Hey, folks! Sorry, a friend of the channel had hinted to me this song dealt with the Cold War and Soviet Union, but in the moment, I forgot the comment (I suppose I was focused on reviewing the progression of album-openers yesterday and the hint slipped out of my mind). My bad, but I appreciate the insight from all you awesome people. Cheers!
Had this album when it came out .... I always pictured it in my mind as aliens from outer space ! ~ Scary monsters indeed ! ( subconscious allegorical manifestation of the cold war )
This is probably my favorite ABBA album. Fantastic dance music. I initially thought it was about Aliens from outer space. However, after researching, it was written about the Cold war invasion. Brilliant writing.
Imagine how great this song works as the opener at The ABBA VOYAGE concert in London!!?? So powerful and emotional to see the ABBAtars rising from the floor of the stage and the live band playing it so powerful and true to the original! And the lightning - WOW! I want to go again! So to everybody reading this: Don´t go to London without seeing ABBA Voyage! It is indeed mindblowing! And sold out every night/afternoon 30 dates a month with 3.000 spectators each show for now over 2½ years!!!! So it must have surpassed 2,5 million visitors by now! WOW - just WOW!
Ethereal, surreal, haunting yet catchy, danceable . Gay clubs in the 80s would play this and it always packed the dance floors, laser lights and smoke machines. Brings back memories. Thank you for your music ABBA.
I do think that "The Visitors" is one of their best album in terms of creativity and lyrical depth. They moved away from the 3-4 minutes pop songs and concentrated on experimental, grown up stuff that resonated on a deeper level. You can tell that they didn't want to repeat themselves, they left the mainstream behind. That's why this album is a gem.
Yes, you nailed it. Not wanting to repeat themselves, leaving mainstream behind is what made me dislike the album at first. I could never put my finger on it. But after a few listens, it grew on me, and is one of my favorites. Getting away from mainstream, I feel this was the mindset of both Benny and Bjorn as they grew as songwriters. It is also apparent on Voyage. Mainstream wasn't the goal. Doing what they wanted, liked, found creative, was.
No wonder they start their fabulous jaw dropping Voyage concert with this incredible timely song that was years ahead of their time in production and sound.
For anyone who’s seen the ABBA Voyage live shows know just how special this song is as the show opener. Late 70s ABBA singing a song from 1981 in 2023. All whilst you’re eyes see one thing as your brain tells you another. Totally phenomenal hearing it live.
Can’t wait, I’m seeing the show this coming Monday the 26th and so looking forward to the show opening with this synth pop epic masterpiece in ABBA’s overall catalog. Sounds as stunning today as when it was originally released in 1981!
I LOOOOOVE THIS SONG! A real masterpiece and perhaps my favourite ABBA song over all! Fridas lead vocals is so mezmerising and haunting! And a clue to how she would sound like on her first english solo album Somethings Going On from 1982! And the whole sound and instrumentatiion and of course the lyrics - are all so different and new in comparison to ABBA s earlier stuff! Some say they were running out of ideas on The Visitors - I think they never were better! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I love abba grew up with them in the 70s. Abba where the best pop group ever no other band will top them. There music still sounds fantastic and better than music today.
A fantastic opening track to an album, the atmosphere building and then boom. Cant wait for you to get to The Day Before You Came. They keyboards are totally elevated.
This song is so strongly conceptually elaborated. The icy grim atmosphere of the lyrics, the way of singing and the music. Everything is right. Frida seems to have practiced for a long time to put it that way.
Hi, Matt :) I posted after Lay All Your Love On Me and spoke about their club hits, mentioning one track you'd yet to hear; this is it. The Visitors was a club staple for a couple of years. I came out in the June of '82. Spent the previous year away from people (cos sorting my head out), ABBA had finished and kinda mourning that, so much of my life was in a state of change and i went to my first gay club. I was already a bit mind blown when i heard The Visitors start, but that wasn't all - it was about 12 the DJ was playing it to get people up and dancing and it worked, the floor was packed! Couldn't believe it, while I'd spent a year being miserable everyone else was out dancing to my favourite track on ABBA's last album. For 8 years from the age of 10 I had been teased for liking ABBA and now they were dead(ish) I found out they were cool! One of the guys took me to the club charts posted in the hallway where I also found Gimmie!, Lay All Your Love, and On And On And On. Coming out in '82 was a huge deal and on the day i finally did it what made me the happiest, that validated my life choices more than anything else was those club charts and watching a packed floor dancing to The Visitors. I'm telling you this cos your reactions have helped me reevaluate and reconnect with ABBA. The process is ongoing, when my thoughts crystallise i'll let you know. Thanks, Matt, i owe you. 😊
Well, I'm so glad to see you again with the next ABBA album "The visitors" (1981) gives me complex and different sensations ABBA was in a delicate personal stage, since they began recording the album right after Benny and Frida's separation. Björn and Benny were with their new partners, and as composers they entered the stage of experimenting, and with the project of writing a musical That is why I think that the title of the song and the album is not accidental, since in addition to being about the dissidents in the former USSR, I think that they speak of themselves as "visitors" of what "was" ABBA originally (in as for them as couples) Even the cover is very graphic: the Four separated and isolated (image that will be deepened in the official video of the future single "The day before you came" in 1982) the song itself is very good in its genre, it has a futuristic air (it could go as a soundtrack in a "Star Wars" movie) Frida does a great job in lead voice, the chorus is good but different from ABBA's more traditional, the use of synthesizers by Benny is majestic, and Björn's lyrics are strong I really like the song itself (8/9pts), it could be in my Top3 but on the album "The Visitors" I prefer other tracks, that comes soon "The Visitors" is the opening track ot the homonymous album It hasn't a video or TV perfomance, but now in the new Voyage Concerts that begin last May 2022 in London is the fantastic opening concert I leave you greetings from my land Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America
This song was huge in the dance clubs, especially gay clubs throughout the 80s. At 12 midnight on Jan 1 1985, I was in Studio One, a huge gay club in LA, and marveled as this song was the first one played in the new year (and it was already 3 or 4 years old). To see the jam packed dance floor and to hear this blasting on the excellent sound system is something I will never, ever forget. This track is among my top 5 ABBA favorite ABBA songs.
You know I have been asked many times what is my favourite Abba album and it always seesaws between 'The Album' and 'The Visitors' but I think the latter has the edge. Overall it is an exceptional album with one weak track, not a bad track, just weaker than the others (take a wild guess which that is) but it is a completely unique album. Abba moved away completely from what they normally did and produced an album way ahead of its time and even today it feels as fresh as it did as when it was released. Yet again they continued and indeed completed (at that time) their perfect record of opening album tracks being incredible, if you don't believe me, go check them out and the album is thoughtful, melancholic, dark, very experimental, fun at times and exceptionally moving at others. It is a masterwork!
What a start to a fantastic album. Bjorn had reached new heights with his lyrical content. The vocals from Frida on this track reflected the lyrical content and were very much reflected the evermore move to synth pop that was taking place in the U.K. and elsewhere at the beginning of the 1980’s. One of my favourite ABBA songs.
Greetings from Norway! 🇳🇴 As an ABBA-fan since the 70s, I appreciate the groups wish to expand their musical horizons. To me, however, The Visitors album stands for everything ABBA was not. Gloomy and dark. The playfulness and their joy had gone, even in the more "happy" tracks on the album; "Head over Heels", "One of Us" and "Slipping Through My Fingers". The Visitors is definitely not my favourite album. BUT: you have an even more bleak track ahead of you - "The Day Before You Came" which is one of my all time favourites. Released as a single in 1982 and was the last song they ever recorded until the Voyage album some 40 years later. Everything is played on Benny’s synth, with Agnetha on lead and an operatic vocal performance from Frida. TDBYC is sad and melancholic, yet hauntingly beautiful. It requires some listening as it’s not as immediate and catchy as some of ABBAs other A-side singles. You continue to amaze me with all your educated thoughts, wisdom and knowledge in your intros and endings. As a European I have not been given that impression from many of your fellow Americans in recent years. There’s hope! 😅
Haha, neither have I! (in relation to your final comment). But cheers, those kind words mean a lot. I'm a music lover and omnivore, so it's great to learn from so many people who've been following the groups I'm now exploring for years, ABBA included. Thanks again, another ABBA reaction coming in a few hours!
