Jazz Singer Reacts to ABBA If it Wasn’t for the Nights

Tonight I listened to my favourite Scandinavian band ABBA and their song If it wasn’t for the nights!
I feel like although the song had a double meaning, i felt it was a little too obvious that it wasn’t what it seemed. Still though, a great song with great vocals and a real ear worm! Fantastic!
A different side to ABBA... they’ve got more sides to them that a 50 pence piece!
Let me know what you thought of the song and if there’s anything else I should be listening to!
#abba #ifitswasntforthenight #northernear
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/ northernear

[@user-mv6he6gl8m]

There is a reason why the sold more records, only second to the Beatles, than all the rest. Quality.

[@shereekendall1003]

Their voices are very similar in tone....Annifrida has a lower register and Agnetha has a higher register...but in having said that...Annifrida can belt out semi high notes aswell.💖 but their voices are so much in sync that sometimes you can't tell them apart at times😊they are so beautiful💖💖

[@iangrice329]

Beautiful harmonys. If mermaids were real they would sound like this. Luring ships to the rocks.

[@123billydog]

The song really deals with Bjorns perspectiveness of the lonliness he faced through his and Agnethas seperation and divorce. I like your observation of the womens voices. Theres really were 4 voices in ABBA, Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Frida all which had their own distinctions. Then there is the 'third voice', both women in unison, the songs when its really hard to figure who's singing what. For me the perfect example of that is Eagle, from ABBA - The Album.

[@geordieboy8945]

Happy sounding song with dark lyrics. Take it from someone who knows, an upbeat happy exterior can hide an awful lot of anxiety.

[@ThomasJ_Music]

Truth!

[@joelsondiedrichs9543]

Wonderful ABBA. Great job.👏👏👏

[@paulecrosby2006]

They are so talented... I grow up in the 70's nd it was clear then they were far superior than anything at the time or even now, there were a lot of green eyed monsters who were so envious of them and now there music is still lives on where the monsters are now forgotten.

[@meelismetslang611]

Paul .... very well said. These green eyed monsters have sunk to oblivion but these four godly people live forever

[@dardude1139]

Bjorn has said the lyrics to this song relate to the break up of he and Agnetha’s marriage, he dreaded going home at the end of the day and facing the tensions between them, I think most of us can relate, I certainly know I can.

[@mccorama]

Their musicality/musicianship in EVERY song is mindblowing...there isn't a thing they recorded where they are not masters of their respective instruments

[@brendanwienand9836]

Honestly I thought I knew everything there was to know about ABBA! Never ever heard this song before... just goes to show.

[@ono1dij]

You are right, ABBA has almost in every song a "dark side", sometimes more explicit, sometimes hidden between the lyrics in a dance song... They always surprises, and their discography is full of hidden gems, besides de hits... Love your channel Tommy!!!

[@ThomasJ_Music]

ono1dij thank you! That’s really nice to hear! I agree. They’re fantastic!

[@toby9999]

I lived through the 70's. I was in my teens and it was as you said, the well known songs were thrashed to death by mainstream radio while none of the other many wonderful songs got any air time. I'm still discovering ABBA 40 years on. But this song was I believe more about relationship problems.

[@davidorheden5924]

I really love legendary Rutger Gunnarsson on base wich is soo groovy 🎸 One of the most underrated songs by ABBA. This track were supposed to be the single from their Voulez-Vous album, but in the last minute they changed it to Chiquita wich probably stole the attention from this song. Personaly i like this one more 💃🏼🕺🏼 Like someone said its Björn who wrote this song as a reaction to his divorce with Agnetha. So its not about drugs but him having problem to forget her during nights. Another thing with Björn and Benny is that everything was about the music. So when they composed them they didnt have any lyrics. First when they started recording the music in studio then they wrote the lyrics and gave them to the girls. Thats why the music and lyrics often differ with a happy uptempo song but with lyrics that can be a bit sad. So geniously done. 👌🏼

[@mattpsomadakis8159]

Rutger Gunnarsson Is my all-time favorite bassist.

[@arvid-ketilkorsnes4334]

@@mattpsomadakis8159 Aggre, but Mike Watson plays this one.

[@sibionic]

'Chiquittita' was a good choice with hindsight (it's now considered a total ABBA classic of course) and probably did better commercially than this would have done. But I agree, 'If It Wasn't For the Nights' is totally wonderful - and even their greatest album-only track, possibly ever?

