The Day Before You Came is such an exceptional song in ABBA's back catalogue, truly wonderful. Until Voyage, it was the very last song they recorded together. It's open to interpretation and many fans have offered various ideas as to what the song is about. I find it hauntingly beautiful, especially Frida's aria. Through the years, the song has grown in stature. Despite some people not liking it, it has an army of firm fans who adore it, as do I.
It's a stunning composition, and very "new wave", while incorporating operatic elements. I love the deliberately robotic singing style they got Agnetha to do here, matching the mundane 'day in the life' described in the lyrics. The bass line, synth 'flute' and other layers flow so well, and Frida's melancholic aria in the background make this song among ABBA's best. It was released as a non-album single about a year after 'The Visitors' release, but people didn't fully embrace the new direction the band was taking. I always thought the song was about a temporary spark a new love provided to a dull and ordinary life. Sadly, the next album was scrapped but this song was rightly included in a greatest singles double album.
Someone on the internet, about this song: "People don't realise it but this is truly one of the greatest masterpieces in modern pop music. No chorus, a double-beat that comes at intervals that feel right but you cannot put your finger on, an extremely mundane story that actually is so powerful from what it doesn't say. The feeling of sadness in the song, a contradiction given the implication it is about finding a new lover. There is so much it leaves you thinking about - just wonderful!"
I believe that ABBA in this very last songs let out all the sadness that was there all the time. Benny has spoken about that, how nordic people tend to "rejoice in minor". Melancholy is the secret ingredient in all the ABBA music.
Good one. "Haunting" is an often used adjective to describe this song. Also the guys went on into the musical genre shortly after this. So there is much true to what you say.
Quite brilliant. One of their greatest pieces of work. And the synth work shows how they continued to be inventive right up until the very end. This was their last studio recording, and tensions were very high between the former couples. Agnetha arrived at the studio alone to record her lines, and left quietly afterwards - and that was it! The end of ABBA as a recording partnership. Later in 1982 they performed this song, along with Cassandra and Under Attack, on the German TV programme Show Express - that, turned out to be the last time they ever performed in front of a live TV audience.
I don't think many people got this track when it was released in 1982. I certainly didn't. I remember hearing it in the car on the way home from school and thinking what is that supposed to be?? Five years later, older and wiser, when I rediscovered my love for Abba, it became possibly my favourite Abba song. It's the story of a woman, a woman who is comfortable in the mundanity of her lonely life, her daily schedule mapped out and never changing, detailing her routine the day before something momentous and life changing happens. Hints are dropped along the way - I never even noticed I was blue, I had no sense I was living without aim. The sonics echo the story, it begins plodding along, the beat like footsteps, but it gradually builds like an approaching storm, the keyboards and those operatic vocals portentous and foreboding. It's led many people to believe that she is describing the day before she is murdered, and is looking back with regret she didn't do more with her life. I think I prefer to believe she meets someone who has a more positive influence, who she falls in love with and with whom she changes the trajectory of her life. It is a fascinating piece of music, and, I think worthy of being called a masterpiece.
An absolute masterpiece. It probably just tops the list of my favourite ABBA songs because it's such a complex narrative with such a powerful and complex melodic arrangment. The whole feeling of this song is so filled with mystery. On the one hand the lyrics possibly suggest somebody whose mundane and sad life has changed for the better when the mysterious "you" came into her life...and yet, and yet the whole mood of the rest of the song offers such a counterpoint to that view, from the melancholic orchestrations, those incredible descending chords in the second and third verses and Frida's unsettling operatic vocals in the background offering a warning that not everything is ok here. Quite, quite brilliant.
Their best song since the Super Trouper album, and one of the best in their entire catalogue, IMO. It should've been a hit, but it seems the world had grown tired of them. And they had grown tired of each other: this was the last song they recorded. The story goes that Benny was the only one in the studio when Agnetha was recording the vocals, and when she finished she lay down on the floor staring at the ceiling, and neither of them said a word; they knew this was the end. Over the years the song became a fan favourite. It's a fantastic synth pop song, and it's such a shame we didn't get more of this.
I’ve been listening to The Day Before You Came more than 40 years now, I must have played it a zillion times and it has always been like as if it were for the first time I hear the song. What can we say, it’s a brilliant, simple yet very complex song, in so many layers. In front of the complexity of the song stands the singing of Agnetha. She’s been asked to sing it not in her amazing voice range but just as simple and plain as it can be in order to reflect the dull life of the woman in the song, until that day before he came. As Agnetha is brilliant in storytelling singing, this song suits her perfectly and she did an amazing job. For a lot of die-hard fans, this song peaks at number one on their top of-all-the-ABBA-songs. Notice that there’s no such thing as an organ like you mentioned, it’s Frida singing the “ahahaaa’s” all the time. She’s also doing the haunting opera voice between the choruses. So yes, ABBA was once again on the top of themselves. I think we all are glad you’ve finally reached the song and happy to see your reaction. So, why not, like myself listen to it over and over and over and… As people mentioned already, Blancmange did a wonderful long version, also the version of Tanita Tikaram is quiet good, as an inspiration of the original. Last but not least, as we arrive at “the end” of ABBA before ‘Voyage’, notice that in all the ABBA-songs, there’s never ever a gap or something empty between the singing lyrics, there’s always a ahaa or a little melody in between. You’ve noticed it here in the beginning of the song. If you go through all their repertoire again in your spare time - which I hope you do -, you can listen to that, it opens another spectrum of ABBA. Notice also all the backgrounds of the women in all the songs, sometimes where you don’t expect it, but it makes the song complete and.. an ABBA-song. Thank you for your reaction on the brilliant The Day Before You Came. Erwin (Brussels, Belgium).
As I have gotten older I have come to realize just how brilliant this song is, certainly near the top of ABBA’s repertoire. Hauntingly beautiful. Thanks Matt 👍
Such a wonderful song. It was overlooked when it charted back in 1982 but has since become a favourite amongst ABBA fans and even some music critics. Incredibly haunting piece. There is nothing remotely depressing in the lyrics which reads like a journal entry from a sad and lonely woman, but the tone, the voices - Agnetha's sorrowful vocals with the poignant wailing in the background, etc, give it a feeling of doom. I always interpret it as tragedy striking the person Agnetha is recalling. Interestingly enough Benny instructed Agnetha to sing this "ordinary" and *not* use her vocal abilities to convey a bored woman from the suburbs. He later stated this was a mistake because you do not need to underuse your abilities as a singer to play a part in a song, but he does rank this as one of his favourites, and I do think it gave Agnetha a raw aspect to her vocals (notice she doesn't use a lot of vibrato like she does on her other ballads) & as always, she always delivered the melancholy and sadness. This along with The Winner Takes it All remain my top 2 favourite ABBA songs.
The story in the lyrics and Frida's haunting voice. This has to be one of the best songs ever written and performed. Period. PS, PLEASE watch the video.
This must be one of the best songs ever written. Brilliant. You must see the music video to this song. "According to Michael Tretow, ABBA's long-time sound engineer, Fältskog sang her lead without the lights on. He added that the mood in the studio was sad and everybody knew that it was the end. The song details the story of a woman's mundane life right before she met her lover." I always thought, and as the video suggests, that it is about an ordinary woman, living her ordinary life, then meeting someone whom she can`t be with, because they are in different places in their lives. That they met briefly, but could not live together, and now she remembers that time every day for the rest of her dull life.
Bjorn and Agnetha have both commented that there's no happy ending here. As if the music didn't tell you that already. The precise-imprecision is clever lyric writing. It's like a vaguely recalled witness statement. It's either an attacker, or someone she somehow ended up killing, or who killed her, and this is the blurrily recalled mundane last day of her life she barely recalls from another realm. As you suggested, it's gothic - it's like a requiem mass to an unknown horrific event, prefaced by mere banality. "It's funny, but I had no sense of living without aim". The tragedy, it seems, is that this wasted life finally hit some sort of target. And then ended.
Had been described as a song without a chorus and intentionally semi-narrative.Something that lots of Abba fans at the time weren't prepaired to accept But despite its lack of commercial wit this is propably the most praised songs,with hymnic reviews from the crticics as Abba's Artistic high and swansong masterpiece'
Great truck...👌 The four of them made an amazing job... 🅰️gnetha leading vocals 🅱️jörn with excepcional lyrics 🅱️enny on gothic keys 🅰️nd Frida with the operatic voice... Masterpiece ⭐ Great analysis as usual, Matt. See ya ❤️🇨🇱👍
This song comes with a special story. This was the last recording before the breakup. Agnetha, who was fed up being a pop star, came to the studio, sat on a chair, let the lights off and sang - sitting - this song about a very normal woman. She then left the studio and didn't come back for 40 years, except for for some personal projects.
Oh, cheers for that! Also a special ABBA reaction coming later this morning, as well as one each for solo Agnetha and Frida. Thanks again for the comment!
I've always been a Frida fan, and I know that alot ABBA fans thought that Agnetha's "The Winner Takes It All", was her finest performance, but Agnetha with this track "Knocks it out of the Park" ..... Agnetha has to be one of the most underestimated vocalist of the 20th century, critics only saw her for her beautiful looks and not for her Vocal attributes and the same can also be said about my favourite, Frida🥰 I'm so looking forward to your reactions to the "Voyage" Album, a 40 year hiatus, you won't be disappointed. The first track to be released from this Album was "I Still Have Faith In You" ......😂😂😂 I'm a 62 yr old man and I cried buckets and buckets, I could hardly pick myself up from the floor and the came the 2'nd track to be released at the same time....then I was just done in.....then to make matters worse we had to wait another "Two Months" for the album to be released, I can now go to my grave (when ever that might be) a very happy and contented man. Frida's my favourite but bloody #ell, Agnetha...... 🇬🇧😱
Agnetha does not really sing this song. It's more of a talk sing. The singing part is the vocalizing by Frida. That is the haunting operatic part between some verses and the last minute. Regarding Agnetha and Frida's reputation among pro's in their profession. Frida is the one that has gotten attention since she was in grade school. Frida is the one that excelled in vocal talent hunts. Agnetha, pre teen entered vocal talent hunts, but failed. Agnetha gets exposed outside studio environments. Lots of pop/studio recording artist do. Frida's background was live performance since a very young age. Then TV, live-to-air, etc.... What every ABBA fan knows after a little bit of searching, is Agnetha has lots of technical issues. These technical issues can be "fixed" in studio. ___ A couple reasons Agnetha got attention for her looks. She fit the Swedish stereotype. The Euro butt article. And she did not have Frida's stellar reputation among music peers. If Agnetha had Frida's skills and performance resume, association with Swedish music icons, etc... then Agnetha would have received attention for her vocal skills instead of her looks. Frida was beautiful, had a vey fit body with great legs, but was always defined by her talent. She has been defined by her talent since grade school. That is what an artist wants. _____ ABBA: Bright Lights Dark Shadows The Real Story of ABBA By Carl Magnus Palm This book a good primer on ABBA and how they became a group, etc... The vocal abilities of the girls are discussed. Frida gets lots of attention. What her ABBA/Polar Music and other music peers say about Frida's talent: keen ear, diaphragmatic breathing, control, versatility, dynamics, is golden. Benny, Bjorn and Michael Tretow ABBA's recording engineer considered Frida a master vocalist as do her other music peers.
