Super Trouper

And it did give them two more UK #1 singles, making a total nine. One is the title track, sung by Frida, about a singer who's going to be blinded by the giant spotlights on the stage of her concert, but won't mind, because somewhere out there, among the thousands of people, is her loved one. "Feeling like a number one?" Chartwise, definitely. Its B-side is the galloping "Elaine." This was a B-side? Should've been an A-side, as its frantic energy recalls other barnburners like "So Long" and "Tiger."

The other #1 is the bittersweet "The Winner Takes it All," a song inspired by Bjorn and Agnetha's divorce, but more about the pain of such a split-up. The song veers from the couple's split to an analogy to the judges decision in some competition. There's a biting sense of predestination, of one not being in control of one's destiny: "The gods may throw a dice/their minds as cold as ice/and someone way down there/loses someone dear."

The Top Ten single "On And On And On" with a mighty insistent stomping drums and synth rhythm, blaring synths, and an energy rivalling their previous albums.

"Andante Andante" is indeed an andante song. In music, it means moderate tempo, faster than adagio, but slower than allegretto. It makes a leisure slow-dance song, highlighted by the usual harmonies by the ladies.

With a fanfare like keyboard synth opening that continues throughout the song, "Me and I" explores the dual nature many people have, Jekyll/Hyde, and how normal it can be is encapsulated in the snappy chorus, "We're like sun and rainy weather, sometimes we're a hit together/me and I/gloomy moods and inspiration, we're a funny combination/me and I." And not to worry: "I don't think I'm different or in any way unique/think about yourself for a minute/and you'll find the answer to it/everyone's a freak." One of the best songs here, and it's definitely allegretto allegretto.

Another andante andante song is "Happy New Year" and the group is definitely one for New Year's Resolutions and new starts, where the vision of "a world where every neighbour is a friend." The fact that it had just turned 1980, and how ABBA was a group of the 70's, makes Agnetha wonder "what lies waiting down the line, in the end of 89." Oh, if only they knew!

Frida sings in the wistful "Our Last Summer," a personal song by Bjorn, the fond remembrance of a teenage summer in Paris during the Summer of Love, and how the feelings haven't changed years later.

I first heard "Lay All Your Love On Me" when the Information Society covered it on their first album. After hearing the original, I detect a hint towards 80's techno in this song of how an initial meeting with someone yields possessiveness and jealousy on the part of the affected party. The choir-like harmonies in the chorus give this song a kind of hallowed atmosphere. One of my favourites here. Definitely allegretto allegretto.

And now for an adagio adagio song, the Auld-Lang Syne atmosphere of "The Way Old Friends Do," recorded live at Wembley Stadium, with the harmonies, orchestra, and synths reaching a heavenly pitch. The farewell-type aura of this song seems to herald their imminent dissolution.

"Put On Your White Sombrero," sung by Frida, was only put on the Thank You For The Music box set and finally here when Bjorn finally decided that it was actually a good song. There are cowboy motifs in this goodbye song of someone who thinks life is a movie and rides off into the sunset for some meeker senorita.

However, ABBA's penultimate album shows them still in top form, with stronger sounds, well-constructed songs and melodies, with little indication that their next album would be their last. And it's official: instead of Arrival, I deem this my favourite album by them. It's super, troupers!


A masterpiece   February 9, 2003
Peter Durward Harris (Leicester England)
10 out of 14 found this review helpful

This is one of the best albums Abba recorded. Like some of the others, I bought it originally on vinyl, then upgraded to CD, then bought the re-mastered CD with three bonus tracks (including Gimmie gimmie gimmie, not listed on this edition but readily available on Abba compilations), but ignored the latest digipack version.

Two British number one hits came from this album. The first, Winner takes it all, is a very sad song about the break-up of a relationship. It was inspired by a marriage break-up within Abba, but was not itself autobiographical. As they admit, neither partner came out winners from the divorce. The song hits home hard, perhaps because Agnetha really felt the song. The second number one, Super trouper, is more typical Abba - very upbeat.

