None of my friends would be so stupidly impatient

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/43621-column-poptimist-5

New Pitchfork column! About ABBA!

Comments

[strange-powers.livejournal.com]

Great article and very in tune with my own ABBA feelings - mostly that there's something of the blank Scandinavian ennui in even their poppiest moments. Never mind overtly sad numbers like Chiquitita or the devastating The Winner Takes It All even Waterloo seems to be about unwillingly submitting to a dominant sexual partner.

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

Not to mention the living nightmare of Mamma Mia, opening line "I've been cheated by you since I don't know when"

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Smashing stuff. I enjoyed reading that very much, Tom! And I totally get what you mean about the contrast between the lyrics and the bright jolly hooks. At graciousviv's wedding reception, she asked me to make a tape of happy songs for people to listen to whilst they were eating. Of course as a moody teenager I translated this as 'famous' songs that everyone might like, and put 'Heard It On The Grapevine' on it, along with other mournful soul classics. I was told that this wasn't really happy wedding music at all, and the tape was promptly replaced with ABBA Gold. Loads of songs about divorce and breaking up! I was quite baffled and proceeded to sulk* for the entire day, spoiling various photos. Sorry again, Grace.

*most of this was due to being a moody teenager tho, not really because of the tape.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Yeah one of the things about ABBA is that the thematic content of their songs is absolutely a bonus, there if you want it. The problem with that is that pointing it out can turn you into the "aaaah, but it's about DRUGS" guy.

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

the day before you came - 'you' in this case is famous drug addict, Lou Reed

ring, ring - your DRUG dealer up on the phone

knowing me, knowing you - there is nothing we can do BECAUSE WE ARE ALL 'HIGH' ON DRUGS

etc

knowing me, knowing you

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

*taps side of nose*
*septum falls out*

[boyofbadgers.livejournal.com]

Dancing Qu-E-E-n, DYS!?

you couldn't make it up!

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

after watching an Abba doc recently, I decided that on a structural level Abba and Velvet Underground are no different. Abba and VU have more in common than Abba and ‘manufactured boyband X’. The level of craft, passion, musicianship, intelligence, etc that the group and their producer/engineer chap put into the records is totally comparable to anybody you care to name, Fleetwood mac circa rumours, etc. So basically I am happy to induct Abba into the nu-rockist fold.

SR on that bedbugs comments thread.

Re: you couldn't make it up!

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

NICE SAVE GUTSY -------:D