Greatest Hits (ABBA album)
Encyclopedia
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by Swedish pop
group ABBA
, released in 1975 (see 1975 in music
). Greatest Hits was rush-released in Scandinavia in November 1975 to counter expected import sales of similar collections released by licencees in Europe, such as French Disques Vogue
's ABBA's Greatest Hits and West German Polydor's The Best Of ABBA
. The album was the best selling album of 1976 in the UK, the second best selling album of the 70s in the UK, and is the second-best selling album in the UK for ABBA, staying in the charts for 130 weeks. The album was certified Platinum in the US. Its compilation successor was Greatest Hits Vol. 2
, released in 1979, and this album was later referred to as "Greatest Hits Volume 1".
The tracks, taken from ABBA’s first three albums, had all but one been single sides somewhere in the world. Despite the title of the compilation, only half of the tracks had actually charted as hit singles in major territories. One track, "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)," was never released as a single and thus was never certified a hit in any territory or country. "Waterloo," "SOS
," "Mamma Mia
" and, later, "Fernando
" were Top 10 hits in the UK and several other countries, though only the first of these was a Top 10 hit in the US. Other arguable hits in multiple territories included "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
" (a Top 10 hit in several countries, a number one in Australia, and a Top 20 hit in the US, though barely cracking the Top 40 in the UK), "Honey Honey" (a Top 20 hit in several countries and a Top 30 hit in the US), "Hasta Mañana" (a Top 10 hit in South Africa and New Zealand and a Top 20 hit in Australia and "So Long" (a Top 20 hit in Germany and a Top 10 hit in Sweden. Ironically, in Australia, where several of the tracks had reached Number One, the release of Greatest Hits was beaten to the market by the local compilation The Best Of ABBA
, precluding a release there for years. Nevertheless, the official greatest hits package was an enormous success. Even Rolling Stone
, often one of ABBA's harshest critics in the US, declared in the years shortly after its release, "Anyone who could listen to this record five times and not wind up humming half the songs is an android."
There are two versions of the sleeve, both versions of the sleeve featured a gatefold
design. The bizarre cover painting on the original Swedish release was made by artist Hans Arnold
. It was originally awarded as a prize from a magazine where ABBA were voted Artists Of The Year. The group liked it so much that they used it for the gatefold sleeve of the album. This original artwork was not used in all countries. A completely different design was used in the UK, North America
and some other territories, featuring the group sitting in a park on a chilly autumn day. Benny and Frida are kissing, while Björn reads a technical paper and Agnetha looks rather forlorn straight into the camera. That image was printed on the inside of the gatefold on those versions featuring the Arnold painting as front cover.
(P)1972(2,9)/1973(3,5,11)/1974(4,6-7,13-14)/1975(1,8,10,12) Polar Music
International AB
and Benny Andersson
unless otherwise noted.
According to The Official Charts Company, the album spent 112 weeks in the Top 40 between 10 April 1976 and the 1st October 1978 - 74 of which were consecutive between 10 April 1976 and 10 September 1977.
Weekly chart positions from 10 April 1976:
38-5-5-4-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-2-4-7-6-9-7-7-7-6-4-3-2-2-1-1-3-4-7-12-11#-9-8-10-7
Weekly chart positions from 8 January 1977 to 10 September 1977:
6-2-4-5-9-11-13-17-16-14-13-10-8-8-5-6-8-9-14-15-17-28-13-17-20-17-26-21-19-26-27-22-25-34
Weekly chart positions from 5 October 1977:
9-12-17-19-20-18-17-18-21-21
Weekly chart positions from 7 January 1978:
19-15-17-12-24*-28-19-17-14-18-19-16-21-27-23-28-31-36-28-34-28-33-40
The album then appeared at the end of the Top 40 on four further occasions until 1 October 1978.
Note that on all chart positions from the week marked # the album charted at the same time as Arrival. From the point marked * the album charted at the same time as Arrival
and The Album.