This at the time of release was sooo underestimated and undervalued by all the radio stations and record buying public at the time, it's now considered one of their best recorded tracks. At the time of its release the music scene in the UK was changing dramatically and I think this was to sophisticated for most record buying people who just wanted something less sophisticated. But at least now it gets the recognition that it deserves. 🇬🇧👍
A Masterpiece of Pop Music. Both the melody and the lyrics can not be topped. Such a everyday description of a life......... But with a mysterious and melancholy mood..... It is pure Swedish......... And pure ABBA. Thanks for your reaction..... Most people new to this song are as blown away as you were. Also if you get the chance. Watch the video..... It is also a classic.
I wish to one day experience the kind of devastatingly all consuming love that is portrayed in this masterpiece of a song. Trying to remember how you lived before it and finding your earlier existence hollow and lifeless, only bearable in the ignorance of the love you’ve now experienced and lost. Without understanding the narrative of the song people still view it as one of abba’s greatest works but with the lyrical context it becomes, for me atleast, the greatest piece of music ever created.
One of their best songs…probably amongst their top two or three in my opinion. It’s very Scandinavian and reflectively melancholic…and it’s of course about relationships, and their consequences, regrets, and what might’ve beens. Like a-ha, ABBA are absolute masters of this type of sonics & narrative…great stuff!
Clearly this is one of ABBA'S finest offerings in a career full of highlights. It is so different from their earlier songs which captured fans with their trademark choruses. But TDBYC didn't need a chorus because the music and lyrics created such a hypnotic haunting atmosphere that it draws the listener in hook line and sinker. Above all though is the sheer beauty of the melody which only became evident to me when I heard the piece played as a piano instrumental.
Such a gamble = no chorus or catch lines, was only a minor hit @ the time , but over the years, its become one of ABBAS MOST RESPECTED LOVED ❤TRACK'S. 🎉
I loved this song when it came out, it was very different from what they had done up to that point, and I, like many, was waiting for a new album, which in the end never came... A masterpiece, underrated when it was released, but a strong fans favourite... Glad you liked too... Saludos desde Argentina!!!
One of the groups more minimalist compositions, it's just Benny's synth, a drum machine with snare overdubs, and maybe a bit of buried acoustic guitar? It's stunning that Benny could create such a dense atmosphere with just a few manipulated elements. The operatic background vocals are Frida, who quite simply haunts this song. Phantom of the ABBA indeed! All I can say is that I wish I lived in one of the countries where this single made the Top 20.
I was just scanning the comments and i saw one that intrigued me but i can't see it anymore, but it stated that this song is essentially a ghost telling of her final day before she was killed. It sort of makes sense although i always thought it was about a relationship that either ended or how mundane life was before she fell in love. But the idea of it being about a dead person recalling their last hours brings chills
This was Abbas final swan song. An melancholic masterpiece. Rumor said that their studio was even dismantled and shut down during the recordings. Agneta was also specificly told to sing with extra accent on this one, to create a sort of ordinary feel.. since its all about an odinary (dull) day in a persons life.. just before that big.. you know what.
Such a perfect pop creation! I think it is so mezmerising - almost hypnotising in its haunting melody and instrumentation. And one of the only ABBA songs without a real chorus! Agnetha interprets it so well so that it is like you see the movie of her boring daily life! And what happens the next day? Is it a love movie? Does she meet her great love of her life? Or is it a thriller? Does she meet her murderer? The answer is blowing in the wind! BTW: Fridas operatic backing vocals just adds to the songs greatness! Love it! ❤️
how are You? so glad to see you very well "The day before you came" It was the last ABBA song recorded (until the new album "Voyage") although it was not the last single (it was the next, "Under Attack") It was one of the last three that barely entered the Top 30 in the UK, a low expectation for what ABBA was used to. It is said to have been recorded in a dark and damp room, to make it more gloomy and to help Agnetha interpret It's a fiction story, a cryptic lyrics by the guitarist Björn and a dark music by Benny synths I will be honest of all Their singles this wich I like the least (for me is good, but not much more, 6/7pts) Agnetha's vocal performance is the best, but She is very lonely without a classic ABBA chorus and instrumentation The video is also strange, but it is well achieved, in relation to the story that the lyrics tell again Agnetha looks alone, now as an actress, the rest of the members of ABBA appear only at the end and disaggregated I understand that a lot of fans like it, it is even well ranked in the votes for the best ABBA song (it's #3 for British fans, only behind the #1 "The winner takes it all" and the #2 "Dancing Queen") I also know that is part of research and musical experimentation of the last years of ABBA But this song is not the style of music that I like, and Agnetha remains as a soloist That is why I prefer their other songs before, where the four members most involved are, in addition to other musical genres For example, I prefer the ABBA singles Ring Ring, So long, I do I do I do I do I do, Head over heels (all 8pts) and Under Attack, that you will see soon in these bonus tracks their others singles that wasn't Top10 in UK in their time between 1973/1982 Thanks for your great reaction it was fantastic, one of your best, so clearly and with passion for ABBA songs I hope to see you soon in the next GOD bless you and stay safe best regards from Buenos Aires Argentina 🇦🇷 South America
What a masterpiece. Whoever came up with those lyrics is a genius. They're so simple, yet so effective, just telling how a mundane everyday passed by ... while knowing that the day after something magical could have happened. And we don't get to know who exactly came and what it led to. I am thrilled every time I hear it. But that's also because it works so well with the music. It's dramatic and melancholic and sweet and haunting ... and I love those oddly programmed drums (at least they sound programmed to me). One of my favorite songs of all time.
@@italoblu That's interesting. Before she had "never even noticed [she] was blue" and hadn't had no sense of living without aim. That made me think it changed for the better.
@@sebzematik If you see the video, which is of course only one possible interpretation, it did change for the better at first. But now she is back to how it was, and now she knows what she is missing.
@@klausolekristiansen2960 I haven't watched it in a while but I always thought it all played before that very day. I need to watch it again now. I still like to think that something nice will be happening to her. :)
The song doesn’t have a happy ending. Benny and Bjorn have confirmed that fact in interviews. If you think about it, the “you” in the title was never confirmed to be a lover, or even a person. It very well could have signified death. Frida’s mournful wails confirms that detail. IMO, the song is downright creepy.
Feels like standing on the precipice of change, almost not believing that all is different, heart pounding, checking and rechecking all that was normal, disbelief, fear and wonder. The future strange, unwritten and dark. I love this so much, the music her voice, stepping into that wonderful brightness of a new life.
I discovered this song right around the time a new romance had entered my life and it quickly became my favourite ABBA song. It seemed to be speaking to exactly what I was feeling: I did have that boring mundane life Agnetha plods through in this song, and things were different now. I came back to the song after that romance failed, and it still seemed to speak to exactly my emotional state at that time too.
The very last done Abba recorded while they were an active group 40 years ago. Its a beautiful theatrical reading of the mundaness of life before her lover entered her existence. Agnetha said that she was directed to sing like a plaintive everyday woman, whereas Bjorn said that they should have just let her be a singer. None the less its an epic tale of the transformative power of love.
Yeah. It's certainly the epic tale of the transformative power of something. But if it's love, it's the sort of smothering-to-death love Henry James talked about. Those clashing diminshed chords and the ghostly operatics Frida did so well don't talk about any happy ending. And, again, Bjorn and Agnetha made it clear that yes, something bad does indeed happen.
There's so much to love here. I haven't come across anything similar lyrically; it's not about meeting your love or falling in love, being in love or ending love, it's about how mundane the world was before you met your love. The lyric is beautifully constructed, covering only what's mentioned in the title, never needing to explore further or feeling incomplete. Structurally it's unlike anything else they've done, they're songs all following a pretty standard format. It's a poem, and i've been cheeky enough to include it in a recital of classic poetry :) Musically the track's superb, and again structurally very different from their usual. The building of layers is masterly, both in choice and execution, from that weird electronic snare to Frida's soaring backing vocal. Agnetha is, as usual, incredible. And so the Swedes find another maudlin take on a love affair… As I said, always bet on melancholy 😜 I'm not sure anyone has ever framed humdrum & miserable as beautifully as ABBA did. I love it, the perfect soundtrack for gazing out of the window watching the rain. In the U.K. this had radio play ur it never took off with the public. I was gutted it wasn't a huge hit and, when they split shortly after, even more upset that it wasn't their last single. The Day Before You Came and it's B-side, Cassandra, would have capped off their career perfectly. Not sure if i'll comment on their last single & B-side cos i'm not a fan of either, but some people will be. Thanks, Matt :D
Es toda una Joya Musical,atemporal y las voces de Agnetha y en especial la de Frida con su Lírica la hacen ser de las mejores Piezas del repertorio del grupo ABBA.
Yes, yes, yes! I know I've said it before, but this one really is their best song ever. Maybe because it's somehow a little subdued. You're constantly expecting a massive vocal or music explosion or finale rather than this slow build up which does not explode at all but keeps on building. It leaves you almost in a sort of trance. Absolutely amazing! If Abba would only ever have produced just the two songs ever, with this one on side A and Like an Angel ... on side B of a single, I would have been perfectly happy. I would have had both Agnetha and Frida singing, both bringing their own unique style and giving voice to the unique Abba sound. By the way, I haven't read all the comments so someone else may well have already pointed this out to you, but this wasn't a b-side but a full-blown single a-side (Cassandra was the b-side to this). It's just that it never ended up on a regular album, which is why it gets lumped together with various bonus tracks.
Haha, yes, I think about 35 people have told me "b-side" was the wrong term. I do apologize, obviously I'm still learning about their history and the specifics of each release. But you're right, it really is a contender for best ABBA tune. A powerful gothic epic, yet smooth and serene in its delivery. Amazing.
Was overlooked at the time of release but the song was covered by the group Blancmange in the 80’s. Truly one of their masterpieces especially with the operatic backing sounds from Frida.
Hi Matt. After three days i've finally caught up with your journey and loved every minute. Watching your facial reactions when you heard a particular sound i knew was on its way - fantastic. Youve made me laugh, cry and everything in between Thank you for reacting and sharing. Mike
Hey, Mike! Thanks so much for this, it really made my day to read. And indeed, I've learned so much about this amazing group in the last several months through everyone who's become part of this journey, and I'm happy you're along for the ride and "current" with us now. Cheers and see you on the next one!
The working-title of this was "Den lidande fågeln - The Suffering Bird"). The very first tones of this song should 'imitate' this bird, as Andersson mentioned. I also read, that the operatc voice of Frida was an idea of herself!
So how I see this song is that we have a woman that is a creature of habit, maybe she has OCD, she certainly has depression, without really realising it and it took an unspecified event to suddenly assess her life. The song does not elaborate on the event that took place, although we could get hints from the official video. So without seeing the video, what was that event? Well, it could have been a lover, it could have been a serious diagnosis (the day before I got diagnosed with terminal cancer), it could have been something that sparked a religious experience, the day before something else, that could have been sinister, or an epiphany of some description. The song does not tell us if this event improves her life, makes her happier or sadder, we don’t even know if it marks a long term change or just a temporary one. All we know is something has caused her to re-assess her life. She may move in a different direction after this, maybe radically, she may decide that she liked her life as it was before and returns to that state, that safe place. Whatever, we have been blessed with a very fine song indeed, both lyrically and musically. For me it is their best song. Thank you ABBA.
