Decibel Magazine: Mikael Åkerfeldt's Top 5 ABBA Songs

Mikael Åkerfeldt's Top 5 ABBA Songs

Posted December 22 by Jeanne F.

Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Agnetha Fältskog—also known as Sweden’s perfect pop group ABBA—were inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame this year, and to honor that achievement, we asked the biggest ABBA fan we know—that would be Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt—for a Top 5. When Åkerfeldt was being interviewed for Decibel’s 100 Greatest Metal Albums of the Decade, he revealed his admiration for his fellow Swedes, whom he grew to love (like, really really love) thanks to Porcupine Tree mastermind Steven Wilson.

”Steve mentioned them like they were geniuses. And I was like, I grew up with them. They been there for my entire life and I didn’t look at them that way and I had been hearing them my entire life. I knew all the songs. But then I realized. I was grocery shopping one day in one of those big stores that has a little bit of everything, like Wal-Mart, and I saw an ABBA box set with all their albums and it was like $15 for 9 or 10 albums. I grabbed it for Melinda, for my kid. I put it on back home and I realized, I had never listened to ABBA, like really listened to ABBA, since I had become a musician and it was a difference once you know a little bit about music, it becomes different to listen to stuff. And I became obsessed with them. I just recently kind of kicked the habit. But for a couple of tours I listened to them every night, like, all their albums before I went to bed, I went through every album in my bunk on the bus. And I was like, saying to myself, 'How is it possible to write music like this?' When it comes to metal, I’m not a very humble person. I can be like, 'I know better than all the other metal bands.' But with ABBA, I was just humbled. I was just like 'Wow.' It was a re-awakening so to speak. When I turned the music off, I felt lonely. (laughs) It was a bit of an obsession really. My children, Melinda is 5, Miriam is a bit too young to have an opinion, but Melinda only wants to listen to 'Mama Mia' and also I got her into 'Money Money Money.' But the songs that I like, like 'When I Kissed the Teacher,' she don’t like that. She thinks it’s too wimpy."

MIKAEL ÅKERFELDT’S TOP 5 ABBA SONGS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

THE DAY BEFORE YOU CAME

Semi-legendary track, mainly because it was the last song ABBA ever recorded before the 1983 split. It also happens to be the most emotional and bittersweet track they ever put on tape. It’s rather stripped down, Agnetha’s vocals is the sole voice here, and her heavy accent (which I love) really adds a profound feeling of loneliness and isolation. Something about the lyrics are so spot on as far as the “Swedish melancholy” goes, yet it’s impossible to point out what it is. It just…is! Production is perfect for the song, however somewhat marred by the sonic trends of the time. Still, the final result is so dense and bleak that it leaves you with an aching hole in your heart.

WHEN I KISSED THE TEACHER

I have to pat myself on the shoulder for “bravery” here. I’m a metal dude, yet I just have to pick this song that waves the flag for one of the least “macho” song titles ever.
The opening 12-string acoustic guitar chords demands your attention and I’m just disarmed from the get-go. Never been a big fan of “happy” music, yet this one is anything but a downer track. I don’t know what it is…maybe the superb production? The work they must have put into this song is just mind boggling. Anni-Frid and Agnetha are doing their trademark dual vocals throughout the track, with the exception of Agnetha’s amazing “One of these days…” choruses. This is one of those songs where you need to listen to what’s going on “behind” the main vocal. It’s a constant flow of multi-tracked, rhythmic backing vocals that matches or even surpasses the genius of a band like Queen. Yeah, I said it! I meant it too!

THE VISITORS

Very stark feeling throughout this song indeed! It’s like it’s got you by your neck, and it’s pushing you up against a wall, frisking you. One of Frida’s proudest moments in my book. Her vocals are deliberately cold and robotic. Like she’s drained of all human emotions but has to deliver one last time. Lyrically I’d have to say this is one of the oddballs in their discography, however it certainly generate a haunting vibe to the entire track. The little mid-section-lead-melodies are so strong it’s insane and very ABBA-ish. There’s a twist at the end of the melodies that could only have been written by Benny Andersson. Period.

LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME

The only top-song on Super Trouper as far as I’m concerned. Yet, everything about this little tune just reeks of “masterpiece” and might be the crown jewel in the ABBA crown. The simple “jealousy” lyric really works all the way through, and as usual Agnetha’s delivery of the verses are just beyond phenomenal! Production is dreamlike and hasn’t aged since it was first released. I’ve shook my head in awe a thousand times, thinking “How is it possible to write a song like this?” Maybe I’m over-reacting but I truly feel this is one of the best songs ever written in any category. It’s downright ridiculous!

