The Singles: The First Ten Years
Encyclopedia
The Singles: The First Ten Years is a double compilation album by the Swedish
pop group ABBA
, released in 1982.
1982 was ABBA’s final year together as a group. They had originally intended to record a new studio album, like they had done almost every year since they first came together. But as the four members felt the energy run out of the group, they shelved these plans and instead decided to put out a double album collection of their singles from 1973 to 1982.
It contained most of the band's hits singles from their ten years together as recording artists, and included two new tracks: "The Day Before You Came" and "Under Attack". The Singles: The First Ten Years was released on CD By Atlantic Records
in 1983, but was deleted in the late 1980s, being superseded by the more successful Abba Gold in 1992, although the album was replaced by The Definitive Collection. The Singles: The First Ten Years is currently unavailable.
Additional Personnel
: "This twenty-three song collection (singles plus two new cuts) confirms what a lucky few in the US have known for some time - ABBA is the greatest pop band of the last ten years. There are more infectious melodies, grabby hooks, and danceable drum beats on one side of this two-disc set than in most artists' entire catalogs... The Singles provides an ideal introduction to this talented and highly influential band".
Los Angeles Times
: "Special-merit release... ABBA create seductive, richly emotional records that put openly sentimental melodies against a nagging instrumental tension...The group's best tracks are mini - masterpieces of the pop form."
New Musical Express: "This isn`t the entire history of pop over the last ten years , but its documentation of the group who altered the course of pop more than anyone else - anyone - is flawless... It resulted in a seam of unbroken, highly individual pop music that in lifespan terms is still unmatched by any rival..."
New York Times: "Abba - The Singles' is a testament to the unstoppable power of the catchy tune"
Singles - UK Singles Chart
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....
pop 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 1982.
1982 was ABBA’s final year together as a group. They had originally intended to record a new studio album, like they had done almost every year since they first came together. But as the four members felt the energy run out of the group, they shelved these plans and instead decided to put out a double album collection of their singles from 1973 to 1982.
It contained most of the band's hits singles from their ten years together as recording artists, and included two new tracks: "The Day Before You Came" and "Under Attack". The Singles: The First Ten Years was released on CD By Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in 1983, but was deleted in the late 1980s, being superseded by the more successful Abba Gold in 1992, although the album was replaced by The Definitive Collection. The Singles: The First Ten Years is currently unavailable.
Side A
- "Ring RingRing Ring (song)"Ring Ring" is a 1973 single by ABBA, which gave the group their big break in several European countries...
" (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) – 3:04 - "Waterloo" (Anderson, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 2:44
- "So Long" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:05
- "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...
" (Anderson, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:16 - "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....
" (Anderson, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:22 - "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...
" (Anderson, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:31 - "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...
" (Anderson, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:12
Side B
- "Dancing QueenDancing Queen"Dancing Queen" is a pop song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in August 1976, but was first performed two months earlier, on 18 June 1976, during a Royal Variety Show in Stockholm the evening before the Swedish royal wedding. It was the follow-up single to the hit "Fernando"...
" (Anderson, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:50 - "Money, Money, MoneyMoney, Money, Money"Money, Money, Money", originally "Gypsy Girl", is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. The song, like most ABBA songs, was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. It was released as a single on November 1, 1976, as the follow-up single to "Dancing Queen, both from the album Arrival...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:06 - "Knowing Me, Knowing YouKnowing Me, Knowing You"Knowing Me, Knowing You" is a hit single recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. The song was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, with the lead vocal sung by Anni-Frid Lyngstad. During recording sessions, it had the working titles of "Ring It In" and "Number 1, Number 1"...
" (Anderson, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:02 - "The Name of the GameThe Name of the Game"The Name of the Game" is a 1977 song by Swedish pop group ABBA, and was released as the first single from the group's fifth studio album, The Album...
" (Anderson, Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:53 - "Take a Chance on MeTake a Chance on Me"Take a Chance on Me" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in 1978 as the second single from their fifth studio album, simply called The Album. The song has been featured on a number of ABBA compilations such as ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits.-History:The working title of "Take a...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:06 - "Summer Night CitySummer Night City"Summer Night City", written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, is ABBA's 2nd non-album single, released on September 6, 1978. It was originally intended as the lead single from the group's upcoming Voulez-Vous album, but was eventually not included...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:34
Side A
- "ChiquititaChiquitita"Chiquitita" was the first single release from Swedish pop group ABBA's Voulez-Vous album, their sixth for Polar, and their fifth for Epic and Atlantic...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 5:26 - "Does Your Mother KnowDoes Your Mother Know"Does Your Mother Know", originally "I Can Do It", is the name of a song recorded in 1979 by Swedish pop group ABBA and was the second single to be released from their album Voulez-Vous. The B-side was "Kisses of Fire", also taken from the album.-History:...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:14 - "Voulez-VousVoulez-Vous (song)"Voulez-Vous" is a eurodisco track by Swedish pop group ABBA, written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus . Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad shared the lead vocals....