My number one favourite ABBA song. And, it was recorded in 1982. They kept this, Cassandra, You owe me on and Under attack and threw way two songs recorded earlier the same year; I am the city and Just like that. Both were ready for release and was interested for a album that never came in 1983. I am the city was released as a bonus track in 1993, and only a short part of Jus like that in 1994. The only complete version of JLT was stolen from Björns car in 82, and the sound is really bad. However if you look here on YT you can hear a good remaster by a guy named Philippe. Listen to it!❤
To this day I still can't figure out this song's meaning, and that is what I LOVE about it... and I believe it is INTENTIONAL!! They never tell you what happened the day before he came! Your face during this review is the same face I had and still have when listening to this track. (Oh no, did you just say "Phantom Of The ABBA"??? LOL), I type these comments as the video plays lol. So anyway, yea this song is SO specific (talking about reading the editorial section, Chinese good, Dallas, etc...) and it works so well because you get the sense she is trying to remember what happened the day before he came..... it really drives the point home of whatever happened the day he came must have been EPIC! and oh yea... SYNTH POP!
This is a love song! The singer, Agnetha, is describing her mundane, boring life before she met this person. You must watch the music video of this song.
The guys wanted Agnetha to sound as ordinary as could be matching the songs lyrical context of a woman's dull everyday depressive life.Recent years Bjorn hinted some regrets about it saying that perhaps 'if they had let Agnetha sing it 'more beautifully people might have found it easier to take this song to their hearts'.
Nah. The way Agnetha interprets this is as perfect as it's going to get. In fact, I can't recall any version of this song where it's not talk-sung so ABBA's way was the right way. Is there any version where it's truly sung?
@@meropale Tanita Tikaram,Blangmance,,Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree and some more i can't remember.I gotta revisit them to refresh my mind if i have to give you an accurate answer,lol.
@@meropale If i have to honest i didn't like their version but felt proud of their approval.I wasn't impressed either by any other cover apart from Benny's Piano cover.Tanita's version was interesting.Rest i had heard sounded more like some kind of an an awkard threnody or smth.Benny said later decades that it was Bjorn's best work lyricwise,a good song but not a good recording as oposed to 'Underattack" that was a great recording but not such a good song.Too self-critical if not also modest .
My god, I love this one! with its tear jurking chord progressions, mullti layerered synths and backing vocals and Agnetha who was said to sing this one not to beautifull to portray an ordinairy woman. I have red she sang it in the dark and after she finished she left. (The atmosphere wasnt great between them at that time..)/ It didnt go well at the charts at the time (you could not go further from the 'party vibe' that most people (still) associate(d) with ABBA. Proof that they are really creating what they want to create. Such a shame it ends here for them basically. (Together with Under Attack) Until 2021!
Of course another masterpiece. Like a theatrical production with each verse being Act 1, 2, 3 and the short Act 4 Finale. Also from beginning to without a chorus. Although you could say the title of the song IS the chorus. 'The Day Before You Came' phrase/chorus is like the 'interval' between each Act throughout this amazing production
It's like she's reading a page in a diary of every lonely person out there in this cold world, we all recognize ourselves in this story. Given the fact that this was going to be their last song made it even more sad. But despite the sadness it also gives you a bit of hope that some day he/she would enter your life to brighten up your days again.
Bjorn asked agnetha to not sing her best , but to concentrate on the story telling + frida's operatic voice hauntingly through this masterpiece. No chorus, . Genius. 🎉
Hello - I have been waiting for you to react to this - and my wait has been enriched by your graceful and perceptive comments - you mention patience, yes - but your own patience is immense, as is the deep tapestry of this track - the seemingly bland yet so specific lyric matched only by the simplicity and grandeur of the music - thank you for sharing - don't stop :)
I was just listening to this track on a fairly recent 80's compilation, and it sounds slightly different. The rhythm/percussion sounds more distinct and upfront in the mix. It is the same length as the other versions I already had - so maybe it's just a very clear remaster. Or did they do a remix for the 7" that bumped it up ? I figure if anyone knows - you would. Thanks Izzy.
Another good song which I don't think radio stations knew where to put and which some at the time, I remember, thought was dull/miserable. It certainly didn't meet expectations of what the general public thought an ABBA song should sound like but nothing creative does. The video may not have helped much either because its a mix of Agnetha driving in the rain, waiting for the train on an overcast dark morning, exchanging flirtacious looks with a chap she sees on the train and meeting him in a car park - all like scenes from a drama. Then the video ends with the four of them hanging around in an empty theatre, not sitting together, looking in different directions seriously and Agnetha singing the final verse. Any member of the public who was not a big fan (and even some who were) would have at the time, thought they looked bored, fed-up, tired and unhappy. Not really pop material but a good song technically.
@Matt: Correction to your descriction comment about it being a b-side tune! It was an A side single - with Cassandra as the b-side - in 1982. It was meant to be a part of ABBA's 9th album, but it never came to that.
This was their final recorded song. Until voyage but I've read and heard narrative that although nothing was ever specifically said at the time they all knew in their heart of hearts that was it. I've also come to understand that this was recorded entirely in minor keys and chords. Bjorn himself suggested that the ambiguity and background operatics could be suggestive of a sinister outcome and I buy that completely. The narrative is very specific which in and of itself is quite unsettling. Very much a masterpiece and a very worthy sendoff as fate would have it.
I had mentioned this song a couple of months ago (wondering whether you knew it - now you do!), when you reacted to With You - With Me by Morten, because there are a few lines on that song that make me think of this one. As I hardly ever understand Morten's lyrics, my brain directs me to lyrics on other songs that I understand when I hear lines that may have similar underlying ideas. It's when Morten sings "I didn't see it coming / I didn't know it was you" that my mind immediately takes me to this woman living her mechanical daily routine, describing a typical day in her life that was similar to every other previous day, totally unaware that the next day would bring something that would change her life completely. I found it curious and amusing that you said you didn't get the lyrics completely (the "narrative"), you know I normally don't pay much attention to lyrics unless they immediately speak to me, and this is one of those: I can hardly imagine a clearer song in lyrical content than this one. I could say that maybe that was because I have related so strongly to the lyrics a few times in my life, but that's not true, I remember getting the full meaning of the song when I was a teenager and I was amazed with the whole concept, it made sense right away.
This is one of the stand-out ABBA tracks for me, mostly because of the lyrics (with sonics to match) and the way it conveys the idea / feelings it portrays so accurately and strongly. I love how it implies, but never states, what a change this new person would bring to her life (well, it's love! ) by describing the last day of her "previous life". "It's funny, but I had no sense of living without aim / The day before you came". I can tell you I have felt exactly that way once or twice, but it never made more sense than when I adopted my cats. 😊 (Sorry, had to break my comment in two parts because it was getting blocked every time I posted the whole text. 🤷♀)
This was supposed to be released as one of the songs to be included in the album that’s to follow The Visitors. ABBA never intended to quit but unfortunately. The songs that were to be in the next album were: You Owe Me One, Just Like That, I Am The City, Cassandra, Under Attack and The Day Before You Came. I’m not sure about Should I Laugh Or Cry if it was intended for The Visitors or the next album.
I want to complete my opinion, in absolute minority here, about this song The contrast it produces is incredible. In its time it was almost ignored by critics and commercially. So much so that it was ABBA's biggest chart flop since "So Long" in 1974. But it was vindicated many years later in that UK TV special that chose the best ABBA song among all their singles. and "The day before you came" closed the podium, behind "Dancing Queen" in second place and the first place to "The winner takes it all" ABBA interpreted it opening its last express show in Germany 1982, during the first minute Agnetha is seen in solitude, until later the three remaining members appear (through a revolving platform, with Frida sitting at the piano) then the interpretation of Cassandra will come and finally "Under attack" (which you will see shortly) I prefer that version of "The day before you came", which is shorter, with a more abrupt ending, without fade out (That's why for me it's 7 pts live, but 6 pts if I listen only to the audio) The official video also features Agnetha alone, with a co-star, for the entire first half of the song. And just after the instrumental bridge, the three remaining members of ABBA appear, completely separated, disconnected from each other, on the stage of a theater or cinema, with Agnetha singing and the rest 'in a passive pose'. That video is a reflection of what ABBA was at that time before their breakup and at the same time their 10-year anniversary. "The day before you came" is the second longest of ABBA (only surpassed by "Eagle", by a couple of seconds) But I think that the final minute is left over For many, even for you, it is a Masterpiece, for many it is the best ABBA song And surely you will have many comments and views here And it's perfect But for me it is one more song, routine like its rhythm and lyrics, it doesn't even enter my Top50 of the fantastic ABBA catalog with "The day before you came" For me the same applies as for the previous one "Like an angel passing through my room" I see them as if they were songs by solo singers, not by a group like ABBA as Björn and Benny have said, 90% of the ABBA sound is the combined voices of Agnetha and Frida, they together make the Magic of ABBA and in these songs for me that magic is missing But that's what it's all about, the variety of opinions and tastes, and sharing with respect in their diversity. best regards to all
You really should watch the video for this one which makes evocative use of trains and railway stations. Bjorn repeatedly uses trains to represent mundane and dissatisfying patterns of life in ABBA songs ('Another town, Another train', 'Nina Pretty Ballerina', 'The Day Before You Came').
I know you're on a Blancmange trip too and they do a very creditable cover of this song. (Indeed it was a bigger hit in the UK than the ABBA original). I love both.
Their swan song in every way. Old abba pop hooks are gone and has changed to storytelling by Agnetha with only drum machine and synths, on top of that in music video she has (or hit) a new man. In instrumental interlude even Frida's operetta sounds almost like she's crying. Very sad, but beautifull song for the last instrumental ending. Remembering being also very emmotional, when heard this in 1982 and knowing they probably will quit. 😢Always liked this more than The winner takes it all. Originally the song included 1982 album: The Singles.
Oh wow, well that should be fun! On a related note, the next Blancmange reaction is coming in the next batch (with Kranz---finally, I know---VCMG, and a couple others of interest to you).
This song is a masterpiece ! And shows how broad and brilliant " pop" can be ( although it's often difficult to neatly categorise much of ABBA's music - this track being one example) . I think this song has gained such widespread awe over the decades because its brilliance was unappreciated at the time of its single release. Short disposable and up electronic tunes had become the big thing. Audiences needed pap, not majestic adult pop. ABBA was taken for granted, despite being major electronica pioneers. And so the masterpiece was hung in ghostly limbo - too late to enjoy ABBA's previous successes, too early to be seen as redefining a pop song, not at all radio friendly, too mature to distract from the fluffy New Romantics et al.
I don't know how to start this comment lol Well, someone said that records and brands are there to be broken. And well, today this video of "The day before you came" exceeded 1000 views in less than half a day!!! (Actually, it's already almost 1200 views and it seems endless) I make a comparison, that although it is not exhaustive, it is indicative You have more than 2600 subscribers It is as if 45% of them have seen this video in just over half a day Obviously there are many unsubscribed people who have seen it, but it is indicative of today's streaming of this video that had so much expectation So most likely this song will have a Top5 destination (and maybe Podium) in your playlist of musical reactions, and Top10 of your entire channel Obviously, beyond my opinion or taste in a minority, it was a song that was highly anticipated by the fans, perhaps the most anticipated of those that remained. (perhaps the two star songs from ABBA's 2021 comeback album can have a similar expectation here) So everything else that I can say now is small hahaha 1) that all your ABBA songs have at least 500 views 62 have more than 1000 34 have more than 1500 9 have more than 2000 3 have more than 2500 1 has more than 3000 2) your ABBA playlist has already far exceeded 120,000 cumulative views, with an average of more than 1,300 views 3) in accumulated by album, the order is Super Trouper Voulez Vous The Album Arrival The Visitors 4) in averages per album, the order is The Album Super Trouper Voulez Vous The Visitors Arrival This song is not one of my favorites, but for intellectual honesty I had to highlight this remarkable milestone Well, I'm going to sleep now A cordial greeting to you and to all the friends of the channel, the champions as you call us Cheers!