@@mattsnider2667Looking forward to them all, and TDBYC in particular. You are a synth-lover, so I guess this track will be right up your alley. It is said that when Agnetha recorded her vocals, she did it in a dark studio. When she was finished, she hung up her headphones on the microphone stand and left. And ABBA was history. The sound engineer had said during the recording of the Visitors album that they should quit. There was so little joy left. Everything was a struggle. TDBYC was the last they did. Until new material was released in 2021. Keep up the good work, Matt. 🫶
I always thought the main character of this song was someone like a hoarder, living in their home , socially isolated, and going a bit crazy. I didn't think of any connection to the Cold War until reading this in these comments! It makes a lot of sense as an explanation.
Which three did you choose? I would have gone for 'I Let The Music Speak as No.1 and then 'Slipping Through My Fingers' and 'Like An Angel Passing Through My Room' as No's 2 and 3
@@nigeljames5622 Good choises! In my case I would replace "I Let the Music Speak" with "The Visitor" and agree on the other two. Nice to see someone mentioning "Like an angel passing through my room", way too few do that IMO. Perhaps my favorite Abba song of all times, but as always depending on my mood (lots of great songs to choose from!)
Abba's Swan Song. It remind's me of Abba's Tropical Loveland, the way they use thier voices in the chorus. So experimental, like jazz, or like you say, new wave. My favorite song by them, I think. Thank you for doing this one up!! 😎👍💅
Abba has done so many amazingly good songs about always green...But Andante Andante is special I think. Frida with her wonderful voice really does it justice❤️🧡💛😍💙💚💜🤎❤️💫
Hi Mat, I believe Frida spent weeks tuning her voice to match, malicious Russian Disadents. Many people of the younger generation forget the fear we as the world lived in, in the early stages of the 80s ( sadly not much has changed. This song opens The Visitors with omg that blew my mind. I remember the first time listening to it...thinking I had bought the wrong album. As per usual this is a master class in vocals... Souring highs, to rumbling lows. No matter where The Visitors sit in each fans list, the lyrics music are masterpieces. I find it a bit sad and also hope, that the younger generation is now discovering the soundtrack to my youth. I was fortunate enough to see them live here in Australia..the crowd crush, especially only being very young and from a small country town...The wall of sound that hit me was like a sonic boom 💥. Seeing your reactions, transports me to a much younger self.🙏 I personally rate this album amongst their best. That was until their gift 🎁 of Voyage. Have a brilliant day Mat and Lucca. Your friend in Melbourne, Craig 🇦🇺
Lovng yiour reactions. Hav ebeen Abba fan here in Uk since 1973 when I heard Ring Ring on now defunked Radio Luxembiourg.. Abiout missing tracks on special edition albums...how about Dreamworld unreleased track from Voulez Vous sessions. Finally released 1994. It was left off the album for Does Your Mother Know? instead....they share similar chorus structures. Oh and The Visitors is about the Soviet Bloc as was and the totalitarian regimes in USSR and Eastern Europe...the track was banned in USSR!
Abbasolutely one of my favs by this band ! ...it was a dance club floor filler at the time of it's release. Always wished the group had produced a really cool eerie and mysterious music video to go along with this track, mini sci fi movie. I feel it could be done now as well incorporating the Abbatars to support the half-speed remaster of this album plus Voyage. Still so thrilled they chose to open the Voyage concert with this track, it certainly would have been my choice !
When it came out (I was age 11) I got the feeling that people were just not ready for such an ''experimental' vocal but wow, what a creative statement.
I was 14 when this came out- after a childhood obsessed with them, came to this album late (hello Bowie). As a kid, I wanted The Visitors to be an extension of what they’d done before. But it grew- I grew, this is album appreciated ‘re-visiting’
Her performance on this track is one of the reasons she's may favourite of the two. They have such different styles but i lean towards Frida's intonation and warmer tones.
I think this is their best album, certainly the most dark album. This is definitely a Frida album as her best vocals are found here including the non album cut which I'm sure you will also get to.
@@flemmingkristoffersen1896 Agnetha has one standout song and it's not the single. On the other hand Frida has several holy cow tracks. She leads off both album sides and closes side two with beautiful songs and unusual. I think this was the peak of her career.
The Visitor's (1981) album banned by USSR in 1982. Two songs they did not like: 1. The Visitor's 2. Soldiers The Visitor's = KGB/State Police. POV of Russian dissident(s) and the anxiety felt as The Visitor's have come to take her away. Soldiers. Tribute to Soldiers. The chorus lyrics have a Thomas Paine, 'Rights of Man' vibe. I wonder if Bjorn has read 'Rights of Man' by Paine. Sweden POV is important on this song in regards to 'Whiskey on the Rocks' incident, Oct 1981. A HUGE news story. - verse one - "beast" refers to USSR. - verse two - threat of nuclear war Leading up to 'Whiskey on the Rocks' incident. During the 1960's, 70's and into 80's, Soviet subs offen encroached and penetrated Swedish waters in and around Stockholm Islands. The Swedish military would often fire across the bow of Soviet water craft to keep them out of Swedish waters. Then it happened. The Whiskey on the Rocks! A whiskey class Soviet sub grounded on rocks about 10 kilometers from a Swedish navel base. The Swedes caught the Soviet sub as it was trying to dislodge itself from the rocks. The Swedes eventually sent a team to inspect the sub for possible nuclear weapons. The sub was indeed armed with nuclear warheads. When you listen to Soldiers, keep The Whiskey on the Rocks story in mind. The song was written a bit before The Whiskey on the Rocks incident, but it shows the tension of the Cold War between "neutral" Sweden and the USSR. The timing of The Visitors album, Nov 1981, lined up perfectly.
Yeah, Matt. I agree... This tune introducing the new wave. (maybe laying the groundwork for Human League, Simple Minds... and then A-ha, Duran Duran...etc😊) Amazing work on this track, especially Benny and Frida❤. See you next, Matt & Lucca Love ❤️ from Chile 🇨🇱👍
More news in the updated statistics of the ABBA playlist at the beginning of Sunday “The visitors” also exceeded 1000 views (the 43th ABBA song to archieve it) But did it in just four days And the songs on the new album are also growing at a great rate And that meant that already this morning the accumulated playlist of ABBA comfortably exceeded 90,000 accumulated views So in a few days we will reach 100,000 accumulated views the Top20 of your ABBA playlist remains almost the same, the same as the Top10 of your musical reactions and the accumulated albums, so this time I will not repeat myself
I have to admit that this has become my favorite Abba song. Partially, perhaps, because it was their final, and least successful single in the U.S. It was not overplayed, in fact I never heard it played on the radio at all. I don't think radio programmers knew what to make of this darker, more experimental track. Plus there was no video-so even MTV was unable to help. However, it was huge in the dance clubs.(We thought it was called Cracking Up.) Nonetheless, it has since earned it's place in history as a fan favorite.
I love the memory of this song being played in dance clubs; there were even unofficial remixes. By the time I was old enough to go out, it was the early 90s so this track was already considered "retro," but I had never seen a dance floor fill so quickly with whooping, sweaty drunkards in my life! Absolutely electric.
I heard it twice on the radio, once on X-ROK 80 (Jaurez, El Paso) and once on some FM station in Dallas. But it was a staple in dance clubs throughout the decade and even beyond.
Re: vocals The lead is Anni-Frid Lyngstad. She was tge one that Stikkan 'Stig' Anderson went after. She is known for her multiple octave (alto, mezzo, soprano) range. She is classified as a mezzo-soprano. She was the last one to commit to the group. She came from the stages. A vocal centric genre professional working vocalist. She was reluctant to join a pop group,as she preferred vocal centric genres, particularly jazz, etc...
