First Time Reaction Björn Skifs The Arbiter (SYNTHPOP 80s!) | Dereck Reacts

[@xtianquart3400]

This is from the musical “Chess”, Björn and Benny's first project after ABBA. There is a full double album, and you've got to listen to the whole album to get the full meaning of the lyrics. It's all about the World Championship of chess and the Russian and the American fighting it out on the chess board. A couple of other great tracks from the album are “One Night in Bangkok” by Murray Head and “Anthem” by Tommy Körberg. Highly recommended.

[@annelieelfstedt3233]

You should listen to "Hooked on a feeling" with Björn Skifs

[@tootsie5052]

This is from the musical "Chess", just one of many songs from the musical, like 'One Night in Bangkok", "Pity the Child", Heaven Help My Heart" and several more. "The Arbiter" is okay, not one of my favorites. You gotta see "Chess" to understand some of the songs and although "Chess" has it's ups and downs and the concept of it is kinda weird, I still think it's great.

[@eggy1962]

much prefer skifs singing Hooked on a Feeling...with Blue Swede

[@exos282]

You really should try Alphaville with " forever young" and others like "big in Japan" "sounds like a melody" "dance with me", very 80's. And 2015 sohn "artifice"

[@ExperimentIV]

shit can someone on patreon send dereck the video of tommy körberg recording anthem in-studio? chess the musical is such a goldmine for him to react to

[@ExperimentIV]

or nobody’s side could send i know him so well but really nobody’s side just hits better

[@JF-sh2sm]

YES! YES! YES!

[@Stephen.Dixon01]

Oh you have to do Nobody's Side by Elaine Paige, also from Chess. Love that song

[@JF-sh2sm]

OMG!! How did I not see that until now? My bad! So happy to see you finally discovered Chess by the ABBA boys and Tim Rice. Can’t wait to see you react to all the other gems from this masterpiece. Great reaction as always! The next one should be ‘One Night in Bangkok’.

[@otisblack3921]

This version of the song has been ridiculously tamed down. The melody is still there but completely missing is the merchandisers interlude and the coda. The missing coda is pure sonic brilliance. Angry and snarling electric guitar ala Van Halen, and a very bombastic repeat of the chorus. The entire Chess album is nothing short of a masterpiece. You will simultaneously flood your basement while clutching your pearls. Elaine Paige is incomparable……her solo takes on “Nobody’s Side” and “Heaven Help my Heart” are equally tender and powerful. Pure goosebumps. “Anthem” and “Pity the Child” are pivotal points in the musical’s plot line but can still stand alone and be appreciated. “I Know Him so Well”, “Mountain Duet” and the finale, “You and I” are the pinnacle of vocal harmonizing. We always talk about the 3rd voice in the music of ABBA…..well guess what…..it gets recreated here. As far as Bjorn Skifs voice here in this song, you must understand that this was intended to be a on stage musical so thats the way it was sung……Phonetically and in reference to the story going on around it. Listening to it completely out of context as you have done undoubtedly causes confusion and lessens it’s impact. Not your fault, but neither is it the fault of its creators. It’s unfortunate to see you underwhelmed but your first taste of Chess but you MUST push forward and continue on this journey. You won’t be disappointed

[@hildegardkurku3504]

Hi Dereck,i have the whole album from chess.This song is strong ,full of energy.The whole album is so.Baladen etc....It's about chess.But actuelly it's more about a dramatic romance!!!I love it so much.Björn Skifs sings out of a strong felling!!!!😄😄😄😄😃😃😃😘🐬🐬🐬

[@AdurianJ]

Björn Skifs is better known as "Blue Swede" in the US he's sung "Hooked on a feeling"

[@lispencoat]

This is from my favourite musical Chess. You should react to 'I know him so well' by Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson, which is also from Chess.

[@katarinawikholm5873]

Chess is written as a musical, of a Soviet vs an American chess master during the cold war. The arbiter is neutral, and in Quartet/A Model of Decorum and Tranquility he has the stunning line ”the board will be made in Sweden, non-aligned wood” 😆 The lyrics and Björn Skifs’ (pronounced ’Shifs’) slightly cheesy arrogant Swedish-ness make perfect sense in this context.

[@jonathanfurzeland4740]

The Deal song is fantastic!

[@ExperimentIV]

“it’s so cheesy” yes and that’s why it’s amazing. all musicals are inherently cheesy! also that’s just what björn skifs’ singing voice sounds like. look up blue swede hooked on a feeling or fångad i en dröm. he just has that very Produced Rock Singing Voice, even live!

[@markcreek487]

This is from the musical Chess and the lyrics are very clever, made to fit into the theme. One of my favourites from this show along with One Night In Bangkok and Someone Else's Story also I Know Him So Well and Nobody's Side

[@cannedmusic]

When I was a kid, my sisters and brother introduced me to Jesus Christ, Super Star. One of the vocals was some guy named Murray Head. 14 years later, the soundtrack became one of my favorite things to chill to. Murray added a nice touch to the vocals in it, also. You did make me exclaim OOOOoooh, when you said "...and Tim Rice, who has worked with Elton John...and some others..." Ouch, direct ouch. This song came from a medley, I liked the merchandisers, the whole "and now a word from our sponsors" make me laugh.

[@dreasbn]

It’s from a play so it’s a theatrical song to be seen in the context of the musical. Especially the lyrics… Chess the complete score belongs to the best music I happened to know. This is by far not the strongest song of Chess…

[@MarkRadford78]

Yay my request!!! :-)

[@JF-sh2sm]

Please!! If you’re a Patreon subscriber, request more songs from Chess!