[@JustAndy2020]

@@sibionicI’ll go the other way and say that releasing Chiquttita instead of this brilliant song cost ABBA their run of UK number one singles in each year from 1974-1980 (this being 1979). I think If It Wasn’t For The Nights is as good as Dancing Queen and wouldn’t been a massive, worldwide hit.

[@stevendurrant1724]

Frida started as a jazz singer, you probably know. There’s a few things on YT to check out

[@nirmalsuki]

ABBA's genius comes from the combination of four musical geniuses. Take one away and you won't get that magic.

[@kingmarshmusic]

Another thoughtful reflection of another underrated Abba song; incredible to think that a song this good is only an album track!

[@shelleymar6140]

I only discovered this song a couple of months ago but I've been listening to it on a loop everyday since then. Easily my favourite ABBA song along with "The day before you came!"

[@darkiee69]

It's about loneliness, in the daytime the person is busy with work and meetings, but at night he/she is alone after a break up.

[@barryg1931]

Hashtag Mamma Mia in TikTok already got about 1 billion views. Together with other ABBA's hashtags over 1.5 billions. Ed Shiran's Shape of you about 650 millions. Best band ever!

[@chawleyyy]

If you want to hear a dark, powerful side to Frida, please react to Should I Laugh Or Cry

[@chawleyyy]

M. Menneke a superb song nevertheless

[@graphiquejack]

I'm surprised he said that none of the three songs he listened to before this particularly showed off either woman's vocals... seriously, on 'The Visitors'? Frida's vocals are masterful and so unique on that song. It was one of the few ABBA songs that the men gave her the lead and allowed her to really belt it out. Most of her ABBA leads tended to be more mid tempo or sultry ballads. With The Visitors album, and later with her two English solo albums, Something's Going On and Shine, she showed how incredibly powerful her voice is, and how versatile. The men never really fully utilized it, at least as a lead vocalist. When you listen to the 'third voice' songs and her singing harmony on Agnetha-led songs, you can also hear how massive her vocal talent was.

[@The_Jupiter2_Mission]

I wouldn't read too much into their lyrics before the Super Trouper years. This song was going to be the first single from Voulez Vous album but they recorded Chiquitita and went with that one instead.

[@rainbowgames1]

This is one of my favorite ABBA songs. It’s one that has gotten better with repeated listens. The melodic hooks evoke a lot of emotion that I didn’t appreciate in earlier listens. Some other vastly under appreciated ABBA songs I highly recommend are... One Of Us Disillusion I Let The Music Speak Happy New Year

[@AbrahamdeLacy-xm8sb]

ABBAs "If It Wasn't for the Nights" is probably the best song from the album … never released as a single as far as I know. But you can tell the band, and especially Frida, loved the song on this promotion tour. Her dancing here is so natural and lovely. This was made for the dance floor. It is a hidden gem in the catalogue, and just listen to that great bass-line from Rutger Gunnarsson. Cheers 🍺

[@anthonysmith8800]

This was meant to be the first single from the Voulez Vous album but got ditched for Chiquitita to coincide with the Unicef concert. This song showcases how good A and A's voices blend when singing in unison. All the Abba trade marks here and another piece of gold from the masters of pop. I love your Abba reviews 👍

[@stevehulse4005]

Great reaction and recognition of their individual voices. Good to see you delving into the album tracks. Me and I off Super Trouper is a super synth track but with a dark subject matter around personality disorder.

[@shereekendall1003]

But yes that was so great reaction on abba...and I must congratulate you on the fact that you heard their voices in perfect harmony in this song...and giving recognision to them both for their high tones aswell as their low tones....not many reactors can hear that in their voices...it takes a good ear to hear that...so congratulations to you bravo😊

[@anthonyrogers4137]