This album is one of my favorites, possibly only second to "The Album." To me this was their most daring and experimental album, and it had the feel of a cold winter day through several of the songs. It seemed to me that they wanted to try heading in a new direction, and mostly it worked, with a couple of exceptions. I can't think of many examples of group taking such chances so late in their careers, although "Savage" by Eurythmics comes to mind.
Hi! I just discovered your TH-cam Channel, specially your ABBA reactions, and I have to say that I've enjoyed all your videos. You just got yourself a new subscriber haha. I will be waiting for your reaction to Should I Laugh or Cry, one of my favorite ABBA songs. Regards from Chile :)
Cheers, appreciate that! And yeah, I slept on the genius of ABBA for many years, so it's amazing to explore their catalog now along with others who've known their music for longer.
Yes,yet it's Abba.! And Yes it's Frida.Same one who also did lead on the Baroque theatrical pop of 'Money,Money,Money' back in 1976.Would you believe this?!
I was born on March 20, 1969, so when the album "The Visitors" was released in November 1981, I was 12 years old going on 13. I remember hearing the first two singles, "One of Us" and "When All Is Said and Done," on the radio at the time, but I also remember that the songs did not make as big of an impact on the charts as "The Winner Takes It All" the previous year. I was a teenager when my father bought me a compilation album containing all the songs from "The Visitors" that he sent me from Saudi Arabia where he was working at the time. I think the album was just too grown-up for my teenage ears, although I did love the song "Soldiers." Today, I can certainly appreciate the intricacies of the album. "The Visitors" (song) has an absolutely gorgeous and soaring synth-line. From Wikipedia: "The official stated theme is a protest against the mistreatment of political dissidents in the Soviet Union at the time, as ABBA seemed to put political issues into their lyrics in the final days of the group. Björn Ulvaeus has stated that at the time of release he preferred that the song should have a sense of mystery so did not explain the exact meaning." Knowing this gives the song an extra layer of urgency and complexity. The original album release contained only nine songs, but the 2012 Deluxe Edition of "The Visitors" showcased six bonus tracks, all of which had been previously released on other compilation albums through the years. However, for the first time here they all were on one album. I hope Adam gave you these bonus tracks because I would love to see your reaction to songs like "Cassandra," "Should I Laugh or Cry," "Under Attack," and the mysterious "The Day Before You Came." Looking over the track list of what's ahead of you for "The Visitors," I have to say that I am looking forward to each and every song, especially "Soldiers" and "I Let the Music Speak." Keep up the great work, Matt! 😀
The beginning of the end. Since this is the final studio album until Voyage, you have one song not included on the album and those that were recorded for the follow-up album that never was. They are: Should I Laugh Or Cry I Am The City Cassandra You Owe Me One Under Attack The Day Before You Came and the never officially released Just Like That
After I was given Super Trouper, I never checked out any of their other material as my tastes headed in a a different direction but that was a great song.
Re: ABBA and records "sold" to USSR ABBA was enormous in Eastern Bloc countries. Poland, Ukraine, etc... And Russia itself. ABBA/Polar could not sell records to USSR directly due to currency issues. So ABBA/ Polar Music traded records for oil and other commodities.
Visitors was not intended to be the last ABBA album. After Visitors, Björn and Benny got an oppertunity to work on a musical. This was something they had long wanted to do. The ABBA members agreed on atwo year break. Eventually Chess took four years to make. By then, no one wanted to go back to ABBA.
The new voice of Frida! I wish that I can interview Bjorn and Benny and ask them what this song is really about and also about every other songs they've written. 😊
Now this is the kind of ABBA I like! "Love Isn't Easy" it ain't! Not sure of all the musical influences on this one .... hints of "Summer Night City" though ...
The Visitor's album. Released Nov 1991. One month following the enormous international story -- The Whiskey on the Rocks'. A Soviet whiskey class sub with nuclear warheads ran a ground and got stuck on the rocks, 10 km from Swedish Naval base. In 1982, the USSR banned The Visitor's album because of two songs: 1. The Visitor's 2. Soldiers
Re: Frida and Ertha Kitt Frida is known for her keen ear and vocal versatility., diaphragmatic breathing, etc.... She mentioned Ertha Kitt vocal style as an inspiration for her icy vocals. Listen to Me & I. That really has a Ertha Kitt vibe.
@@mattsnider2667 Well BB kinda did... Benny and Bjorn's musical 'Chess' 1986 and their sophisticated operatic 'Kristina fran Duvemala' in 1996. The 1984, CHESS concept album I highly recommend. Also 'The very operatic 'Kristina' recordings, which is 39 songs. 'Kristina' was staged in Europe. 4 plus hours. The usually stuffy classical critics called it a masterpiece? It is an emotional rollercoaster. Music: Benny Lyrics/playwright: Bjorn Today it is considered Swedens National Opera. Re: Benny Andersson The Americans largely ignore Benny's output. The Euro's do not. I feel like many Americans are stuck on Lennon-McCarthy, etc.... Although as more Americans dig into ABBA, they will start to realize Benny's beautiful compositions. Re: Benny Andersson's 'Piano' album 2017 - classical interpretations of ABBA songs. Chess songs. Kristina. BAO (Benny Andersson Orchestra), and some of his movie theme songs. Again the stuffy classical critics called Benny a master pianist. Incredibly high reviews. One day Americans will release the greatness of Benny Andersson. BB's output is enormous! ABBA's 'I Let The Music Speak' fits right into Chess and 'Kristina fran Duvemala'.
Democracy ?. Communism. . What about happiness ?. + love your input. On abba tracks , especially from 🇺🇸..where you haven't had there musical journey like we have in _ Europe.. there B - side's always experimental along with some album tracks.. 👌 keep up your positive vibes ... let's hope our " ode to freedom " isn't needed..?. 😢
Cold War yes! The Visitor's song is a tribute to Russian dissidents. The "Visitors" is reference to the KGB/State Police from USSR. Sung from POV of Russian dissident(s). This album was released Nov 1981. USSR banned this album in 1982, because of two cold war songs: 1. The Visitor's 2. Soldiers The tensions in Sweden were very high between Sweden and Russia because of the incursions by Soviet subs into Swedish waters, which started in the 60's. Sweden was officially neutral, but technically supported the West/US Policy. Then it happened: Oct 1981. The Whiskey on the Rock's. A Soviet whiskey class grounded itself on the rocks 10km from a Swedish navel base. The Soviet sub crew tried to free the sub, but failed. The Swedes caught them. The sub had nuclear warheads. ABBA's release of 'The Visitors' highlighted the 'Whiskey on the Rocks' story even more. The "Whiskey" grounding was a HUGE international news story at the time. Listen to 'Soldiers' and pay mind to the Whiskey on the Rocks' incident. - verse one: beast = USSR - verse two: fear of nuclear war - chorus: very Thomas Paine 'rights of man".... Asking for civilian support of the righteous soldier.
At the time of release many thought twas about aliens or smth.But it is a cold war theme regardeing Soviet Union and 'The West".Twas many years later that Bjorn's cryptic messages made sense after some revelations.
Oh damn, that's right! Someone even gave me that hint, but I forgot about it by the time I shot the video. Argghh, my brain is struggling to remember everything.
@marvinquezada7203 I had just stepped in my teens at the time and remember some tension spread by the media but couldn't relate Abba's works to this.Tbh i didn't care that much about politics at such an age,Even though i was more mature at the time than my other fellas, and looked quite 'serious' ,all i wanted was to have friends,buy records,read the music press and listen to the music,lol..
@marvinquezada7203 It was also that 'new music' with synth acts was the new sensation of the decade and there was a hype everyone had decided to say 'goodbeye to the '70s and Abba were mainly considered a huge part of it.But I do insist that 'The Visitors' should have been a double a sided single with "One of Us" and not be 'burried' as a b side to 'Head Over heals" that sounded kinda 'old fadshioned' and 'middle aged' for the charts at the time.No offense to HOH cause i do like the song but as an album cut not as a single for the time of release.Timing was very important at that turning point in the music scene.
