ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits

Overall, I am extremely pleased with this CD, and highly recommend it to everyone! By they way, I used this CD to introduce my own children to ABBA, and now they walk around singing some of the same songs that I did at their age!


THE BEST GREATEST HITS ALBUM EVER   May 12, 2004
 12 out of 14 found this review helpful

I recently read an article on the most reputable American music magazine, Billboard Magazine, about this album being one of the top sellers worldwide of all time. It has sold 30 Million copies around the world, and here in UK it has sold almost 4 million copies! Then I learned that ABBA has sold over 350 million albums worldwide. Wow! Only the Beatles and Elvis have sold more, accoring to the article. I knew they had many number ones here in UK, but did not know they were so big in the world. The article explained that ABBA was bigger than the Beatles in many Latin American countries, in Russia, Viet Nam, Netherlands (where 3 out of every household owns an ABBA record) and in Australia.

I figured out I should give ABBA a try. i needed to understand why so many liked this group, and I did not even own one of their CDs.

I had only heard Dancing Queen, Waterloo, and Take A Chance On Me, so I bought this album. I am now an ABBA fan. I usually don't like pop, but ABBA has finally won me over. After several listens, I decided that I have never EVER heard melodies this good. They are fresh, timeless, and like U2's Bono said, "I think ABBA have a pure joy to their music, and that’s what makes them extraordinary!" The music is so joyous even when there is melancholy and drama added. The music is so much more complex than I had given ABBA credit for --- before really listening.

My favorite music acts are U2, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan. Now ABBA has joined them.

I did some research and found other quotes about ABBA from U2 members and others:

Bjork: “ABBA saved my life, it’s undeniable. Arrival is a happy record. ‘Dancing Queen’ is the biggest song in pop-music history, pure ecstasy, it makes you want to fly!”

Richard Ashcroft, from The Verve: "‘Dancing Queen’ is one of my favourite songs of all time’," "In ‘Dancing Queen,’ taking it as a songwriter, it’s just one of the most perfectly crafted pieces of pop music. It makes me feel good. Life is just moments, you know what I mean? And music’s about capturing those moments. Every time I hear ‘feel the beat of the tambourine/oh yeah’ it makes a chemical react in my brain. Something happens in my body and I feel good!"

Elvis Costello: “We stole them like crazy, and they dragged these things into pop music, these big double octave flourishes on the piano that seemed right straight out of Rachmaninoff”

The Edge, from U2: “ABBA have written the best pop music of all time.”

I agree completely. ABBA is way up there.


This Review is Directed to Chris from Newtownards, N Ireland   March 29, 2004
 4 out of 7 found this review helpful

Chris from Newtownards, N Ireland obviously has a very tunnel visioned view about ABBA's music/songs. Just because they were a pop group does not devalue their craftmanship in constructing and producing some of the catchiest melodious hook laden pop (ROCK) has ever heard. Incidentally their last two studio albums Super Trouper and The Visitors showed that they had matured considerably since "Dancing Queen" and "Mama Mia". The title track "Visitors (crackin up) is about russian dissidents and musically would put OASIS to shame.


The ultimate - everyone should own this   December 27, 2003
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

If you're ever in need of a pure pop collection that you can guarantee everyone will be dancing to, it's ABBA's "Gold: Greatest Hits." Wherever you party this Christmas, it is likely that in the midst of sweat, drink and fags, an ABBA record will be playing somewhere. No matter what your age or musical tastes, ABBA released a string of hits you could sing along to. Whether you were a bouncing baby in a highchair, or you wrinkled with your grand-parents, everyone thanked ABBA for the music. When ABBA entered and won the Eurovision Song Contest in April 1974, many saw them as a one-hit wonder outfit. But the success of ABBA during the 1970's and early 1980's has been compared to that of another famous quartet who made their fortune between 1962 and 1970...

As with that other famous quartet, ABBA's popularity still stands today. This collection of hits was released in the early 1990's and still managed to top the UK album charts in early 1999 when an ABBA revival say thousands of teenagers flock to stores and pick up a copy of this album. The song which single-handidly saw the ABBA mania hit the UK once more was "Dancing Queen," the massive US and UK No.1. Often voted one of the best songs i history, this song is every bit a classic. It still sounds fresh and catchy today as it did more than 25 years ago. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and "Take A Chance On Me" maintain the catchy camp factor, while "Mamma Mia" is so famous it spawned a popular catchphrase along with a West End musical of the same name. "Lay All Your Love On Me" is a masterpiece of epic proportions. It has such an atmosphere that you can't help be absorbed by.

"Super Trouper" has sunlit vocals and a majestic chorus that swings along, "I Have A Dream" speaks of the perfect world, while "The Winner Takes It All" is an emotional and powerful look at the fall of a relationship. "Money Money Money" not only has a classy piano introduction alongside some wonderful vocals, but a certain sense of irony. Singing of being poor and longing for money as they raked in their millions! "S.O.S." and "Chiquita" are two of my favourite ABBA songs, because they can be listened to at any time of day and at any point in your life. The soaring choruses, melodic verses and emotional vocals go hand-in-hand as the perfect duo. "Fernando" has an almost royal feel to it, with a classy and beautiful chorus filled with love and passion. "Voulez-Vous" is an absolute disco stomper than remains in my Top 3 of favourite ABBA songs ever. I don't understand why this is not their most popular song, because it definitely should be! "Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)" shows how incredible coy and innocent ABBA could seem, even when singing about one-night stands.

"Does Your Mother Know" draws its energy from classic 1950's rock 'n' roll, while the lesser known "One Of Us" has a bouncy beat that carries the song along. "The Name Of The Game" is perhaps the only letdown from this album, which is easily forgotten with the majestic "Thank You For The Music." A tribute single entitled "Thank ABBA For The Music" was released in 1999 and peaked inside the UK Top 5, but it has nothing on the original. The album closes with ABBA's first ever song, "Waterloo." The song that won them the Eurovision is where it all began.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

This collection has shifted more than 3 million copies in the UK, and millions more worldwide. No other album spent longer on the album charts in the UK throughout the 1990's. The years just passed by and this album would not budge! America didn't take as much notice of ABBA as the UK did, which I think is a great shame because they are, without question, one of the greatest pop groups ever. There are some greatest hits collections that everyone owns like Madonna's "The Immaculate Collection," and ABBA's Gold: Greatest Hits should definitely be in there! Buy it now, you know you want to.


Good Stuff . . .   September 25, 2003
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

So, what are you wanting from an ABBA compilation? If you're looking for the hits, then you've come to the right place.

There are a good few ABBA compilations out there, and all of them are good. This one is as good as any other. It's really up to you which one yu buy as they all usually include the same tracks.

"Dancing Queen", "Mama Mia", "Super Trouper", "Money . . .", "Name of The Game", etc. Not a duff track amongst them. Benny & Bjorn knew what their audience wanted and by-and-large they delivered.

Good all round pop-music - when that term wasn't synonymous with fly-by-night pop-idols(!)

Recommended for those long car journeys or a good night of reminiscing.

Enjoy - with a huge grin on your face!