The Definitive Collection: 1972-1982 (2CD) [Original recording remastered, Best of]

 

 

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When I was a teenager in the 70's, I sort of liked ABBA's music...I just never told anybody. I stayed inside the musical closet. If I had admitted I liked ABBA, I would have been immediately shunned and banished from the rock n' roll community at my high school...and that was a big price to pay!

So now, some 25 years later, I pick up a copy of THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION with a little nervousness. Sure, nobody's around to criticize my musical choices...but still, I felt a sense of trepidation...So I hit PLAY...and I was liberated!

Now I know this is pop music, much of it happening right in the middle of the Disco Era. I realize there won't be any screaming guitars, no 9-minute drum solos, no anti-establishment lyrics...But darn it, these tunes are good!

I think one reason people are still crazy about ABBA is that their music fills a void left by much of today's pop music. These ABBA tunes for the most part celebrate uncomplicated love, friendship, and a positive future. I mean, listen to "He Is Your Brother" and "People Need Love" and tell me those aren't great messages. And the tunes themselves - They're ALL catchy, easy to latch onto, and stick with you.

The songwriters had the ability to write great tunes, which is difficult enough, but they didn't stop there. The thing that most people remember about ABBA songs, whether they recognize it or not, is the vocals. Not just the individual vocals, but the way they layered vocal tracks on top of each other, creating great, tight harmonies. The tunes are also arranged well with little subtle touches of color that make the songs really sparkle. Just listen to the interplay between the piano and strings on "Dancing Queen." It just sparkles.

But best of all, these tunes are just plain fun. So go ahead, get yourself a copy. It's okay, you can come out now.

DISC ONE: 71:52
DISC TWO: 76:06

It was interesting to hear the songs in chronological order. Also the inclusion of the slower, throatier, American single version of Ring Ring was something only a die-hard ABBA fan that actually HAD the original American LP release of Waterloo(which is where it originally appeared) would appreciate. The major disappointment here was the trebel-heavy, bass-deprived remastering of these songs for this compilation. They were not remastered at the same standards as the "Thank You For the Music" Box Set or the REissue of ABBA GOLD. I would not recommend this when higher quality ABBA collections are available. Instead, pick up Forever Gold and get a thoroughly entertaining, quality compilation.

My love affair with these Swedish superstars began in 1974, with their winning of the Eurovision Song contest, and has never swayed. This collection, with so many collections out there, is, in my opinion one of the best. My only higher favourite would have to be the box set, Thank You For The Music. In The Definitive Collection, my obsession with the fantastic music and production values and of course the incomparable vocal talents of Frida and Agnetha, just strengthens my love for the music and phenomenon which is and always will be, ABBA. People Need Love, in it's simplicity and promise of a better world, SOS and The Winner Takes It All with their deep emotions and brilliant orchestrations, to Fernando and Knowing Me, Knowing You with such tremendous depth and feeling, ABBA and this Definitive collection are a must to every and all ABBA fanatics out there, no matter how many collections one already has. Bravo! ABBA, they will live on forever!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Great Collection of ABBA Hits
If you enjoy ABBA music, you'll love this collection of their greatest hits which was just about all their songs. Read more

Published 10 months ago by barbellen

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Abba Collection from 1972 to 1982
If you are an Abba fan you can't be without this album. It'll keep your toes dancing and bring joy to your heart. Contains 37 selections.

Published on Feb 27 2010 by A. Loeffler

4.0 out of 5 stars ABBA
Good music, my wife introduced them to me. So the disk that turned out to be for me is now her's.

Published on Nov 28 2009 by DOUGLAS VALLEY

5.0 out of 5 stars Admit it, they're good!
This greatest hit set blows away previous ABBA greatest hits sets. It has all their hits and great album tracks, thereby completely making "Gold" and "More... Read more

Published on Jun 7 2004 by J. A Lizon

5.0 out of 5 stars ABBA rules!
I also was in Jr. High School and High School when Abba was cranking out top 10 hits. In those days I snuck into the record shop and hid my Abba albums under the cover of Led... Read more

Published on May 20 2004 by Candace Scott

5.0 out of 5 stars Renders "Abba Gold" obsolete
this 2 disc set of Abba spanning 1972-1982 (their entire run) is worth getting, even if it costs a little more than the famous Abba Gold. Read more

Published on Nov 30 2003 by Da Man

1.0 out of 5 stars Folks, This Is Just Abba
Abba, when I first heard them on American radio in the 70's were considered an insipid, sacharine joke. That is what they still are. Read more

Published on Oct 31 2003 by L. A. Kazan

5.0 out of 5 stars Great music
Having just seen the excellent musical "Mamma Mia", I wanted to purchase some Abba music. I almost bought the sound track sold at the theater-----but then luckily... Read more

Published on July 17 2003 by Ann M. Macpherson

5.0 out of 5 stars All the singles in one double CD
This collection includes all the songs that were released as singles in Sweden, plus re-mixes of two of them. Read more

Published on Mar 31 2003 by Peter Durward Harris

5.0 out of 5 stars ABBA's Definitive Retrospecitve!
THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION all but fills in a gap that was left open through all of the collections Polar Music has released on ABBA over the years: a collection that takes all of... Read more

Published on Mar 29 2003 by Troy Hartle

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