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 5:08 - "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! ", originally titled "Been and Gone and Done It", is one of Swedish pop group ABBA's biggest disco hits. It was recorded and released in 1979 with "The King Has Lost His Crown" as the B-side. It appears on ABBA's Greatest Hits Vol...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:49 - "I Have a Dream" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:44
Side B
- "The Winner Takes It AllThe Winner Takes It All"The Winner Takes It All" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. Released as the first single from the group's Super Trouper album on July 21, 1980, it is a ballad in the key of F-sharp major, reflecting the end of a romance...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:55 - "Super TrouperSuper Trouper (song)-A-Teens version:"Super Trouper" was A-Teens' second single from their 1st album The ABBA Generation, a cover of ABBA's song. When the single came out in the fall of 1999, it became a hit around the globe, just as its predecessor "Mamma Mia", also an ABBA cover...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 4:13 - "One of UsOne of Us (ABBA song)"One of Us" from 1981 was the first single from Swedish pop group ABBA's final studio album The Visitors, their eighth for Polar, and their seventh for Epic and Atlantic...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:55 - "The Day Before You CameThe Day Before You Came"The Day Before You Came" is a song recorded and released by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally released in October 1982, as the first new song from ABBA's double compilation album The Singles: The First Ten Years...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 5:50 - "Under AttackUnder Attack"Under Attack" is the latest widely-released single by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally featured as a track on the 1982 compilation album The Singles: The First Ten Years, but was released as a single the following year in most countries. In the United Kingdom however, it was released on...
" (Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:47
Personnel
ABBA- Benny AnderssonBenny AnderssonGöran 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!...
— synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Agnetha FältskogAgnetha FältskogAgnetha Åse Fältskog is a Swedish recording artist. She achieved success in Sweden after the release of her début album Agnetha Fältskog in 1968, and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA, which to date has sold over 375 million records worldwide, making it the fourth...
— vocals - Anni-Frid LyngstadAnni-Frid LyngstadAnni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
— vocals - Björn UlvaeusBjörn UlvaeusBjörn 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!...
— acoustic guitar, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals
Additional Personnel
- Ulf Andersson — saxophone
- Ola BrunkertOla BrunkertOla Brunkert was one of the main session drummers for ABBA. Brunkert and bassist Rutger Gunnarsson are the only two side musicians to appear on every ABBA album....
— drums - Lars Carlsson — horn
- Christer Eklund — saxophone
- Malando Gassama — percussion
- Anders Glenmark — guitar
- Rutger Gunnarsson — bass
- Roger Palm — drums
- Janne Schaffer — guitar
- Åke Sundqvist — percussion
- Mike Watson — bass
- Lasse Wellander — guitar
Production
- Producers: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
- Arrangers: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
- Engineer: Michael Tretow
Reviews
Rolling StoneRolling 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...
: "This twenty-three song collection (singles plus two new cuts) confirms what a lucky few in the US have known for some time - ABBA is the greatest pop band of the last ten years. There are more infectious melodies, grabby hooks, and danceable drum beats on one side of this two-disc set than in most artists' entire catalogs... The Singles provides an ideal introduction to this talented and highly influential band".
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
: "Special-merit release... ABBA create seductive, richly emotional records that put openly sentimental melodies against a nagging instrumental tension...The group's best tracks are mini - masterpieces of the pop form."
New Musical Express: "This isn`t the entire history of pop over the last ten years , but its documentation of the group who altered the course of pop more than anyone else - anyone - is flawless... It resulted in a seam of unbroken, highly individual pop music that in lifespan terms is still unmatched by any rival..."
New York Times: "Abba - The Singles' is a testament to the unstoppable power of the catchy tune"
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | UK Album Chart | 1 |
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
62 | |
| Australia ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
18 | |
| Norway VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
33 | |
| Belgium Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
1 | |
| France Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
6 | |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
5 | |
| South Africa Recording Industry of South Africa The Recording Industry of South Africa is a trade association that represents the collective interests of producers of music sound recordings, major and independent record labels in South Africa. Formerly known as the Association of the South African Music Industry it was established in the 1970s... |
1 | |
| Switzerland Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
4 | |
| Netherlands MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
4 | |
| Germany Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
5 |
Singles - UK Singles Chart
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | "The Day Before You Came" | UK Singles Chart | 32 |
| 1982 | "Under Attack" | UK Singles Chart | 26 |