I agree with Christina H 😃👍 Please have a listen to Frida in ABBA's 'Should I Laugh Or Cry' from 1981. Not only is does Frida have a great range of genuine emotions to choose from when she sings (cute, sexy, happy, sad, angry, etc.), but she is one of the few singers who I've ever heard be able to sing with sarcasm in that song 👍 Maybe Eartha Kitt could be one of the other few singers who can sing with the emotion of sarcasm. Thanks for another good reaction/review (although, since 1979 when 'If It Wasn't For The Nights' came out on the 'Voulez-Vous' album, I've never interpreted the lyrics to be about drugs of alcohol ...I've always seen it as the protagonist missing someone much more when she's home by herself and not busy like she is during the day. Missing someone can get to be a very dark experience if you've loved them very much for a long time and there's been a break-up, or even one of the couple lied after many years of what seemed to have been a good partnership; or, as I experience: my partner passing away two+ years ago after us being happily together for 25 years). Greetings from Australia 🐨🦘🦜👋😊

[@ThomasJ_Music]

I think that’s the beauty of the songwriting. The words they’ve used are chosen specifically so the song has an element of mystery to it. Love it!!

[@mish91]

I haven’t heard this one!! I love their song I have a Dream!!!

[@martielondon]

i heard that this song was written by Bjon about when his mariage to Agnetha was starting to crumble. Coming home at night for him was so hard. And not long after this they both got Divorced.

[@silke3961]

Frida ❤

[@stevewickens1163]

Just discovered your channel. I really like your reactions, and your gentlemanly mannersim is refreshing. Thanks for reviewing songs so honestly.

[@bobtrouper]

Really interesting! I’ve never thought of that interpretation before. I give you some info: the song was seriously considered to be released as first single off of Voulez Vous LP, the track was even performed on Mike Yarwood TV special on Christmas Day in 1978. Abba released Chiquitita instead. The backing track was recorded with the US band Foxy as Benny & Bjorn went to Criteria Studios to get a funkier sound (Voulez Vous recorded here too) but Benny & Bjorn thought the US musicians found the chord changes a bit too much to get into the groove, so the songs were pretty much re-recorded in Stockholm with their own musicians. The working title for the song, ironically 😜is called ‘Pandemonium’ which kinda adds to your theory! Many fans consider it to be a great ‘lost’ single, They would perform it on their up and coming tour in 1979, when the song Angeleyes was not, and that was a single, but Benny & Bjorn (at the time) didn’t think it was even good enough for it to be on the album. Benny has warmed to it since, saying the pastiche Supremes’ style of the song is endearing, and the song was in the 2nd Mamma Mia! Movie. Good review! Try ‘Me And I’ or ‘I’m A Marionette’ or anything from ‘The Visitors’ take care.

[@davidorheden5924]

bobtrouper thx for that info 👏🏼

[@bobtrouper]

David Orheden aww cheers buddy! Thanks for taking time to write that.

[@deborahdennehy9937]

I always wonder who the backing group are? Adore ABBA always since the Eurovision Song contest which ofcourse they won. So fantastic they are back singing!!!!

[@mervinmannas7671]

i have listened to this song ffor 3 decades and never thought about the lyrics like that thanks for your insight

[@hahatoldyouso]

Great song, I love their outfits here!

[@Pronzini1]

Frida is so incredibly good, and she is constant movement on stage. Everyone said she was the one of the four who truly loved to perform. The guys were writers, and Agnetha was a recluse......but Frida was already ready to go.

[@dedyrustandi5294]

This song show us how powerful Frida voices are 👍👍.

[@ZakhadWOW]

maybe because she was Norwegian? who knows?

[@christine3043]

Have you been to or watched any of their concerts? It doesn’t appear that to have. Agnetha gets right into it. Agnetha was not a recluse. Shows what little you know..

[@steffichristina8169]

@@christine3043 Real Christine, Agnetha was by no means a hermit. On the contrary. The Frida fans, especially this Alex, have no idea and are trying all the time to put Agnetha in a bad light! But he doesn't succeed. True Abba fans know better. Agnetha was absolutely equal to Frida!! Greetings from Germany😍

[@Vikinggirl1679]

Yes agnetha dances like a wooden soldier. Frida was always the one with stage presence. She was fun to watch and hear

[@Flokarl1]

The song was a reflection of Björn Ulvaeus's state of mind during his divorce, an uptempo song with despairing lyrics where the narrator dreads the end of the working day, when they will be all alone to deal with their own thoughts: "There were times that last autumn I was with Agnetha that I had those nights myself. My lyrics were often based around fiction, but that must have been where that one came from. (Wikipedia) Appearances

[@ramonsobreira8061]