@@Urfinchannel As far as i know Benny wasn't even that keen on OOU either.But it turned out the best choice comercially.A fine tune that still sounds beautiful.But me being part of the public eye those years ,i can reasure that both HOH and its follower TDBYC weren't what fans really expected and had being used to from Abba at the time.Fortunately 1981/1982 releases got critical and public acknowledgement later years.
I hear the door-bell ring and suddenly the panic takes me The sound so ominously tearing through the silence I cannot move, I'm standing numb and frozen Among the things I love so dearly The books, the paintings and the furniture, help me The signal's sounding once again and someone tries the doorknob None of my friends would be so stupidly impatient And they don't dare to come here anymore now But how I loved our secret meetings We talked and talked in quiet voices, smiling Now I hear them moving Muffled noises coming through the door, I feel I'm Crackin' up Voices growing louder, irritation building And I'm close to fainting Crackin' up They must know by now I'm in here trembling In a terror ever growing Crackin' up My whole world is falling, going crazy There is no escaping, now I'm Crackin' up These walls have witnessed all the anguish of humiliation And seen the hope of freedom glow in shining faces And now they've come to take me, come to break me And yet it isn't unexpected I have been waiting for these visitors, help me Now I hear them moving Muffled noises coming through the door, I feel I'm Crackin' up Voices growing louder, irritation building And I'm close to fainting Crackin' up They must know by now I'm in here trembling In a terror ever growing Crackin' up My whole world is falling, going crazy There is no escaping, now I'm Crackin' up Now I hear them moving Muffled noises coming through the door, I feel I'm Crackin' up Voices growing louder, irritation building And I'm close to fainting Crackin' up They must know by now I'm in here trembling In a terror ever growing Crackin' up My whole world is falling, going crazy There is no escaping, now I'm Crackin' up Now I hear them moving Muffled noises coming through the door, I feel I'm Crackin' up Voices growing louder, irritation building And I'm close to fainting Crackin' up They must know by now I'm in here trembling In a terror ever growing Crackin' up My whole world is falling, going crazy There is no escaping, now I'm Crackin' up
Further to my request for subtitles I came across: Add subtitles and captions Sign in to TH-cam Studio. From the left-hand menu, select Subtitles. Click the video that you'd like to edit. Click ADD LANGUAGE and select your language. Under subtitles, click ADD Hope that helps.
Hey there. So I looked into this, and you can add subtitles ... but only if I type them out manually or create a text file. And I'd have to do that for each video. That would unfortunately be very time-consuming (again, I don't have an assistant and do this all in my free time), but for the time being, you could comment and ask me what I said at any particular moment (by including a time-stamp). I know that's not quite the same but at least it's something. Also I did notice TH-cam eventually adds subtitles to my videos automatically, though it seems to take a couple weeks (or at least a few days). So at least the older videos should be available with subtitles. Cheers.
I find The Visitors album a bit of a disjointed affair. You could feel each of the band going their separate ways. Even the tracks are very much individualised to the singer rather than as a unit. This track is all Frida, that track is basically all Anna etc. You get the feeling members were coming in separately to the studio to do their bit. The themes are much more varied and are moving away from boy meets girl, boy loses girl trope. The biggest issue is basically Benny & Bjorn are tired of the short form pop song and longing to do a more long form work. Since they are restricted to producing a pop album, you get to hear more experimental tracks, some of which work and others don't when restricted to the short form 'pop' song. The Visitors being one that works, the wonderful I Let The Music Speak being basically a preview of their Chess Musical, but other songs such as Like An Angel Passing Through My Room just don't quite work and don't amount to anything. When they do return to the short form pop genre, I believe When All Is Said And Done is their last great 'pop' song. Some others tracks I feel are a bit Benny & Bjorn just writing by the numbers on auto-pilot and churning out rather generic and uninspired stuff like Head Over Heels and the truly awful Two For The Price Of One. I also believe recording the album was difficult as they had recorded 3 tracks in analogue and then switched to digital for the rest which they were not used to and caused issues with the soundscape they were used to creating on analogue. In the end I am left with the impression that The Visitors doesn't quite know what it wants to be. That its parts are greater than the sum
100% agree. I've always been surprised that many ABBA fans hold this album in high regard. I still like it, but to me it's nowhere near what they did on the 4 previous albums.
I like this album, as I do think there’s so much quality in it because B&B was too self critical (my opinion) to issue anything that wasn’t up to standards. But I also see what you mean. It is a different album. I felt back then (as a loyal fan of them since 1974) the fatigue oozing from the members and it left me feeling sad because somehow I knew/felt the end was near. You say, that The Visitors album doesn’t quite seem to know what it wants to be, so on that note they kind of ended the circle the way they started, because that was kind of the same thing with the first album Ring Ring😅
I have mixed feelings about this song. I love the slow build-up, but after the climax it just repeats, and the chorus is also lacklustre. If I have to describe the album in one word, I'd say 'fatigue'. They were tired. Writing 8 albums in 9 years took its toll. They were going through the motions, spending most of their time on their own. Frida was bitter about her divorce with Benny, and I get the sense that Agnetha's mind was elsewhere. There are still some great songs here, but overall the passion is missing, IMO.
I don't know if this is already in the comments but the song is about a freedom dissident hunted by the secret police - they are inexorably closing in on her and her group, shrinking her world to the last room - and now they are here - come to take her, imprison her and break her. Dark stuff indeed and one of the best songs I my collection. God! I miss ABBA.
![ทุกครั้งที่หลับตา (Lucid Dream) - AYLA's [ Official MV ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4i1OBAQyv58/mqdefault.jpg)
Hey, folks! Sorry, a friend of the channel had hinted to me this song dealt with the Cold War and Soviet Union, but in the moment, I forgot the comment (I suppose I was focused on reviewing the progression of album-openers yesterday and the hint slipped out of my mind). My bad, but I appreciate the insight from all you awesome people. Cheers!
Matt, don't worry about forgetting my comment. You react to so many artists it's a wonder you remember your name! [Stephen].😂
Had this album when it came out ....
I always pictured it in my mind as aliens from outer space !
~ Scary monsters indeed ! ( subconscious allegorical manifestation of the cold war )
@@mattsnider2667 th-cam.com/video/qm6GxMgia2U/w-d-xo.html here's the magnificent backing track.Still sounds fab even without vocals.
You are correct. Cold War, waiting for the consequences of your neighbour informers…
This is probably my favorite ABBA album. Fantastic dance music. I initially thought it was about Aliens from outer space. However, after researching, it was written about the Cold war invasion.
Brilliant writing.
Imagine how great this song works as the opener at The ABBA VOYAGE concert in London!!?? So powerful and emotional to see the ABBAtars rising from the floor of the stage and the live band playing it so powerful and true to the original! And the lightning - WOW! I want to go again! So to everybody reading this: Don´t go to London without seeing ABBA Voyage! It is indeed mindblowing! And sold out every night/afternoon 30 dates a month with 3.000 spectators each show for now over 2½ years!!!! So it must have surpassed 2,5 million visitors by now! WOW - just WOW!
ABBA's masterpiece!
The books, the paintings, and the furniture - chilling delivery.
Great vocals by Frida. ❤❤
Mindblowing. Epic!
Ethereal, surreal, haunting yet catchy, danceable . Gay clubs in the 80s would play this and it always packed the dance floors, laser lights and smoke machines. Brings back memories. Thank you for your music ABBA.
I do think that "The Visitors" is one of their best album in terms of creativity and lyrical depth. They moved away from the 3-4 minutes pop songs and concentrated on experimental, grown up stuff that resonated on a deeper level. You can tell that they didn't want to repeat themselves, they left the mainstream behind. That's why this album is a gem.
Was just to write the same 😊 i love this album,its so underrated 🤔 ive been waiting for this 😎
Yes, you nailed it. Not wanting to repeat themselves, leaving mainstream behind is what made me dislike the album at first. I could never put my finger on it. But after a few listens, it grew on me, and is one of my favorites. Getting away from mainstream, I feel this was the mindset of both Benny and Bjorn as they grew as songwriters. It is also apparent on Voyage. Mainstream wasn't the goal. Doing what they wanted, liked, found creative, was.