Album - USA and Canada
Album - Other Territories
Singles - Europe
Singles - USA and Canada
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
group ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
, released in 1975 (see 1975 in music
1975 in music
-January–April:*January 2 - New York City U.S. District Court Judge Richard Owen rules that former Beatle John Lennon and his lawyers can have access to Department of Immigration files pertaining to his deportation case....
). Greatest Hits was rush-released in Scandinavia in November 1975 to counter expected import sales of similar collections released by licencees in Europe, such as French Disques Vogue
Disques Vogue
Disques Vogue was founded in France in 1947, the same year that the USA Vogue closed shop. They originally specialized in jazz recordings, featuring such artists as Sidney Bechet, Django Reinhardt, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, and Errol Garner. In the late 1950s Vogue expanded into pop music,...
's ABBA's Greatest Hits and West German Polydor's The Best Of ABBA
The Best of ABBA
The Best of ABBA is a compilation greatest hits album by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in November 1975 in Australia and New Zealand only. Globally ABBA released ABBA - Greatest Hits, but in Australasia, this album was released instead. The album topped the charts in both countries, and went on...
. The album was the best selling album of 1976 in the UK, the second best selling album of the 70s in the UK, and is the second-best selling album in the UK for ABBA, staying in the charts for 130 weeks. The album was certified Platinum in the US. Its compilation successor was Greatest Hits Vol. 2
Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (ABBA album)
Greatest Hits Vol. 2 is a compilation album by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in October 1979 to coincide with their tour of North America and Europe...
, released in 1979, and this album was later referred to as "Greatest Hits Volume 1".
The tracks, taken from ABBA’s first three albums, had all but one been single sides somewhere in the world. Despite the title of the compilation, only half of the tracks had actually charted as hit singles in major territories. One track, "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)," was never released as a single and thus was never certified a hit in any territory or country. "Waterloo," "SOS
SOS
SOS is the commonly used description for the international Morse code distress signal...
," "Mamma Mia
Mamma Mia (song)
"Mamma Mia" is a song from ABBA's 3rd album, ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus & Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The song "Mamma Mia" is a common song used in bands or orchestras...
" and, later, "Fernando
Fernando (song)
"Fernando" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was the group's first non-album single and was released in November 1975 through Polar Music. Lead vocals were sung by Anni-Frid Lyngstad...
" were Top 10 hits in the UK and several other countries, though only the first of these was a Top 10 hit in the US. Other arguable hits in multiple territories included "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
"I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" was a hit single for Swedish pop group ABBA, and was their next major worldwide hit after Waterloo. It was the second single to be released from their ABBA album, and one of the last songs to be recorded for the album...
" (a Top 10 hit in several countries, a number one in Australia, and a Top 20 hit in the US, though barely cracking the Top 40 in the UK), "Honey Honey" (a Top 20 hit in several countries and a Top 30 hit in the US), "Hasta Mañana" (a Top 10 hit in South Africa and New Zealand and a Top 20 hit in Australia and "So Long" (a Top 20 hit in Germany and a Top 10 hit in Sweden. Ironically, in Australia, where several of the tracks had reached Number One, the release of Greatest Hits was beaten to the market by the local compilation The Best Of ABBA
The Best of ABBA
The Best of ABBA is a compilation greatest hits album by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in November 1975 in Australia and New Zealand only. Globally ABBA released ABBA - Greatest Hits, but in Australasia, this album was released instead. The album topped the charts in both countries, and went on...
, precluding a release there for years. Nevertheless, the official greatest hits package was an enormous success. Even Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, often one of ABBA's harshest critics in the US, declared in the years shortly after its release, "Anyone who could listen to this record five times and not wind up humming half the songs is an android."
There are two versions of the sleeve, both versions of the sleeve featured a gatefold
Gatefold
A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
design. The bizarre cover painting on the original Swedish release was made by artist Hans Arnold
Hans Arnold
Hans Arnold was an artist, born in Switzerland, who lived and worked in Sweden from 1947 until his death in 2010. He illustrated many magazines and books. He is perhaps best known for his illustrations for the Bland tomtar och troll books, and for the cover he did for the ABBA Greatest Hits...
