ABBA is everywhere. Forget Mamma Mia — it goes beyond that. There is an entire episode of This Is Pop that is essentially about ABBA. They basically dominate the cultural imagination when it comes to Eurovision. “Dancing Queen” has been the inspiration for hundreds of girls’ seventeenth birthday Instagram post captions. And the frats — oh, the frats — they love ABBA. I can just about count on hearing it whenever I go out. Last weekend was no exception — “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” one night, the eponymous “Voulez-Vous” another. And trust me when I say: I am glad to hear it. ABBA deserves their flowers (even forty years after disbanding), and I am happy to give them some. This week’s Test Spin focuses on the 1979 record Voulez-Vous — dare I say some of their best work — and is bound to leave you with at least one ABBA song reverberating in your brain for the next 3 to 5 business days. You’re welcome.
Voulez-Vous kicks off with “As Good As New” and an opening that goes from sweeping classical music straight out of Bridgerton to a funky guitar riff courtesy of ABBA’s longtime guitarist Lasse Wellander. Agnetha Fältskog takes the lead on vocals as she gives life to the words of bandmates Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and asserts that she’s right where she’s supposed to be, despite some waffling. Next up is “Voulez-Vous” — a song that hits every single time. “Voulez-Vous” was partially recorded in Miami, making this album the only one ABBA did not entirely record in Sweden (aside from their live records). As a result, this ridiculous bassline actually comes from American Arnold Paseiro, not ABBA’s usual bassist Rutger Gunnarsson. Some complementary horns round it out as an infectious dance song. Meanwhile, “I Have A Dream” is a turn for the folksy and wholesome and features a children’s choir during its chorus, as well as contributions on the electric sitar from Janne Schaffer.
“Angeleyes” is a definite standout on this album. It’s catchy and features some killer harmonies from Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Andersson and Ulvaeus. This makes it easy to forget that this song is actually a warning — “Look into his angel eyes / One look and you’re hypnotized / He’ll take your heart and you must pay the price / Look into his angel eyes / You’ll think you’re in paradise / And one day, you’ll find out he wears a disguise / Don’t look too deep into those angel eyes.” “The King Has Lost His Crown” is another funky one that tells the story of the end of a relationship. Wellander once again proves himself on the guitar, providing the perfect backdrop for Lyngstad’s vocals. “Does Your Mother Know” is one of just a few songs to feature lead vocals from Ulvaeus instead of Fältskog or Lyngstad. It’s fun and positively oozes pop rock.
“If It Wasn’t For The Nights” is one of my all-time favorite ABBA songs. Supposedly written from Ulvaeus’s perspective on his divorce from Fältskog, it recalls the uber-successful vibe of “Dancing Queen” and includes some impeccable vocals from Fältskog and Lyngstad. The track is uncharacteristically raw for the group: “I’d have courage left to fight if it wasn’t for the nights (If it wasn’t for the nights I think that I could take it) / How I fear the time when shadows start to fall / Sitting here alone and staring at the wall.” “Chiquitita” beat out “If It Wasn’t For The Nights” as the record’s lead single and was inspired by Simon and Garfunkel’s rendition of “El Condor Pasa (If I Could).” Andersson’s contribution on the keys at the end is iconic and concludes the song on a high note (pun intended). “Lovers (Live A Little Longer)” brings back the funk along with a bit of disco. It’s deliciously dramatic in both its lyrics and instrumentals — I love it.
On “Kisses of Fire,” Fältskog and Lyngstad’s voices fuse together better than ever. The track is upbeat and has a certain groove to it. It’s an underrated one, and definitely worth the listen. “Summer Night City” is something straight out of Saturday Night Fever and has the power to make any listener feel like they, too, could be “loose and fancy-free.” It’s heavy on the bass and sees all the voices of ABBA come into the mix. “Lovelight” is, like the name suggests, light and airy, adding a more poppy dimension to the album. The everlasting “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” tops off Voulez-Vous. It’s futile to try to resist the urge to sing along to it — I know you all know what I’m talking about, so I’ll leave it there.
So yes, ABBA is everywhere, but that doesn’t mean I’ve had my fill — they’ll still be in my playlists forever and ever. They’re impossible to shake in the best way, the same way it’ll be impossible for me to shake the addictive chorus of “Gimme.”
Test Spins is a fortnightly throwback column reviewing and recommending classic and underrated albums from the past. It runs every other Friday.
Sydney Levinton is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at slevinton@cornellsun.com.
Sydney Levinton is a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is the Arts and Culture Editor on the 143rd Editorial Board. She can be reached at slevinton@cornellsun.com.
