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14 August 2012

ABBA International: Svenska, Deutsche, Español, Français (Sampler)

Hello all,
For today's post, I have assembled a collection of ABBA songs in four languages other than English (Swedish, German, Spanish, and French).
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Included is every (or so I hope) non-English recording by ABBA of songs they had originally recorded in English.
In addition, ABBA recorded a few songs in Swedish only ("Åh, Vilka Tider" and birthday songs for Görel Hanser and Stig Anderson), and those are also included.
"Hej Gamle Man," credited to Björn & Benny but featuring backing vocals by Agnetha and Frida, was the quartet's first hit, and was also recorded in a German version included here.
Furthermore, the individual members of ABBA recorded a few ABBA songs in Swedish as solo artists. In fact, Frida's Swedish version of "Fernando" was the original recording of the song, and its success prompted ABBA to record an English version as a group.
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All ten tracks from ABBA's 1980 album "Gracias Por La Música" are included here (tracks 2-11 on disc 2). "Gracias Por La Música" is notable as the only full-length studio album that ABBA recorded in a language other than English (Spanish), and was intended to be the group's big breakthrough into the Latin American market. Not only did the album succeed, but the Spanish version of Chiquitita proved a very popular song in Spanish-speaking countries (such as Mexico, where it was a Number 1 single for 30 weeks!).
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Included are five songs performed by artists other than ABBA (four by Lena Andersson and one by Mireille Mathieu).
Although not a member of ABBA, Lena Andersson performed backing vocals in their 1977 tour (she can be seen in "ABBA-The Movie"). Her one Swedish- and three German-language recordings featured the original ABBA backing tracks and were intended as the "official" recordings of those songs in their respective languages, hence their inclusion. If I remember correctly, all four are from Youtube and vary in sound quality.
Mireille Mathieu was of course not an ABBA member, but her French-language recording of "The Winner Takes It All" is included as it was produced by Björn and Benny and includes Frida in the backing choir.
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UPDATE: I realise I don't have the French/Swedish medley of "Waterloo" in my iTunes library, so I overlooked it. When I have a chance to re-rip my CD copy of the TYFTM box set (which is currently stored in another city) I will update the download links to include it.
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Disc 1: Germanic Languages
Swedish:
01. Hej Gamle Man! (Björn & Benny, 1970)
02. Det Ken Ingen Doktor Hjälpa (Björn & Benny, 1971)
03. En Karusell (Björn & Benny, 1972)
- Swedish version of "Merry Go Round."
04. Åh, Vilka Tider (ABBA, 1973)
- The only officially-released song credited to all four members that was never recorded in English.
05. Ring Ring (Bara Du Slog En Signal) (ABBA, 1973)
06. Waterloo (ABBA, 1974)
07. Honey, Honey (ABBA, 1974)
08. Hasta Mañana (Lena Andersson, 1974)
- This recording featured the original ABBA backing track and was (presumably) Stig-produced.
09. S.O.S. (Agnetha Fältskog, 1975)
10. Fernando (Frida, 1975)
- This recording predates the English-language ABBA version.
11. Mina Ögon (Agnetha Fältskog, 1975)
- Swedish version of "Disillusion."
12. Sång Till Görel (ABBA, 1979)
- Recorded for Görel Hanser's 30th birthday; released as a private-issue one-sided single (Rare!).
13. Hovas Vittne (ABBA, 1981)
- Recorded for Stig Anderson's 50th birthday; released as a promo single for those attending the party (Rare!).
14. Tivedshambo (ABBA, 1986)
- Live vocal version of Stig's first hit, recorded 16 January 1986.
- This public broadcast was ABBA's first and only reformation after their "split" in 1986, making it both rare and historically significant.
German:
15. Hey Musikant! (Björn & Benny, 1973)
- German version of "Hej Gamle Man!"
16. Ring Ring (ABBA, 1973)
17. Wer Im Wartesaal Der Liebe Steht (1974)
- German version of "Another Town, Another Train."
18. Waterloo (ABBA, 1974)
19. S.O.S. (Lena Andersson, 1975)
20. Hasta Mañana (Lena Andersson, 1975)
21. Fernando (...Und Der Himmel War Zum Greifen Nah) (Lena Andersson, 1976)
- Tracks 19-21 feature the original ABBA backing tracks and were (presumably) produced by Stig.

Disc 2: Romance Languages
Spanish:
01. Ring Ring (ABBA, 1973)
02. Gracias Por La Música (ABBA, 1980)
- Spanish version of "Thank You For The Music."
03. La Reina Del Baile (Reina Danzante) (ABBA, 1980)
- Spanish version of "Dancing Queen."
04. Al Andar (ABBA, 1980)
- Spanish version of "Move On."
05. ¡Dáme! ¡Dáme! ¡Dáme! (Amor Esta Noche) (ABBA, 1980)
- Spanish version of "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)."
06. Fernando (ABBA, 1980)
07. Estoy Soñando (ABBA, 1980)
- Spanish version of "I Have A Dream."
08. ¡Mamma Mia! (ABBA, 1980)
09. Hasta Mañana (ABBA, 1980)
10. Conociéndome, Conociéndote (ABBA, 1980)
- Spanish version of "Knowing Me, Knowing You."
11. Chiquitita (ABBA, 1980)
12. Andante, Andante (ABBA, 1980)
13. Felicidad (ABBA, 1980)
- Spanish version of "Happy New Year."
14. No Hay A Quien Culpar (ABBA, 1981)
- Spanish version of "When All Is Said And Done."
15. Se Me Está Escapando (ABBA, 1981)
- Spanish version of "Slipping Through My Fingers."
French:
16. Waterloo (ABBA, 1974)
17. Bravo, Tu As Gagné (Mireille Mathieu, 1981)
- French version of "The Winner Takes It All," produced by Björn and Benny with Frida in the backing choir.
Multilingual:
18. Ring Ring (ABBA, 1973)
- Medley of Swedish, Spanish, and German versions from the "Thank You For The Music" box set in 1994.
Bonus:
19. Tivedshambo (ABBA, 1981)
- Instrumental recording of Stig Anderson's first hit, included as the B-Side of the "Hovas Vittne" promo single.

Get Disc 1 here and Disc 2 here!

P.S. You can get a collection of ABBA covers in French here.

Enjoy!
And, as always, any comments are much appreciated. :)

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