Abba All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track

All The Songs

by Benoît Clerc

THE DEFINITIVE RECORDING HISTORY OF SWEDISH SUPERSTARS, ABBA, TOLD ALBUM-BY-ALBUM AND SONG-BY-SONG.Filled with fascinating photography (some rarely seen) and sensational behind-the-scenes details.Discover the untold stories behind ABBA's greatest hits, including the iconic 'Waterloo', 'Mamma Mia' and 'Dancing Queen' in this loving and thorough dissection of every album and song released by the pop megastars. From their first single in 1972, all the way up to their Grammy-nominated studio album, Voyage, and their revolutionary virtual tour, this definitive tome uncovers the full story behind every track that ABBA released.In over 500 pages, no stone is left unturned. Drawing upon decades of research, expert author Benoît Clerc recounts the circumstances that led to the composition of every song - detailing the inspiration behind the lyrics, the recording process and the instruments that shaped ABBA's distinctive sound.Featuring hundreds of photographs, including rare publicity stills, images of the instruments used by the band, and shots of the musicians on-stage and in-studio, All the Songs is the perfect gift for any fan of pop.

Genres: Nonfiction

528 pages, Hardcover

Published November 5, 2024

Reviews

[Thomas Thieme · Rating 4 out of 5]

ABBA-the band that was the closeted guilty pleasure of many a rock and roller in the 70s. Say what you might, those melodies were undeniably infectious and at times, the culture gap between them and American audiences just made them endearing. "Dum Dum Diddle" indeed. This book is mostly what it claims. I do wish it had been a tad more comprehensive when referencing more obscure songs. For instance, why should I have to wait until they discuss songs on the Voyage album to learn there was a song called "Free as a Bumblebee" recorded for the Voulez-Vous album? How many other songs have they recorded that this book hasn't mentioned? The purpose of a book like this should be to take the deepest dive possible into their recording career. After all, how many casual ABBA fans would want to wade through a book with such attention to the specific make and model of each instrument used in their recording history? Most of the more obscure songs of ABBA that are mentioned are available on YouTube so the book offers you the opportunity to sample a fair amount of obscurities. The author is such an uber fan that you might find the extent of hero worship amusing. He might have prepared us for how cringe-inducingly amateurish some of those early performances of Benny's group the Hep Stars were. So is there really a story behind every song? Well, yes, but it doesn't guarantee every story will be a gripping tale. Furthermore, the author missed some opportunities to elaborate. For example, did you know there were lyrics to the song "Arrival"? Shouldn't that have rated a story? The author is intent on emphasizing how bleak their early 80s music was. If you say so. Just because the music wasn't as perky, it did reflect some maturity. You will learn a lot about ABBA you might not have known prior to reading this, however. I docked the book a star for its missed opportunities but if you appreciate their music, you'll enjoy this.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5