IF IT WASN’T FOR THE NIGHTS

Voulez Vous is my favourite ABBA album out of them all. I had some serious problems to pick a favourite from this one, but I ended up with this one. It might as well had been “Lovers,” “As Good as New,” or the title track, but really, this one just makes me feel…alright! I also have to give some kudos to the band (of session musicians) backing up the star-quartet here. They just deliver like there’s no tomorrow. The end result is so tight, smart, well written, well arranged and well played that it’s…just crazy! As a prog-metal-whatever-musician I can’t help but get the shivers when I hear full-band-syncopation parts like they do for the line “Oh, I’m so….restless…”. I usually foresee things like that, but I was put to shame here. Tasteful, smart and just really fucking fantastic!

Posted 12/22/2009 12:11 PM by Jakob

ABBA sucks

Posted 12/22/2009 3:19 PM by LightningRider

I agree.

Posted 12/22/2009 4:08 PM by Conduit

My what fascinating insight you two bring to the table. I think it's bizarre someone could be an ABBA fan for its musical qualities, not to dance or sing in the mall to, you know? I never would have though to look deeper into an ABBA song, and I probably won't because I just can't do it. I'm glad for this. Metal dudes who only listen to metal get boring.

Posted 12/22/2009 4:12 PM by Conduit

"Never been a big fan of “happy” music" This is right! I swear I have to tell people that everytime they try to give me indie rock band number 10,000's CD.

Posted 12/22/2009 4:59 PM by catsaremetal

"Metal dudes who only listen to metal get boring." That is very true.

Posted 12/22/2009 5:11 PM by Jakob

So since I dont like ABBA I only listen to metal. Yeah, that makes perfect sense. But yes, I could give them credit for their part of music history or whatever, but I dont think I need to when I find their music annoying.

Posted 12/22/2009 7:44 PM by Jan

ABBA has some good songs and I löve Indie rock! Cheers for Mikael Åkerfeldt's choise :)

Posted 12/22/2009 10:31 PM by LightningRider

No beef against Akerfeldt. I just have a deep dislike of Mamma Mia & ABBA. The attention for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees instead should be on Genesis and Iggy Pop & the Stooges. I'd rather hear about Akerfeldt's top five Genesis songs, which is more applicable to Opeth's sound anyway.

Posted 12/22/2009 11:43 PM by MAVIII

Man, the "opinions" I had exchanged on a fave Internet Prog Station because ABBA came up on the chat board, as Revenge- a couple of us did some "research" on the Request list and found 8 to 10 Prog Rock/Metal bands doing various ABBA tunes. Many hear their qualities as I have since I was a kid, no mater if I'm listening to Death Metal, Contemporary Vocalists, Math Metal, Jazz etc. They knew how to engineer and produce a Pop song, but that Pop "sound" is gone, instead we have the same R&B/Teen Emo/Bubblegum Top 40 cliches for the past 20 Years. Hey, I'd like to hear Mikes fave songs from Genesis and Stooges as well, but I think the point was ABBA can be so reviled that its a "shock" to hear he loves them...Just like the many Metal and Prog Bands that redo their hits (anyways, ABBA is all about Frida for me anyway :P). Now if only the R&R Hall of Shame would induct Deep Purple, ELP, Kansas and RUSH...bastards (I hope they recognize the Peter Gabriel/Steve Hackett era of Genesis!).

Posted 12/23/2009 12:13 AM by Brad

Yeah, cool, but I can't help but see this as a missed opportunity to get Mikael to talk about his five favorite Genesis songs. Bummer.

Posted 12/23/2009 2:01 AM by LightningRider

"(I hope they recognize the Peter Gabriel/Steve Hackett era of Genesis!)." Indeed because that's the only era that's worth anything.

Posted 12/23/2009 11:49 PM by Darren

It always amazes me that the so called "experts" (as in this article) pick NOT the mainstream music that made ABBA a household name around the entire world - or the songs that charted around the globe, but rather 3 songs that hardly anyone around the world listened to or any record executive ort the band themselves decided SHOULD have been a hit. A riff or hook is exactly that. ABBA has so many genius sub-melodies and hooks built to support and circumvent the main hook, it would be very difficult to pick which 5 are the best. I rather doubt the public or an expert in musical arrangements or melody analysis would have picked these! To ignore the pure pop brilliance of Dancing Queen and Momma Mia...really! It's like saying that "Highway to Hell" wasn't one of AC/DC's best songs. Come on, give me a break! Stick to Metal Mikael!

