Ultimate ABBA Chart

by **matthew_dixon** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:10 pm

So - let's get this thing on the road.

What we have here is a list of the 100 most defining ABBA songs of all, as voted by 22 of us... but just who are those 22 people? Well, the following...

Tiger, matthew_dixon, martinp, NothingFails, Benny, innocenteyes, Lewis17, Star, musiclover2174, mattsky, ShayLaB, francisplaiy, FreakyFlyBry, tdc2000, chris975, AlexZ, 04wayne, nyla, Grybop, Vindrag, Blondini, potojr

Well, let's see which songs we rank as ABBA's top 100 songs of all...

100. Rubber Ball Man (21 points)
(unreleased track)
Voted by: NothingFails

If I get to a rarity, I'm going to make that a stock picture if I can't think of anything better, as we have loads of rather random rarities. This was apparently meant to be a single but was shelved in favour of "Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)". This one wouldn't have worked as well in a 00s Madonna sample really!

99. Fernando (21 points)
(from the album "Oro: Grandes Exitos")
Voted by: Tiger

Technically there was nothing in the rules stopping people voting separately for ABBA songs that were released in other parts of the world in other languages, and Maaian decided to cast some votes to the Spanish version of "Fernando". Okay, yeah - it's a good version, and I guess it's fitting for a song like Fernando. Speaking of Spanish and Fernando and ABBA, I wonder whatever happened to UKMIX veteran ABBA fan FernandoMadrid?

98. He Is Your Brother (26 points)
(from the album "Ring Ring")
Voted by: innocenteyes, ShayLaB

At 98, it's a really early ABBA single from back in 1972 - well before the world had come to know of them. It's a pleasant track, but I'm not surprised it's ranked somewhat low.

97. Why Did It Have To Be Me (27 points)
(from the album "Arrival")
Voted by: innocenteyes, matthew_dixon

I own a vinyl copy of "Arrival", and hence you'll see my name against every single track on that album. This however for me is clearly the weakest of them. Yes, it's a decent enough song, but it's not really a big loss. Innocenteyes however has just list two songs that came close to his top 30!

96. Tropical Loveland (29 points)
(from the album "ABBA")
Voted by: innocenteyes

Innocenteyes has managed to cast 65 points for the past three songs combined - alas others didn't share his love at all for this song. It's certainly not your typical ABBA song.

by **AlexZ** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:06 am

Matthew,
What about very low positions (without Top 100)?

I believe in success for 'That's Me' and 'When I Kissed The Teacher'.

by **AlexZ** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:09 am

Album (song positions in my Top 40):
1. Ring Ring (9, 36, 37)
2. Waterloo (2, 12, 13, 40)
3. ABBA (15, 16, 29, 30, 34, 35)
4. Arrival (1, 5, 8, 11, 24, 31, 33)
5. Album (3, 10, 19, 20)
6. Voulez - Vous (17, 23, 26, 27, 28)
7. Super Trouper (6, 18, 25)
8. Visitors (7, 21, 22, 32)
9. Bonus Tracks (4, 14, 38, 39)

Definitive Collection:
Include in my list: 29 songs
Not include in my list: 6 songs

by **NothingFails** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:17 am

Rubber Ball Man is only "officially" released in a bit track on ABBA Undeleted, but many years ago I found the uncut version illegally, and its a rather good song.

"He Is Your Brother" is nice early ABBA but nothing spectacular, "Why Did It Have To Be Me" is a fun filler track. "Tropical Loveland" is nice too and sounds like its title says, kinda like ABBA's take on reggae.

Never heard the Spanish "Fernando" before.

by **floria** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:14 am

Very low for Fernando...

by **NothingFails** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:24 am

floria wrote:Very low for Fernando...

I think the English version is still to come :lol:

, that's just the Spanish recording.

by **floria** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:34 am

NothingFails wrote:
floria wrote:Very low for Fernando...
I think the English version is still to come , that's just the Spanish recording.

Oh yeah, I didn't notice! :oops:

by **Grybop** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 8:43 am

floria wrote:Very low for Fernando...

I thought the same thing :lol:

Tropical Loveland barely missed my top 50 and ironically enough was the B-side to the english version of Fernando in most territories.

I love the backing vocals on He Is Your Brother and the instrumentation on Why Did It Have to Be Me (but I prefer the other version of the song, which made my list).

by **pollei** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 8:46 am

I missed it! :oops:

by **musiclover2174** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:04 am

floria wrote:Very low for Fernando...

