did you like ABBA 's singing ?

[Buckeyedog]

Yes, enjoy it. They harmonize great together.

 

[d95err]

ABBA is simply brilliant on all levels. The songs can sound deceptively simple, but when you look deeper into it, it is often very complex arrangements and structures.

Brilliant singing and playing (by real live misicians of course) and very creative studio work contributes.

One key to the ABBA sound is overdubbing the vocals while running the tape at a slightly different speed.

 

[BenF]

Heck yeah, love their singing..and writing, arranging, production, etc..

 

[rubbersoul]

Do I like ABBA's singing....YES, and their songwriting, arrangements, etc. To the OP, thanks for the SOS video, possibly my fav' ABBA song.

Yep...it's my favorite song of theirs as well.

 

[Jon C]

Bland but effective singing




(I’m a fan)

 

[Someotherguy]

As a yout, I didn’t want to, but when I heard SOS, I was sold.

Indeed. They had a very unique and exotic sound for the times. Great songwriting hooks. It wasn't until a little later in the Dancing Queen era that it became fashionable to dislike them, IIRC.

 

[hitchcockblonde]

I like pretty much everything about ABBA, but my singer/keyboardist/co-band-leader is Swedish, so I'm biased.

 

[standard24]

I got distracted when the girls were in those very short skirts...

I don't know if it's true or not, but I've read that one of their songwriters is still writing HUGE hits for today's pop artists.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

My mother force-fed them to us kids. They're good singers, but I'll be damned if I listen to them purposely again.

 

[chillybilly]

Frida & Agnetha dutifully laid down vocal track after vocal track.

There was a 'Classic Albums' episode (or similar documentary) that included an interview with their studio engineer. He did an A/B demonstration of their 'trick' of tape machines running side-by-side with one slowed (detuned) just the tiniest amount. He played one machine alone ie dry then kicked the second one on. ZAP! You heard the ABBA sound...rich, full, chorus-y.

2-inch analog tape doesn't hurt either. Recently we debated using a state of the art studio vs a vintage place that used tape. But the tape ain't cheap so budgets dictated the digital option (ironically).

 

[sonic1974]

in fact here is something to put in your pipe and smoke - they sold more records than the Rolling Stones.

only Queen and the Beatles topped them

Did Queen sell more than the Rolling Stones? Wow, that surprises me.

 

[TB72]

I wasn't sure, so I thought I'd take-a-chance take-a-chance take-a-take-a chance-chance.

Not something I'll go out of my way to listen to, but there's no denying the talent.

 

[amstrtatnut]

As a kid, no. As me now, I really enjoy a lot of music because its fun. Abba is fun.

 

[twotone]

Anything except 'Dancing Queen' and 'Take A Chance'.

 

[Will Box]

Lovely voices that blend together and create magic. Production and song writing second to none. And, for us muso nerds, crack session players. Guitar ace Jan Schaffer played on most of the early stuff, there are some really cool licks on Mamma Mia for instance. Rutger Gunnarssons melodic bass playing is allways worth listening to, (Dee Murray of Elton Johns band was another bassman in the same vein).

 

[gonzoknife]

No. I LOVE their singing. No autotune. They were the real deal.

 

[HoboMan]

I can understand every word that comes out of their mouths. And English is not even their natural language. Their diction is perfect. Which is more that i can say for modern “artists”

Many years ago I saw a documentary on ABBA. A big part of their sound was their vocal diction. Since English was not their native language they worked very hard on the pronunciation of the lyrics.
In the documentary the were playing back the "dry" vocals and them someone mentioned "Here is the secret to their vocals" and added some kind of effect. Sounded amazing.

And yes, I'm a HUGE ABBA fan. Always have been and always will be.

 

[babbyb]

So good. Never get tired of ABBA.

 

[sws1]

I like the songs and production far more than the singing, which is ho hum to me.

 

[GtrGeorge!]

It's fashionable to like ABBA now, in a kind of hipster way, but I didn't like them back in the day and still dislike them very much today

Yes, hipsters care very much about how they are perceived. If fashions change, so do they. Fair weather friends. But good art Lives for a long time. ABBA crafted smart songs, that were catchy, excellently produced and carefully promoted. I don’t doubt they out sold the stones. The stones couldn’t even bother to tune up for “lady Jane “. Sure they got better, but ABBA dotted every i, crossed every t. A massive, sustained effort.