NorthenEar, as a huge ABBA fan, I'd say that their darkest song is I'M A MARIONETTE (both, music and lyrics), which words may suggest a suicide, depending on how you interpretate the double meaning sentence I'M A MARIONETTE, PULL THE STRING. Another dark (pseudo-happy) song is GIMME GIMME, although it's an upbeat disco tune, it has a very "complicated" motif, that is, a solitaire woman, alone in her house, praying for a man (any man??) to come in order to have sex till the next morning. Concerning to IF IT WASN'T, I think it1s a very underrated disco tune, easily top 3 in the disco ranking, due to its excpetional melodic-harmonic quality, adult lyrics, great instrumental bridge (piano + strings), sick vocals, great arrangement and, of course, its almost unbeatale musical happiness. Greetings from Brazil.

[@ThomasJ_Music]

Thanks Ramon! I’m a marionette is the next ABBA song I do when I get round to it

[@Sweep_The_Leg_Johnny]

Me and I is also kinda odd in a very ABBA way

[@gilliankirby]

NorthernEar When you do please listen to the album version first. It’s quite different live, still good though.

[@bachatamusica]

Obrigado Suécia 💛💙,,,,, por este magnífico quarteto, 🅰🅱🅱🅰🎵🎶🎼 Portugal vos ama 💚❤💛

[@synchronicityman9062]

Great to see you reacting to this 'hidden' ABBA gem, Tommy. It was originally intended to be a single but at the last minute was replaced by 'Chiquitita' to allow ABBA to perform that song at the big Unicef 'Year of the Child' gala concert in New York. It's a firm favourite amongst fans and is only now getting the recognition it deserves from the wider public. Interesting reaction, and it's good that you're recognizing the versatility of the girls' voices. But I think you're reading a bit too much into the lyrics. LOL. (Although you never know with ABBA!!) Btw- I didn't know what to expect when I saw the title of this video (Jazz singer reacts...) and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was your good self! You're a dark horse!! I can see that you're a guitarist too. Are you ever going to let us all see and hear YOUR performances so we can all react to them?? 😀

[@ThomasJ_Music]

Hey man! Thanks for commenting and glad you liked it! I’m absolutely loving the songs from ABBA that I’ve listened to so far and can’t wait to listen to more! I have only done three or four, but there are a few songs on here that I’ve done. I have a ‘Tommy Covers’ playlist if you want to check them out.

[@synchronicityman9062]

@@ThomasJ_Music- I'll certainly check out your 'Tommy Covers', pal. And give you a 'reaction' to them!! And, if you do decide to react to more ABBA then I really think you would enjoy 'Eagle' , the opening track of 'ABBA-The Album'. (1977). It shows yet another side to the band- almost a West Coast USA sound, in part a homage to The Eagles, one of Bjorn and Benny's favourite groups. But, please avoid the terrible edited version which rips the heart and soul out of the song. Here is a great TV performance of the full, unexpurgated version. It's both an aural and visual feast, Imho. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5y4cnR_brZ8nZo&ab_channel=Superstellina2012

[@davidorheden5924]

Synchronicity Man Never heard that version. Really good one and where they let Janne Schaffer play out his very typical guitarsound in the guitar riffe✌🏼

[@guymoffitt]

Bjorn once said that when he and Agnetha were breaking up he had many nights as described in the song. Not sure where to find the quote but I read it a few years ago.

[@jwickstead]

What an original take on this song. I enjoyed hearing your thoughts on it. I heard it first in the 70’s and also didn’t hear the power of their voices until now as I have a new appreciation of their music

[@opicatchu2164]

Pure gem....😍😍😍😍

[@ABBAClarence69]

The group themselves thought that this would be the big single from the voulez-vous album, it was a very excellent live song.