My favorite tracks are The piper, The way old friends do and Our last summer. The piper was put on the B-side of Super trouper. I felt that was a mistake - it would have made a great A-side. In fact, they could have used Put on your white sombrero as a B-side - it was dropped from the album and had only rarely been made available before its inclusion here. The way old friends do is a live recording which provided a great finale to the original album. With the bonus tracks, it no longer has that effect, but is still a great song.

Elaine was the original B-side of Winner takes it all but, like Put on your white sombrero, had rarely been available before, although both could be found on a 4-CD boxed set.

I thought Our last summer could have been a great single, but the only other British single to be released from the album was Lay all your love on me backed with On and on and on. They had proved popular on dance floors so were made available on twelve-inch format only.


Donyt Spend Money on these 24-bit remasterings!   June 3, 2003
John (New York, NY USA)
7 out of 14 found this review helpful

The 24-bit remastering of the ABBA CD's is a HUGE letdown. The older CD's (the one's that came out originally) have a much brighter sound, but plenty full. They remind me of the original album sound. But the new discs sound too muddy or dark and the high end (which includes things like acoustic guitars and cymbals) are rather flat or dead sounding. Like my fellow reviewer from San Diego said, "save your money". Keep your old discs. They simply sound better in a side by side comparison. The box set sound quality is better than these 24-bit remastered discs.


I was shocked by how much I liked this   November 6, 2004
Eric Bukowski
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Ever since I bought a turntable, a whole new realm of cheap music that I would never have dared paid a rediculous CD price for (or thought of buying in the first place) opened up to me.

Looking through some used album bins, I found some ABBA stuff, and hey, for a dollar a piece there's no reason not to buy them! So I picked them up, laughed at myself, and brought them home and listened.

I bought The Album and Arrival, besides one or two good album cuts they were just all about the hits. "Eh, just what I expected, a singles band with mediocre albums" I thought to myself. Then for some unexplained reason, I bought Super Trouper. There was just something about the oh-so-glamourous cover I guess.

So I drop the needle, and "Super Trouper" starts, which I already knew but never cared much for. For some weird reason, it sounded really good! Then "Winner Takes It All," which I've never heard before, completely nailed me with that incredible, emotive vocal performance. By the time I got around to the chorus of "On And On And On" and found myself dancing furiously as only a white guy can furiously dance I knew I was in the presence of one incredibly stupid-fun album.

By the time I got through the joyously pompous synth-brass blasts of "Me And I," the reflective ballad "Happy New Year," the quasi-Gentle Giant recorder breaks of the absurd track "The Piper" up through the over-the-top closing piece "The Way Old Friends Do" I came to the conclusion that I had just experienced one of the most rediculously entertaining albums I've heard for a while.

There isn't a single song on this album that I don't enjoy immensely, with the exception of "Our Last Summer" which I think kind of kills the otherwise perfect flow of the album. The other ABBA albums I have (Arrival, The Album, and Voulez Vous) are nowhere close as far as having the tremendous hooks, variety, and entertainment value that Super Trouper offers.

I never thought I'd see the day, but my Yes, Genesis, Led Zeppelin and King Crimson albums sit comfortably and proudly next to ABBA albums, Super Trouper in particular. Get it today!


Great album...but poor re-mastering   April 29, 2007
Micaloneus (the Cosmos)
5 out of 8 found this review helpful

I agree with John (from N.Y.), these 24-bit re-masters of the Abba catalogue were a big letdown. In a side by side comparison, the original discs sounded much better than these. The originals were brighter and plenty full; just like the original album sounded.

On the other hand, these 24-bit discs sound slightly muddy and the high end (which includes acoustic guitars and cymbals) are flat or dead sounding thanks to the no-noise solution. My advice, is to save your money and keep your old discs.