Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Dancing Queen (1976) – ABBA

It’s difficult to comprehend how a disco song with such trivial lyrics can be so splendid. The key lies in its dynamic melodies, chord progressions and vocal harmonies, which are artfully symphonized to create mood changes that parallel the lyrics. The verse is a carefree jaunt in search of a discotheque, momentarily sober in need of a dance fix, swelling into a chorus of liberation where mirrored discoballs cast light upon a teen habitué dancing, jiving, time of her life(ing). The dulcet voices of Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid “Frida” Lyngstad are two of the purest pop music has ever known. The uncanny similarity in timbre infuses their vocals with the spacious warmth of dual-tracking when they sing in unison, and their slightly discernable Swedish accents enhance the appeal. Their command of harmonic interplay is showcased as their voices diverge into ascending and descending melodies in the chorus, which—by the way—contains the most gratifying “ooh ooooooh” in pop history. Seriously. That melismatic“ooh ooooooh” is pop music at its best—indulging visceral desires without regard for cerebral deficiencies.

  • Listen to "Dancing Queen" and purchase from iTunes Music Store.
  • See also "Thank You For The Music" (1978) – ABBA
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