Abba

Pretty much as with the Beatles, Abba are one of my musical reference points, a group to whom I always gravitate in times of uncertainty and transition, and not just because alphabetically they turn up at the beginning of most music libraries....

In years gone by, Abba were commonly described as a musical guilty pleasure, but were being given credibility by name-checks from some of music's luminaries.  Now, I sense that although Abba have been subsumed once again into mainstream acceptance, the almost forced sense of irony involved with admitting to liking their music has largely disappeared. In the scheme of things, they are positioned where they should always have stood.

When analysing Abba's career progression, it is tempting to divide the timeline into three distinct phases.  The early years (1972-75), the middle period (1976-1979), and the end (1980-82-ish).  Whilst this is a convenient method to use, and does have an element of truth to it, it is also an over-simplistic way of assessing the course of events.

Certainly, the early material has a flavour all of its own, with a noticeable Phil Spector/girl group influence.  Although Benny and Bjorn were still finding their style, and developing, the sense of pop craftsmanship is definitely present, with the understanding of how to structure songs and inject hooks to pull the listener in.  The lyrical gravitas and glossy production were still in the future, though.

For all its quintessential "Eurovision" qualities, "Waterloo" in some respects pointed the way forward, lacking some of the naivete and "syrupyness" of the other Abba songs of that era, and displaying a greater sense of cool and self-assurance. It is telling that this is one of the few of the early efforts which still sounds artistically relatively "heavyweight" alongside their later output.

The year 1975, and to some degree 1976, were ones of transition for the group, as they evolved and the music became more mature and the "bubblegum" elements were gradually discarded.  The song "SOS" is often cited as pivotal in this process, with its mournful-in-places melody and more reflective lyrics. Light and shade were also being increasingly used to great effect, slower passages contrasting with the up-tempo parts.

The following two years arguably represented Abba at their peak, as the most appealing attributes which dominated the three "phases" were all present to an "acceptable" level.  Pop sensibility, studio inventiveness and universal and more adult lyrical concerns coalesced to form a most agreeable and effective mix. The singles of that time, "Dancing Queen", "Money, Money,Money", "The Name of The Game" and "Take of Chance On Me", contain these ingredients.

I still maintain that "Dancing Queen" is one of the crowning achievements in pop,encapsulating all the exhilaration and exuberance of the genre. Perhaps relying on those famed hooks more than any other Abba hit, it also betrays signs of the increasing production and instrumental complexity which was to be a hallmark of Abba's later work.

The euphoria and ebullience of "Dancing Queen" was matched by the sophistication and self-confidence of "Knowing Me, Knowing You", and "The Name of The Game".  The latter track is my favourite Abba single, mainly because of the (relatively) elaborate but compelling structure of the song, with its many twists and turns, and the restrained and tasteful backing track, which allows the song to breathe.  "The Name of the Game" does not try to draw attention to itself, but this is one of its main virtues.  Abba at their absolute zenith.

It could be said that the period of 1978/79 was one of some uncertainty and aimlessness for Abba. It would be harsh to use the phrase "treading water", as the music which they produced was still excellent, and successful commercially. However, after the giddy heights of the then recent past, they seemed to be looking for a direction.

Some of the 1979 songs ("Angel Eyes", "Chiquitita", "Does Your Mother Know")  are somewhat frivolous, lightweight even, when set against what had gone just before, but they still had that essential stamp of Abba quality.  I have always had a soft spot for "Angel Eyes", with its infectious Motown-esque melody and simple but sad lyrics.

The last two to three years of Abba's career were uneven by some definitions, but as is well known, showed the lyrics becoming more personal and introspective, reflecting a natural maturing as well as the members' personal concerns.

The songs were generally less instantly likeable and accessible, but possibly appealed to a different, older audience. When listening to this later work, whilst appreciating the musical nuances and the thoughtful lyrics, it is hard not to shed a tear for a whole era, the loss of innocence and the death of a dream.  Harsh reality supplanting youthful optimism.

The song "One of Us" I think signifies the beginning of the end, with its reflective words and sombre tune.  Even the instrumentation signals a further break with the past. The late-period songs of Abba evoke a feeling of "autumn" more than most other groups in my experience, even the Beatles, who maintained some semblance of their old exuberance even on "Abbey Road".  The contrast between "Take A Chance On Me" and "The Day Before You Came", recorded only four years apart, is pronounced.

For all of the above, my main conception of Abba is the group who in the mid-to-late 70s, and at various stages before and after, took high-quality and entertaining pure pop music to new heights.