I love this album! They were way times before in musical innovation!❤
Wonderful ABBA. Great job guy.👏👏👏
No wonder they start their fabulous jaw dropping Voyage concert with this incredible timely song that was years ahead of their time in production and sound.
For anyone who’s seen the ABBA Voyage live shows know just how special this song is as the show opener. Late 70s ABBA singing a song from 1981 in 2023. All whilst you’re eyes see one thing as your brain tells you another. Totally phenomenal hearing it live.
Can’t wait, I’m seeing the show this coming Monday the 26th and so looking forward to the show opening with this synth pop epic masterpiece in ABBA’s overall catalog. Sounds as stunning today as when it was originally released in 1981!
@@jerrycote659 sorry about the spoiler! You’ll be blown away by the whole show, it’s just absolutely stunning in every sense. Enjoy every second!
I LOOOOOVE THIS SONG! A real masterpiece and perhaps my favourite ABBA song over all! Fridas lead vocals is so mezmerising and haunting! And a clue to how she would sound like on her first english solo album Somethings Going On from 1982! And the whole sound and instrumentatiion and of course the lyrics - are all so different and new in comparison to ABBA s earlier stuff! Some say they were running out of ideas on The Visitors - I think they never were better! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I love abba grew up with them in the 70s. Abba where the best pop group ever no other band will top them. There music still sounds fantastic and better than music today.
This is a fusion of the future and the past in the past that still feels futuristic. Timeless ABBA.
One of my favorite tracks. Gloomy, experimental, futuristic. Frida's vocals are so cool!
A fantastic opening track to an album, the atmosphere building and then boom. Cant wait for you to get to The Day Before You Came. They keyboards are totally elevated.
This song is so strongly conceptually elaborated. The icy grim atmosphere of the lyrics, the way of singing and the music. Everything is right. Frida seems to have practiced for a long time to put it that way.
Hi, Matt :)
I posted after Lay All Your Love On Me and spoke about their club hits, mentioning one track you'd yet to hear; this is it. The Visitors was a club staple for a couple of years.
I came out in the June of '82. Spent the previous year away from people (cos sorting my head out), ABBA had finished and kinda mourning that, so much of my life was in a state of change and i went to my first gay club. I was already a bit mind blown when i heard The Visitors start, but that wasn't all - it was about 12 the DJ was playing it to get people up and dancing and it worked, the floor was packed! Couldn't believe it, while I'd spent a year being miserable everyone else was out dancing to my favourite track on ABBA's last album. For 8 years from the age of 10 I had been teased for liking ABBA and now they were dead(ish) I found out they were cool! One of the guys took me to the club charts posted in the hallway where I also found Gimmie!, Lay All Your Love, and On And On And On.
Coming out in '82 was a huge deal and on the day i finally did it what made me the happiest, that validated my life choices more than anything else was those club charts and watching a packed floor dancing to The Visitors.
I'm telling you this cos your reactions have helped me reevaluate and reconnect with ABBA. The process is ongoing, when my thoughts crystallise i'll let you know.
Thanks, Matt, i owe you. 😊
I love it, and thank you so much for sharing! It's crazy the way music becomes heavily intertwined with our personal lives over the years and decades.
@@mattsnider2667 innit?
My favorite gay bar in Calgary used to play this for a couple months and it always packed the floor. 1993. What a memory.
Well, I'm so glad to see you again with the next ABBA album
"The visitors" (1981) gives me
complex and different sensations
ABBA was in a delicate personal stage,
since they began recording the album right after Benny and Frida's separation.
Björn and Benny were with their new partners,
and as composers they entered the stage of experimenting, and with the project of writing a musical
That is why I think that the title of the song and the album is not accidental,
since in addition to being about the dissidents in the former USSR,
I think that they speak of themselves as "visitors"
of what "was" ABBA originally (in as for them as couples)
Even the cover is very graphic:
the Four separated and isolated
(image that will be deepened in the official video of the future single
"The day before you came" in 1982)
the song itself is very good in its genre,
it has a futuristic air (it could go as a soundtrack in a "Star Wars" movie)
Frida does a great job in lead voice,
the chorus is good but different from ABBA's more traditional,
the use of synthesizers by Benny is majestic,
and Björn's lyrics are strong
I really like the song itself (8/9pts),
it could be in my Top3
but on the album "The Visitors" I prefer other tracks,
that comes soon
"The Visitors" is the opening track ot the homonymous album
It hasn't a video or TV perfomance,
but now in the new Voyage Concerts
that begin last May 2022 in London
is the fantastic opening concert
I leave you greetings from my land
Buenos Aires, Argentina,
South America
that boop beep sound you noticed was representative of police sirens in Europe, as a metaphor for someome coming to get her.
This song opens their concert “Voyage” in London and is phenomenal and all engrossing.
Love this track so much, especially after listening to it "live" in London at the ABBA Voyage event. It rocked!
This song was huge in the dance clubs, especially gay clubs throughout the 80s. At 12 midnight on Jan 1 1985, I was in Studio One, a huge gay club in LA, and marveled as this song was the first one played in the new year (and it was already 3 or 4 years old). To see the jam packed dance floor and to hear this blasting on the excellent sound system is something I will never, ever forget. This track is among my top 5 ABBA favorite ABBA songs.
You know I have been asked many times what is my favourite Abba album and it always seesaws between 'The Album' and 'The Visitors' but I think the latter has the edge. Overall it is an exceptional album with one weak track, not a bad track, just weaker than the others (take a wild guess which that is) but it is a completely unique album. Abba moved away completely from what they normally did and produced an album way ahead of its time and even today it feels as fresh as it did as when it was released. Yet again they continued and indeed completed (at that time) their perfect record of opening album tracks being incredible, if you don't believe me, go check them out and the album is thoughtful, melancholic, dark, very experimental, fun at times and exceptionally moving at others. It is a masterwork!
Yayyyyyy!!! Best album ever
Closest they get to New Wave which is why I have loved it for more than 40 years and never tire of it.
What a start to a fantastic album. Bjorn had reached new heights with his lyrical content. The vocals from Frida on this track reflected the lyrical content and were very much reflected the evermore move to synth pop that was taking place in the U.K. and elsewhere at the beginning of the 1980’s. One of my favourite ABBA songs.
Cold War fear and paranoia.. is purveyed perfectly in this song 🎵
Greetings from Norway! 🇳🇴 As an ABBA-fan since the 70s, I appreciate the groups wish to expand their musical horizons. To me, however, The Visitors album stands for everything ABBA was not. Gloomy and dark. The playfulness and their joy had gone, even in the more "happy" tracks on the album; "Head over Heels", "One of Us" and "Slipping Through My Fingers". The Visitors is definitely not my favourite album. BUT: you have an even more bleak track ahead of you - "The Day Before You Came" which is one of my all time favourites. Released as a single in 1982 and was the last song they ever recorded until the Voyage album some 40 years later. Everything is played on Benny’s synth, with Agnetha on lead and an operatic vocal performance from Frida. TDBYC is sad and melancholic, yet hauntingly beautiful. It requires some listening as it’s not as immediate and catchy as some of ABBAs other A-side singles.
You continue to amaze me with all your educated thoughts, wisdom and knowledge in your intros and endings. As a European I have not been given that impression from many of your fellow Americans in recent years. There’s hope! 😅
Haha, neither have I! (in relation to your final comment). But cheers, those kind words mean a lot. I'm a music lover and omnivore, so it's great to learn from so many people who've been following the groups I'm now exploring for years, ABBA included.
Thanks again, another ABBA reaction coming in a few hours!
@@mattsnider2667Looking forward to them all, and TDBYC in particular. You are a synth-lover, so I guess this track will be right up your alley. It is said that when Agnetha recorded her vocals, she did it in a dark studio. When she was finished, she hung up her headphones on the microphone stand and left. And ABBA was history. The sound engineer had said during the recording of the Visitors album that they should quit. There was so little joy left. Everything was a struggle. TDBYC was the last they did. Until new material was released in 2021.