Posted 12/27/2009 1:17 PM by Jim Cornall

As both a musician and writer about progressive music, it amuses (and to some extent saddens) me to think that some people cannot appreciate music that falls outside of their chosen genre, which might be a rather narrow niche. No genre is a separate form of music. Almost every decent musician will have musical influences that transcend genres, whether it's classical, rock, electronic or pop. What separates the best bands is that they DO have many influences and interests, and can incorporate this into their music intelligently. Kudos to Mikael for exploding some of the metal myths and acknowledging that great melody, production and superb songwriting will always have their place in musical history. Because progressive music, in general, sells far less than pop, does that mean it is terrible? Clearly not, it's an acquired taste. But, conversely, just because ABBA sold millions and were mainstream doesn't automatically mean they "suck" and cannot be appreciated. To suggest otherwise is blinkered musical snobbery, at the very least.

Posted 12/27/2009 5:23 PM by LightningRider

No. Has more to do with having to go see Mama Mia and HATING it.

Posted 12/27/2009 8:42 PM by studotwho

So Abba ... well, yes I'm surprised Mikael, lol, but then ... I've been surprised before, when high profile composers mention pop acts as being incredible writers - no, it doesn't sound right when they do, but when they describe undertones and provide supporting examples like Mikael has, it's a real wake-up call. I think it's great that Mikael gave us this "top 5" for Abba. Sure, a top 5 for his fave Genesis songs would be appreciated, but let's focus on what he's given us right now. I feel like I've been given a caffeine injection, like Mikael is saying "hey - check this out, here's a band that I never considered clever, or even relevant (outside of oldies dance-parties), yet we've all heard them a thousand times. How many other bands have we all glossed over, that are so impressive to the point of genius and we have missed out on some treasure, because we've pre-judged their work before properly experiencing it?" Mikael is right; sometimes it takes the word of someone we respect as a musician to enlighten us to what we're missing out on. Additionally, as a musician (even someone who's just started playing, learning to look beyond the main vocal melody that all non-players see as "the song"), we experience music differently, and sometimes songs/bands that we hated before, are thrust into new light and we surprise ourselves by finding something we really like underneath. Darren's comment, "Come on, give me a break! Stick to Metal Mikael!", seems a short-sighted. Mikael doesn't only do death metal, he also does incredible melodic songs that span many genres. How would it be possible for a vocalist to get as good as Mikael is (at melody in this context), if he only ever listened to the shouts and growls in metal? I think we are all aware of Mikael's love for all kinds of bands, not just metal. If you're interested, here's a speculative list of (some of?) his personal collection if you're interested http://rateyourmusic.com/list/adnew/akerfeldt_record_collection/ Or check out Mikael's actual wish list of vinyl LPs (MySpace blog post titled "Lp's I'm after...help me!" on Tuesday, March 24, 2009) http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=73885097&page=2 Anyway, just wanted to finish up by saying thanks Mikael, for enlightening us; next time I hear Abba I'll try to give them a proper listen and see if I can discover something deeper than the shallow happiness of a pop song. Cheers!

Posted 12/27/2009 10:15 PM by Royale

Just wait until he hears the Bay City Rollers!!!

Posted 12/28/2009 1:31 PM by marshy

abba has very clever songwriting. you will also find a lot of classic prog fans have big respect for abba. you should listen deeper than just the surface

Posted 12/30/2009 4:52 AM by Radu

Abba does have its high points, and dancing is something perfectly natural (nowadays people dont dance , they rubb against eachother).However! abba are in NO WAY rock n roll, they only got in the hall of fame because they were profitable. How about some Motorhead in hall of fame or as someone else said Genesis!

Posted 1/13/2010 4:40 AM by michael Colasante

Abba, the beach boys, the Beatles, the bee gees, the eagles, and hall n Oates. Like them or hate them these bands were some of the best songwriters all time.....no matter how poppy or corny.

Posted 1/13/2010 4:42 AM by michael Colasante

And yes its a crime that Genesis and Rush are not in the HOF

Posted 1/20/2010 3:41 AM by Roberta

I totally agree...I love ABBA and Lay all your love is my favorite song :)

Posted 3/13/2010 4:51 AM by MAVIII

With all I said in my Rant . . . If Hall and Oats get into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Sham (no "e" this time :P) Colasante, I will blame YOU and hunt you down! :P (But you have me with the rest of your list, maybe Bee Gees before the Disco Era though ;)

Posted 6/12/2010 10:37 PM by Benj

I really enjoyed Mikael's comments. I must admit that Abba is not the kind of band whose albums I would rush out and purchase, but I do enjoy some of their songs. I also agree with the person that said metal fans who only listen to metal get boring... But I think that is true of any genre!

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