ABBA – The Visitors Deluxe Edition CD with previously unreleased demo medley
Wonderful news! ABBA’s last studio album The Visitors is to receive the ‘Deluxe Edition’ CD treatment. As with previous releases in the Deluxe Edition series, this version of ABBA’s final album offers a DVD of archive material along with CD bonus tracks.
Notably, it includes (what sounds like it could be a musical journey through the evolution of Like An Angel Passing Through My Room) a demo medley called From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel, the first previously unreleased ABBA recordings since 1994!
From the official ABBA site:
The Deluxe Edition of The Visitors, ABBA’s eighth and final studio album, will be released on April 23, 2012. Originally released in 1981, the album features single hits such as One Of Us, Head Over Heels and When All Is Said And Done, along with Slipping Through My Fingers, which is highlighted in one of the more poignant moments in the Mamma Mia!musical.
Like the previous Deluxe Editions of ABBA’s albums, The Visitors will feature several bonus selections along with a DVD of rare and previously unreleased material from the archives.
For ABBA fans, the most sensational inclusion in the package will be the previously unreleased track, ‘From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel (demos)’. This is the first time since the Thank You For The Music box set in 1994 that ABBA have opened the doors to the tape vaults to release previously unheard music from the group’s heyday.
The Visitors – Deluxe Edition (Tracklist):
CD: 1. The Visitors 2. Head Over Heels 3. When All Is Said And Done 4. Soldiers 5. I Let The Music Speak 6. One Of Us 7. Two For The Price Of One 8. Slipping Through My Fingers 9. Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
Bonus Tracks: 10. Should I Laugh Or Cry 11. I Am The City 12. You Owe Me One 13. Cassandra 14. Under Attack 15. The Day Before You Came
Extra Bonus Track: 16. From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel (demos)
DVD: 1. Two For The Price Of One (Dick Cavett Meets ABBA) 2. Slipping Through My Fingers (Dick Cavett Meets ABBA) 3. When All Is Said And Done (Original Promo Clip) 4. ABBA In London, November 1982 (The Late Late Breakfast Show, BBC) 5. ABBA In Stockholm, November 1982 (Nöjesmaskinen, SVT) 6. The Visitors TV commercial I (UK) 7. The Visitors TV commercial II (Australia) 8. The Singles – The First Ten Years TV commercial I (UK) 9. The Singles – The First Ten Years TV commercial II (Australia) 10. International Sleeve Gallery
Dear Ice, didn’t I tell you that the debate is going to be awesome?
I totally respect the choice of B&B about whether or not to release JLT, now or ever..that being said I won’t be honest with myself, and with other people as well, If I don’t express my opinion about it. I think that is the base of a democratic and civilised society an a healthy human race…
If there is a place and people that know something about the word crisis, as someone talked about it here, that place is Argentina and that people are we Argentinians. Life is always a mix of joy and sadness, ups and downs, whether economic or emotional ones, but I feel that is no excuse for not giving the best of you…And I strongly feel that JLT is an excellent track that could stand alone and which has chart potential..The lyrics are good, the singing is good, the choruses are wonderfully worked by AGNETHA & FRIDA and fit well with the verses, the saxo is magnificent.
All in all, I think the song is quite finished as we have heard it. Come on! Be honest with you, how many times have you found yourself singing Just Like That? It’s catchy. Sorry folks I don’t see what is the issue with this song I really don’t understand it…As for the 1981/1982 issue if I’m not mistaken nobody complained about all those previous remastered versions of The Visitors with the 1982 tracks included… That obviously includesThe Complete Studio Recordings BOX…
And talking about hard times, I still remember quite vividly being bullied just for buying an ABBA record…”You can’t be buying that for serious!!!”,”that’s crap”, “they’re only interested in making money”, “they suck”, “they’re not cool enough”, etc, etc..everyone seemed to have made ABBA the target of their criticism…and it was not only the members of ABBA who had to cope with this…nobody wanted to admit publicly that they liked ABBA…And it was way before 1982…Now 20 or 30 years later the same people are telling me ABBA is sooo cool…A few years ago, here in Buenos Aires, a popular radio programme asked people what were the records they kept out of the view of other people because they felt embarrassed they could found out they liked them…And guess who won? Yes, ABBA records won by a landslide…
don’t know, geniuses artists or not with their right to have an opinion about their work, universal or world music that is what I feel and think about it.
Kindest regards to all of you. Alex
I have loved Abba since 1976 when I was 11 years old. Sorry everyone but some of the commenst are a bit scarey and rather intense. We have passion about them and that is wonderfuil but lets be grateful for what we do have. i really dont think Benny and Bjorn are remotely interested in a song from thirty years ago-they’ve moved on already to greater and more interesting things. Just Like That is a wonderful song and available on youtube-i would love to have an official recording but wont be debating it.
Andrew
@ Andy. Comparatively these opinions sound respectful. Agree with the rather intense and passionated for a few of them. I’d say extended for a couple (confess erring in this regard) but… “scarey” sounds as an overstatement…
And B&B had moved on, indeed, but the theme is far from completed.
