Incredible list of incredible songs. I try not to judge people for their music taste but if you don't like ABBA there's some work we have to do. All that dance floor majesty and then there's this
This is a GREAT list Matt. It would be hard for me to argue against the inclusion of any of these. My favorites: Mamma Mia, Does Your Mother Know, Voulez Vous, Super Trouper, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Knowing Me Knowing You & Take a Chance on Me. I've also always liked Honey Honey, Fernando, and On and On and On. Of course Waterloo and Dancing Queen are classics.
“Knowing Me, Knowing You” is my personal fave, but “The Name of the Game” was the first ABBA single I ever bought, so it has a special place in my heart… and if we’re talking deeper cuts, “When I Kissed the Teacher” is pure pop heaven, and “Hey Hey Helen” is such a great “divorced mother claims her independence” song that Lush felt compelled to cover it!
Quite a heavy lift, this, Matt! Nicely done! Kind of a coincidence that my two fave ABBA songs were in two early, successive years: "Waterloo" '74, and "SOS" '75! You hit on why, as those two (for me, anyway) were so very pop, even power pop, in approach. 'Twas long before their disco dive, which also whelped for them their biggest hits.
In fact, I was turned on to "Waterloo," in '74 (I was 19) by Greg Shaw, the power pop aficionado/rock scribe and label boss (BOMP! Records and magazine). He was touting that Eurovision winner very early, and once I heard it, it just exploded out of the speakers, and I was hooked. "SOS" was also very melodically pop. I enjoyed much of their hit stuff later, but nowhere near my appreciation of those first two!
Great list and commentary. They released a new album in 2022 Voyage to accompany their awesome must-see Abbatar concert in London. Album topped the charts worldwide (including the USA)
and was their first to be nominated for the Grammys. A single “Don’t Shut Me Down,”featuring a 70 year old Agnetha lead vocal, is on par with this list so I’m adding my own #14!
Goodness I love ABBA! My favorite is probably “The Name of the Game”. But when I was a kid and didn’t speak English my dad told me the translation of “Thank You for the Music” and I decided a song with that meaning was a no-brainer for a favorite song :)
Fantastic list Matt and it could easily have been twice as long. I've always loved ABBA since back in the 70s. The way the girls' voices blend is incredible. Impossible to tell what my favorite song is but I picked a few that aren't on this list. The Visitors, Ring Ring, Andante Andante, When I Kissed the Teacher, Hey Hey Helen. And I feel guilty for not including a dozen others!
Hard to think of a better batch of songs to highlight ABBA’s amazing career. My favorite of theirs (in fact, one of my favorite songs of all time) is “The Winner Takes It All”. It’s an absolute heartbreaker
It is hard to argue, even if at the time that much of this wonderful music came out, I was in the throes of early teens UK punk/new wave rebellion and agued the pointy repeatedly with the 1/3 of my London classmates who were Abba fans. (1/3 favored The Jam, 1/3 didn't care.)
Anyway, Matt, the answer to your question "What makes a pop song perfect?" is in fact easier than you made it. It is "Dancing Queen." If I taught a course on perfect pop, that would be the template. Only those songs that have an exuberance confidence in their infallibility dare to open with a chorus. And only Abba and The Beatles dared do it so often.
I love ABBA!
🎉🎉🎉
Incredible list of incredible songs. I try not to judge people for their music taste but if you don't like ABBA there's some work we have to do. All that dance floor majesty and then there's this
https://open.substack.com/pub/daveross100/p/the-day-before-you-came?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=293r7s
Thanks David!
This is a GREAT list Matt. It would be hard for me to argue against the inclusion of any of these. My favorites: Mamma Mia, Does Your Mother Know, Voulez Vous, Super Trouper, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Knowing Me Knowing You & Take a Chance on Me. I've also always liked Honey Honey, Fernando, and On and On and On. Of course Waterloo and Dancing Queen are classics.
So many hits, so little time ;) I could’ve honestly done a post twice as long but I had to cap my writing time at some point. Thanks as always Dan!
“Knowing Me, Knowing You” is my personal fave, but “The Name of the Game” was the first ABBA single I ever bought, so it has a special place in my heart… and if we’re talking deeper cuts, “When I Kissed the Teacher” is pure pop heaven, and “Hey Hey Helen” is such a great “divorced mother claims her independence” song that Lush felt compelled to cover it!
Had no idea about the Lush cover! Will have to check it out today. Thanks Dan 😊
Truth be told, that Lush cover is what turned me on to the song — and motivated me to explore ABBA's pre-Arrival deep cuts!
Love that :)
Excellent write-up!
Thanks Dana!
Quite a heavy lift, this, Matt! Nicely done! Kind of a coincidence that my two fave ABBA songs were in two early, successive years: "Waterloo" '74, and "SOS" '75! You hit on why, as those two (for me, anyway) were so very pop, even power pop, in approach. 'Twas long before their disco dive, which also whelped for them their biggest hits.
In fact, I was turned on to "Waterloo," in '74 (I was 19) by Greg Shaw, the power pop aficionado/rock scribe and label boss (BOMP! Records and magazine). He was touting that Eurovision winner very early, and once I heard it, it just exploded out of the speakers, and I was hooked. "SOS" was also very melodically pop. I enjoyed much of their hit stuff later, but nowhere near my appreciation of those first two!
Thanks Brad! Those first two are underrated for sure, especially as “the ones that started it all …”
Great list and commentary. They released a new album in 2022 Voyage to accompany their awesome must-see Abbatar concert in London. Album topped the charts worldwide (including the USA)
and was their first to be nominated for the Grammys. A single “Don’t Shut Me Down,”featuring a 70 year old Agnetha lead vocal, is on par with this list so I’m adding my own #14!
Thanks Pat! Voyage merits its own album review at some point this year. “Shut” is a great track. Their show in London is on my bucket list for sure.
Goodness I love ABBA! My favorite is probably “The Name of the Game”. But when I was a kid and didn’t speak English my dad told me the translation of “Thank You for the Music” and I decided a song with that meaning was a no-brainer for a favorite song :)
Great story! Thanks for reading 😊
Can I get numbers 5, 9, 10, and 13 to go, please? 😁
💯
Fantastic list Matt and it could easily have been twice as long. I've always loved ABBA since back in the 70s. The way the girls' voices blend is incredible. Impossible to tell what my favorite song is but I picked a few that aren't on this list. The Visitors, Ring Ring, Andante Andante, When I Kissed the Teacher, Hey Hey Helen. And I feel guilty for not including a dozen others!
All are great tunes as well! Cheers Chris :)
A great list -- such durable classics.
I will say that, for "Chiquitita" I do think of the Sinead O'Connor cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oipn1n5NUg
There’s an ABBA covers list to be written at some point …
Absolutely . . .
Hard to think of a better batch of songs to highlight ABBA’s amazing career. My favorite of theirs (in fact, one of my favorite songs of all time) is “The Winner Takes It All”. It’s an absolute heartbreaker
It’s legit one of the best-written songs ever. Period. Any genre. Any era.
It is hard to argue, even if at the time that much of this wonderful music came out, I was in the throes of early teens UK punk/new wave rebellion and agued the pointy repeatedly with the 1/3 of my London classmates who were Abba fans. (1/3 favored The Jam, 1/3 didn't care.)
Anyway, Matt, the answer to your question "What makes a pop song perfect?" is in fact easier than you made it. It is "Dancing Queen." If I taught a course on perfect pop, that would be the template. Only those songs that have an exuberance confidence in their infallibility dare to open with a chorus. And only Abba and The Beatles dared do it so often.
Yasssss 🙌 thanks for reading!