ABBA (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = ABBA
Type = Album
Artist = ABBA


Released = April 21, 1975
Recorded = April 1974-
March 1975
Genre = Pop
Length = 36:09
Label = Polar (original release)
PolyGram (1992 - 1997)
Universal Music (1998 - )
Producer = Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wzanqjkboj6a~T1 link]
Last album = "Waterloo"
(1974)
This album = "ABBA"
(1975)
Next album = "Greatest Hits"
(1975)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = studio


Lower caption = CD re-issue with ABBA logo.

"ABBA" was the third album by the Swedish pop group of the same name, first released in 1975 (see 1975 in music). Also known as "The Limo [usine] Album" among the fans.

Following the Eurovision success of "Waterloo", "ABBA" saw the band gaining worldwide recognition. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" topped the charts in Australia, as did "Mamma Mia" shortly thereafter. The latter also did well in Europe, while "SOS" became a hit in both the U.S. and UK. "ABBA" was first released on CD in West Germany in 1987 (later released internationally), with five bonus tracks of songs from "Waterloo" and "Ring Ring", which had not been released on CD at that time. "ABBA" was released on CD in Sweden in 1988 featuring the original 11 tracks only. The album has been reissued in digitally remastered form three times; first in 1997, then in 2001 and again in 2005 as part of "The Complete Studio Recordings" box set.

Track listing

Side A:
#"Mamma Mia" (Andersson, Stig Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:32
#"Hey, Hey Helen" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:17
#"Tropical Loveland" (Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:06
#"SOS" (Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:23
#"Man in the Middle" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:03
#"Bang-A-Boomerang" (Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:04

Side B:
#"I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" (Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:17
#"Rock Me" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:06
#"Intermezzo No. 1" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:48
#"I've Been Waiting for You" (Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:41
#"So Long" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:06

(P)1974(10-11)/1975(1-9)Polar Music International AB

CD re-issues, bonus tracks

"ABBA" was first released on CD in 1987 with five additional tracks from the albums "Waterloo" and "Ring Ring":

12. "Waterloo" (Andersson, Stig Anderson, Ulvaeus) - 2:44
13. "Hasta Mañana" (Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) - 3:09
14. "Honey, Honey (Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus)" – 2:55
15. "Ring Ring" (Andersson, Stig Anderson, Ulvaeus, Neil Sedaka, Phil Cody) – 3:06
16. "Nina, Pretty Ballerina" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 2:53

"ABBA" was remastered and reissued in 1997 two further bonus tracks:

17. "Crazy World" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:48
18. "Medley: Pick a Bale of Cotton/On Top of Old Smokey/Midnight Special" (Trad. Arr. Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:21

"ABBA" was remastered and reissued again in 2001 with two bonus tracks, but without the five tracks from " Waterloo" and "Ring Ring":

12. "Crazy World" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:48
13. "Medley: Pick a Bale of Cotton/On Top of Old Smokey/Midnight Special" (Trad. Arr. Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:21

"ABBA" was remastered and reissued again in 2005 as part of "The Complete Studio Recordings" box set with following bonus tracks:

12. "Crazy World" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:46
13. "Medley: Pick a Bale of Cotton/On Top of Old Smokey/Midnight Special (1978 Mix)" (Trad. Arr. Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:21
    *B-side of 1978 single "Summer Night City". Recording of this song began May 6, 1975.
14. "Mamma Mia (Spanish Version)" (Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus, Buddy McCluskey, Mary McCluskey) – 3:34
    *Vocals recorded January 1980. From the album "Gracias Por La Música" (Septima SRLM 1, June 23, 1980).

ingles

# "So Long"/"I've Been Waiting For You" (November 1974)
# "I've Been Waiting For You"/"King Kong Song" (November 1974) (Australia only)
# "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do"/"Rock Me" (April 1975)
# "S.O.S"/"Man In The Middle" (June 1975)
# "Mamma Mia"/"Intermezzo NO:1" (August 1975)
# "Bang-a-boomerang"/"Intermezzo NO:1" (1975) (France only)
# "Rock Me" (1976) (Australia, New Zealand and Yugoslavia)

Personnel

ABBA
*Benny Andersson – synthesizer, piano, keyboards, vocals, clavinet
*Agnetha Fältskog – vocals
*Anni-Frid Lyngstad – vocals
*Björn Ulvaeus – guitar, vocals

Additional personnel
*Ulf Andersson – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
*Ola Brunkert – drums
*Bruno Glenmark – trumpet
*Rutger Gunnarsson – bass
*Roger Palm – drums
*Janne Schaffer – guitar
*Finn Sjoberg – guitar
*Bjorn Utvous – guitar
*Mike Watson – bass
*Lasse Wellander – guitar

Production

*Producers: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
*Engineer: Michael B. Tretow
*Arranger: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
*String arrangements: Björn J:son Lindh, Sven-Olof Walldoff
*Horn arrangements: Björn J:son Lindh
*Photography: Ola Lager
*Original album design: Sten-Åke Magnusson

Charts

Album

succession box
before = "Atlantic Crossing" by Rod Stewart
title = Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
years = December 8 1975 - February 22 1976
after = "Desire" by Bob Dylan