ABBA one way or the other, had been prolific artists. Something that has not been fully portrayed with the “Complete Sessions”, so this conversation goes way way beyond the JLT song.
Would you appreciate only the Classical Master’s final versions, sometimes not even completed by themselves as many Operas, ballets, etc had proven. What about the many existing variations, versions and interpretations that abound?
…But this is just Pop music?! I do hear a little voice saying.
Without getting there, I’d listen what these small words really mean for many people and how deep that meaning runs.. .
I’d write here my personal questions list: What about the 83-84 dance remixes album of ABBA songs that allegedly Bjorn And M Tretow did? What about the (in the studio) rehearsals for 77, 79 Live Concerts, weren’t they recorded?? What about the instrumental tracks being played Live as time refill on the fantastic and unique sounding GX-1 synthesizer?? I wasn’t there but could hear bits on the 79 BBC live. What about the confirmed dozens versions of SummerNightCity Mr Tretow produced??? (Imho people have not really been given the chance to actually hear the glorious arrangements its verses have)?
Furthermore, the idea of the “perfect album” seems to be a timed concept relating to certain technology, rather than to an inherently human listening experience. The actual evolution of music retrieval systems is changing the way people relates with the music. (several of us could fully extend and deepen these ideas)
You see? there’s plenty to talk about. Am I demanding? Don’t think so. I -and guess many too- have also moved on, musically. I actually do part time as a DJ and work with musicians in different styles and endeavors…
Nevertheless, I still love so much what I have already received from the four of them, that just a regular an unfinished song listen, small scarce beautiful music bits, or just a prospect of what might be stored, lights my senses in awe. A tranquil feeling, Andy, but still expectation, arousal, etc filled.
Didn’t Benny and/or Bjorn once say that the Gemini version is the final version of “Just Like That”. It may make them feel that issuing an ABBA version would in some way make the Gemini version seem less definitive. I think it certainly would!
Also, I know they have said that the ABBA demo isn’t complete. They would probably have wanted to restructure it, or record new verses, etc. Today, that is obviously out of the question. Anyways, as the demo versions stand, B&B released the best part of it on ABBA Undeleted – the chorus! So at least we have that.
Ultimately, I completely respect B&B’s artistic right to release what they want.
I think hearing alternative versions/mixes is really fascinating. When reading through CMP The Complete Recording Sessions book I often wonder what made B&B go with the released version over the unreleased version(s)? What wasn’t working? Why did they change lyrics? Why did they re-arrange backing vocals? I’d love answers to those questions but I doubt they will ever be answered so if we had some unreleased songs to compare you might get some sense of why.
For example I can understand why ‘Put On Your White Sombrero’ wasn’t released at the time. It doesn’t flow with the album. I don’t understand why ‘Summer Night City’ had it’s slow intro cut because it makes the song even better and the same for the edited verse in ‘On And On And On’.
B&B have their reasons and I respect that but I would simply like to know why and how they got to decide what they did release and I’d love to hear why.
Here is a link to The Visitors Deluxe Edition at HMV:
http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1;-1&sku=545334
I can’t believe all the moaning when we’ve just got such great and totally unexpected news, I thought the comments were going to be positive…
As for ‘Just Like That’ I’ll keep on enjoying the chorus from ‘ABBA Undeleted’ – the verses came to so much better use in the brilliant ‘Glöm mig om du kan’ from ‘Chess på svenska’.
With the release of the delux edition of the Visitors
I feel it would have been a great opportunity to include
The complete remastered version of Just like that. It’s been
Sitting in the vaults for to long and is by far a great pop song. It would
Have been the icing on the cake for me, It would make the
visitors complete along with TDBYC, I am the city, you owe me one,
Under Attack, Cassandra and Should I laugh or cry. So it’s sad to read
It’s been left of.
The official ABBA website have released more information about the medley here – http://www.abbasite.com/articles/news/the-visitors-deluxe-edition-more-details-about-the-track-listing
As previously reported at ABBA – The Official Site, April 23, 2012 will see the release of The Visitors Deluxe Edition: the original album with bonus tracks plus a DVD of rare and previously unreleased television material. The announcement that this Deluxe Edition would include the previously unreleased recording ‘From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel (demos)’ – the first release of unheard ABBA music since 1994 – caused quite a sensation in the media, with this exciting piece of news being reported in all corners of the world.
We are now happy to reveal a few more details about this Extra Bonus Track. ‘From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel’ traces the evolution of ‘Like An Angel Passing Through My Room’, the closing track on The Visitors. Back in 1981, this particular song was one of the more challenging tunes during original recording sessions for the album. With the first demos and backing tracks being laid down in May 1981, it wasn’t until several different versions later, in November 1981 – only three weeks before the album reached record shops! – that ABBA finally landed on the version heard on the album.