Keep up the good work, Matt. 🫶
My mind was blown when I first heard this song back in the day and is still mind blown today when I hear it again. 🙌🏻
It was the opening number at The Voyage Concert in London.........what an awesome Concert.
I always thought the main character of this song was someone like a hoarder, living in their home , socially isolated, and going a bit crazy. I didn't think of any connection to the Cold War until reading this in these comments! It makes a lot of sense as an explanation.
Another breathtaking masterpiece ❤
The best Abba album!
If I was forced to make a list of (only 😭) 10 of my favorite Abba songs , 3 of them would be from this album.
Which three did you choose? I would have gone for 'I Let The Music Speak as No.1 and then 'Slipping Through My Fingers' and 'Like An Angel Passing Through My Room' as No's 2 and 3
@@nigeljames5622
Good choises!
In my case I would replace "I Let the Music Speak" with "The Visitor" and agree on the other two. Nice to see someone mentioning "Like an angel passing through my room", way too few do that IMO. Perhaps my favorite Abba song of all times, but as always depending on my mood (lots of great songs to choose from!)
There are also excellent dance remixes of this song ….
Oh I love this one!
Abba's Swan Song. It remind's me of Abba's Tropical Loveland, the way they use thier voices in the chorus. So experimental, like jazz, or like you say, new wave. My favorite song by them, I think. Thank you for doing this one up!! 😎👍💅
Abba has done so many amazingly good songs about always green...But Andante Andante is special I think. Frida with her wonderful voice really does it justice❤️🧡💛😍💙💚💜🤎❤️💫
Hi Mat, I believe Frida spent weeks tuning her voice to match, malicious Russian Disadents. Many people of the younger generation forget the fear we as the world lived in, in the early stages of the 80s ( sadly not much has changed.
This song opens The Visitors with omg that blew my mind. I remember the first time listening to it...thinking I had bought the wrong album. As per usual this is a master class in vocals... Souring highs, to rumbling lows. No matter where The Visitors sit in each fans list, the lyrics music are masterpieces. I find it a bit sad and also hope, that the younger generation is now discovering the soundtrack to my youth. I was fortunate enough to see them live here in Australia..the crowd crush, especially only being very young and from a small country town...The wall of sound that hit me was like a sonic boom 💥. Seeing your reactions, transports me to a much younger self.🙏
I personally rate this album amongst their best. That was until their gift 🎁 of Voyage.
Have a brilliant day Mat and Lucca. Your friend in Melbourne, Craig 🇦🇺
Lovng yiour reactions. Hav ebeen Abba fan here in Uk since 1973 when I heard Ring Ring on now defunked Radio Luxembiourg.. Abiout missing tracks on special edition albums...how about Dreamworld unreleased track from Voulez Vous sessions. Finally released 1994. It was left off the album for Does Your Mother Know? instead....they share similar chorus structures. Oh and The Visitors is about the Soviet Bloc as was and the totalitarian regimes in USSR and Eastern Europe...the track was banned in USSR!
Not only this track was banned,Abba in general ,after solidarity with Poland
YES! You've entered my favourite ABBA album! Theatrical and synthy!
A masterpiece 😎
I'm seriously obsessed with this tune! I've been listening steady since I did the reaction. :)
Abbasolutely one of my favs by this band ! ...it was a dance club floor filler at the time of it's release. Always wished the group had produced a really cool eerie and mysterious music video to go along with this track, mini sci fi movie. I feel it could be done now as well incorporating the Abbatars to support the half-speed remaster of this album plus Voyage. Still so thrilled they chose to open the Voyage concert with this track, it certainly would have been my choice !
🧐😵💫💥😱🤯🧨
I've ran out of words.
When it came out (I was age 11) I got the feeling that people were just not ready for such an ''experimental' vocal but wow, what a creative statement.
wow!! never heard this ..... amazing track!
I was 14 when this came out- after a childhood obsessed with them, came to this album late (hello Bowie). As a kid, I wanted The Visitors to be an extension of what they’d done before. But it grew- I grew, this is album appreciated ‘re-visiting’
I was never a big ABBA fan but loved this song. I bought the 12" mix; it had heavy club play and was always great to dance to!
I love this track its soo errie and captivating.
Abba left pop territory and went to grown up cynicism but did it with such style and flair.
Their greatest album! Let's go!!!!!
Apparently Frida practised for weeks to get the vocals to sound that way. She was supposed to sound like a sitar.
Her performance on this track is one of the reasons she's may favourite of the two. They have such different styles but i lean towards Frida's intonation and warmer tones.
I think this is their best album, certainly the most dark album. This is definitely a Frida album as her best vocals are found here including the non album cut which I'm sure you will also get to.
Yes! Frida owns this album! ❤️👍
@@flemmingkristoffersen1896 Agnetha has one standout song and it's not the single. On the other hand Frida has several holy cow tracks. She leads off both album sides and closes side two with beautiful songs and unusual. I think this was the peak of her career.
The Visitor's (1981) album banned by USSR in 1982.
Two songs they did not like:
1. The Visitor's
2. Soldiers
The Visitor's = KGB/State Police. POV of Russian dissident(s) and the anxiety felt as The Visitor's have come to take her away.
Soldiers. Tribute to Soldiers. The chorus lyrics have a Thomas Paine, 'Rights of Man' vibe. I wonder if Bjorn has read 'Rights of Man' by Paine.
Sweden POV is important on this song in regards to 'Whiskey on the Rocks' incident, Oct 1981. A HUGE news story.
- verse one - "beast" refers to USSR.
- verse two - threat of nuclear war
Leading up to 'Whiskey on the Rocks' incident.
During the 1960's, 70's and into 80's, Soviet subs offen encroached and penetrated Swedish waters in and around Stockholm Islands. The Swedish military would often fire across the bow of Soviet water craft to keep them out of Swedish waters.
Then it happened. The Whiskey on the Rocks! A whiskey class Soviet sub grounded on rocks about 10 kilometers from a Swedish navel base.
The Swedes caught the Soviet sub as it was trying to dislodge itself from the rocks.
The Swedes eventually sent a team to inspect the sub for possible nuclear weapons. The sub was indeed armed with nuclear warheads.
When you listen to Soldiers, keep The Whiskey on the Rocks story in mind.
The song was written a bit before The Whiskey on the Rocks incident, but it shows the tension of the Cold War between "neutral" Sweden and the USSR.
The timing of The Visitors album, Nov 1981, lined up perfectly.
Had to come back to this reaction 8 months later cuz you can tell you enjoyed this one
Love it, I still get lots of comments on the earlier ABBA reactions! The playlist that keeps giving. :) Cheers for your part in that.
Yeah, Matt. I agree...
This tune introducing the new wave. (maybe laying the groundwork for Human League, Simple Minds... and then A-ha, Duran Duran...etc😊)
Amazing work on this track, especially Benny and Frida❤.
See you next, Matt & Lucca
Love ❤️ from Chile 🇨🇱👍
Inspiration
More news in the updated statistics of the ABBA playlist at the beginning of Sunday
“The visitors” also exceeded 1000 views
(the 43th ABBA song to archieve it)
But did it in just four days
And the songs on the new album are also growing at a great rate
And that meant that already this morning the accumulated playlist of ABBA
comfortably exceeded 90,000 accumulated views
So in a few days we will reach 100,000 accumulated views
the Top20 of your ABBA playlist remains almost the same,
the same as the Top10 of your musical reactions
and the accumulated albums,
so this time I will not repeat myself
I have to admit that this has become my favorite Abba song. Partially, perhaps, because it was their final, and least successful single in the U.S. It was not overplayed, in fact I never heard it played on the radio at all. I don't think radio programmers knew what to make of this darker, more experimental track. Plus there was no video-so even MTV was unable to help. However, it was huge in the dance clubs.(We thought it was called Cracking Up.) Nonetheless, it has since earned it's place in history as a fan favorite.
I love the memory of this song being played in dance clubs; there were even unofficial remixes. By the time I was old enough to go out, it was the early 90s so this track was already considered "retro," but I had never seen a dance floor fill so quickly with whooping, sweaty drunkards in my life! Absolutely electric.