[@simonjackson8804]

This wasn't a single - 5 tracks ("Chiquitita", "Does Your Mother Know?", "Angeleyes" / Voulez-Vous", and "I Have a Dream") were released as singles - they peaked in the UK between 2 and 4 in 1979. I've always felt that the most interesting tracks on the album weren't single releases - this one, I'm old enough to remember, was pushed as the lead track from the "Voulez-Vous" album, and the listening public was certainly being led, at the end of 1978, to a single release. Basically, they panicked a bit, I think, at the point: they'd had a run of 7 singles, all of which had reached number one between 1976 and 1978, apart from the middle one, which reached number 3. Then they went disco - the first disco release was "Summer Night City", which - by comparison - tanked. It reached number 5 here, and across the board was considered such a failure that it wasn't included on an album until "Greatest Hits (Vol. 2)" in early 1980. You might want to listen to the full edit of "Summer Night City", which they weren't brave enough to release, but I think that the comparative under-achievement of that single made them go very safe, until they threw off the shackles with "The Winner Takes it All", in summer 1980 (an absolute tour de force - not one of their better-known singles, even though it got to number 1 here). "If It Wasn't for the Nights" hints at some of the desperation in "The Winner Takes it All" - while Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson always insisted that they didn't write about their relationships, Björn's and Agnetha Fältskog's marriage was heading towards the rocks at this point: they divorced (I think) in late 1979 or early 1980. Another song that you've listened to, "I'm a Marionette", is a precursor to this one - to me, the message in the song has always been about keeping going during the day, when you can be seen, and only being able to express how you truly feel in the darkness and solitude. Once again - having come to you very late - I really liked the depth and thought you put into the review - thanks

[@JustAndy2020]

Bjorn and Agnetha split on Christmas Day 1978, just a couple of weeks after performing this song on The Mike Yarwood Christmas Show.

[@harripalomaki8796]

Ear, you called it: groovy tune, anguished lyrics. This is a pure Philly disco homage, complete with lush strings. Check out the O'Jays and Three Degrees. PS. Frida may have been somewhat fortified by sake in this playback performance.

[@AGNETHAFALTSK0G]

Excellent review. What a handsome guy! Woof

[@ThomasJ_Music]

😂😂 thank you!

[@wawa2]

I love your ABBA reactions, especially The Visitors. This one is a gem!!

[@ThomasJ_Music]

Thanks!

[@niclas.olsson]

Great interpretation....Björn admitted in Swedish media this year that he is a recovery alcoholic.

[@lounolastname4477]

That was Benny

[@niclas.olsson]

Nope

[@lounolastname4477]

@@niclas.olsson So, both guys from ABBA were alcoholics then? Benny had already admitted that he was an alcoholic and was 12 years sober

[@niclas.olsson]

@@lounolastname4477 I´ve never heard that Benny had alcohol problems but I know for sure that Björn were an alcoholic.

[@lounolastname4477]

@@niclas.olsson ok, thanks, never knew about Björn but Benny’s alcohol problem was quite well known since 2011 www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/272346/Andersson-opens-up-about-alcoholism-battle abbamikory.blogs.com/abbamikory/2014/11/abbas-benny-andersson-reveals-extent-of-alcohol-addiction.html Best wishes, Lou

[@robertkaplan848]

Always had a crush on Agnetha! lol.

[@darkiee69]

For me it's Frida all the way. I have a soft spot for redheads.

[@robertkaplan848]

@@darkiee69 I have no problem with that!when they both give that wink in Dancing Queen,I can see it!

[@ramonsobreira8061]

On both...

[@robertkaplan848]

@@ramonsobreira8061 👍

[@nickmorrell3559]

Frida oozes sex appeal

[@Starchaser63]

Absolutely love this Abba track. So many great Abba songs its difficult to have a favourite but this song is right up there.. my subjective opinion is - Beatles best group ever , followed by Abba 🎶

[@cruisingfanatic]

Great reaction this is a great track played loud :-)

[@guymoffitt]

There is a terrific video on You Tube (Kisses Like Fire/Lovers last a bit longer) from a BBC tv special Live in Switzerland '79 which show the real power of the Frida/Agnetha vocals. Well worth watching, the Live Switzerland version has great video quality.

[@Sweep_The_Leg_Johnny]

Knowing Me, Knowing You is hauntingly sad and poignant, especially if you've gone through divorce.

[@ericclaeysens1199]

Merci ABBA ❤❤❤❤

[@jodykendrick1634]

Try ABBA - Hole In Your Soul (1977), epic rock'n'roll (glam rock) featurig Agnetha's metal vocal specially written for Wembley and Canada / US tour. totally underated hit. Probably the best their track. It's gotta be ABBA to fill the hole in our soul during quarantine!!!

[@ThomasJ_Music]

This sounds really interesting actually! Gonna have to take a listen!