[@momma636]

Hooked on a feeling!!! Björn Skifs and Blåblus. You might know that one

[@ReallyFarFarAway]

This is a song from the musical : " Chess " .. !!! >>> The musical is produced by the ABBA couple " Björn & Benny "

[@galigali7830]

I Know him so well, Anthem, Pity the Child or One night in Bangkok...all are much better!!!!

[@ExperimentIV]

the choir effect is probably the micke b. tretow classic vocal layering production!

[@ExperimentIV]

sorry for so many comments i just have too much to say and im adding as i watch

[@Skumberg74]

Very true! Anders Glenmark singing the chorus and Tretows magic in multiplying it into so many fat layers. The classic ABBA sound

[@Tom_McMurtry]

I know him so well is the ABBA track you're searching for in this musical, but with different female leads (It's a great song)! A whole heap of other great stuff in Chess however. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWO2dXykoJuppaM

[@ExperimentIV]

chess is just ABBA post-ABBA. i wish they’d kept skifs on one night in bangkok too.

[@arsennelupin584]

it's a discovery, because it has never seen it or heard 🤔👍At some time very fleeting I feel like hearing Super Freak from Rick James

[@mikeBlogic]

You should react to the best Song of 1985..... Depeche Mode "Shake the Disease ase"

[@agnetamalmqvist9075]

Swedish from my country!

[@klastorps]

One night in Bangkok is also a very good song from "Chess".

[@Dirkschneider]

Did you not react to 'Hooked on a feeling' which also has Björn Skifs on vocals?

[@Cybus2006]

Great reaction, thank you! Check out One Night in Bankock, I Know Him so Well and Pity the Child, also from Chess! xxx

[@flingan7512]

80 music 💗💗

[@limagedoree1984]

One night in Bangkok Murray Head is chess album

[@ExperimentIV]

oh hell yes finally chess time

[@genewebb2837]

another great track from chess is the song I KNOW HIM SO WELL. sung by elaine paige and barbra dickson. so you should react to this ballad, the uk group STEPS covered this many years ago. so maybe check out their version too.

[@ulrichgotze262]

Do ‚One Night in Bangkok‘

[@jorbarrie1]

I agree! Great track!

[@markjones7777]

Hi Derek the original by Murray Head is better as is the original recording. The choir on the original recording are superior in every way. Chess is telling a story so the words are in context. Original with Elaine Paige, Barbara Dixon etc is a masterpiece. Happy listening.

[@alphaomega7191]

Murray isn't the Arbiter in the original it's Bjorn Skifs - this is a different mix for sure and I agree it's not a s good but it's the same guy. Murray was the American but ironically when they were doing demos to figure things out Born Skifs sang the American's part.

[@mikekaraoke]

I thought you would of heard the hit musical Chess in general, always gets mentioned in the US! 🙄

[@LetsChillPage]

Too bad, I waited a musical break in the song with a good bridge which never came.Yet twice, the first at 2.34 minutes in Dereck's video, the second at 6 minutes, we think this title will take off. Hopes in vain, it immediately falls back and resumes its basic tempo. Unfortunately, it lacks a bit of surprise for my taste. A true 80s electropop sound in all case! :)

[@ulrichgotze262]

The musical break is in the original album Version

[@LetsChillPage]

@@ulrichgotze262 After reading you I found the "extended mix" version. Yes the end is exactly what I waited! Thanks to you to have share this information. :)

[@pascalmarfaing1690]

I am a fan of new wave. But , I have never hear this song ! The melody is not enought sophisticated.

[@richardjansson1]

Time for you to explore the musical CHESS!

[@alphaomega7191]

Chess is such an insanely great musical but the Arbiters song is really one of it's weaker parts. People might know this guy from Blue Swedes "Hooked On A Feeling" that was used in the Guardians of the Galaxy.

[@bernardvergne8394]

very good musical by bjorn and benny & tim rice

[@andrinafriberg3275]

Hi PLUS du a reaction on the matsked singer 🤗☺😊😱😆🤣😂😀😄🤩🥰😍❤👍👋

[@nadiamarietym2957]

Tu aurais plus de chance en proposant des vidéos comme par exemple celle avec le chanteur de a-ha en viking ds la version anglaise

[@luciagrimaldi4443]

Please Dereck React to Live Et maintenant Gregory Lemarchal 🙏🙏

[@SteveInScotland]

It feels like those backing vocals were recorded, produced to the n’th degree and super rich. I guess that would be played out every night and the rest is really narration, that an actor would do over the track during the play. Different actor different city as it travelled around the world. That’s my guess. It’s still brilliant and very 80s.

[@kmwk5c]

No, no, no! Björn Skifs is a real good artist, but not here. Please do a reaction to him and his old band "Blue swede" in "Hooked on a fealing" and also an ather song of his when he goes solo "vild och vacker" nöjesmassakern" (translates to wild and beautiful.) Nöjesmassakern was a swedish televisionshow). Belive me he is really good and funny. Please give him another shot.

[@nathaliehan511]

I don't like it. Not music just rythm box. The worst example of 80's . Sorry

[@jevousemmerdetouslesthunde2391]

Hi Dereck! Do you know INDRA, the Queen of the dancefloors in France and in Europe in the early's 90's? Discovered and produced by Orlando (Dalida's brother). She sings in English (she's from Sweden, speaks French too and another languages, Estonian for example), she made several dance hits at the time: Let'S Go Crazy (1990), Misery and Temptation (1991), Gimme What'S Real, Tell Me (1992) and many more. She's good dancer too! Always surrounded by muscular beautiful dancers too. 😁 M/V Temptation link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqG1aGZojJtlsJo (sax too)