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March 28, 2024, 02:58:24 PM

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ABBA are good, right?

Started by bgmnts, May 11, 2022, 05:52:23 PM

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bgmnts

Just want to know if it's okay to have ABBA on. I get the overwhelming feeling that most people think they're shit.


Ballad of Ballard Berkley

You're fine, only stupid people think they're shit.

daf

Joking aren't you? They're the 70's Beatles!


Norton Canes

They're only the band The Beatles could never have been

crankshaft

ABBA Gold has now gone 20x platinum in the UK - that's 6 million sales / stream equivalents. They aren't exactly unpopular. Loads of people hate them, and that's fine. It's the dullards who make a big noise about hating them that are the problem. See also everyone who's dying to give you their lecture on why The Beatles were shit, actually.

For my money, they're the greatest pop group of all time.

Kankurette

Yes, it is, and anyone who says otherwise is wrong.

Wonderful Butternut

Quote from: bgmnts on May 11, 2022, 05:52:23 PMJust want to know if it's okay to have ABBA on. I get the overwhelming feeling that most people think they're shit.

Most people are stupid.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

But most people don't think ABBA are shit, do they? They're one of the most beloved pop acts of all time. And rightly so.

Some people think they're shit, and that's fair enough. To each their own. I just think it's a bit odd of the OP to fret about being judged harshly for listening to ABBA of all people.

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on May 11, 2022, 09:12:21 PMSome people think they're shit, and that's fair enough. To each their own. I just think it's a bit odd of the OP to fret about being judged harshly for listening to ABBA of all people.
Frankly, I'd long thought myself in a very tiny minority in finding Abba to be without any redeeming qualities at all. Absolute shite to my ears, but everyone else seems to be "nah, 'Dancing Queen' is fantastic, you twat', so what do I know? I'd say since the early 90s (Abba Gold, Erasure covering them, that Aussie film their music was all over) they've been elevated to Beatles level in terms of how they're revered.

Wonderful Butternut

Well Dancing Queen can fuck itself, I've played it for 4 or 5 different shows and not once have I been happy with how I played it. Always seems to be something off.

Gimmie Voulez-Vous.

the science eel

Quote from: The Culture Bunker on May 11, 2022, 10:05:30 PMFrankly, I'd long thought myself in a very tiny minority in finding Abba to be without any redeeming qualities at all. Absolute shite to my ears, but everyone else seems to be "nah, 'Dancing Queen' is fantastic, you twat', so what do I know? I'd say since the early 90s (Abba Gold, Erasure covering them, that Aussie film their music was all over) they've been elevated to Beatles level in terms of how they're revered.

In some quarters, yeah.

They're not comparable, mainly because ABBA put out a lot of real rubbish and the Fabs were close to completely consistent across all their albums. But ABBA's indisputable peaks - and to my ears there are around 8 or 9 - match those of any pop act.

idunnosomename

who the fuck doesn't think ABBA are good? I think you can objectively state they are excellent at writing and performing superlative pop songs. they get better at albums as their discography goes on too. (not heard the new one)

checkoutgirl

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on May 11, 2022, 05:56:44 PMonly stupid people think they're shit.

That's right. I think they're shit.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: The Culture Bunker on May 11, 2022, 10:05:30 PMFrankly, I'd long thought myself in a very tiny minority in finding Abba to be without any redeeming qualities at all. Absolute shite to my ears, but everyone else seems to be "nah, 'Dancing Queen' is fantastic, you twat', so what do I know?

But that's all fair enough. Apart from the bit about people calling you a twat for not liking them, that's not on. My point is that no one should feel embarrassed about enjoying the music of ABBA just because some people think they're shit. Who cares?

I don't think bgmnts was being entirely serious, though, so we're probably just flapping our gums here. 

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on May 11, 2022, 10:23:01 PMMy point is that no one should feel embarrassed about enjoying the music of ABBA just because some people think they're shit. Who cares?
I'd say some reactions on this thread so far would suggest you should feel embarrassed for NOT enjoying Abba than the opposite. However, I quite refuse to do so and will leave the room whenever I hear one of their tedious bits of Scando pop pipe out over the speakers to leave everyone else to enjoy without my muttering away.