[@nathanwebb1552]

ya, Bjorn wrote this one (as he did The Winner Takes It All) during him & Agnetha's divorce.

[@starry2006]

Eagle would be a very good one to look at, very different. Intermezzo No1 as well. This same Japan performance had The Name of the Game which I think is a better song than If it Wasn’t for the Nights.

[@superluvver3]

Maybe the winner takes it all where agnetha goes almost operatic,just make sure your in a good mood ,it is dark and very personal.agnetha can cry with her voice.abba are just so good.

[@shereekendall1003]

Must say that they were never into drugs....they were not hard drinkers....they were social drinkers...in this song the girls are telling a story of that they could get through their life if it wasn't for the nights because they have a love that they miss so much when they are at home at night after work...they sit down and have a white wine thinking about the love of their life that they miss...it's a another sad song about missing their partner that they love so much.🌷 that's as much as you can reach into this song...being at work all day, then the nights are lonely😔

[@Vikinggirl1679]

No they didn't do drugs but they did like their alcohol. Especially Benny. He admitted he was an alcoholic that could have a temper if things didn't go his way. Probably part of the reason he and Frida got divorced. He says he hasn't drank in 20 years now. That's good. But he still seems to have that alcoholic personality, moody and grumpy

[@andrewmcdonald6987]

Hi again. Moving to Scotland. Look at Monivea. Many songwriters and singers live there. It also has many famous writers too.

[@NickSmith-ll3si]

One of my 'most wanted' tracks at the time. No video recorder 😮 and no way to connect my cassette recorder to the telly with a wire. I had to watch a performance of this on the Mike Yarwood Christmas special, Christmas day, in 1978, and wait until May 1979, before I heard it again, on the album. I was so into ABBA, from Christmas 1977, and January 1978 (The Album) to May 1979 (Voulez Vous) was an awfully long time for a 16 year old ....

[@leilaa7865]

Agnetha, amo essa voz❤️🎶

[@ronda.8624]

I recommed the song " cause you are young " by c.c.catch

[@nilsfearon1]

What an interesting perspective about the alcohol. Both the guys have given up drinking totally now and Benny has been open about his own addiction.

[@stevendurrant1724]

Forgotten gem.

[@rawdonwildin8050]

This song was written in the final season of Anna & Bjorn’s marriage. He said once that it heavily about night time.. no distractions and all the thinking that happens.

[@joffness2]

Have you heard "I'm a Marionette" Pop Metal band GHOST did a good cover of it, but ABBA's is creepier. You could do a comparison reaction.

[@ThomasJ_Music]

Thanks for the tip! This would be a good idea actually!

[@ms.chuckfu1088]

I think I still know all the words. See my pirouette... 😀 Thanks for the reminder.

[@ms.chuckfu1088]

@@ThomasJ_Music I haven't seen many comparisons of 2 versions. I can think of a lot of potential songs. One people mention all the time is Metallica's cover of Bob Seger's Turn the Page. Curious if this idea would actually work. Good luck if you try it.

[@synchronicityman9062]

Yes- that's a fab idea. It's a seriously creepy song. And even many Ghost fans indicate that they find the ABBA version even scarier than the Ghost cover version. LOL.

[@halldorra]

The Visitors is their darkest album,the last LP

[@ecoinnovationse]

Those interested in jazz singing might enjoy Annifrid Lyngstad in #Stras fell on Alabama" 10 years before Waterloo with ABBA.

[@cannedmusic]

I just read, or heard, the other day that Benny had a liking for alcohol, so this song could be biographic.

[@zoolook3264]

If I remember correctly this song was penned by Bjorn during his divorce with Agnetha and it was about how he found it hard to cope with being alone at night during that period.

[@danfrost3043]

No choreography here. As well as their unique vocals, this is also what made them unique, they just didn't care, dancing on impulse. Boney M were similar in that respect, all four dancing completely different to each other to the same song. This was from the Voulez Vous album which contained some tracks with their finest vocal offerings, especially Chiquitita.

[@eggy1962]

it should have been a single but got pulled in favour of chiquitita,, great dance beat very much in dancing queen style imo

[@laluba3603]

Can you please react to First Aid Kit. "My Silver Lining" the official video , or "Master Pretender" Live At the Graham Norton Show. I don't know if they have more in common with ABBA than Sweden being their home country, and of course good music. Oh I think they have done a cover of some ABBA song too, though I don't know which one.

