ABBA (Björn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida) - Waterloo (1974) [LP, DSD128]

ABBA’s second (and U.S. debut) album contains the American Top Ten title track, as well as “Honey, Honey,” a minor U.S. hit that deserved better. This album is rather unusual in the group’s output, however, for the fact that the guys are still featured fairly prominently in some of the vocals, and for the variety of sounds — including reggae, folk-rock, and hard rock — embraced by its songs. The reggae number “Sitting in the Palmtree” is quite remarkable to hear, with its perfect Caribbean beat and those radiant female voices carrying the chorus behind the beat. “King Kong Song” is a good example of hard rock by rote, going through the motions of screaming vocals and over-amplified guitar (courtesy of Janne Schaffer), although even here, when the women’s voices jump in on the choruses, it’s hard not to listen attentively; the quartet knew what a powerful weapon they had, but not quite how to use it. They get a little closer to their winning formula on the catchy, folky-textured pop song “Hasta Mañana,” which sounds like a lost Mary Hopkin number. “Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)” is on the money as the embodiment of the Euro-disco sound that the group would embrace on their future albums, although it also hints at a vague oldies sound, with a melody that somehow reminds this listener of both the Four Seasons’ “Dawn” and the Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby.”

Tracklist:

Side 1

A1 Waterloo
Tenor Saxophone – Christer Eklund
Written-By – Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Stig Anderson
A2 Sitting In The Palmtree
Congas – Malando Gassama
A3 King Kong Song
A4 Hasta Mañana
Written-By – Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Stig Anderson
A5 My Mama Said
A6 Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)
Bass – Per Sahlberg

Side 2

B1 Honey, Honey
Arranged By [Strings] – S.O. Walldoff*
Written-By – Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Stig Anderson
B2 Watch Out
B3 What About Livingstone
B4 Gonna Sing You My Lovesong
B5 Suzy-Hang-Around
B6 Waterloo (English Version)
Tenor Saxophone – Christer Eklund
Written-By – Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Stig Anderson



Line-up / Musicians

Agnetha Fältskog – lead vocals (4), co-lead vocals (1, 5, 6, 7, 9), backing vocals
Anni-Frid Lyngstad – lead vocals (10), co-lead vocals (1, 5, 6. 7, 9), backing vocals
Benny Andersson – piano, keyboards, moog synthesizer, mellotron, clavinet, lead vocals (11), co-lead vocals (3, 6), backing vocals
Björn Ulvaeus – acoustic guitar, guitar, lead vocals (2, 3, 8), co-lead vocals (6, 7), backing vocals[6]

Additional musicians

Ola Brunkert – drums
Christer Eklund – tenor saxophone on "Waterloo"[7]
Malando Gassama – percussion, conga on "Sitting in the Palmtree"[7]
Rutger Gunnarsson – bass
Per Sahlberg – bass on "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)"[7]
Janne Schaffer – guitar
Sven-Olof Walldoff – string arrangement on "Honey, Honey"[7]
John "Rabbit" Bundrick – keyboards on "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)" (not credited on album)


Thanks to the original releaser!

Hi-Res analogue rips

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