. It was originally awarded as a prize from a magazine where ABBA were voted Artists Of The Year. The group liked it so much that they used it for the gatefold sleeve of the album. This original artwork was not used in all countries. A completely different design was used in the UK, North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and some other territories, featuring the group sitting in a park on a chilly autumn day. Benny and Frida are kissing, while Björn reads a technical paper and Agnetha looks rather forlorn straight into the camera. That image was printed on the inside of the gatefold on those versions featuring the Arnold painting as front cover.
Side A
- "SOSSOS (ABBA song)Agnetha Fältskog's version was the second single from her fifth Swedish solo-album Elva kvinnor i ett hus . It was the only song from this album not to have been composed by Fältskog herself....
" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:22 - "He Is Your BrotherHe Is Your Brother"He Is Your Brother" is a song recorded in 1972 by Swedish pop group ABBA, at the time known as 'Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid'.The song continued on the lyrical theme from "People Need Love" about reaching out to your fellow man...
" – 3:17 - "Ring Ring" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Cody, SedakaNeil SedakaNeil Sedaka is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, and composer. His career has spanned nearly 55 years, during which time he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard...
, Ulvaeus) – 3:03 - "Hasta Mañana" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:09 Not on US/Canada edition - "Nina, Pretty BallerinaNina, Pretty Ballerina"Nina, Pretty Ballerina" was a song recorded in 1973 by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was issued on 7" vinyl record in Austria and France to promote the band's debut album Ring Ring. It reached #8 on the singles chart in Austria....
" – 2:52 - "Honey, HoneyHoney, Honey"Honey, Honey" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released as the second single from their second studio album, Waterloo, after the success of the title track winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.-History:...
" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 2:55 - "So Long" – 3:06
Side B
- "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I DoI Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" was a hit single for Swedish pop group ABBA, and was their next major worldwide hit after Waterloo. It was the second single to be released from their ABBA album, and one of the last songs to be recorded for the album...
" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:15 - "People Need LovePeople Need Love"People Need Love" is a song recorded in March 1972 by Swedish pop grup ABBA, at the time known as 'Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid'. The song was on the group's first album, Ring Ring, released in 1973.-The song:...
" – 2:43 - "Bang-A-Boomerang" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:02 - "Another Town, Another TrainAnother Town, Another Train"Another Town, Another Train" was a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA at KMH Studios.The song was released as a 7" vinyl single in Japan in 1973 to promote the group's debut album Ring Ring...
" – 3:10 - "Mamma MiaMamma Mia (song)"Mamma Mia" is a song from ABBA's 3rd album, ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus & Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The song "Mamma Mia" is a common song used in bands or orchestras...
" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:32 - "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)" – 3:05
- "Waterloo" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 2:42
(P)1972(2,9)/1973(3,5,11)/1974(4,6-7,13-14)/1975(1,8,10,12) Polar Music
International AB
Track listing (US version)
All songs by Björn UlvaeusBjörn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
and Benny Andersson
Benny Andersson
Göran Bror "Benny" Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
unless otherwise noted.
Side A
- "SOSSOS (ABBA song)Agnetha Fältskog's version was the second single from her fifth Swedish solo-album Elva kvinnor i ett hus . It was the only song from this album not to have been composed by Fältskog herself....
" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:22 - "He Is Your BrotherHe Is Your Brother"He Is Your Brother" is a song recorded in 1972 by Swedish pop group ABBA, at the time known as 'Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid'.The song continued on the lyrical theme from "People Need Love" about reaching out to your fellow man...
" – 3:17 - "Ring Ring" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Cody, SedakaNeil SedakaNeil Sedaka is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, and composer. His career has spanned nearly 55 years, during which time he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard...
