Shnootz - Reaction Video (ABBA - Soldiers)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.พ. 2025
- What's shaking, folks! I'm back with another ABBA reaction from their 1981 album The Visitors, and this time we listen to intriguing and sonically compelling "Soldiers," though I concede I couldn't follow the themes clearly. Regardless, join me for another quality track from the latter stages of ABBA's original run. Cheers!
Also I recently set up a Patreon, so anyone interested in supporting what we do on this channel through donation can go here. Cheers! / shnootz
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'When the bugler starts to play, we too must dance'. It's an anti- militarism tune. When the guys in the nice uniforms start to 'play' we had better watch out. Anyway, the next song is thee vocal highlight of the album. I'll fight anyone who disagrees.
Makes sense, I like that meaning even better than the thoughts I had afterward! Thank you for that.
@@mattsnider2667 Next track isn't 'Abba pop'.It's them doing classical music.Dark,even operatic at some points and it's a sign of what was to follow for the guys after Abba broke up since they teamed with Tim Rice and made the operative musical Chess.
Are you talking about like an angel? That’s my favorite. 😊
Two Cold War songs on The Visitor's. This album was
released Nov 1981. The USSR banned this album in 1982.
Two songs were directly aimed at USSR and communism.
1. The Visitor's
The POV is from a Russian dissident. The Visitor's = KGB.
2. Soldiers
- A tribute to the Swedish soldiers who during the Cold War have been protecting the civilians from Soviet sub penetration of Swedish waters since the 60's. Then in 1981, it happened. The Whiskey on the Rocks'.
Verse 1: beast is the USSR/communism
Verse 2: fear of nuclear attack by Soviets.
Chorus: Thomas Paine 'Rights of Man' vibe. Don't be a Sunshine patriot, etc... Thomas Paine could have written the 'Soldiers' chorus. Would not be surprised if Bjorn has read Thomas Paine.
_________
The Swedish fears since the 1960's were realized, Oct 1981. 'The Whiskey on the Rocks' incident. A huge international event that almost caused a war between Sweden and Russia.
A Soviet Whiskey class sub with nuclear warheads ran around in the rocky waters 10 km from Swedish Naval base.
* ran a ground
I always thought the line "When the bugler starts to play, we too must dance" harkens back to "The Piper"; we have no choice but to act to someone else's tune, which is what happens in war. Like a lot of ABBA songs this requires repeated listening for the hooks to sink in and, when they do, you are riding that tide! 😎
The fantstic 'military' drumming is played by great Per Lindval who also did 'The Visitors" track and who later also worked and toured with A-ha.
I love the dominant beat and base line in this one!
Love this one tooooo!
Soldiers is also a metaphor here for those who would start a war. "Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing, the songs that you and I don't sing". And when the war starts, being drawn into it will be inescapable "when the bugler starts to play, we too must dance". So let's not look away, let's not ignore the signs that it's coming. It's a beautiful but dark song, a warning.
I love the drums playing of Ola Brunkert and bass of Rutger Gunnarsson on this track. The Visitors is my number 1 favorite ABBA album, even though The Album was the first one bought and I became a big fan because of it. A heads up on the next track, I Let The Music Speak, Oh God, what a masterpiece!!! At first listen, I didn’t like it but now, 😮😍. It start as a Waltz, a Love Ballad, a March and then a little Classical. I’m hearing images, I’m seeing song! 😂😂
Fantastic!
Lyrics as relevant today as they were in 1981. It’s not just soldiers who fight wars, we too must dance. Love this song.
''What's that sound, what's that dreadful rumble?''. It's war - always seems to be on the horizon somewhere in the world. Will it ever change?
Do I hear what I think I'm hearing?
Do I see the signs I think I see?
Or is this just a fantasy?
Is it true that the beast is waking
Stirring in his restless sleep tonight
In the pale moonlight
In the grip of this cold December
You and I have reason to remember
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I don't sing
They blow their horns and march along
They drum their drums and look so strong
You'd think that nothing in the world was wrong
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I won't sing
Let's not look the other way
Taking a chance
'Cause if the bugler starts to play
We too must dance
What's that sound, what's that dreadful rumble?
Won't somebody tell me what I hear?
In the distance but drawing near
Is it only a storm approaching?
