|
O/T: ABBA - Voulez-Vous |
Post Reply 
|
Page 123> |
| Author | |
Scanner 
Music Fan 
Joined: 14 August 2019 Status: Offline Points: 0 |
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote Reply
 Topic: O/T: ABBA - Voulez-VousPosted: 04 January 2021 at 1:24pm |
|
The promo 45 for this song featured a "Short Version"
edited down to 3:45 from the 5:08 album version. On many ABBA compilations, there is a 4:08 version of this song. Does anyone know whether this 4:08 version was an attempt to re-create the 3:45 version or some arbitrary edit that was perpetuated on multiple compilations? (Let's face it...there have been quite a few ABBA compilations released through the years - far more than the number of studio albums they ever released!) Although the 4:08 version has been released so often, I have never found it on an official single of this song which had either (or both) the 3:45 or 5:08 versions. BTW - I was always surprised that this song could not get past #80 on the Hot 100. When "Money, Money, Money" (#56) missed the Top 40, you could dismiss that as digging too deep with a third single from "Arrival." But, "Voulez-Vous" was only the second single from that album and the first with the more familiar female lead vocals. |
|
 |
|
|
Stanko
Music Fan
Joined: 24 August 2019 Status: Offline Points: 0 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 04 January 2021 at 7:06pm |
|
Voulez Vous probably suffered due to the anti-disco wave that settled in
around the time of its release. And - as has been discussed before - ABBA were inconsistent charters in the US. |
|
|
|
|
Bill Cahill
Music Fan
Joined: 27 June 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 06 January 2021 at 4:49am |
|
I don't know the origin of that odd length version. ABBA Gold has a 4:22 version. If you cut out 2:35-3:13 from that, you get the DJ 45, which has a run
time on my copy at 3:42. You might also want to speed up .15%. That seems to be a nice match for the DJ 45 pitch. The result might be a split second shorter than the DJ 45 which is closer to 3:42.5 seconds but if you really care the album version might have that tiny difference. |
|
|
|
|
LunarLaugh
Music Fan
Joined: 13 February 2020 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 06 January 2021 at 10:36pm |
|
This info is taken from the ABBA plaza fan site:
|
|
|
|
|
Scanner
Music Fan
Joined: 14 August 2019 Status: Offline Points: 0 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 January 2021 at 2:55pm |
|
Thanks, LunarLaugh. All of the 1979 promos I have found
online list the 3:45 and/or 5:08 lengths. I wonder where the 4:21 version was released.... (It still amazes me how many different versions of the same song were released at the same time!) |
|
|
|
|
EdisonLite
Music Fan
Joined: 18 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 36 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 17 January 2021 at 3:03am |
One reason may be that in the US it was a double A-side with "Angeleyes" which peaked a little higher (around #60). I remember hearing "Angeleyes" first on Boston radio (where I grew up), even though it debuted 3 weeks after "Voulez-Vous". I have a feeling the 2 sides competed with each other, and maybe radio stations were a bit confused as to which song to play/promote. Especially with ABBA not being nearly as big in the US as worldwide, radio dj's might not have cared that much. To me, ABBA was going for "pure pop" with Angeleyes (their known sound) and disco for "Voulez-Vous", so maybe the label was trying to give the choice for pop stations to play the pop song, and discos/clubs to play the disco song. Just a theory. Edited by EdisonLite |
|
|
|
|
Scanner
Music Fan
Joined: 14 August 2019 Status: Offline Points: 0 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 18 January 2021 at 4:23pm |
|
Interesting theory. I always thought that since
"Voulez-Vous" flopped, Atlantic just flipped the single and said, "Here, play 'Angeleyes' instead." To me, "Angeleyes" was a typical B-side - a pleasant listen, but not hit material. (Side note - when this 45 finally charted in Record World, they listed "Angeleyes" as the A-side.) I've seen promos for "If It Wasn't For The Nights" online. Was that ever intended to be a single? |
|
|
|
|
eriejwg
Music Fan
Joined: 10 June 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 45 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 18 January 2021 at 5:31pm |
|
I was working at an adult contemporary station part-time in
late 1979 and I specifically remember the PD putting 'Angeleyes" in the studio. I don't recall playing "Voulez- Vous" at that station at all, even at night. |
|
|
|
|
AutumnAarilyn
Music Fan
Joined: 22 August 2019 Status: Offline Points: 0 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 18 January 2021 at 10:29pm |
|
It probably did okay on the dance chart though. Wasn't
this perhaps the early beginning of the rhythmic radio era? |
|
|
|
|
Yah Shure
Music Fan
Joined: 11 December 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 19 January 2021 at 10:29pm |
|
I worked at a small-market adult contemporary station at the time. ABBA was huge in the area; Atlantic had awarded the station a gold record for breaking "Dancing Queen" following initial airplay as an import. We were serviced with plenty of copies of ABBA 45s.
Two extra promo 45s I have from the station are date-stamped just two days apart: "Voulez-Vous" short/long: Aug 4, 1979 "Angeleyes"/"Angeleyes": Aug 6, 1979 It would seem that Atlantic had planned on actively working both sides from the get-go. |
|
|
|
|
Post Reply
|
Page 123> |
| Tweet |
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Topic Options
In 1992, Michael B Tretow remastered a host of