Emma Raducanu

I'd rather listen to screaming children.

willbo

I remember when Rock Sound magazine did a review of some re-release of ABBA's greatest hits in the late 90s, and said it was a great album, and advised you "love it, and you can always hide it if any greasy metalheads call round". Must have been special as they never covered pop, let alone 70s pop.

idunnosomename

i've always thought metalheads love ABBA? so much minor key stuff

Kankurette

I was never a big fan of Dancing Queen. The Winner Takes It All, on the other hand...wow.

My dad was a punk and even he liked ABBA, he loved the production on Take a Chance On Me. And metal bands have covered ABBA songs. I know there's a metal tribute called GABBA.

idunnosomename

Gimme Gimme Gimme for instance was covered by Yngwie Malmsteen (it's nowhere near as good as the original, although the arpeggios do lend themselves to metal)

I remember being in The Black Heart in Camden once for a gig that was blackened-stoner metal bands and all the DJ stuff was ABBA, and then the vocalist for the headliner said during the soundcheck if you're going to play ABBA can you play <specific ABBA song>

Petey Pate

I find the song Dancing Queen pretty much unlistenable. I can't quite pinpoint what it is about it that I find so off putting. It's not technically bad and I can appreciate that it is well crafted but it's still unbearable to me. It might be the way it's recorded, it has that over produced sound typical of much 1970s pop, maybe it's the juxtaposition between the 'happy' lyrics and the not-so happy way that they're sung, how it's an ironic disco song with no groove (which I assume was intentional, it's not that they're trying to be funky and failing). I can't adequately describe what I find wrong about it but I would happily never hear it again.

the science eel

'S.O.S.' is the elite choice - forget 'Dancing Queen', it's for C5 dipshits

idunnosomename

yeah Dancing Queen is not a top ABBA song of mine at all, can take it or leave it really. it is a bit plodding disco really. they have far better

Ferris

I think they're absolutely awful. Archetypes of naff. Into the bin, please.

Other opinions are available.

Captain Z

Yes but could they do it on a wet, windy night at Brighton?

jamiefairlie

Quote from: the science eel on May 12, 2022, 12:28:09 AM'S.O.S.' is the elite choice - forget 'Dancing Queen', it's for C5 dipshits

Yup, that's the one, love that song.

As for the rest, it's good pop music but that's not my thing but they don't bother me much. I really hate all the ironic student/campy melodrama/pished hen party shite that's associated with them now though, that can fuck right off. Erasure and Queen also suffer from those associations too.

jamiefairlie

Quote from: Captain Z on May 12, 2022, 01:00:33 AMYes but could they do it on a wet, windy night at Brighton?

Well they did that show last night in Glasgow and that's way more miserable than Brighton.

itsfredtitmus

#27
never hearing their plinky plonky oompah pianos again wouldn't bother me. when's the nolans and ace of base going to get in on this retrospective reappraisal that they sorely deserve? never hearing abba's plinky plonky oompah pianos ever again wouldn't bother me

Quote from: Petey Pate on May 12, 2022, 12:19:08 AM(Dancing Queen) how it's an ironic disco song with no groove

What!

I love the drums on Dancing Queen, I prefer that slighly lower tempo mooch to the more upbeat hits. There's something magical about DQ, the "having the time of my life" part is euphoric.



bgmnts

Quote from: itsfredtitmus on May 12, 2022, 07:20:41 AMnever hearing their plinky plonky oompah pianos again wouldn't bother me. when's the nolans and ace of base going to get in on this retrospective reappraisal that they sorely deserve? never hearing abba's plinky plonky oompah pianos ever again wouldn't bother me

The founder of Ace of Bass was a neo-Nazi so they might struggle to find retrospective affection nowadays.

I'm glad people think Dancing Queen is naff, I can't stand it.