Ha, cheers, Eduardo. I too am amazed at how quickly this one has taken off and all the comments already up. Surely it will indeed be the biggest reaction on my channel soon. And again, it's a testament to how many people appreciate and are keen to discuss ABBA, and what a journey this has become for all of us. Thanks for being a central part of that, Eduardo. I hope you are well and we'll talk soon!
@@mattsnider2667hanks for your kind words, as always. Just you can see: +1400 views , before the first 24hs Outstanding! You deserve It. More and more cheers
In case you have been misinformed, (as it may be suggested in the written description of your reaction) this was never a B-side track. It was released as a long awaited new A-side ABBA-single a year after The Visitors album. Cassandra was the B-side.
@marvinpoprockfan I totally agree. I doubt however that the reaction would have been any different. But, TDBYC is such a momentous and important track in ABBAs career, and cannot be "reduced" to some additional stuff randomly included during The Visitors sessions.
Cetainly a masterpiece, a woman reciting the boring minutia of her day to day life before someone comes into it. The dicotomy is that presumably the person has now entered her life yet she still sounds downbeat and slightly depressed. This was probably as others have mentioned that Agnetha was directed to sing in a very specific way like an actress rather than as herself. Obviously Benny and Bjorn were moving towards musical theatre at this time and I always think this is a move towards that genre. An intriguing song.
Hello Matt, hope you are well. I found your channel the other day and after listening to a couple of your reactions I subscribed. What I appreciate greatly about your channel is that you actually listen to the whole song, you do not pause it to give your thoughts as so many reactors do, something I find both irritating and dis-respectful to the music. You also do not watch a video, you just have the pure undistilled music, with no distractions, you listen and then you react and that I find impressive, so thank you for that. I notice you have done deep dive reactions to several of my absolute favourites but top two are Kate Bush and Abba, so looking forward to your reactions on a whole host of exemplary songs in both catalogues. I was surprised that you have done no reactions to Tori Amos, an American singer/song writer, mostly piano/vocals that is always compared to Kate Bush, which is a wonderful compliment but she is absolutely her own singer and is completely wonderful. If you ever want to do a deep dive into her work, let me know, cheers
Hey there! Thanks for the kind words and support, I really appreciate it. And my older brother (who introduced me to a lot of music that became important in my life) used to listen to Tori Amos a lot, though I never went down that rabbit-hole myself. Would love to react to her material, so let me know if you can help with that. Cheers, Nigel!
@@nigeljames5622 Hey there! So I would need either (1) access to a drive where the tracks/albums are hosted (like a Google Drive folder, Icedrive, Jelly Fin, etc.), or all the tracks/albums ripped and zipped into a Zip file, which I can then download directly from the email. If you can do that (if possible, with 320 kbps MP3s or higher quality, though it's not the end of the world if it's slightly lower than that), we're in business with Tori!
Hi Matt. This is, among others, a great great tune. Has great lyrics and musically it's not a simple one. It's a kind of artwork in my oppinion. Now another thing: I guess you skipped an ABBA's song reaction. You'll tell me if I'm correct. You reacted to "Summer night city" and I guess it is a non-album song (1978) but I didn't find the reaction to the B-side of this single that is "Medley: Pick A Bale Of Cotton/On Top Of Old Smokey/Midnight Special". Did you already react it? Thank you once again for your great reactions and explanations. Hugs from Portugal!
The thing with Under Attack is that its chorus is undecidable sonically. In order to do so, one has to be in the ears of B&B or Michael Tretow who did and redid the many voices it comprises... Unaware that when people listens to it, their perception jumps immediately into a vision of Mamma Mia's song choral voice ensemble, to name one of that typical ABBA catalogue joint A&A three voices vocals. Which is quite the opposite to the freshness they achieved with this song, sonically at its highly inventive intro and verses. A hint to it would be to firstly listen to the choruses of "Head over Heels" and "I Let The Music Speak" 's ((Let them wake me, let them now, let them take me) Let it be a joke Let it be a smile Let it be a farce if it makes me laugh for a little while). Training your ears to discern the vocals and singing emphasis, layering and atmospheres ways to convey meaning there... In many ways it is a futile effort, since Under Attack's chorus would seriously need a careful deconstruction in order to transmit what one (hints) is in there already, and what ABBA had tried to accumulate to give us, that get lost in our listeners side with the instant familiarity of less elaborated choruses from them. Indeed, musicians' perspective chasm grows exponentially with some of their more intense reworkings, more so in their latest output...
I’d like to think that I understood that but if i do it makes sense. To be fair, i did hear the version from mamma mia first, so i knew what the chorus sounds like, and while i like the ABBA version more, it does sound a bit indistinguishable when i look hard enough
"Or, listen hard enough" It won't happen just by that. Nor would if the song is put on repeat daily... Two things about this: One is that neither B&B would have a closed and final opinion of Under Attack's chorus, one that overcomes that chasm between writer's perception of it and their audience's take. Or at least their known mentions of this song in the media have not touched the subject yet. However, Benny's Mamma Mía!'s musical version does realign Under Attack chorus singing with the Greek concept of the joint dramatic character that plays out the fears, hopes and judgement (ala The Winner Takes it All, "The judges will decide, takes it all, has to fall", etc repeated by subdued choral voices). So in this version the choral voices take precedence over the main character's one. In the case of ABBA's only released studio version of Under Attack it misses/hides this reference by much, in case it ever existed in the song original concept. And the other angle, unexpectedly came to me while watching on local TV years ago an interview to Mrs. Montané, probably the most talented young actress in our country, who then had recently completed the run of the first Mamma Mia! the musical been presented in this remote part of the world. She was asked to sing an excerpt of the musical, and she burst into an acapella rendition of Under Attack! I was unexpectedly double mesmerized by the unusual choice and then by how different, fresh and full of meaning and coherence that sung chorus section felt, as opposed to the dense, colorful ABBA original studio version, where it comes as a too mellow, to knowable stylistically singalong piece to pair with such lyrics. Just there, found a hint of what B&B could had achieved at some initial point recording it at Polar Studios, something that most obviously was lost later on at the production/arrangement phases and surfaced in that impromptu rendition...
The question is what happened to her after she left work at 5 but didn't get home until 8. In the morning she left her house at 8 and got to work at 9:15. Hmm.....
@@richschmidt307 Okay, then maybe the train was late or she was so engrossed in the evening paper that she missed getting off the train at her station and had to drive back...
The numb, meaningless, daily grind. The thin, pale voice just accentuates the numbness. Future archeologists will love this song, though. It tells them exactly what life's like today, lol.
I am not enamoured of this one as others are. I think it can border on being a bit one note and meandering for me. On reflection, Benny wished more had been made with the arrangement and thought maybe Agnetha should 'sing' it more than in the conversational style that she does it. That's all subjective, of course. I do think there is a bit of laziness in the arrangement as Benny is just defaulting to his keyboard sounds to layer it rather than looking at a fuller orchestration with other instruments in the mix. Abba's other musicians made great contributions to their work in the past. Lasse Wellander and the like, but now it's all just mostly Benny's keyboard. This was the issue for me with these last lot of Abba songs. Churn out a synth sound backing, file it away and move on. In any event, it kind of bombed with the public. It was just OK for me.
@marvinpoprockfan Actually they thought this could be a hit but Tim Rice who loved it warned them and expressed them his observations.They later said that if this had gone no1 maybe they would have kept it for a couple more years or smth.But didn't.
@marvinpoprockfan P.s.Benny had said this is Bjorn's best work lyricwise(which i doubt)and also a good song but not a good recording which makes him sound rather humble to me.
The arrangement is absolutely perfect for this song, as is the singing. It wouldn't be the same without those mysteriously hypnotic elements. I agree about too-sparse and punchless production on other songs of that period, perhaps rushed. But 'The Day Before You Came" is a masterpiece, as is.
@@The_Jupiter2_Mission They also weren't happy with "Summer Night City"!, They refuse to release "Just Like That" which features amazing sax work by Raphael Ravenscroft (known for the amazing riff on the smash "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty. Bjorn and Benny have no credibility 🤣
The Day Before You Came is such an exceptional song in ABBA's back catalogue, truly wonderful. Until Voyage, it was the very last song they recorded together. It's open to interpretation and many fans have offered various ideas as to what the song is about. I find it hauntingly beautiful, especially Frida's aria. Through the years, the song has grown in stature. Despite some people not liking it, it has an army of firm fans who adore it, as do I.
It's a stunning composition, and very "new wave", while incorporating operatic elements. I love the deliberately robotic singing style they got Agnetha to do here, matching the mundane 'day in the life' described in the lyrics. The bass line, synth 'flute' and other layers flow so well, and Frida's melancholic aria in the background make this song among ABBA's best. It was released as a non-album single about a year after 'The Visitors' release, but people didn't fully embrace the new direction the band was taking. I always thought the song was about a temporary spark a new love provided to a dull and ordinary life. Sadly, the next album was scrapped but this song was rightly included in a greatest singles double album.
Someone on the internet, about this song:
"People don't realise it but this is truly one of the greatest masterpieces in modern pop music. No chorus, a double-beat that comes at intervals that feel right but you cannot put your finger on, an extremely mundane story that actually is so powerful from what it doesn't say. The feeling of sadness in the song, a contradiction given the implication it is about finding a new lover. There is so much it leaves you thinking about - just wonderful!"
Right on
I believe that ABBA in this very last songs let out all the sadness that was there all the time. Benny has spoken about that, how nordic people tend to "rejoice in minor". Melancholy is the secret ingredient in all the ABBA music.
Frida's operatic background singing is a marvel 🎉
"Phantom Of The ABBA"
❤😊
Good one. "Haunting" is an often used adjective to describe this song.
Also the guys went on into the musical genre shortly after this. So there is much true to what you say.
Quite brilliant. One of their greatest pieces of work. And the synth work shows how they continued to be inventive right up until the very end. This was their last studio recording, and tensions were very high between the former couples. Agnetha arrived at the studio alone to record her lines, and left quietly afterwards - and that was it! The end of ABBA as a recording partnership. Later in 1982 they performed this song, along with Cassandra and Under Attack, on the German TV programme Show Express - that, turned out to be the last time they ever performed in front of a live TV audience.
I don't think many people got this track when it was released in 1982. I certainly didn't. I remember hearing it in the car on the way home from school and thinking what is that supposed to be?? Five years later, older and wiser, when I rediscovered my love for Abba, it became possibly my favourite Abba song. It's the story of a woman, a woman who is comfortable in the mundanity of her lonely life, her daily schedule mapped out and never changing, detailing her routine the day before something momentous and life changing happens. Hints are dropped along the way - I never even noticed I was blue, I had no sense I was living without aim. The sonics echo the story, it begins plodding along, the beat like footsteps, but it gradually builds like an approaching storm, the keyboards and those operatic vocals portentous and foreboding. It's led many people to believe that she is describing the day before she is murdered, and is looking back with regret she didn't do more with her life. I think I prefer to believe she meets someone who has a more positive influence, who she falls in love with and with whom she changes the trajectory of her life.
