Sunday, April 06, 2014

Happy ABBA Day!

Waterloo picture sleeve from Austria
It was 40 years ago today, ABBA won the Brighton Eurovision with Waterloo.
Four decades on ABBA's music is as relevant as ever.

1983 picture disc
 with French and German versions
ABBA - Waterloo 40 - releases.
We all have the songs, bought them several times on singles, LP's and CDs, but still the host of festive releases celebrating the 40 years of Waterloo are making me greedy.
Sadly there is no unreleased material included and of course the ABBAs have enough money, but I might just buy one or two items to celebrate.
Here's a few that might tickle your fancy.

Picture Disc
- A 7" inch picture disc with Waterloo in Swedish and English will be released on April 6 in Sweden. A similar issue will be released in other countries to celebrate Record Store Day (April 19)
Update: My Shiny Waterloo Picture Disc has arrived # 0701/7000

Netherlands sleeve
Waterloo: The Album
- April 6 is also the release date of the special edition of the Waterloo album. It will include 8 bonus tracks including all the versions of Waterloo that were ever released. Also the US and UK remixes of Ring Ring are included.
The set comes with a DVD featuring several TV performances including the two Eurovision versions, two MF versions, the preview version and two TOTP performances of Waterloo.
The infamous Finnish caviar sleeve




40 singles box
- If you really want to splash out there is a box with 40 vinyl 7 inch singles out on the 5th of May.
Next to the 31 singles that were originally released in Sweden there are 9 international singles including the German and French Waterloo’s, Spanish language Chiquitita and I Have A Dream, When All Is Said And Done (as released in Australia) and Lay All Your Love On Me, originally released on 12 inch maxi.
Yugoslavia
The sleeve and label of each single in the box set are exact replicas of the original issues. 
Only the 9 singles not originally released by Polar Music have been given new Polar labels, corresponding to the design used by Polar during the era when each single was released.
It's a severely limited edition, although no numbers are specified.
Retails at a mere € 220,- to 300, -. 
See full track list below.


ABBA Gold Superdeluxe
- April 6 also sees a 3 disc edition of ABBA Gold, featuring the original ABBA Gold and More Gold CDs plus a third disc with tracks that have appeared as b-sides to the various single releases. 59 tracks in all, but maybe the least interesting release of the bunch.

ABBA 40/40 Japan
ABBA's career in Japan, like many western popstars' was at least patchy. Some of the big international hits didn't do very well, while some others, some Japan only singles were more successful.
Björn and Benny also has some success in Japan before the girls were ven mentioned. She's My Kind Of Girl and Love Has It's Ways were hits in various Japanese charts in 1972. It resulted in the release of some very early ABBA singles like I Am Just A Girl and Another Town Another Train.
In Japan the Anniversary Of The Year is celebrated with a 2CD ABBA 40/40 with 40 songs selected by Japanese fans in a survey held last year. Out since March 26. Some surprising choices there, Tiger, Our Last Summer, Hey Hey Helen, Move On, but the pre-Ring Ring oldies are not included.

25th anniversary CD-EP
The 40 Singles Box includes
1. People Need Love / Merry-Go-Round
2. He Is Your Brother / Santa Rosa
3. Ring Ring Swedish Version / Åh, vilka tider
4. Ring Ring English Version / She's My Kind of Girl
5. Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Isn't Hard Enough) / I Am Just A Girl
6. Ring Ring German Version / Wer Im Wartesaal der Liebe steht
7. Waterloo Swedish Version / Honey, Honey Swedish Version
8. Waterloo English Version / Watch Out
9. Waterloo German Version / Watch Out
10. Waterloo French Version / Gonna Sing You My Lovesong
Australia EP
11. Honey, Honey / King Kong Song
12. Honey, Honey German Version / Ring Ring (remix)
13. So Long / I've Been Waiting For You
14. I Do, I Do, I Do / Rock me
15. S.O.S / Man In The Middle
16. Mamma Mia / Intermezzo No.1
17. Fernando / Hey, hey Helen
18. Dancing Queen / That's Me
19. Money, Money, Money / Crazy World
20. Knowing Me, Knowing You / Happy Hawaii
21. The Name Of The Game / I Wonder (Departure)
U.K. promo EP
22. Take A Chance On Me / I'm A Marionette
23. Eagle / Thank You For The Music
24. Summer Night City / Medley: Pick A Bale of Cotton-On Top of.
25. Chiquitita / Lovelight
26. Chiquitita Spanish Version / Lovelight
27. Does Your Mother Know / Kisses of Fire
28. Voulez-Vous / Angel eyes
29. Estoy Sonando / Does Your Mother Know
30. Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) / The King Has Lost His Crown
South Africa
31. I Have A Dream / Take A Chance On Me (live)
32. The Winner Takes It All / Elaine
33. Super Trouper / The Piper
34. Happy New Year / Andante, Andante
35. Lay All Your Love On Me / On And On And On
36. One Of Us / Should I Laugh Or Cry
37. Head Over Heels / The Visitors
38. When All Is Said And Done / Soldiers
39. The Day Before You Came / Cassandra
40. Under Attack / You Owe Me One

Thanks to Jean-François and to Fernando. 
Parts of this article have been featured previously on our facebook page
Japan Anniversary 2CD

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