All that thunder and the blinding light
In the winter night
In the grip of this cold December
You and I have reason to remember
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I don't sing
They blow their horns and march along
They drum their drums and look so strong
You'd think that nothing in the world was wrong
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I won't sing
Let's not look the other way
Taking a chance
'Cause if the bugler starts to play
We too must dance
Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing
The songs that you and I won't sing
Let's not look the other way
Taking a chance
'Cause if the bugler starts to play
We too must dance
Thank you!
Is it true that the beast is waking
Stirring in his restless sleep tonight
In the pale moonlight
In the grip of this cold December
You and I have reason to remember/
What's that sound, what's that dreadful rumble?
Won't somebody tell me what I hear?
In the distance but drawing near
Is it only a storm approaching?
All that thunder and the blinding light
In the winter night
In the grip of this cold December
You and I have reason to remember
My fave lyrics my fave singing parts.
Björn explained that the Soldiers are the ones ‘behind the scenes’, the one who make the decisions. Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing. The songs that you and I don’t/won’t sing.
Side 1, is more in the round. Side 2, well, that get's intimate, very intamate. Abba will have you find your self in an ancient ally, with a blind man. And feeling love, like a prolonged good-bye, at the end of the reocrd. Very intamate, very personal.😁👍💅
The Next song is a masterpiece 👍👍👍 A hidden gem... Frida at her best 💪💪💪 I think you are up for a surprise 🤪🤪🤪 Enjoy...
Can't wait for I Let The Music Speak. My favourite song of that album 😍😍😍
100% correct!
@@Lisa-MMine too!
I agree! And the lyrics are so poetic and full of metphores and pictures that runs for your inner eye! And Fridas lead vocals.......OMG!.❤️❤️❤️❤️
@@flemmingkristoffersen1896ILTMS ...Imo, Lyricwise it's the most artistic part of the whole album together with the Visitors.
Björn sometimes writes lyrics in a way that puts some pressure on the knowledgeability of ABBA's audience, with historical and philosophical hints and reference to classical literature. Perhaps something that went passed many teenage listeners at the time.
In this case, the role a bugler had in particularly European pre-20th century warfare is of importance. (This reference is also used in Fernando but then about a war in North America).
He also takes for granted that his listeners know who Cassandra was in Antiquity and what she was known for, i.e. if that song does appear in Matt's version of this album. If so, a visit beforehand to Wikipedia is recommended.
In an album that leaves me mixed feelings,
this is also a song that leaves me mixed feelings
"Soldiers"
It is the song that I like the least
of the four that Agnetha played as lead voice on this album
even so, it is a very good song, vocally and chorally,
with a more complex and committed lyric,
and more musical elaboration
(I notice more the drums and some guitar solos,
something not so usual in songs from previous ABBA eras)
For me it is in the middle block of the album
(like the two previous ones),
neither among the best 3
nor among the weakest three,
close to 8 points.
Not in my favourites,
of the album, and of ABBA
but its a really good song
a pleasure to always follow you
Greetings from
Buenos Aires, Argentina
South America
For many in 'the West', the Cold war may have been more or less an abstract idea, but for those living on the eastern edge of Europe, the threat of war was way more tangible and real. So much so that it is really no wonder it spilled over into Bjorn's writing. Unfortunately, not much has changed for these countries, and the threat is still there.
It's a cold war song. 'Let's not look the other way', the song warns, because if there is war ('if the bugler starts to play') we will all be on the front line ('we too must dance').
Great summary! 👍
Great commentary,and btw i personally find some kind of connection of "Soldiers" to 'The Piper".
A great song to close side one of the album. You can see the progression of the lyrical content on this album and this track demonstrates that very well.
I wish 'Should i laugh or cry" was the A side closer.Imo,it would have fit fine the flow of the tracklist.
Soldiers is basically saying that if we just continue to fiight and to admire soldiers in a celebratory way, we become part of the problem because we then start supporting wars caused by maniacs and that we get so engrossed in what we think we support that very soon we start dancing to the same tune as the maniacs. It's a "peace not war" message.
I do hope the mood takes you with the next track - or at least be open to its magnificence . . .
My interpretation: War had become so MECHANICAL and so very strategical. It was a series of actions and reactions. Negotiations had seemed to replace battles. Dare I even say bloodless? It may have seemed so but on the frontlines…..within the war zones they was so much human tragedy. Via the media of the time the human element of war had become overshadowed by the mechanics of war. I think the song was trying to take a snap shot of the human element. The noble soldier who did the dirty work but who had also somehow gotten lost in the sauce. We all know nowadays that soldiers are chewed up and spit out and return home with emotional damage as compared to the soldiers of centuries ago who returned home with either their spoils or their tail between their legs. This song sorta sits right in between the 2. A time when soldiers simply weren’t really being recognized as a chief element of battle.