It is a fascinating piece of music, and, I think worthy of being called a masterpiece.
It's Mark hitting the mark once again.
@marvinpoprockfan Weirdly enough this song has lots of fans that didn't like Abba's music but loved this at once.
@@sebzematik Thank you :)
I think the music video answers that question.
An absolute masterpiece. It probably just tops the list of my favourite ABBA songs because it's such a complex narrative with such a powerful and complex melodic arrangment. The whole feeling of this song is so filled with mystery. On the one hand the lyrics possibly suggest somebody whose mundane and sad life has changed for the better when the mysterious "you" came into her life...and yet, and yet the whole mood of the rest of the song offers such a counterpoint to that view, from the melancholic orchestrations, those incredible descending chords in the second and third verses and Frida's unsettling operatic vocals in the background offering a warning that not everything is ok here. Quite, quite brilliant.
Their best song since the Super Trouper album, and one of the best in their entire catalogue, IMO. It should've been a hit, but it seems the world had grown tired of them. And they had grown tired of each other: this was the last song they recorded. The story goes that Benny was the only one in the studio when Agnetha was recording the vocals, and when she finished she lay down on the floor staring at the ceiling, and neither of them said a word; they knew this was the end. Over the years the song became a fan favourite. It's a fantastic synth pop song, and it's such a shame we didn't get more of this.
What a masterpiece!!!!!! That haunting melody will get stuck in your head. Agnetha's story telling ability was always on point ❤️
I’ve been listening to The Day Before You Came more than 40 years now, I must have played it a zillion times and it has always been like as if it were for the first time I hear the song. What can we say, it’s a brilliant, simple yet very complex song, in so many layers. In front of the complexity of the song stands the singing of Agnetha. She’s been asked to sing it not in her amazing voice range but just as simple and plain as it can be in order to reflect the dull life of the woman in the song, until that day before he came. As Agnetha is brilliant in storytelling singing, this song suits her perfectly and she did an amazing job. For a lot of die-hard fans, this song peaks at number one on their top of-all-the-ABBA-songs. Notice that there’s no such thing as an organ like you mentioned, it’s Frida singing the “ahahaaa’s” all the time. She’s also doing the haunting opera voice between the choruses. So yes, ABBA was once again on the top of themselves. I think we all are glad you’ve finally reached the song and happy to see your reaction. So, why not, like myself listen to it over and over and over and… As people mentioned already, Blancmange did a wonderful long version, also the version of Tanita Tikaram is quiet good, as an inspiration of the original. Last but not least, as we arrive at “the end” of ABBA before ‘Voyage’, notice that in all the ABBA-songs, there’s never ever a gap or something empty between the singing lyrics, there’s always a ahaa or a little melody in between. You’ve noticed it here in the beginning of the song. If you go through all their repertoire again in your spare time - which I hope you do -, you can listen to that, it opens another spectrum of ABBA. Notice also all the backgrounds of the women in all the songs, sometimes where you don’t expect it, but it makes the song complete and.. an ABBA-song. Thank you for your reaction on the brilliant The Day Before You Came. Erwin (Brussels, Belgium).
Thank you for the wonderful comment. Agree 100% with everything you said.
As I have gotten older I have come to realize just how brilliant this song is, certainly near the top of ABBA’s repertoire. Hauntingly beautiful. Thanks Matt 👍
Such a wonderful song. It was overlooked when it charted back in 1982 but has since become a favourite amongst ABBA fans and even some music critics. Incredibly haunting piece. There is nothing remotely depressing in the lyrics which reads like a journal entry from a sad and lonely woman, but the tone, the voices - Agnetha's sorrowful vocals with the poignant wailing in the background, etc, give it a feeling of doom. I always interpret it as tragedy striking the person Agnetha is recalling.
Interestingly enough Benny instructed Agnetha to sing this "ordinary" and *not* use her vocal abilities to convey a bored woman from the suburbs. He later stated this was a mistake because you do not need to underuse your abilities as a singer to play a part in a song, but he does rank this as one of his favourites, and I do think it gave Agnetha a raw aspect to her vocals (notice she doesn't use a lot of vibrato like she does on her other ballads) & as always, she always delivered the melancholy and sadness. This along with The Winner Takes it All remain my top 2 favourite ABBA songs.
Probably my favourite ABBA song! Those operatic vocals were Frida I think
Best Song Ever. Seriously. I love all the layers and Frida’s operatic background vocals.
PS: watch the live (lip synced) performance video along with Cassandra.
The story in the lyrics and Frida's haunting voice. This has to be one of the best songs ever written and performed. Period.
PS, PLEASE watch the video.
This must be one of the best songs ever written. Brilliant. You must see the music video to this song.
"According to Michael Tretow, ABBA's long-time sound engineer, Fältskog sang her lead without the lights on. He added that the mood in the studio was sad and everybody knew that it was the end. The song details the story of a woman's mundane life right before she met her lover."
I always thought, and as the video suggests, that it is about an ordinary woman, living her ordinary life, then meeting someone whom she can`t be with, because they are in different places in their lives. That they met briefly, but could not live together, and now she remembers that time every day for the rest of her dull life.
Or the woman meets Death. Dark interpretation, but it works.
Bjorn and Agnetha have both commented that there's no happy ending here. As if the music didn't tell you that already. The precise-imprecision is clever lyric writing. It's like a vaguely recalled witness statement. It's either an attacker, or someone she somehow ended up killing, or who killed her, and this is the blurrily recalled mundane last day of her life she barely recalls from another realm. As you suggested, it's gothic - it's like a requiem mass to an unknown horrific event, prefaced by mere banality.
"It's funny, but I had no sense of living without aim".
The tragedy, it seems, is that this wasted life finally hit some sort of target. And then ended.
Had been described as a song without a chorus and intentionally semi-narrative.Something that lots of Abba fans at the time weren't prepaired to accept But despite its lack of commercial wit this is propably the most praised songs,with hymnic reviews from the crticics as Abba's Artistic high and swansong masterpiece'
Great truck...👌
The four of them made an amazing job...
🅰️gnetha leading vocals
🅱️jörn with excepcional lyrics
🅱️enny on gothic keys
🅰️nd Frida with the operatic voice... Masterpiece ⭐
Great analysis as usual, Matt.
See ya
❤️🇨🇱👍
such a joy to watch this gentleman. Seems so kind and sensitive and really appreciates how brilliant Abba are !!!
Thank you, this comment made my day. Much appreciated, and more ABBA reactions still to come!
One of the all-time greats.
The very finest, astonishing ABBA. Play this as the curtains surround me....Yes I have my reasons.....
This song comes with a special story. This was the last recording before the breakup. Agnetha, who was fed up being a pop star, came to the studio, sat on a chair, let the lights off and sang - sitting - this song about a very normal woman. She then left the studio and didn't come back for 40 years, except for for some personal projects.
Oh, cheers for that! Also a special ABBA reaction coming later this morning, as well as one each for solo Agnetha and Frida. Thanks again for the comment!
This was the last track they recorded before the break-up!
I've always been a Frida fan, and I know that alot ABBA fans thought that Agnetha's "The Winner Takes It All", was her finest performance, but Agnetha with this track "Knocks it out of the Park" ..... Agnetha has to be one of the most underestimated vocalist of the 20th century, critics only saw her for her beautiful looks and not for her Vocal attributes and the same can also be said about my favourite, Frida🥰
I'm so looking forward to your reactions to the "Voyage" Album, a 40 year hiatus, you won't be disappointed. The first track to be released from this Album was "I Still Have Faith In You" ......😂😂😂 I'm a 62 yr old man and I cried buckets and buckets, I could hardly pick myself up from the floor and the came the 2'nd track to be released at the same time....then I was just done in.....then to make matters worse we had to wait another "Two Months" for the album to be released, I can now go to my grave (when ever that might be) a very happy and contented man. Frida's my favourite but bloody #ell, Agnetha......
🇬🇧😱
Agnetha does not really sing this song. It's more of a talk sing. The singing part is the vocalizing by Frida. That is the haunting operatic part between some verses and the last minute.
Regarding Agnetha and Frida's reputation among pro's in their profession. Frida is the one that has gotten attention since she was in grade school.
Frida is the one that excelled in vocal talent hunts. Agnetha, pre teen entered vocal talent hunts, but failed.
Agnetha gets exposed outside studio environments. Lots of pop/studio recording artist do.
Frida's background was live performance since a very young age. Then TV, live-to-air, etc....
What every ABBA fan knows after a little bit of searching, is Agnetha has lots of technical issues. These technical issues can be "fixed" in studio.
___
A couple reasons Agnetha got attention for her looks. She fit the Swedish stereotype. The Euro butt article. And she did not have Frida's stellar reputation among music peers.
If Agnetha had Frida's skills and performance resume, association with Swedish music icons, etc... then Agnetha would have received attention for her vocal skills instead of her looks.
Frida was beautiful, had a vey fit body with great legs, but was always defined by her talent. She has been defined by her talent since grade school. That is what an artist wants.
_____
ABBA: Bright Lights Dark Shadows
The Real Story of ABBA
By Carl Magnus Palm
This book a good primer on ABBA and how they became a group, etc...
The vocal abilities of the girls are discussed.
Frida gets lots of attention.
What her ABBA/Polar Music and other music peers say about Frida's talent: keen ear, diaphragmatic breathing, control, versatility, dynamics, is golden.
Benny, Bjorn and Michael Tretow ABBA's recording engineer considered Frida a master vocalist as do her other music peers.
This song has had a long life on Dutch radio. I really like this song.
This at the time of release was sooo underestimated and undervalued by all the radio stations and record buying public at the time, it's now considered one of their best recorded tracks. At the time of its release the music scene in the UK was changing dramatically and I think this was to sophisticated for most record buying people who just wanted something less sophisticated. But at least now it gets the recognition that it deserves.
🇬🇧👍
One of ABBA's best, and didn't get get the recognition it deserved
All is amazing in that song ! Music and lyrics !! A masterpiece !
A Masterpiece of Pop Music. Both the melody and the lyrics can not be topped. Such a everyday description of a life......... But with a mysterious and melancholy mood..... It is pure Swedish......... And pure ABBA. Thanks for your reaction..... Most people new to this song are as blown away as you were. Also if you get the chance. Watch the video..... It is also a classic.
I wish to one day experience the kind of devastatingly all consuming love that is portrayed in this masterpiece of a song. Trying to remember how you lived before it and finding your earlier existence hollow and lifeless, only bearable in the ignorance of the love you’ve now experienced and lost.
Without understanding the narrative of the song people still view it as one of abba’s greatest works but with the lyrical context it becomes, for me atleast, the greatest piece of music ever created.
One of their best songs…probably amongst their top two or three in my opinion. It’s very Scandinavian and reflectively melancholic…and it’s of course about relationships, and their consequences, regrets, and what might’ve beens. Like a-ha, ABBA are absolute masters of this type of sonics & narrative…great stuff!
