Voulez Vous: A Return To Form (Voulez Vous - ABBA)

Member Name: keeperofthematri

Product:	Voulez Vous - ABBA
Date:	19/05/09 (14 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strong, cohesive album

Disadvantages: I Have A Dream ~ a bit wet!

"Voulez Vous" was originally released in 1979 & featured 10 tracks by Abba

01) As Good As New
From the first few moments of the opening tracks it becomes apparent that Abba might be moving more towards the disco sound than they had done on 1976's "Arrival" & 1977's "The Album". It's a decent opening track but by no means the best on the album.

02) Voulez Vous
People listening to this album when it first came out must have been certain that Abba really had gone disco by the time this travk was over. It's a top notch slice of disco froth. Great for dancing too.

03) I Have A Dream
A change of pace after the first two rather uptempo numbers. It's a gentle ballad but I've always rather it a little too sickly sweet for my taste. However, even people liked it at the time to push it upto Number 2 in the UK charts in 1979.

04) Angeleyes
Back to the disco vibe for this track which was released as a double a-side with Voulez Vous. It's not as good as Voulez Vous but it's much more preferable to I Have A Dream.

05) The King Has Lost His Crown
Not lyrically the strongest song on the album but very easy to listen to & rather hard to dislike.

06) Does Your Mother Know
Bjorn takes lead vocal on Abba's second UK single release of 1979 (it got to number 4). It's not a bad track but it's second rather than premier division Abba. Thankfully Bjorn left the singing to the girls after this (barring one track on The Visitors).

07) If It Wasn't For The Nights
Originally considered as a potential first single release from the album. This is another of the disco flavoured tracks from the album & is arguably a better track than As Good As New.

08) Chiquitita
After the success of the Spanish flavoured Fernando in 1976 Abba returned to similar territory for their first UK single release of 1979. The song starts of in a nice low-key fashion, perhaps causing the listener to think they're in for a gentle ballady type of number. The rather rousing chorus soon dispells that. Definitely the best non-disco track on the album.

09) Lovers (Live A Little Longer)
Definitely the oddest track on the album. The song's all about a physician who can prove that Lovers Live A Little Longer. It probably won't be to everyone's taste, but it's another of those little oddities (like Dum Dum Diddle on Arrival) &, as such, I have rather a soft spot for it.

10) Kisses Of Fire
This starts of rather slowly before it bursts into it's full disco glory. It's pleasant enough & at 3 minutes 16 seconds doesn't overstay it's welcome.


The 1997 remastered version of the album saw the 1978 UK number five hit Summer Night City & the UK b-side to Chiquitita, Lovelight, added to the playlist whilst later issues saw the addition of 1979 UK number three hit Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).


11) Summer Night City
Abba's first foray into disco music was this 1978 UK number 5 hit. It's got a decent enough chorus but, for my money, isn't up to the standards of tracks like Knowing Me, Knowing You & The Winner Takes It All.

12) Lovelight
Originally the b-side to Chiquitita. I've never been that keen on this track, finding it all a bit forgetable.

13) Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
A true Abba classic:- Agnetha's lead vocal is great & the backing track was so good that Madonna sampled it on her number one single Hung Up. The instrumental break is perhaps a tad too long but that's a minor quibble.


Voulez Vous marks a pleasant return to form after the slightly disappointing 1978 release The Album. The five top five UK singles:- Chiquitita, Does Your Mother Know, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! as well as double a side Angeleyes / Voulez Vous will be familiar to most listeners but the remaining original tracks:- As Good As New, If It Wasn't For The Nights, Kisses Of Fire and Lovers (Live A Little Longer) ensure that the album retains a high overall standard.

Summary: An Improvement on "The Album"