Product Description
2009 14-track CD album. The history of the world's greatest pop band has hardly taken a pause in the past 35 years, from the 380 million albums sold to the record-breaking musical and blockbuster film which is Mamma Mia! But behind the scenes there's another musical side to Benny Andersson. For the past 20 years he has been leading The Benny Andersson Band, a group of 16 exceptional musicians and singers who share his passion for the Swedish folk tradition, not to mention Big Band, Bach, polka, waltzes, Celtic folk, Fifties standards - and straight-ahead pop music. The latter is showcased on the title track, the first new pop composition written by Benny with his ABBA song writing partner Björn Ulvaeus in 15 years. Vocal duties on this, and three of the four other tracks translated into English for the first time, are taken by the Swedish star Helen Sjöholm; with additional vocals by Swedish singer, Tommy Körberg. The 14-track album captures highlights from the three albums released in Sweden by the Benny Andersson Band along with some brand new tracks. 'I wanted to make music based on the Swedish folk tradition, but with new songs written by me,' says Benny Andersson, who also plays accordion on the record!

1. Glasgow Boogie
2. Trolska
3. Story Of A Heart
4. Bed Of Roses
5. You Are My Man
6. Cirkus Finemang
7. Fait Accompli
8. Song From The Second Floor
9. Birthday Waltz For Mona
10. (If This Is) Our Last Dance
11. Jehu
12. Tyrolean Schottische
13. The Stars
14. P.S.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002BW79YU/?tag=imwan-20

Yep, Benny has got an album out with his new band. Lukewarm reviews in Denmark. I think I'll concentrate on Agnetha and Frida's solo albums instead. Abba-dabba-doo!

So when are they reuniting?

Seriously. I don't know if I wanna hear their solo stuff. They should make one last Abba Cd and see how it goes. I think they could pull it off one more time.

You know they turned down an offer of one BILLION dollars for a world tour?

Benny doesn't care about sales, he's set for life. Nor will his children ever need to worry. He even played Swedish folk music for a while. Yes, Benny and an accordion.

But the girls still have fine voices, I bought Agnetha's latest solo album of pop covers and she is as good as ever.

Actually, Frida had a great solo single with "Something's Going On" back in 1982/83. It's basically a Phil Collins song (he wrote, produced and plays drums on it) with Frida on vocals, but I always liked it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz5DkTF2RW8&feature=PlayList&p=FF3587FCB7EE54C4&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2[/youtube]

Now that's some BIG 80S drums!

At least they were real '80s drums...a rarity in those drum machine-induced days.

I had heard that Bjorn Ulvaeus is suffering from progressive memory loss and Agnetha Faltskog has withdrawn to private life. Therefore I believe the reunion will never occur and for me that's alright for me. They gave us so much over the years and I want to remember them as the young beautiful people as they were.

Rick A.

I'm sorry to hear about Bjorn Ulvaeus. I'd read or heard that he doesn't remember the night they performed Waterloo and won the Eruovision song contest, but I didn't know that it was as serious as what you describe, Rick. The interviews I've seen with him in docs and programs, he certainly did not come across that way, but I haven't seen any very recent interviews.

If Bjorn is able to play, they should have one reunion world tour, like the Rolling Stones, take a year to tour so enough people get a chance to see them. It would be massive and a way for us to show our thanks for all that they have done. ABBA stopped while they were on top, but a one-off historic world tour, with as many of the original musicians as they can gather from back then, it would be massive. And of course some of the shows should be filmed on 35 mm cameras and edited into a concert movie for posterity. ABBA - The Movie Part II, how does that sound? Dignified, official, and commercial. ABBAsolutely!

Top three bestselling Scandinavian acts:

Sweden - ABBA
Norway - A-Ha
Denmark - Aqua

I see a pattern there somehow...

Bump: this is now going to be released domestically. See first post for updated details.

THE BENNY ANDERSSON BAND - Story Of A Heart To Be Released March 2nd on Decca

The legendary Benny Andersson of the world’s greatest pop band ABBA, has been charting history and unforgettable music for the past thirty five years, from 380 million albums sold to the record-breaking musical and blockbuster film Mamma Mia! For the past twenty years he has also been leading the Benny Andersson Band, a group of sixteen exceptional musicians and singers who share his passion for the Swedish folk tradition, big band, Bach, polka, waltzes, Celtic folk, Fifties standards - and straight-ahead pop music. The Benny Andersson Band’s first U.S. release, Story Of A Heart, will be available everywhere on March 2nd (Decca).

Story Of A Heart is a return to the musical roots of ABBA, with Andersson once again collaborating on all of the songs with long-time song-writing partner Björn Ulvaeus. The title track is the first new pop composition written by the famed duo in 15 years; a fitting occasion on the eve of ABBA’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on March 15th.

The 14-track album captures highlights from the three already released albums in Sweden by the Benny Andersson Band - or Benny Anderssons Orkester as they are known there - along with some brand new tracks. “I wanted to make music based on the Swedish folk tradition, but with new songs written by me,” says Andersson, who also plays accordion on the record - something he has done since he was a six-year-old boy with his father and grandfather in Stockholm.

Vocal duties on the album are shared by Swedish stars Helen Sjöholm and Tommy Körberg, with select tracks translated into English for the first time for this recording. All the lyrics on the album are written by Björn. The additional musicians play a multitude of traditional and non-traditional instruments including the violin, flute, crumhorn, mandolin, bouzouki and the banjo to name a few.

The Benny Andersson Band is a huge live draw in Sweden, touring the country each summer with their own stage and dance floor. The band was appropriately described by the UK’s Daily Mail as “a Scandinavian version of Cuba’s Buena Vista Social Club.”

2/2/2010

Phil did not write that song. Russ Ballard did. But with those MEGADRUMSTM and Daryl Stuermer's guitar, it sure sounds like one of his.

Whoops!