[@plerpplerp5599]

Benny is quoted as saying that has never written a happy song for abba apart from "dum dum diddle". When the song was written, Björn and Agnetha had divorced. My suspicion is the lyrics are about Björn. Just a thought there....

[@BO_Riddle]

What do you mean if it was played in the disco? It certainly was! And yes it seems to be about alcohol and cigarettes They did both

[@rainbowgames1]

Please get back to doing ABBA reactions. I listed some great songs in another comment I posted here. Also I HIGHLY recommend “My Love, My Life,” which is one of their most sublimely beautiful songs (and that’s saying something.)

[@matiaspaz9789]

it¨s not about alcohol, its about what happened when you broke uo with your girlfriend and you miss her in the nights and you can t sleep , but during the day you dont miss her because you re bussy with your daily routine, and we don t need alcohol or drugs, we just cry, have you ever been in love ?

[@pjsvenska3338]

Not about drugs. Guitarist Björn wrote the lyrics about how he felt after divorcing blond singer Agnetha.

[@robinj6137]

He was only single for a week!

[@trshbrnr1]

While we are visiting the Disco era, how about the Bee Gees - Ellan Vannin

[@mudshark5393]

Well, I'm sure I must have heard this one, but I can't say I recognize any of it.

[@Pronzini1]

Benny was a big drinker.....the other three no problems.

[@robertkaplan848]

I like take a chance on me,and the Video also!

[@ms.chuckfu1088]

Ok, speaking of completely different sounds, Canadian band Bachman Turner Overdrive had some really hard rock songs, some classic rock hits, and then a couple of jazzy numbers. One, "Looking Out for #1" did better on the charts, but I love the more obscure, and also bossa nova flavoured "Blue Collar" much more. BTO was a pretty well known band in the mid 70s. "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" hit #2 on the UK charts. Not many reactions out there. If you are looking for something different.

[@ThomasJ_Music]

Thanks! Exactly the kind of recommendation that grabs my attention

[@ms.chuckfu1088]

@@ThomasJ_Music Rush caught my eye, but I'll be watching more later in the week. 🍻

[@ms.chuckfu1088]

This is Randy Bachman explaining how to play "Looking Out for #1" kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqHbhWCEfJqrfLs And the band playing it kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIGwe2Z3qsqCo80

[@groningen1965]

Mag wel wat enthousiaster

[@trshbrnr1]

Disco does not get much love for the talent.

[@guyinnyc1]

I like this song, it's hard not to like an abba song, however to my ears they tried here a little to hard to sound "american" disco, as opposed to the europop sound. The girls sing beautifully as they always do and they get to show off a little individual belting. But I can't help but feel as when I heard it the first time back in '79. It just sounds a little less natural for them on this one whereas "As good as new" and "Does your mother know" from the same album is their more natural sound.

[@starry2006]

Lovers Live a Little Longer gets into a soulful disco sound quite convincingly to me.

[@alexanderbleidorn605]

Agnetha has a much higher voice, you can find her showing off live

[@Drasut]

It has the same effect as amphetamine when listening to it.

[@SpaceCattttt]

ABBA songs are never "happy". Bittersweet at best. For every happy tune and melody, there's a lyric full of heartache and existential panic.

[@nagi.selgri]

React to Im a marionette 👌🏻

[@David-uf8ex]

Where do you come up with your assumptions lol it's a relationship break up

[@ThomasJ_Music]

Is that just your interpretation? Has this ever been confirmed by the artist? A lot of what I say is just thinking out loud. I think I’ve explained my thought process in the video

[@MarkJohnson-dr4ws]

Really? Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[@ThomasJ_Music]

Good that it can mean different things to people, or that it’s even possible to be interpreted in different ways

[@MarkJohnson-dr4ws]

@@ThomasJ_Music yeah fine, but usually the author's intent is obvious.

[@amarillagriffin7427]

Shame on you thinking it's drug's or alcohol.listen to WHEN I KISSED THE TEACHER to appreciate their voices.

[@aperinich]

don't think so ole sport

[@nickmorrell3559]

Drugs ?...Abba ?....are u high?

[@greenjack6950]

Useless

[@ThomasJ_Music]

Aren’t you nice Jaco!