I heard it twice on the radio, once on X-ROK 80 (Jaurez, El Paso) and once on some FM station in Dallas. But it was a staple in dance clubs throughout the decade and even beyond.
Loved to dance to that song in the clubs 40 years ago. It was on some HI-Energy records (fading into Lay all your love on me).
Re: vocals
The lead is Anni-Frid Lyngstad. She was tge one that Stikkan 'Stig' Anderson went after. She is known for her multiple octave (alto, mezzo, soprano) range. She is classified as a mezzo-soprano.
She was the last one to commit to the group. She came from the stages. A vocal centric genre professional working vocalist. She was reluctant to join a pop group,as she preferred vocal centric genres, particularly jazz, etc...
This album is one of my favorites, possibly only second to "The Album." To me this was their most daring and experimental album, and it had the feel of a cold winter day through several of the songs. It seemed to me that they wanted to try heading in a new direction, and mostly it worked, with a couple of exceptions. I can't think of many examples of group taking such chances so late in their careers, although "Savage" by Eurythmics comes to mind.
Love that Eurythmics album! And cheers, I like that comparison conceptually.
Hi! I just discovered your TH-cam Channel, specially your ABBA reactions, and I have to say that I've enjoyed all your videos. You just got yourself a new subscriber haha. I will be waiting for your reaction to Should I Laugh or Cry, one of my favorite ABBA songs. Regards from Chile :)
Cheers, appreciate that! And yeah, I slept on the genius of ABBA for many years, so it's amazing to explore their catalog now along with others who've known their music for longer.
What a groove! Right on! ✌💅
Actually, I thought you’ll get up and dance to this one …❤
Yes,yet it's Abba.! And Yes it's Frida.Same one who also did lead on the Baroque theatrical pop of 'Money,Money,Money' back in 1976.Would you believe this?!
I was born on March 20, 1969, so when the album "The Visitors" was released in November 1981, I was 12 years old going on 13. I remember hearing the first two singles, "One of Us" and "When All Is Said and Done," on the radio at the time, but I also remember that the songs did not make as big of an impact on the charts as "The Winner Takes It All" the previous year. I was a teenager when my father bought me a compilation album containing all the songs from "The Visitors" that he sent me from Saudi Arabia where he was working at the time. I think the album was just too grown-up for my teenage ears, although I did love the song "Soldiers."
Today, I can certainly appreciate the intricacies of the album. "The Visitors" (song) has an absolutely gorgeous and soaring synth-line. From Wikipedia: "The official stated theme is a protest against the mistreatment of political dissidents in the Soviet Union at the time, as ABBA seemed to put political issues into their lyrics in the final days of the group. Björn Ulvaeus has stated that at the time of release he preferred that the song should have a sense of mystery so did not explain the exact meaning." Knowing this gives the song an extra layer of urgency and complexity.
The original album release contained only nine songs, but the 2012 Deluxe Edition of "The Visitors" showcased six bonus tracks, all of which had been previously released on other compilation albums through the years. However, for the first time here they all were on one album. I hope Adam gave you these bonus tracks because I would love to see your reaction to songs like "Cassandra," "Should I Laugh or Cry," "Under Attack," and the mysterious "The Day Before You Came." Looking over the track list of what's ahead of you for "The Visitors," I have to say that I am looking forward to each and every song, especially "Soldiers" and "I Let the Music Speak."
Keep up the great work, Matt! 😀
The beginning of the end.
Since this is the final studio album until Voyage, you have one song not included on the album and those that were recorded for the follow-up album that never was. They are:
Should I Laugh Or Cry
I Am The City
Cassandra
You Owe Me One
Under Attack
The Day Before You Came
and the never officially released Just Like That
After I was given Super Trouper, I never checked out any of their other material as my tastes headed in a a different direction but that was a great song.
Bjorn can write what's relevant
Re: ABBA and records "sold" to USSR
ABBA was enormous in Eastern Bloc countries. Poland, Ukraine, etc... And Russia itself.
ABBA/Polar could not sell records to USSR directly due to currency issues. So ABBA/ Polar Music traded records for oil and other commodities.
Visitors was not intended to be the last ABBA album. After Visitors, Björn and Benny got an oppertunity to work on a musical. This was something they had long wanted to do. The ABBA members agreed on atwo year break. Eventually Chess took four years to make. By then, no one wanted to go back to ABBA.
There is the best vocal of Frida for me
The new voice of Frida! I wish that I can interview Bjorn and Benny and ask them what this song is really about and also about every other songs they've written. 😊
Benny and Bjorn's goal was to write songs as good as their idols Lennon and McCartney. I think it's fair to say they far surpassed them by this point.
Now this is the kind of ABBA I like! "Love Isn't Easy" it ain't! Not sure of all the musical influences on this one .... hints of "Summer Night City" though ...
Back when people still remembered and revered the Beatles, ABBA's The Visitors was definitely known as "beatlesesque."
The Visitor's album. Released Nov 1991. One month following the enormous international story -- The Whiskey on the Rocks'.
A Soviet whiskey class sub with nuclear warheads ran a ground and got stuck on the rocks, 10 km from Swedish Naval base.
In 1982, the USSR banned The Visitor's album because of two songs:
1. The Visitor's
2. Soldiers
* correction released Nov 1981.
@@danbike9 Indeed. If only ABBA continued into the '90s!
Re: Frida and Ertha Kitt
Frida is known for her keen ear and vocal versatility., diaphragmatic breathing, etc....
She mentioned Ertha Kitt vocal style as an inspiration for her icy vocals. Listen to Me & I. That really has a Ertha Kitt vibe.
@@mattsnider2667 Well BB kinda did... Benny and Bjorn's musical 'Chess' 1986 and their sophisticated operatic 'Kristina fran Duvemala' in 1996.
The 1984, CHESS concept album I highly recommend.
Also 'The very operatic 'Kristina' recordings, which is 39 songs. 'Kristina' was staged in Europe. 4 plus hours. The usually stuffy classical critics called it a masterpiece? It is an emotional rollercoaster.
Music: Benny
Lyrics/playwright: Bjorn
Today it is considered Swedens National Opera.
Re: Benny Andersson
The Americans largely ignore Benny's output. The Euro's do not.
I feel like many Americans are stuck on Lennon-McCarthy, etc.... Although as more Americans dig into ABBA, they will start to realize Benny's beautiful compositions.
Re: Benny Andersson's 'Piano' album 2017
- classical interpretations of
ABBA songs. Chess songs. Kristina. BAO (Benny Andersson Orchestra), and some of his movie theme songs.
Again the stuffy classical critics called Benny a master pianist. Incredibly high reviews.
One day Americans will release the greatness of Benny Andersson.
BB's output is enormous!
ABBA's 'I Let The Music Speak' fits right into Chess and 'Kristina fran Duvemala'.
Democracy ?. Communism. . What about happiness ?. + love your input. On abba tracks , especially from 🇺🇸..where you haven't had there musical journey like we have in _ Europe.. there B - side's always experimental along with some album tracks.. 👌 keep up your positive vibes ... let's hope our " ode to freedom " isn't needed..?. 😢
The song is admittedly about the Cold War more specifically about Russian refugees in Sweden.
Cold War yes!
The Visitor's song is a tribute to Russian dissidents. The "Visitors" is reference to the KGB/State Police from USSR. Sung from POV of Russian dissident(s).
This album was released Nov 1981. USSR banned this album in 1982, because of two cold war songs:
1. The Visitor's
2. Soldiers
The tensions in Sweden were very high between Sweden and Russia because of the incursions by Soviet subs into Swedish waters, which started in the 60's. Sweden was officially neutral, but technically supported the West/US Policy.
Then it happened:
Oct 1981. The Whiskey on the Rock's. A Soviet whiskey class grounded itself on the rocks 10km from a Swedish navel base.
The Soviet sub crew tried to free the sub, but failed. The Swedes caught them. The sub had nuclear warheads.
ABBA's release of 'The Visitors' highlighted the 'Whiskey on the Rocks' story even more.
The "Whiskey" grounding was a HUGE international news story at the time.
