Abba

[Katharine]

It was also on last night - I spent the evening on the computer!!

[Lucky Star]

I worked once with a guy who went about six times a year up to London to see the stage show. He absolutely loved it.

As to Abba I too like them but then Ithink just about everyone likes at least a couple of Abba songs - even if they might refuse to admit it. I personally like Fernando; it's Knowing You, Knowing Me that I used to hate although I don't mind it now. And sorry Anita but I really like Nina Pretty Ballerina. It's so stupid that it's classic.

[Courtenay]

Hooray, someone else who likes Fernando!!

[Anita Bensoussane]

While it's not one of my favourite songs, I'd have classed it [Fernando] as a relatively average ABBA track and I was wondering why people object to that song in particular.

Because when I was a kid it was Number 1 for about 7 weeks and it got flogged to death on the radio, TV chart shows, etc.

Up until that point I liked Abba, and indeed was taken to see them in concert on their Australian tour.

It was never the same after Fernando though. After Fernando they became regarded as quite naff, they fell considerably out of favour I think.

You were lucky to see ABBA on their Australian tour, Maggie Knows. From clips I've seen, it looks as though the atmosphere was electric. I loved ABBA when I was about 7-11 years old, and Blondie too. I looked forward to being old enough to go to discos and dance to their music. But by the time I was old enough, things had moved on and it was all Duran Duran and Culture Club!

It can certainly put you off a song if you hear it day in, day out. I get tired of Dancing Queen because it's played so often. It was never my favourite song to listen to anyway, though it's great to dance to.

Going back to ABBA songs, I like most of them but I'm not keen on Rock Me or Nina, Pretty Ballerina.

... sorry Anita but I really like Nina Pretty Ballerina. It's so stupid that it's classic.

I'm glad someone likes it! It's the chorus of Nina, Pretty Ballerina that irks me as I find it too high and screechy, and the cheering reminds me of people at a football match. As for Rock Me, that just sounds "shouty" and kind of flat.

Fans of Abba might be interested to learn that the 2008 film, Mamma Mia!, is on ITV3 at 8pm today.

I'm afraid there's nothing but football on our TV every evening at the moment! Never mind - I've got Mamma Mia! on DVD so I can re-watch it some other time!

[pete9012S]

I like this song by Abba and think it's perhaps underrated..

ABBA : Soldiers (The Visitors 1981)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyRn_nh7ViM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Wolfgang]

Actually I like some Abba songs like "The Piper", "Eagle", "The day before you came", "One of us", "Chiquitita", "Fernando", "SOS", "Our last summer" and a handful of other songs, they're not too distracting when reading a good book like other songs.

[Moonraker]

I need absolute silence when reading.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I think my favourite ABBA video is the one for 'The Day Before You Came'. The clips of the station and the train help bring the story to life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HnOFwqp ... HnOFwqpLRQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[floragord]

I need absolute silence when reading.

I did when I had to digest medical tomes (though I could manage a tea or several!!), but now I am delighting in lighter fare I can enjoy classic turned low and still concentrate

[pete9012S]

ABBA The Name Of The Game - Rare demo

Slightly tinkered with showing how the girls sang and the boys harmonised...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiv5VBhBaOU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Maggie Knows]

I loved ABBA ...and Blondie too.

Oh yes. Debbie Harry, sexiest woman in rock/pop, ever...

Union City Blue, wonderful song

[Anita Bensoussane]

Eat to the Beat was one of my favourite albums when I was around 10-13. My sister and I went through three or four years when we only owned five albums - Eat to the Beat and Autoamerican (Blondie), ABBA's Greatest Hits Volume 2 and Super Trouper (ABBA) and Making Waves (The Nolans). We didn't really like Making Waves (except for one track, 'Touch Me in the Morning') but we loved the other four cassettes and played them to death.

ABBA The Name Of The Game - Rare demo

Slightly tinkered with showing how the girls sang and the boys harmonised...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiv5VBhBaOU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's interesting, Pete.

One of the most stunning tracks (in my opinion) from ABBA's last studio album, The Visitors, is 'Like An Angel Passing Through My Room'. It's just Frida singing alone, deep and soulful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NejuuTKv4-g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Someone on YouTube has put up a medley of demos for that song, showing its gradual evolution:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWsXwFOFv9k" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Maggie Knows]

Hooray, someone else who likes Fernando!!

Confirmed this morning, Fernando signed from FC Porto for £12million

There's something in the air tonight,
In sky-blue and white,
Fernando
He’s going to play football for Man City,
Signed by Pellegrini,
Fernando


Couldn't resist, sorry....

[Courtenay]

Though we never thought that he could lose
There's no regret
Unless like Suarez his teeth sink in
That would be sin
Fernando...

[Maggie Knows]

well done !!