@otisblack,Thumbs Up!
Its a solid enough song. I regard it as a plea to keep democratic oversight over military men who see a military solution to political problems. It was especially important during that uneasy time in the Cold War to encourage the public to let leaders know that we don't want war and if they start one, it won't be just the soldiers who die.
Next up is 'I Let the Music Speak', which is one of the best songs they've ever done. It's the culmination of everything they've learned as songwriters.
Great song! However - sadly relevant these days! "Is it true that THE BEAST is waking?" And yes, the beast, being Russia and Putin attacking Ukraine, has awakened and shown his ugly face! Somehow ABBA always manage to make their music relevant - even so many years after it´s written!
But the next song is more uplifting! And poetic! ❤
Never heard 🤔...but not so bad😊
An underrated song for sure. It is not one of the brilliant ones, but one of the good ones, in my opinion, of course.
See you soon, Matt & (semi-conscious) Lucca.
Love ❤️ from Chile 🇨🇱👍
I always preferred the verses in this song (for the threat of nuclear war imagary. The drumming does not do it for me its too clunky on the ears.
Abba never stopped experimenting and that made listening to them exciting. At the time this song was composed, the threat of nuclear war was heightened.
By the way, thanks for this musical journey Matt, its been fun, reliving the albums all over again.
Hey man, do my files have starting hiccups? Is it just this album? I will check later when I'm home.
I think it's just that one file. Only time I've noticed it like that. And who knows, maybe it was just my player?
Wow do people miss the meaning of this song. It's not anti soldier or anti war. It went along with the visitors song being anti Russian. In the grip of this cold December, you and I have reason to remember".....Russian Invaded Finland in the Cold winter of 1939. 8,000 Swedes went and fought on Finland's side. Sweden almost joined the war against Russia. Not being part of Nato, the song is a warning that if war between the Warsaw Pact and Nato starts 'The Bugler" We to Must dance,,,Dance meaning fight.
Bjorn did some military service before ABBA, I think for a year or so.
Could have been an inspiration for the lyrics among other interpretations given to the song by other people.
Like all Swedish men at the time (until about 2005), including myself, and most likely also Benny.
The drum rhythm was created to try and hide its 3/4 time signature and stop it sounding to waltzy. Interesting dynamic to have the verses in minor and the chorus is major. Good track but not one that I would play that much.
Well spotted! I must admit they fooled me well enough as it took me over 40 years to finally notice the 3/4 time signature! Whis is odd because I'm quite fond of a waltzy rhythm. 🙂
The Visitor's album was released Nov 1981. The USSR banned the album in 1982. Why? Two songs:
1. The Visitor's
2. Soldiers
The Visitor's are the KGB. The song is sung from POV from a Russian dissident.
Soldiers.
Verse 1: The "beast is Soviet Union/Communism
Verse 2: nuclear threat.
'The Whiskey on the Rocks
Read about 'The Whiskey on the Rocks' .
Chorus: Thomas Paine 'Rights of Man'. Don't be a sunshine Patriot. Support your troops.
This song is not anti-military. It is pro-rightous soldier/military that were standing guard watching the waters for Soviet watercraft.
This song was written in 1981. Very sensitive time between the Swedes and Soviet Union.
It is another tribute song. This time in recognition of the Swedish soldier who were protecting their coastline/islands and waters from Soviet subs since the 1960's.
Then what the Swedes feared happened. The 'Whiskey on the Rocks' incident. Oct 1981. Almost started a war between Sweden and Russia.
ABBA is NOT an American group. They are Swedish (Frida originally Norway). You must look from their perspective as Swedes. Too many Americans forget that ABBA are Swedes and thier music reflects were they are from.
This song is about supporting the Swedish military as ABBA has always done throughout thier history, even as solo artist before ABBA.
Their 1970 Cyprus trip was also in support of Sweden's military. They sung for the Swedish soldiers that were on UN mission in Cyprus. This was before they were officially known as a foresome, which became official in 1972.
ABBA refused to promote leftist politics with their lyrics. They were a largely a political, with a bit of a right lean.