Clearly this is one of ABBA'S finest offerings in a career full of highlights. It is so different from their earlier songs which captured fans with their trademark choruses. But TDBYC didn't need a chorus because the music and lyrics created such a hypnotic haunting atmosphere that it draws the listener in hook line and sinker.
Above all though is the sheer beauty of the melody which only became evident to me when I heard the piece played as a piano instrumental.
Anni-Frid: operatic vocalizing
Benny - music . Most all synth.
Bjorn: Lyrics
Agnetha: story teller sing-talk narration
Such a gamble = no chorus or catch lines, was only a minor hit @ the time , but over the years, its become one of ABBAS MOST RESPECTED LOVED ❤TRACK'S. 🎉
I loved this song when it came out, it was very different from what they had done up to that point, and I, like many, was waiting for a new album, which in the end never came... A masterpiece, underrated when it was released, but a strong fans favourite... Glad you liked too... Saludos desde Argentina!!!
One of the groups more minimalist compositions, it's just Benny's synth, a drum machine with snare overdubs, and maybe a bit of buried acoustic guitar? It's stunning that Benny could create such a dense atmosphere with just a few manipulated elements. The operatic background vocals are Frida, who quite simply haunts this song. Phantom of the ABBA indeed!
All I can say is that I wish I lived in one of the countries where this single made the Top 20.
Pure genius.
I was just scanning the comments and i saw one that intrigued me but i can't see it anymore, but it stated that this song is essentially a ghost telling of her final day before she was killed. It sort of makes sense although i always thought it was about a relationship that either ended or how mundane life was before she fell in love.
But the idea of it being about a dead person recalling their last hours brings chills
This was Abbas final swan song. An melancholic masterpiece. Rumor said that their studio was even dismantled and shut down during the recordings. Agneta was also specificly told to sing with extra accent on this one, to create a sort of ordinary feel.. since its all about an odinary (dull) day in a persons life.. just before that big.. you know what.
Such a perfect pop creation! I think it is so mezmerising - almost hypnotising in its haunting melody and instrumentation. And one of the only ABBA songs without a real chorus! Agnetha interprets it so well so that it is like you see the movie of her boring daily life! And what happens the next day? Is it a love movie? Does she meet her great love of her life? Or is it a thriller? Does she meet her murderer? The answer is blowing in the wind!
BTW: Fridas operatic backing vocals just adds to the songs greatness! Love it! ❤️
how are You?
so glad to see you very well
"The day before you came"
It was the last ABBA song recorded
(until the new album "Voyage")
although it was not the last single
(it was the next, "Under Attack")
It was one of the last three that barely entered the Top 30 in the UK, a low expectation for what ABBA was used to.
It is said to have been recorded in a dark and damp room, to make it more gloomy and to help Agnetha interpret
It's a fiction story, a cryptic lyrics by the guitarist Björn and a dark music by Benny synths
I will be honest
of all Their singles this wich I like the least
(for me is good, but not much more, 6/7pts)
Agnetha's vocal performance is the best, but She is very lonely without a classic ABBA chorus and instrumentation
The video is also strange, but it is well achieved,
in relation to the story that the lyrics tell
again Agnetha looks alone, now as an actress,
the rest of the members of ABBA appear only at the end and disaggregated
I understand that a lot of fans like it, it is even well ranked in the votes for the best ABBA song
(it's #3 for British fans, only behind the #1 "The winner takes it all" and the #2 "Dancing Queen")
I also know that is part of research and musical experimentation of the last years of ABBA
But this song is not the style of music that I like, and Agnetha remains as a soloist
That is why I prefer their other songs before,
where the four members most involved are,
in addition to other musical genres
For example, I prefer the ABBA singles
Ring Ring, So long, I do I do I do I do I do,
Head over heels (all 8pts)
and Under Attack, that you will see soon in these bonus tracks
their others singles that wasn't Top10 in UK in their time between 1973/1982
Thanks for your great reaction
it was fantastic, one of your best,
so clearly and with passion for ABBA songs
I hope to see you soon in the next
GOD bless you and stay safe
best regards from
Buenos Aires Argentina 🇦🇷
South America
ABBA is the best. Great job guy.👏👏👏
What a masterpiece. Whoever came up with those lyrics is a genius. They're so simple, yet so effective, just telling how a mundane everyday passed by ... while knowing that the day after something magical could have happened. And we don't get to know who exactly came and what it led to. I am thrilled every time I hear it. But that's also because it works so well with the music. It's dramatic and melancholic and sweet and haunting ... and I love those oddly programmed drums (at least they sound programmed to me). One of my favorite songs of all time.
The other interpretation was that whoever came was a curse.
@@italoblu That's interesting. Before she had "never even noticed [she] was blue" and hadn't had no sense of living without aim. That made me think it changed for the better.
@@sebzematik If you see the video, which is of course only one possible interpretation, it did change for the better at first. But now she is back to how it was, and now she knows what she is missing.
@@klausolekristiansen2960 I haven't watched it in a while but I always thought it all played before that very day. I need to watch it again now. I still like to think that something nice will be happening to her. :)
The song doesn’t have a happy ending. Benny and Bjorn have confirmed that fact in interviews.
If you think about it, the “you” in the title was never confirmed to be a lover, or even a person. It very well could have signified death. Frida’s mournful wails confirms that detail.
IMO, the song is downright creepy.
Feels like standing on the precipice of change, almost not believing that all is different, heart pounding, checking and rechecking all that was normal, disbelief, fear and wonder. The future strange, unwritten and dark. I love this so much, the music her voice, stepping into that wonderful brightness of a new life.
Really great description and contextualization of the song! Cheers for that comment.
@@mattsnider2667 Good day Matt.Over 1,800 views in just 3 days?!So fine for a 'non-commercial' Abba song,eh?
@@alexioverdo5225 It's true! Obviously one of the most beloved tunes by ABBA fans, even with it not being an album track.
The saddest thing about this song is not knowing what happened afterwards! Just how tragic was it post song? If it was even tragic at all!
I discovered this song right around the time a new romance had entered my life and it quickly became my favourite ABBA song. It seemed to be speaking to exactly what I was feeling: I did have that boring mundane life Agnetha plods through in this song, and things were different now. I came back to the song after that romance failed, and it still seemed to speak to exactly my emotional state at that time too.
The very last done Abba recorded while they were an active group 40 years ago.
Its a beautiful theatrical reading of the mundaness of life before her lover entered her existence.
Agnetha said that she was directed to sing like a plaintive everyday woman, whereas Bjorn said that they should have just let her be a singer. None the less its an epic tale of the transformative power of love.
Yeah. It's certainly the epic tale of the transformative power of something. But if it's love, it's the sort of smothering-to-death love Henry James talked about. Those clashing diminshed chords and the ghostly operatics Frida did so well don't talk about any happy ending. And, again, Bjorn and Agnetha made it clear that yes, something bad does indeed happen.
I am not a big fan of this song but appreciate how others do like it.
Benny's solo performance in the 'Piano' album is also beautiful.Also video is a must seen.
I totally agree! It shows how much Benny was and is inspired by classical music! He is so talented!
th-cam.com/video/5l9TD3HqK9I/w-d-xo.html
@marvinpoprockfan i also luv KMKY and That's Me.
There's so much to love here.
I haven't come across anything similar lyrically; it's not about meeting your love or falling in love, being in love or ending love, it's about how mundane the world was before you met your love. The lyric is beautifully constructed, covering only what's mentioned in the title, never needing to explore further or feeling incomplete. Structurally it's unlike anything else they've done, they're songs all following a pretty standard format. It's a poem, and i've been cheeky enough to include it in a recital of classic poetry :)
Musically the track's superb, and again structurally very different from their usual. The building of layers is masterly, both in choice and execution, from that weird electronic snare to Frida's soaring backing vocal. Agnetha is, as usual, incredible.
And so the Swedes find another maudlin take on a love affair… As I said, always bet on melancholy 😜 I'm not sure anyone has ever framed humdrum & miserable as beautifully as ABBA did. I love it, the perfect soundtrack for gazing out of the window watching the rain.
In the U.K. this had radio play ur it never took off with the public. I was gutted it wasn't a huge hit and, when they split shortly after, even more upset that it wasn't their last single. The Day Before You Came and it's B-side, Cassandra, would have capped off their career perfectly.
Not sure if i'll comment on their last single & B-side cos i'm not a fan of either, but some people will be.
Thanks, Matt :D
This is a hauntingly beautiful masterpiece ❤
This is such an amazing tune
Es toda una Joya Musical,atemporal y las voces de Agnetha y en especial la de Frida con su Lírica la hacen ser de las mejores Piezas del repertorio del grupo ABBA.
Yes, yes, yes! I know I've said it before, but this one really is their best song ever. Maybe because it's somehow a little subdued. You're constantly expecting a massive vocal or music explosion or finale rather than this slow build up which does not explode at all but keeps on building. It leaves you almost in a sort of trance. Absolutely amazing!
If Abba would only ever have produced just the two songs ever, with this one on side A and Like an Angel ... on side B of a single, I would have been perfectly happy. I would have had both Agnetha and Frida singing, both bringing their own unique style and giving voice to the unique Abba sound.
By the way, I haven't read all the comments so someone else may well have already pointed this out to you, but this wasn't a b-side but a full-blown single a-side (Cassandra was the b-side to this). It's just that it never ended up on a regular album, which is why it gets lumped together with various bonus tracks.
Haha, yes, I think about 35 people have told me "b-side" was the wrong term. I do apologize, obviously I'm still learning about their history and the specifics of each release. But you're right, it really is a contender for best ABBA tune. A powerful gothic epic, yet smooth and serene in its delivery. Amazing.
Was overlooked at the time of release but the song was covered by the group Blancmange in the 80’s. Truly one of their masterpieces especially with the operatic backing sounds from Frida.
Hi Matt. After three days i've finally caught up with your journey and loved every minute. Watching your facial reactions when you heard a particular sound i knew was on its way - fantastic. Youve made me laugh, cry and everything in between Thank you for reacting and sharing. Mike
Hey, Mike! Thanks so much for this, it really made my day to read. And indeed, I've learned so much about this amazing group in the last several months through everyone who's become part of this journey, and I'm happy you're along for the ride and "current" with us now. Cheers and see you on the next one!
The working-title of this was "Den lidande fågeln - The Suffering Bird"). The very first tones of this song should 'imitate' this bird, as Andersson mentioned. I also read, that the operatc voice of Frida was an idea of herself!
Aah!'The Suffering bird" yes.What a title.Maches Even its mourning synth riff.
This song is an existential crisis!
So how I see this song is that we have a woman that is a creature of habit, maybe she has OCD, she certainly has depression, without really realising it and it took an unspecified event to suddenly assess her life. The song does not elaborate on the event that took place, although we could get hints from the official video. So without seeing the video, what was that event? Well, it could have been a lover, it could have been a serious diagnosis (the day before I got diagnosed with terminal cancer), it could have been something that sparked a religious experience, the day before something else, that could have been sinister, or an epiphany of some description. The song does not tell us if this event improves her life, makes her happier or sadder, we don’t even know if it marks a long term change or just a temporary one. All we know is something has caused her to re-assess her life. She may move in a different direction after this, maybe radically, she may decide that she liked her life as it was before and returns to that state, that safe place. Whatever, we have been blessed with a very fine song indeed, both lyrically and musically. For me it is their best song. Thank you ABBA.
