 only)
- "Eagle" (single edit)/"Thank You for the Music" (May 1978)
- "Thank You for the Music" / "Eagle" (Edited Version) (1978 (Chile))
- "Move On"/"Mamma MiaMamma Mia (song)"Mamma Mia" is a song from ABBA's 3rd album, ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus & Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The song "Mamma Mia" is a common song used in bands or orchestras...
" (1978) (Chile) - "Thank You for the Music" / "Our Last Summer" (1983)
Non Album Tracks
- "Billy Boy"
An early version of "Take a Chance on Me". A brief excerpt of the track was released in the box set Thank You for the Music.
- "I Am an A"
A song written for the 1977 Tour with lyrics written by all four, jokingly depicting themselves as A, B, B and A. The song was never considered for a studio version, but parts of the chorus were later reused in "Free as a Bumblebee", and as that song never progressed beyond the demo, the chorus surfaced during the songwriting sessions for the stage musical Chess
Chess (musical)
Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, formerly of ABBA, and with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an American and a Russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other;...
, as the UK number 1 hit single "I Know Him So Well
I Know Him So Well
"I Know Him So Well" is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. In this duet, two women – Svetlana, the Russian chess champion's estranged wife, and Florence, his mistress – express their bittersweet feelings for him and at seeing...
".
- "Get On the Carousel"
Another song from the 1977 Tour, written for the mini-musical The Girl with the Golden Hair. The song was considered too weak to progress as a studio recording, but the chorus surfaced as a melody line in "Hole in Your Soul" (the part "...ahaa-, the songs you sing are too romantic..."). "Get On the Carousel" appears in ABBA: The Movie.
- "Love for Me Is Love Forever"
An early version of "Move On".
- "Scaramouche"
A demo instrumental recorded during The Album sessions. Some parts surfaced in the recording sessions for Chess and resulted in a melody line in the track "Merano". A brief excerpt of this song was released in the box set Thank You for the Music.
Personnel
- Benny AnderssonBenny AnderssonGöran Bror "Benny" Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals, backing vocals - Agnetha FältskogAgnetha FältskogAgnetha Åse Fältskog is a Swedish recording artist. She achieved success in Sweden after the release of her début album Agnetha Fältskog in 1968, and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA, which to date has sold over 375 million records worldwide, making it the fourth...
– vocals, backing vocals - Anni-Frid LyngstadAnni-Frid LyngstadAnni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
– vocals, backing vocals - Björn UlvaeusBjörn UlvaeusBjörn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
– acoustic guitar, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, vocals, backing vocals
Additional musicians
- Ola BrunkertOla BrunkertOla Brunkert was one of the main session drummers for ABBA. Brunkert and bassist Rutger Gunnarsson are the only two side musicians to appear on every ABBA album....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Lars O. Carlsson – fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... - Malando GassamaMalando GassamaMalando Gassama , b. 7/2 1946, d. 25/1 1999, was a Gambian percussionist who made his home in Sweden. He recorded and performed with many notable Swedish and international artists such as: Al Jarreau, Anni-Frid Lyngstad , Ted Gärdestad, Bette Midler, Szabó Gábor, Janne Schaffer, David Sanborn,...
– percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Rutger Gunnarsson – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Roger Palm – drums
- Janne SchafferJanne SchafferJan Erik Tage Janne Schaffer is a Swedish songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his work as a session guitarist for ABBA but he has also recorded with artists such as Bob Marley, Johnny Nash, Art Farmer and Tony Williams...
– lead guitar - Lasse Wellander – lead guitar
Production
- Benny AnderssonBenny AnderssonGöran Bror "Benny" Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
; Björn UlvaeusBjörn UlvaeusBjörn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
- producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
s, arrangers - Michael B. Tretow – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Rutger Gunnarsson – string arrangements
- Rune Söderqvist – design
- Barry Levine – photography
- Björn Andersson; Rune Söderqvist – illustrations
- Jon Astley; Tim Young; Michael B. Tretow – remastering for the 1997 Remasters
- Jon Astley; Michael B. Tretow – remastering for the 2001 Remasters
- Henrik Jonsson – remastering for The Complete Studio Recordings box set
Album
| Year | Country/Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | UK/Albums Chart | 1 |
| USA/Billboard 200 | 14 | |
| Canada/RPM Chart | 8 | |
| Canada/CRIA Chart | 7 | |
| New Zealand | 1 | |
| Belgium | 1 | |
| Finland | 2 | |
| Japan | 9 | |
| Switzerland | 1 | |
| The Netherlands | 1 | |
| Germany | 2 | |
| Zimbabwe | 2 | |
| Australia | 4 | |
| Austria | 2 | |
| Mexico/International Albums Chart | 1 | |
| 1977/1978 | Norway | 1 |
| 1978 | Sweden | 1 |
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 chart straight 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
Greatest Hits (ABBA album)
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in 1975 . Greatest Hits was rush-released in Scandinavia in November 1975 to counter expected import sales of similar collections released by licencees in Europe, such as French Disques Vogue's ABBA's Greatest Hits and West...
and Arrival
Arrival (ABBA album)
-Side one:#"When I Kissed the Teacher" – 2:58#"Dancing Queen" – 3:47#"Dum Dum Diddle" – 2:50#"My Love, My Life" – 3:50...
. All three were in the Top 15 at the start of March 1978.
Singles – UK
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | "The Name of the Game" | UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| 1978 | "Take a Chance on Me" | 1 |
Singles – Norway
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | "The Name of the Game" | Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... 's Singles Chart |
3 |
| 1978 | "Take a Chance on Me" | 8 |
Singles – USA and Canada
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | "The Name of the Game" | Billboard Hot 100 – USA | 12 |
| 1978 | Billboard Adult Contemporary – USA | 9 | |
| "Take a Chance on Me" | Billboard Hot 100 | 3 | |
| 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 |