Overlooked and underrated 15 of ABBA’s absolute best deep tracks
Ever since ABBA won the Eurovision song contest in 1974, they’ve been one of the most beloved, applauded, and culturally influential bands worldwide. Crowds still run to the dance floor whenever one of their dozens of hit songs start playing. Their albums live on in the collections of generations of fans. And, every year, new people keep discovering and falling in love with them.
We all know their hits. We’ve all danced to “Dancing Queen,” sang along to “Mamma Mia!,” and felt the heartbreak of “Knowing Me, Knowing You.” These lyrics and melodies are imprinted on culture. However, there are many more songs of theirs that didn’t necessarily hit the charts or become worldwide sensations.
Here are 15 of ABBA’s absolute best deep tracks that deserve more recognition, each worthy of placement on ABBA Gold alongside their biggest hits.
*Note: In order to narrow down the list, no song that appeared in their greatest hits album ABBA Gold has been included, nor has any song that was included in either of the Mamma Mia! movies or the stage show. At least one song from each of their albums appears here.
1. “People Need Love”
From Ring Ring, 1973. By the time they won Eurovision in ’74, ABBA had actually already released a full-length album, Ring Ring.
Even though only a handful of songs have carried into their more popular catalog, “People Need Love” is a great display of the musical style that would become their signature: a strong synth, layered vocals between the men and women, and lyrics that could be read as corny but are incredibly earnest.
2. “Hasta Mañana”
From Waterloo, 1974. The song that could have been. “Hasta Mañana” was the other song that ABBA considered competing in Eurovision with (and we know how that turned out).
Even though it wasn’t nearly as wildly successful as its Napoleonic counterpart, this is a strong ABBA ballad that showcases their characteristic melancholy, and the start of their love affair with the Spanish language.
3. “Bang-A-Boomerang”
From ABBA, 1975. ABBA always had a knack for taking seemingly random ideas or concepts (a historical battle, a type of spotlight, the name of a person) and creating a narrative around it.
In “Bang-A-Boomerang,” a boomerang is used in a fun, upbeat song to illustrate how love comes back around to you if you’re unafraid to give yourself. Love is a bang-a-boomerang, after all.
4. “So Long”
From ABBA, 1975. Although ABBA is mostly known for their pop/ disco sounds, they actually ventured into rock music more often than not.
“So Long” is a throwback to vintage 1950s swing and rock-n-roll—about a girl turning away a boy who’s trying to buy her gifts—even with some references to the slang of the time.