A Haunting Song.......brilliant. You should watch the Video for this song Matt.......it explains everything in the song.
My number one favourite ABBA song. And, it was recorded in 1982. They kept this, Cassandra, You owe me on and Under attack and threw way two songs recorded earlier the same year; I am the city and Just like that. Both were ready for release and was interested for a album that never came in 1983. I am the city was released as a bonus track in 1993, and only a short part of Jus like that in 1994. The only complete version of JLT was stolen from Björns car in 82, and the sound is really bad. However if you look here on YT you can hear a good remaster by a guy named Philippe. Listen to it!❤
To this day I still can't figure out this song's meaning, and that is what I LOVE about it... and I believe it is INTENTIONAL!! They never tell you what happened the day before he came! Your face during this review is the same face I had and still have when listening to this track. (Oh no, did you just say "Phantom Of The ABBA"??? LOL), I type these comments as the video plays lol. So anyway, yea this song is SO specific (talking about reading the editorial section, Chinese good, Dallas, etc...) and it works so well because you get the sense she is trying to remember what happened the day before he came..... it really drives the point home of whatever happened the day he came must have been EPIC! and oh yea... SYNTH POP!
This is a love song! The singer, Agnetha, is describing her mundane, boring life before she met this person. You must watch the music video of this song.
The guys wanted Agnetha to sound as ordinary as could be matching the songs lyrical context of a woman's dull everyday depressive life.Recent years Bjorn hinted some regrets about it saying that perhaps 'if they had let Agnetha sing it 'more beautifully people might have found it easier to take this song to their hearts'.
Nah. The way Agnetha interprets this is as perfect as it's going to get. In fact, I can't recall any version of this song where it's not talk-sung so ABBA's way was the right way. Is there any version where it's truly sung?
@@meropale Tanita Tikaram,Blangmance,,Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree and some more i can't remember.I gotta revisit them to refresh my mind if i have to give you an accurate answer,lol.
Blancmange definitely talk-sung it.
@@meropale If i have to honest i didn't like their version but felt proud of their approval.I wasn't impressed either by any other cover apart from Benny's Piano cover.Tanita's version was interesting.Rest i had heard sounded more like some kind of an an awkard threnody or smth.Benny said later decades that it was Bjorn's best work lyricwise,a good song but not a good recording as oposed to 'Underattack" that was a great recording but not such a good song.Too self-critical if not also modest .
My god, I love this one! with its tear jurking chord progressions, mullti layerered synths and backing vocals and Agnetha who was said to sing this one not to beautifull to portray an ordinairy woman. I have red she sang it in the dark and after she finished she left. (The atmosphere wasnt great between them at that time..)/ It didnt go well at the charts at the time (you could not go further from the 'party vibe' that most people (still) associate(d) with ABBA. Proof that they are really creating what they want to create. Such a shame it ends here for them basically. (Together with Under Attack) Until 2021!
Of course another masterpiece. Like a theatrical production with each verse being Act 1, 2, 3 and the short Act 4 Finale. Also from beginning to without a chorus. Although you could say the title of the song IS the chorus. 'The Day Before You Came' phrase/chorus is like the 'interval' between each Act throughout this amazing production
It's like she's reading a page in a diary of every lonely person out there in this cold world, we all recognize ourselves in this story. Given the fact that this was going to be their last song made it even more sad. But despite the sadness it also gives you a bit of hope that some day he/she would enter your life to brighten up your days again.
Bjorn asked agnetha to not sing her best , but to concentrate on the story telling + frida's operatic voice hauntingly through this masterpiece. No chorus, . Genius. 🎉
Hello - I have been waiting for you to react to this - and my wait has been enriched by your graceful and perceptive comments - you mention patience, yes - but your own patience is immense, as is the deep tapestry of this track - the seemingly bland yet so specific lyric matched only by the simplicity and grandeur of the music - thank you for sharing - don't stop :)
Agnetha's song as Benny once put it.
It's one of those brilliant and poignant lyrics. The backing is simple but captivating too. Pure emotion
I was just listening to this track on a fairly recent 80's compilation, and it sounds slightly different. The rhythm/percussion sounds more distinct and upfront in the mix. It is the same length as the other versions I already had - so maybe it's just a very clear remaster. Or did they do a remix for the 7" that bumped it up ? I figure if anyone knows - you would. Thanks Izzy.
@@josephthomas3912 sorry I'm not an ABBA aficionado and i thought it was the regular version, but it's been a while since I heard it
Another good song which I don't think radio stations knew where to put and which some at the time, I remember, thought was dull/miserable. It certainly didn't meet expectations of what the general public thought an ABBA song should sound like but nothing creative does. The video may not have helped much either because its a mix of Agnetha driving in the rain, waiting for the train on an overcast dark morning, exchanging flirtacious looks with a chap she sees on the train and meeting him in a car park - all like scenes from a drama.
Then the video ends with the four of them hanging around in an empty theatre, not sitting together, looking in different directions seriously and Agnetha singing the final verse.
Any member of the public who was not a big fan (and even some who were) would have at the time, thought they looked bored, fed-up, tired and unhappy.
Not really pop material but a good song technically.
@Matt: Correction to your descriction comment about it being a b-side tune! It was an A side single - with Cassandra as the b-side - in 1982. It was meant to be a part of ABBA's 9th album, but it never came to that.
I had no sense of living without aim. Implying she does now. Implying he hurt her, or died.
This was their final recorded song. Until voyage but I've read and heard narrative that although nothing was ever specifically said at the time they all knew in their heart of hearts that was it. I've also come to understand that this was recorded entirely in minor keys and chords. Bjorn himself suggested that the ambiguity and background operatics could be suggestive of a sinister outcome and I buy that completely. The narrative is very specific which in and of itself is quite unsettling. Very much a masterpiece and a very worthy sendoff as fate would have it.
I had mentioned this song a couple of months ago (wondering whether you knew it - now you do!), when you reacted to With You - With Me by Morten, because there are a few lines on that song that make me think of this one. As I hardly ever understand Morten's lyrics, my brain directs me to lyrics on other songs that I understand when I hear lines that may have similar underlying ideas. It's when Morten sings "I didn't see it coming / I didn't know it was you" that my mind immediately takes me to this woman living her mechanical daily routine, describing a typical day in her life that was similar to every other previous day, totally unaware that the next day would bring something that would change her life completely.
I found it curious and amusing that you said you didn't get the lyrics completely (the "narrative"), you know I normally don't pay much attention to lyrics unless they immediately speak to me, and this is one of those: I can hardly imagine a clearer song in lyrical content than this one. I could say that maybe that was because I have related so strongly to the lyrics a few times in my life, but that's not true, I remember getting the full meaning of the song when I was a teenager and I was amazed with the whole concept, it made sense right away.
This is one of the stand-out ABBA tracks for me, mostly because of the lyrics (with sonics to match) and the way it conveys the idea / feelings it portrays so accurately and strongly.
I love how it implies, but never states, what a change this new person would bring to her life (well, it's love! ) by describing the last day of her "previous life". "It's funny, but I had no sense of living without aim / The day before you came". I can tell you I have felt exactly that way once or twice, but it never made more sense than when I adopted my cats. 😊
(Sorry, had to break my comment in two parts because it was getting blocked every time I posted the whole text. 🤷♀)
This was supposed to be released as one of the songs to be included in the album that’s to follow The Visitors. ABBA never intended to quit but unfortunately. The songs that were to be in the next album were: You Owe Me One, Just Like That, I Am The City, Cassandra, Under Attack and The Day Before You Came. I’m not sure about Should I Laugh Or Cry if it was intended for The Visitors or the next album.
I think very few of these would have made it on the album in the end. Most would be relegated to B sides or left off completely.
I want to complete my opinion, in absolute minority here, about this song
The contrast it produces is incredible.
In its time it was almost ignored by critics and commercially.
So much so that it was ABBA's biggest chart flop since "So Long" in 1974.
But it was vindicated many years later in that UK TV special
that chose the best ABBA song among all their singles.
and "The day before you came" closed the podium,
behind "Dancing Queen" in second place
and the first place to "The winner takes it all"
ABBA interpreted it opening its last express show in Germany 1982,
during the first minute Agnetha is seen in solitude,
until later the three remaining members appear
(through a revolving platform, with Frida sitting at the piano)
then the interpretation of Cassandra will come
and finally "Under attack" (which you will see shortly)
I prefer that version of "The day before you came",
which is shorter, with a more abrupt ending, without fade out
(That's why for me it's 7 pts live, but 6 pts if I listen only to the audio)
The official video also features Agnetha alone, with a co-star, for the entire first half of the song.
And just after the instrumental bridge,
the three remaining members of ABBA appear, completely separated,
disconnected from each other, on the stage of a theater or cinema,
with Agnetha singing and the rest 'in a passive pose'.
That video is a reflection of what ABBA was at that time before their breakup
and at the same time their 10-year anniversary.
"The day before you came" is the second longest of ABBA
(only surpassed by "Eagle", by a couple of seconds)
But I think that the final minute is left over
For many, even for you, it is a Masterpiece, for many it is the best ABBA song
And surely you will have many comments and views here And it's perfect
But for me it is one more song, routine like its rhythm and lyrics,
it doesn't even enter my Top50 of the fantastic ABBA catalog
with "The day before you came"
For me the same applies as for the previous one
"Like an angel passing through my room"
I see them as if they were songs by solo singers, not by a group like ABBA
as Björn and Benny have said,
90% of the ABBA sound is the combined voices of Agnetha and Frida,
they together make the Magic of ABBA
and in these songs for me that magic is missing
But that's what it's all about, the variety of opinions and tastes,
and sharing with respect in their diversity.
best regards to all
Surely the best ABBA song and surely for me the best song of all Time ❤❤❤
You really should watch the video for this one which makes evocative use of trains and railway stations. Bjorn repeatedly uses trains to represent mundane and dissatisfying patterns of life in ABBA songs ('Another town, Another train', 'Nina Pretty Ballerina', 'The Day Before You Came').
Ive been counting down for this. To me its about the mundanity of life.
I was watcho g younat key parta and knew you were getting it 😀👍
I know you're on a Blancmange trip too and they do a very creditable cover of this song. (Indeed it was a bigger hit in the UK than the ABBA original). I love both.
Cheers, just heard about that, really looking forward to it now!
@@mattsnider2667 It's a fun cover, but it's a bit too camp to capture the sombre ambiguous gravitas of the original.
Their swan song in every way. Old abba pop hooks are gone and has changed to storytelling by Agnetha with only drum machine and synths, on top of that in music video she has (or hit) a new man. In instrumental interlude even Frida's operetta sounds almost like she's crying. Very sad, but beautifull song for the last instrumental ending. Remembering being also very emmotional, when heard this in 1982 and knowing they probably will quit. 😢Always liked this more than The winner takes it all. Originally the song included 1982 album: The Singles.
Blancmange did a cover of this song. They also used the music video and kind of re-did it and spliced the ABBA video in.
Oh wow, well that should be fun! On a related note, the next Blancmange reaction is coming in the next batch (with Kranz---finally, I know---VCMG, and a couple others of interest to you).
@@mattsnider2667 Yes, the VC portion is talent, the MG side, well, on his last effort....................
@@handsolo1209 Bet you can't wait for the rest of the Counterfeit EP and then the full album of the same name!