I thought that too. Until I saw it's Spanish version. :lol:

I wish that the songs I've voted will be high on this list.

by **Benny** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:10 am

"He Is Your Brother" is quite nice, Abba performed it during the Music for UNICEF Concert in January 1979 together with all the other participants including Olivia Newton-John, the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Earth Wind & Fire, Rod Stewart and Kris Kristofferson, here's a snippet. As one of the viewers on YouTube noticed, Rod Stewart looks rather bored during the performance :lol:

.

by **Grybop** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:23 am

I hate the fact that they mimed at that concert. Rod does look bored. Look at him trying to mime the lyrics :lol:

John Denver doesn't look too thrilled either.

by **martinp** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 12:10 pm

Why Did It Have To Be Me is one of their weakest songs IMO, He Is Your Brother just missed my top 50.

I like Rubber Ball Man, the melody sounds a lot better in Under Attack though!

by **Lewis17** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 12:24 pm

matthew_dixon wrote:What we have here is a list of the 100 most defining ABBA songs of all, as voted by 22 of us... but just who are those 22 people? Well, the following...

Tiger, matthew_dixon, martinp, NothingFails, Benny, innocenteyes, Lewis17, Star, musiclover2174, mattsky, ShayLaB, francisplaiy, FreakyFlyBry, tdc2000, chris975, AlexZ, 04wayne, nyla, Grybop, Vindrag, Blondini, potojr

No zeus555

by **Tiger** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:05 pm

?Fernando

by **Wayne** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:18 pm

My jaw nearly dropped when I saw Fernando :lol:

Thank God that its the Spanish version!

by **AlexZ** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 2:17 pm

Maybe I'm only 1 voter, which don't like 'Fernando'.
Their weakest single for me.

by **Lewis17** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:13 pm

AlexZ wrote:Maybe I'm only 1 voter, which don't like 'Fernando'.
Their weakest single for me.

I disagree ~ it's one of my favourites

I do have the ORO album, but I decided against voting for any of the Spanish (or Swedish) versions of the songs, as I didn't think they would attract many votes 8-)

by **Blondini** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:23 pm

None i voted for there. And none from my shortlist of 62. Excluded non-English versions (or included them in overall vote for that song).

by **matthew_dixon** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 8:59 pm

95. Chiquitita (29 points)
(from the album "Oro: Grandes Exito")
Voted by: Tiger

Yes, it's Maaian that can be blamed again for voting for a Spanish version of a classic. Yet again, "Chiquitita" is a rather fitting song to be sung in Spanish - but are there any other Spanish versions of songs still to come?

94. Crazy World (30 points)
(b-side to the single "Money Money Money")
Voted by: Vindrag

At 94, it's time to lose a b-side from that long list of rarities. It's a nice song, but I'll leave Vindrag to explain just what's so great about it.

93. Dame! Dame! Dame! (Amor Esta Noche) (30 points)
(from the album "Oro: Grandes Exito")
Voted by: Tiger

You don't need to be a Spanish expert to translate that title as "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)". The question is - have any other Spanish language versions been voted for?

92. What About Livingstone (34 points)
(from the album "Waterloo")
Voted by: Grybop

Don't worry, thsi is not commissioned by the "Anyone but Boris for London Mayor" campaign. "What About Livingstone" is an ode to legendary naturalist and explorer Dr David Livingstone. George, alas, you were alone in your love for this one.

91. Dance (While The Music Still Goes On) (36 points)
(from the album "Waterloo")
Voted by: Vindrag, martinp, ShayLaB, NothingFails, Benny

At 91, it's another track from "Waterloo", and it might be a surprise that a song with 5 voters is so low. Vindrag however, you were the only person to consider it one of ABBA's 40 greatest songs, and only Martin agreed with you that it was at least top 45!

by **Wayne** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:02 pm

Lost nothing there; the English version of Chiquitita is gorgeous though.

by **Grybop** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:15 pm

17 What about Livingstone (well, doh!)

I absolutely love What About Livingstone a) because the topic is so random b) because the rhythm is captivating and c) because of the ever-amazing backing vocals! Waterloo is full of those irresistible catchy light-themed pop songs. Dance (While The Music Still Goes On) also nearly made my list.

by **Benny** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:24 pm

Although I own the "Abba Oro" album, I prefer the English versions of their songs to the Spanish ones, except for "Al Andar", which I like as much as "Move On".

"Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)" made my number 50, a lovely song, one of my favourites from the "Waterloo" album.

by **SeeForever** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:32 pm

Sorry I didn't vote on this as I love ABBA but just not had the time!!

Didn't know they did Spanish versions of some songs, for a moment I thought OMG Chiquitita is shockingly low!!

by **Blondini** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:56 pm

Still none but Dance... is quite good.