Saturday 31 October 2015

November Calendar Pictures - Part 2

A few more November pictures from old Abba calendars...

November Calendar Pictures - Part 1

Abba calendar images for November from previous years...

November 2015 Calendar Picture

Here is a great picture of Benny for November from my 2015 Abba Calendar...

"Thank You For The Music" Shop Display

Here is a picture of a shop display for Abba's "Thank You For The Music" box set which I found on eBay a few years ago...

"Thank You Abba" Video

The image below shows a video titled "Thank You Abba" which was released in 1994 shortly after the "Thank You For The Music Box" set...

"Thank You For The Music" Promotion

The picture below shows some samples of the promotional materials issued in 1994 for Abba's box set "Thank You For The Music"...

Abba Date - 31st October 1994

Today in 1994 Abba released the box set "Thank You For The Music" which included 3CDs of the group's recordings between 1972 and 1982 and a CD of rare and previously unreleased tracks.

Friday 30 October 2015

Abba's "Happy New Year" On New Compilation

Abba's "Happy New Year" is included on a new compilation album titled "Now That's What I Call Christmas" - this CD box set is released in the UK on November 6th and also includes tracks by Wham, Elton John, Slade, Boney M and Kelly Clarkson.

"Gracias Por La Musica" Singles

The picture below shows more versions of Abba's single "Gracias Por La Musica"...

Thursday 29 October 2015

Collection - Mexican "Gracias Por La Musica" Single

The picture below shows a 7" Abba single originally released in Mexico from my collection ; "Gracias Por La Musica" (Spanish version of "Thank You For The Music") with "Dame! Dame! Dame!" on the B side. The single, released by RCA in 1980, reached number 15 in the charts and includes the lyrics to both songs printed on the back of the cover.

Wednesday 28 October 2015

"Greatest Hits Vol. 2" Posters

The image below shows a few of the posters and promotional materials which were produced during the release of Abba's "Greatest Hits Vol. 2"...

"Greatest Hits Vol. 2" Chart Positions

The table below shows some of the world wide chart positions for Abba's "Greatest Hits Vol. 2" -

  • Number 1 - UK, Belgium, Canada
  • Number 2 - Japan, Switzerland, Zimbabwe, Austria
  • Number 3 - Argentina, New Zealand
  • Number 4 - Netherlands
  • Number 5 - Finland, France
  • Number 6 - Germany
  • Number 20 - Australia, Sweden
  • Number 25 - Norway, Spain
  • Number 46 - USA

Abba Date - 29th October 1979

On the 29th October 1979 Abba released the compilation album "Abba Greatest Hits Vol. 2" which included the latest single "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme".

The album entered the UK album chart at number 8 reaching number 1 the following week (replacing Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk") where it stayed for 4 weeks. The top 5 selling albums in the UK that week were as follows -

  1. Abba "Greatest Hits Vol 2"
  2. Rod Stewart "Greatest Hits"
  3. Fleetwood Mac "Tusk"
  4. The Police "Reggatta Del Blanc"
  5. Various "Rock 'n' Roll Disco"
The album was the 6th biggest selling of 1979 in the UK (pretty good as effectively it was only available for 2 out of the 12 months) and the 17th biggest selling album of 1980 ; "Super Trouper" being top of the list for that year.

Abba 1976 "Arrival" Photo Shoot

The pictures below are from an Abba photo shoot in 1976 which was part of the promotion for their "Arrival" album - as I mentioned earlier today one of these images was used for the cover of the Saudi cassette of "The Visitors" with various hints of flesh (Agnetha and Benny) covered up...

Tuesday 27 October 2015

Collection

This cassette of Abba’s album "The Visitors" from my collection was I believe originally released in Saudi Arabia. There are two odd things about the picture of the group used on the cover, firstly it's a picture from the 1976 "Arrival" session and secondly having checked some of the images from the original photo session (which I will post later) the chest area of Agnetha and Benny have been covered up. I assume this was due to some local religious requirements about not showing cleavage or chest hair...

Portuguese "Hasta Manana" Single

Here is another version of Abba's single "Hasta Manana" from my collection - this one was originally released in Portugal in 1974 on the Polydor record label and includes "Honey Honey" on the b-side.

Italian "Hasta Manana" Single

The picture below shows the 1974 Italian release of Abba's "Hasta Mañana" (which included "Watch Out" on the b-side) on the Dig It record label ; the single spent 6 weeks in the Italian charts peaking at number 30.

1974 Abba Photo Shoot

Here are some pictures from a 1974 Abba photo shoot one of which was used for the Japanese release of "Hasta Manana" which I mentioned earlier today...

Monday 26 October 2015

Abba Date - 27th October 1974

On the 27th October 1974 Abba released "Hasta Manana" (b-side "Honey Honey") in Japan.

Sunday 25 October 2015

"Never Again" Gold Record Awards

During November 1982 Agnetha and Tomas Ledin received gold records to mark the success of their duet "Never Again"...

Agnetha "Never Again" Chart Positions

As well as being a hit in Sweden Agnetha's duet with Tomas Ledin, "Never Again", charted in a number of other countries as shown below...

  • Number 2 - Sweden
  • Number 5 - Norway
  • Number 9 - Belgium
  • Number 19 - Finland, Netherlands
  • Number 37 - Germany
  • Number 44 - France

Agnetha And Tomas Ledin "Never Again" Photo Shoot

Here are some pictures from a photo shoot with Agnetha and Tomas Ledin which would be used for the cover of their duet "Never Again"...

Abba Date - 26th October 1982

On the 26th October 1982 Agnetha's duet with Tomas Ledin "Never Again" first entered the Swedish chart. The single would eventually reach number 2 and spend a total of 16 weeks in the chart.

Saturday 24 October 2015

Frida "Something's Going On" Box Set - Part 4

Last picture from the amazing new box set from Frida - and possibly my favourite item - the signed card...

Frida "Something's Going On" Box Set - Part 3

Here are some pictures of the 7" single of "I Know There's Something Going On" from Frida's new box set...