@@mattsnider2667 Oh goody..........................
This song is a masterpiece ! And shows how broad and brilliant " pop" can be ( although it's often difficult to neatly categorise much of ABBA's music - this track being one example) .
I think this song has gained such widespread awe over the decades because its brilliance was unappreciated at the time of its single release. Short disposable and up electronic tunes had become the big thing. Audiences needed pap, not majestic adult pop. ABBA was taken for granted, despite being major electronica pioneers.
And so the masterpiece was hung in ghostly limbo - too late to enjoy ABBA's previous successes, too early to be seen as redefining a pop song, not at all radio friendly, too mature to distract from the fluffy New Romantics et al.
The day before who came? A lover? Or the Angel of Death?
I don't know how to start this comment lol
Well, someone said that records and brands are there to be broken.
And well, today this video of "The day before you came" exceeded 1000 views in less than half a day!!!
(Actually, it's already almost 1200 views and it seems endless)
I make a comparison, that although it is not exhaustive, it is indicative
You have more than 2600 subscribers
It is as if 45% of them have seen this video in just over half a day
Obviously there are many unsubscribed people who have seen it,
but it is indicative of today's streaming of this video that had so much expectation
So most likely this song will have a Top5 destination (and maybe Podium)
in your playlist of musical reactions, and Top10 of your entire channel
Obviously, beyond my opinion or taste in a minority,
it was a song that was highly anticipated by the fans,
perhaps the most anticipated of those that remained.
(perhaps the two star songs from ABBA's 2021 comeback album
can have a similar expectation here)
So everything else that I can say now is small hahaha
1) that all your ABBA songs have at least 500 views
62 have more than 1000
34 have more than 1500
9 have more than 2000
3 have more than 2500
1 has more than 3000
2) your ABBA playlist has already far exceeded 120,000 cumulative views,
with an average of more than 1,300 views
3) in accumulated by album, the order is
Super Trouper
Voulez Vous
The Album
Arrival
The Visitors
4) in averages per album, the order is
The Album
Super Trouper
Voulez Vous
The Visitors
Arrival
This song is not one of my favorites,
but for intellectual honesty I had to highlight this remarkable milestone
Well, I'm going to sleep now
A cordial greeting to you and to all the friends of the channel,
the champions as you call us Cheers!
Ha, cheers, Eduardo. I too am amazed at how quickly this one has taken off and all the comments already up. Surely it will indeed be the biggest reaction on my channel soon. And again, it's a testament to how many people appreciate and are keen to discuss ABBA, and what a journey this has become for all of us. Thanks for being a central part of that, Eduardo. I hope you are well and we'll talk soon!
@@mattsnider2667hanks for your kind words, as always. Just you can see: +1400 views , before the first 24hs Outstanding! You deserve It. More and more cheers
In case you have been misinformed, (as it may be suggested in the written description of your reaction) this was never a B-side track. It was released as a long awaited new A-side ABBA-single a year after The Visitors album. Cassandra was the B-side.
@marvinpoprockfan I totally agree. I doubt however that the reaction would have been any different. But, TDBYC is such a momentous and important track in ABBAs career, and cannot be "reduced" to some additional stuff randomly included during The Visitors sessions.
Cetainly a masterpiece, a woman reciting the boring minutia of her day to day life before someone comes into it. The dicotomy is that presumably the person has now entered her life yet she still sounds downbeat and slightly depressed. This was probably as others have mentioned that Agnetha was directed to sing in a very specific way like an actress rather than as herself. Obviously Benny and Bjorn were moving towards musical theatre at this time and I always think this is a move towards that genre. An intriguing song.
A masterpiece, unfortunately it didn't have the proper respect.
Hello Matt, hope you are well. I found your channel the other day and after listening to a couple of your reactions I subscribed. What I appreciate greatly about your channel is that you actually listen to the whole song, you do not pause it to give your thoughts as so many reactors do, something I find both irritating and dis-respectful to the music. You also do not watch a video, you just have the pure undistilled music, with no distractions, you listen and then you react and that I find impressive, so thank you for that. I notice you have done deep dive reactions to several of my absolute favourites but top two are Kate Bush and Abba, so looking forward to your reactions on a whole host of exemplary songs in both catalogues. I was surprised that you have done no reactions to Tori Amos, an American singer/song writer, mostly piano/vocals that is always compared to Kate Bush, which is a wonderful compliment but she is absolutely her own singer and is completely wonderful. If you ever want to do a deep dive into her work, let me know, cheers
Hey there! Thanks for the kind words and support, I really appreciate it. And my older brother (who introduced me to a lot of music that became important in my life) used to listen to Tori Amos a lot, though I never went down that rabbit-hole myself. Would love to react to her material, so let me know if you can help with that. Cheers, Nigel!
@@mattsnider2667 Thanks for the reply and I can absolutely help with that, just let me know how please
@@nigeljames5622 Hey there! So I would need either (1) access to a drive where the tracks/albums are hosted (like a Google Drive folder, Icedrive, Jelly Fin, etc.), or all the tracks/albums ripped and zipped into a Zip file, which I can then download directly from the email. If you can do that (if possible, with 320 kbps MP3s or higher quality, though it's not the end of the world if it's slightly lower than that), we're in business with Tori!
@@mattsnider2667 Do you have Dropbox?
@@mattsnider2667 I have IceDrive, let me know what to do next
Hi Matt. This is, among others, a great great tune. Has great lyrics and musically it's not a simple one. It's a kind of artwork in my oppinion. Now another thing: I guess you skipped an ABBA's song reaction. You'll tell me if I'm correct. You reacted to "Summer night city" and I guess it is a non-album song (1978) but I didn't find the reaction to the B-side of this single that is "Medley: Pick A Bale Of Cotton/On Top Of Old Smokey/Midnight Special". Did you already react it? Thank you once again for your great reactions and explanations. Hugs from Portugal!
@marvinpoprockfan, that's ok. Got it!
@marvinpoprockfan neither me 😁
Wait until you hear Under Attack
The thing with Under Attack is that its chorus is undecidable sonically. In order to do so, one has to be in the ears of B&B or Michael Tretow who did and redid the many voices it comprises... Unaware that when people listens to it, their perception jumps immediately into a vision of Mamma Mia's song choral voice ensemble, to name one of that typical ABBA catalogue joint A&A three voices vocals.
Which is quite the opposite to the freshness they achieved with this song, sonically at its highly inventive intro and verses.
A hint to it would be to firstly listen to the choruses of "Head over Heels" and "I Let The Music Speak" 's ((Let them wake me, let them now, let them take me)
Let it be a joke
Let it be a smile
Let it be a farce if it makes me laugh for a little while). Training your ears to discern the vocals and singing emphasis, layering and atmospheres ways to convey meaning there...
In many ways it is a futile effort, since Under Attack's chorus would seriously need a careful deconstruction in order to transmit what one (hints) is in there already, and what ABBA had tried to accumulate to give us, that get lost in our listeners side with the instant familiarity of less elaborated choruses from them.
Indeed, musicians' perspective chasm grows exponentially with some of their more intense reworkings, more so in their latest output...
I’d like to think that I understood that but if i do it makes sense. To be fair, i did hear the version from mamma mia first, so i knew what the chorus sounds like, and while i like the ABBA version more, it does sound a bit indistinguishable when i look hard enough
Or, listen hard enough
"Or, listen hard enough"
It won't happen just by that. Nor would if the song is put on repeat daily...
Two things about this:
One is that neither B&B would have a closed and final opinion of Under Attack's chorus, one that overcomes that chasm between writer's perception of it and their audience's take. Or at least their known mentions of this song in the media have not touched the subject yet.
However, Benny's Mamma Mía!'s musical version does realign Under Attack chorus singing with the Greek concept of the joint dramatic character that plays out the fears, hopes and judgement (ala The Winner Takes it All, "The judges will decide, takes it all, has to fall", etc repeated by subdued choral voices). So in this version the choral voices take precedence over the main character's one. In the case of ABBA's only released studio version of Under Attack it misses/hides this reference by much, in case it ever existed in the song original concept.
And the other angle, unexpectedly came to me while watching on local TV years ago an interview to Mrs. Montané, probably the most talented young actress in our country, who then had recently completed the run of the first Mamma Mia! the musical been presented in this remote part of the world.
She was asked to sing an excerpt of the musical, and she burst into an acapella rendition of Under Attack! I was unexpectedly double mesmerized by the unusual choice and then by how different, fresh and full of meaning and coherence that sung chorus section felt, as opposed to the dense, colorful ABBA original studio version, where it comes as a too mellow, to knowable stylistically singalong piece to pair with such lyrics.
Just there, found a hint of what B&B could had achieved at some initial point recording it at Polar Studios, something that most obviously was lost later on at the production/arrangement phases and surfaced in that impromptu rendition...
Yeah, I probably wouldn’t like it as much if it wasn’t for the mamma mia version.
The only analog instruments in this song is a snare drum. Everything else is Benny's synths.
The question is what happened to her after she left work at 5 but didn't get home until 8. In the morning she left her house at 8 and got to work at 9:15. Hmm.....
Maybe the queue at the chinese restaurant was so long, that she had to wait a very long time for her food 😁
Always order ahead!
@@richschmidt307 Okay, then maybe the train was late or she was so engrossed in the evening paper that she missed getting off the train at her station and had to drive back...
"Seinfeld, four?"
@@mattsnider2667 Should have just gone to Sky Burger like Elaine said.
Listen to Meryll Streeps version. Just great!
Look how many views you got reacting to this song! I guess that's an indication how special this one is - without being on a proper record.
The numb, meaningless, daily grind. The thin, pale voice just accentuates the numbness.
Future archeologists will love this song, though. It tells them exactly what life's like today, lol.
I am not enamoured of this one as others are. I think it can border on being a bit one note and meandering for me.
On reflection, Benny wished more had been made with the arrangement and thought maybe Agnetha should 'sing' it more than in the conversational style that she does it. That's all subjective, of course.
I do think there is a bit of laziness in the arrangement as Benny is just defaulting to his keyboard sounds to layer it rather than looking at a fuller orchestration with other instruments in the mix.
Abba's other musicians made great contributions to their work in the past. Lasse Wellander and the like, but now it's all just mostly Benny's keyboard.
This was the issue for me with these last lot of Abba songs. Churn out a synth sound backing, file it away and move on.
In any event, it kind of bombed with the public. It was just OK for me.
@marvinpoprockfan Actually they thought this could be a hit but Tim Rice who loved it warned them and expressed them his observations.They later said that if this had gone no1 maybe they would have kept it for a couple more years or smth.But didn't.
@marvinpoprockfan P.s.Benny had said this is Bjorn's best work lyricwise(which i doubt)and also a good song but not a good recording which makes him sound rather humble to me.
The arrangement is absolutely perfect for this song, as is the singing. It wouldn't be the same without those mysteriously hypnotic elements. I agree about too-sparse and punchless production on other songs of that period, perhaps rushed. But 'The Day Before You Came" is a masterpiece, as is.
@@nickchristoforou7850 Yet, they aren't particularly happy with it either-especially Benny..
@@The_Jupiter2_Mission They also weren't happy with "Summer Night City"!, They refuse to release "Just Like That" which features amazing sax work by Raphael Ravenscroft (known for the amazing riff on the smash "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty. Bjorn and Benny have no credibility 🤣