Listen to 'Soldiers' and pay mind to the Whiskey on the Rocks' incident.
- verse one: beast = USSR
- verse two: fear of nuclear war
- chorus: very Thomas Paine 'rights of man".... Asking for civilian support of the righteous soldier.
At the time of release many thought twas about aliens or smth.But it is a cold war theme regardeing Soviet Union and 'The West".Twas many years later that Bjorn's cryptic messages made sense after some revelations.
Oh damn, that's right! Someone even gave me that hint, but I forgot about it by the time I shot the video. Argghh, my brain is struggling to remember everything.
@marvinquezada7203 I had just stepped in my teens at the time and remember some tension spread by the media but couldn't relate Abba's works to this.Tbh i didn't care that much about politics at such an age,Even though i was more mature at the time than my other fellas, and looked quite 'serious' ,all i wanted was to have friends,buy records,read the music press and listen to the music,lol..
@marvinquezada7203 It was also that 'new music' with synth acts was the new sensation of the decade and there was a hype everyone had decided to say 'goodbeye to the '70s and Abba were mainly considered a huge part of it.But I do insist that 'The Visitors' should have been a double a sided single with "One of Us" and not be 'burried' as a b side to 'Head Over heals" that sounded kinda 'old fadshioned' and 'middle aged' for the charts at the time.No offense to HOH cause i do like the song but as an album cut not as a single for the time of release.Timing was very important at that turning point in the music scene.
@@alexioverdo5225 the boys had strong discussions about what should be the next single after One of us
@@Urfinchannel As far as i know Benny wasn't even that keen on OOU either.But it turned out the best choice comercially.A fine tune that still sounds beautiful.But me being part of the public eye those years ,i can reasure that both HOH and its follower TDBYC weren't what fans really expected and had being used to from Abba at the time.Fortunately 1981/1982 releases got critical and public acknowledgement later years.
Cold War fear ...?
I feel the fear now .. in USA 🇺🇸 you don't feel the fear like we do in Europe..?
I hear the door-bell ring and suddenly the panic takes me
The sound so ominously tearing through the silence
I cannot move, I'm standing numb and frozen
Among the things I love so dearly
The books, the paintings and the furniture, help me
The signal's sounding once again and someone tries the doorknob
None of my friends would be so stupidly impatient
And they don't dare to come here anymore now
But how I loved our secret meetings
We talked and talked in quiet voices, smiling
Now I hear them moving
Muffled noises coming through the door, I feel I'm
Crackin' up
Voices growing louder, irritation building
And I'm close to fainting
Crackin' up
They must know by now I'm in here trembling
In a terror ever growing
Crackin' up
My whole world is falling, going crazy
There is no escaping, now I'm
Crackin' up
These walls have witnessed all the anguish of humiliation
And seen the hope of freedom glow in shining faces
And now they've come to take me, come to break me
And yet it isn't unexpected
I have been waiting for these visitors, help me
Now I hear them moving
Muffled noises coming through the door, I feel I'm
Crackin' up
Voices growing louder, irritation building
And I'm close to fainting
Crackin' up
They must know by now I'm in here trembling
In a terror ever growing
Crackin' up
My whole world is falling, going crazy
There is no escaping, now I'm
Crackin' up
Now I hear them moving
Muffled noises coming through the door, I feel I'm
Crackin' up
Voices growing louder, irritation building
And I'm close to fainting
Crackin' up
They must know by now I'm in here trembling
In a terror ever growing
Crackin' up
My whole world is falling, going crazy
There is no escaping, now I'm
Crackin' up
Now I hear them moving
Muffled noises coming through the door, I feel I'm
Crackin' up
Voices growing louder, irritation building
And I'm close to fainting
Crackin' up
They must know by now I'm in here trembling
In a terror ever growing
Crackin' up
My whole world is falling, going crazy
There is no escaping, now I'm
Crackin' up
I wanted more kick from the instrumentation in the chorus. It's a shame because I love everything else.
Further to my request for subtitles I came across:
Add subtitles and captions
Sign in to TH-cam Studio.
From the left-hand menu, select Subtitles.
Click the video that you'd like to edit.
Click ADD LANGUAGE and select your language.
Under subtitles, click ADD
Hope that helps.
Hey there. So I looked into this, and you can add subtitles ... but only if I type them out manually or create a text file. And I'd have to do that for each video. That would unfortunately be very time-consuming (again, I don't have an assistant and do this all in my free time), but for the time being, you could comment and ask me what I said at any particular moment (by including a time-stamp). I know that's not quite the same but at least it's something.
Also I did notice TH-cam eventually adds subtitles to my videos automatically, though it seems to take a couple weeks (or at least a few days). So at least the older videos should be available with subtitles. Cheers.
@@mattsnider2667 Great! Thank you.
Help us please 🙏
this song reminds me of Mama Mia with those bells, and that beat. Sexy song.
only from a DJ could you get the right amount of bass in it. thanks again!
and crack cocaine wasn't invented until 1984. So, contrary to what a lot of people may think, it's not about doing crack LOL!
I find The Visitors album a bit of a disjointed affair.
You could feel each of the band going their separate ways.
Even the tracks are very much individualised to the singer rather than as a unit. This track is all Frida, that track is basically all Anna etc. You get the feeling members were coming in separately to the studio to do their bit.
The themes are much more varied and are moving away from boy meets girl, boy loses girl trope.
The biggest issue is basically Benny & Bjorn are tired of the short form pop song and longing to do a more long form work. Since they are restricted to producing a pop album, you get to hear more experimental tracks, some of which work and others don't when restricted to the short form 'pop' song.
The Visitors being one that works, the wonderful I Let The Music Speak being basically a preview of their Chess Musical, but other songs such as Like An Angel Passing Through My Room just don't quite work and don't amount to anything.
When they do return to the short form pop genre, I believe When All Is Said And Done is their last great 'pop' song.
Some others tracks I feel are a bit Benny & Bjorn just writing by the numbers on auto-pilot and churning out rather generic and uninspired stuff like Head Over Heels and the truly awful Two For The Price Of One.
I also believe recording the album was difficult as they had recorded 3 tracks in analogue and then switched to digital for the rest which they were not used to and caused issues with the soundscape they were used to creating on analogue.
In the end I am left with the impression that The Visitors doesn't quite know what it wants to be.
That its parts are greater than the sum
100% agree. I've always been surprised that many ABBA fans hold this album in high regard. I still like it, but to me it's nowhere near what they did on the 4 previous albums.
I like this album, as I do think there’s so much quality in it because B&B was too self critical (my opinion) to issue anything that wasn’t up to standards. But I also see what you mean. It is a different album. I felt back then (as a loyal fan of them since 1974) the fatigue oozing from the members and it left me feeling sad because somehow I knew/felt the end was near.
You say, that The Visitors album doesn’t quite seem to know what it wants to be, so on that note they kind of ended the circle the way they started, because that was kind of the same thing with the first album Ring Ring😅
I have mixed feelings about this song. I love the slow build-up, but after the climax it just repeats, and the chorus is also lacklustre. If I have to describe the album in one word, I'd say 'fatigue'. They were tired. Writing 8 albums in 9 years took its toll. They were going through the motions, spending most of their time on their own. Frida was bitter about her divorce with Benny, and I get the sense that Agnetha's mind was elsewhere. There are still some great songs here, but overall the passion is missing, IMO.
One (if not the only) song by the quartet with no rhyming lyrics and hardly any harmonies
Matt!!! Someone ( @abba @abbavoyage ) ought to give you a free flight ✈️ and entrance to see the Voyage Concert 🎶 in London!!!
I don't know if this is already in the comments but the song is about a freedom dissident hunted by the secret police - they are inexorably closing in on her and her group, shrinking her world to the last room - and now they are here - come to take her, imprison her and break her. Dark stuff indeed and one of the best songs I my collection. God! I miss ABBA.
One of my favorite tracks. Gloomy, experimental, futuristic. Frida's vocals are so cool!
Yeah, this one always has tripped people up, it's mood is just not what people are expecting from ABBA 😁