, Ulvaeus) – 3:03 - "Another Town, Another TrainAnother Town, Another Train"Another Town, Another Train" was a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA at KMH Studios.The song was released as a 7" vinyl single in Japan in 1973 to promote the group's debut album Ring Ring...
" – 3:10 - "Honey, HoneyHoney, Honey"Honey, Honey" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released as the second single from their second studio album, Waterloo, after the success of the title track winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.-History:...
" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 2:55 - "So Long" – 3:06
- "Mamma MiaMamma Mia (song)"Mamma Mia" is a song from ABBA's 3rd album, ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus & Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The song "Mamma Mia" is a common song used in bands or orchestras...
" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 2:54
Side B
- "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I DoI Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" was a hit single for Swedish pop group ABBA, and was their next major worldwide hit after Waterloo. It was the second single to be released from their ABBA album, and one of the last songs to be recorded for the album...
" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:15 - "People Need LovePeople Need Love"People Need Love" is a song recorded in March 1972 by Swedish pop grup ABBA, at the time known as 'Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid'. The song was on the group's first album, Ring Ring, released in 1973.-The song:...
" – 2:43 - "Waterloo" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 2:42 - "Nina, Pretty BallerinaNina, Pretty Ballerina"Nina, Pretty Ballerina" was a song recorded in 1973 by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was issued on 7" vinyl record in Austria and France to promote the band's debut album Ring Ring. It reached #8 on the singles chart in Austria....
" – 2:52 - "Bang-A-Boomerang" (AndersonStig AndersonStig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:02 - "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)" – 3:05
- "FernandoFernando (song)"Fernando" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was the group's first non-album single and was released in November 1975 through Polar Music. Lead vocals were sung by Anni-Frid Lyngstad...
" – 4:15
Charts
Album - Europe| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | UK Album Chart | 1 |
| Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... 's Album Chart |
1 | |
| Belgium | 2 | |
| Finland | 3 | |
| Sweden | 1 | |
| West Germany | 2 |
UK Chart Position by Week
According to The Official Charts Company, the album spent 112 weeks in the Top 40 between 10 April 1976 and the 1st October 1978 - 74 of which were consecutive between 10 April 1976 and 10 September 1977.
Weekly chart positions from 10 April 1976:
38-5-5-4-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-2-4-7-6-9-7-7-7-6-4-3-2-2-1-1-3-4-7-12-11#-9-8-10-7
Weekly chart positions from 8 January 1977 to 10 September 1977:
6-2-4-5-9-11-13-17-16-14-13-10-8-8-5-6-8-9-14-15-17-28-13-17-20-17-26-21-19-26-27-22-25-34
Weekly chart positions from 5 October 1977:
9-12-17-19-20-18-17-18-21-21
Weekly chart positions from 7 January 1978:
19-15-17-12-24*-28-19-17-14-18-19-16-21-27-23-28-31-36-28-34-28-33-40
The album then appeared at the end of the Top 40 on four further occasions until 1 October 1978.
Note that on all chart positions from the week marked # the album charted at the same time as Arrival. From the point marked * the album charted at the same time as Arrival
Arrival (ABBA album)
-Side one:#"When I Kissed the Teacher" – 2:58#"Dancing Queen" – 3:47#"Dum Dum Diddle" – 2:50#"My Love, My Life" – 3:50...
and The Album.
Album - USA and Canada
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Billboard 200 - USA | 48 |
| RPM albums - Canada | 2 | |
| 1977 | CRIA albums - Canada | 6 |
Album - Other Territories
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Japan | 4 |
| Rhodesia (later "Zimbabwe") | 1 |
Singles - Europe
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Fernando" | UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... 's Singles Chart |
2 |
Singles - USA and Canada
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Fernando" | Billboard Hot 100 - USA | 13 |
| Billboard Adult Contemporary - USA | 1 | ||
| Cashbox singles - USA | 10 | ||
| RPM singles - Canada | 4 | ||
| RPM Adult Contemporary - Canada | 1 | ||
| Steede Report airplay - Canada | 2 |