They largely wrote songs about the human condition.
They have always been known for thier support for Swedish military and later their public stance in support of Poland and against USSR and communism.
The Visitor's album was released Nov 1981. In 1982, the USSR banned 'The Visitors' album. Two songs they did not like:
1. The Visitor's (pov Russian dissident, visitors is KGB)
2. Soldiers
Verse 1: beast = USSR/communism.
Verse 2: threat of nuclear war.
Chorus: Thomas Paine 'Rights of Man' vibe. Support the Swedish troops when they march. Don't be a sunshine patroit. Etc...
The Whiskey on the Rocks incident was a HUGE intl story.
The Visitor's album released a month after The Whiskey on the Rocks' incident.
What happened? A Soviet 'Whiskey' class submarine grounded itself on the rocks 10 km from a Swedish Navel base.
The Soviet crew tried to work thr sub free before they got discovered in Swedish waters, but failed. The Swedes caught the Soviets. It was a major intl incident. The Swedes, feared this sub had nuclear warheads. After sending in crews to investigate, the Swedes learned the sub had nuclear warheads.
Now listen to Soldiers with a bit if a Swedish perspective and read a little bit about The Whiskey on the Rocks'.
That incident fits right into 'Soldiers' song perfectly.
Don't ever forget. The USSR banned ABBA The Visitors album in 1982!
Don't ever forget fears of the Swedes during the Cold War.
The Swedes neighbor to their west is Norway. The Swedes know what happened in WW2 and the German occupation of Norway. One of ABBA's core four, Anni-Frid's entire life was altered because of that German occupation of Norway.
The Visitor's album was released Nov 1981. The USSR took exception with ABBA's support of Poland and Russian dissidenters.
This has always been an odd one for me. I just couldn’t connect to it. It’s the only exception on the album.
Meh, not my fave but it’s ABBA so nothing but love
I don't think it's TH-cam deleting the comments. The person that posted that comment can go back and either edit or delete it.
No, he meant me for example and I DIDN'T delete my own comment after writing it. Why should I first delete and then re-write it? And I have also heard from other users that their comments had been deleted without reason.
@@Lisa-M thanks for the heads up as I've also noticed some of my comments being deleted on other reacters channels. At first I thought it was the channel owner doing it.
Yes, happens every now and then. Reason unknown. Stochastically?
@@VideosSmokin Yes, it happened at various channels with my comments, too. Sometimes I think there are some specific words, terms or symbols that I used which TH-cam at times doesn't like for any reason. Last time for example when Matt reacted to Fire And Ice from Pat Benatar I wrote to him that Frida did a live sung cover of that song. So it was a really harmless comment. Then I updated the page and my comment was gone. I re-wrote the comment without the words "live sung" and it stayed online. I don't know if these two words were the reason but there were similar cases regarding my comments. For example one comment was deleted three or four times in a row and the fifth time I left away the quotation marks in it and then it stayed. It's really strange... 🤔
@@Lisa-M It's again some Utube fault in the algorithm or some kind of faulty glitsch that happenes very very frequently lately.Very disapointing indeed.No specific reason.I even post and sometimes i see my comment in a previous video's comment text that is totally irrelevant and make me seem like a dump fool!I'm pissed off!
nice??? tidy??? or dear :( not quite getting the point of this track - ah well . . .
I was talking about the sonics and contrasting them with other songs. And when I do these reactions, it's a first-time listen without context in advance. So I'm bound to miss details the first time through. But it doesn't mean I'm forever unable to learn more about the song.
@@mattsnider2667 I was there through ABBA's whole career and I love the way you - and Lukka! - discover ABBA, song by song. Your comments and thoughts are really interesting, surprising as well, and sometimes it reminds me when I was in my room listening for the first time to a new ABBA-song/album/single and how I reacted. Thanks again for this journey. Greetz from Brussels (Belgium).
Sorry - wasn’t getting snippy - still loving each of your responses :)
Oh no, you're totally fine. If anything, my reply now looks overly harsh, though I didn't mean it sound that way (apologies!). But seriously, it's all good, and I do get it---I'm engaging with material people have known and loved for 40 years, so I realize many fans have heard and thought about for much longer.
Anyway, cheers for the follow-up, and looking forward to hearing more from you about further songs!
Again, I love this song. "Cause if the bugler start to play, we too must dance." Rather profound, me thinks.