As the Deluxe Edition of The Visitors was put together, ABBA’s Benny Andersson had the idea that it would be interesting to revisit the various recordings of the song and put together a medley. And this he did in October and November of 2011. The nine-minute medley takes us from the very first demo, with vocals by Björn, to a run-through with Benny on electric piano and Frida on lead vocals, similar to the final version. In between are a demo recording by Frida and Benny (on grand piano) with alternate lyrics entitled ‘Another Morning Without You’; a completely different “disco” attempt, played by a full band and with the final lyrics in place; and a ballad interpretation, also with a full band backing, featuring Frida on lead vocals. “It was fun to put this thing together, just to show what the process can be like,” says Benny Andersson. “It’s an interesting observation on how you labour over things before you reach the final result.”
Elsewhere on The Visitors Deluxe Edition, the original album has been expanded with bonus tracks to include ‘Should I Laugh Or Cry’, recorded during sessions for The Visitors but only used as the B-side of the ‘One Of Us’ single. The Deluxe Edition features a version with a brief count-in, which was originally released on the ‘One Of Us’ single in Great Britain and South Africa. The remaining bonus tracks cover ABBA’s final singles and recording sessions in 1982.
The DVD of this Deluxe Edition opens with two performances from the television special Dick Cavett Meets ABBA, where ABBA previewed two tracks from their forthcoming album: ‘Two For The Price Of One’ and ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’. Another selection from the original broadcast of the TV special is the video for ‘When All Is Said And Done’, which featured an edit that differs slightly from the version heard on the album – this video is included here with its rare original soundtrack in stereo.
Also featured are two lengthy television appearances, which ABBA made as they were promoting their 1982 singles ‘The Day Before You Came’ and ‘Under Attack’, along with the compilation album The Singles – The First Ten Years. The first comes from Great Britain and the second from Sweden, wherein the group also performed ‘Under Attack’. Rounding off the DVD are four vintage commercials for The Visitors and The Singles – The First Ten Years, and a gallery of selected sleeves from the 1981–1982 era.
This sounds interesting. I wonder if any of these versions feature Agnetha? In the book The Complete Recording Sessions it states that “the first recording featured vocal contributions from both Agnetha and Frida, as well as keyboards, guitar, bass and drums”. So I hope at least one of the versions included here show both the girls voices. This whole 9 minute medley of one song is a very interesting idea and one I wished they had included on the previous deluxe editions.
I just can’t wait to listen to that demo version! It sounds very interesting, and taking into account Benny’s high standards for releasing recorded material I’m quite sure it would sound nothing like a regular demo version…
I wonder how long it will be before there are calls for the full disco or ballad version to be released in full a la “Just Like That’ debate?!
What’s happened to the official ABBA website? When I click on it, it goes straight to their facebook page. Am I loosing the plot???
I for one will not be buying any more Abba releases. Nothing new, old tut re issued more times than enough. Sorry but I have finally lost the faith in B&B good luck to the remaining fans though. xxxxx
I wonder if B & B would ever read or listen to what we, the fans, are thinking about their music and their releases?
Who cares about Just Like That?: only US…the devoted fans. So, what damage will it cause to ABBA career and image, the releasing of this wonderfull song??
What damage would do to the great honour of this super group??
The Beatles did it (releaseed the demos of many songs)
Queen remastered in 5.1 and DTS their studio songs (sounding greater than ever)
The Carpenters did it too, with multilayer tracks transferring into 6 real channels! And not only a “look alike” dts sound as B & B did in ABBA The Movie with the studio songs (Eagle, The Name of the Game, etc)
I respect Benny & Björn very much, as an ABBA fan and as a great music lover, but I don’t agree with their “policy” of not touching their original songs as they we recorded then.
Com on guys! The original songs are untouchable and no one will forget what they meant to the world!
Release JLT, all the LIVE songs, every demo you have, the studio songs in real multi channel 5.1 because… ¿who cares about it??
No one, but we THE FANS that always love their music and trustly, faithfully and loving follow You till the end of times. And is more than 30 yers ago the band disrupted.
Thank You and sorry if I’m feeling too much vehement about this point.
The Visitors Deluxe entered the UK Charts at No.62 – more than twice
as high as the previous best Charting ABBA Deluxe Album, in the UK –
‘Super Trouper’ – No.146, in 2011.
However, ‘The Visitors’ only sold 1,934 copies, to enter at No.62. Very
poor Sales. No wonder Universal see the ABBA Compilations as the most
important ABBA releases. They sell far more copies, & Universal make far
more money out of them.
‘The Visitors’ will not be in the UK Top 100 next Week.
The Visitors Deluxe Edition is certainly the most interesting release from ABBA and Universal so far. The sound quality is far better than the previous Deluxe Edition, Super Trouper, where the entire album sounds flat and very muffled.
We are treated to the wonderful 9 minute previously unreleased ” From A Twinkling Star To An Angel Passing”. A musical journey that starts with Bjorn singing and, naturally, ends with Frida singing. It also goes to prove how much hard work went into their recording sessions even at this late stage in their career as ABBA.
However, I can’t lie and say I wasn’t disappointed that the fantastic “Just Like That” didn’t appear on this release. It is a wonderful song that can be heard (in rubbish sound quality) on YouTube. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that Benny and Bjorn, along with Universal, must be very happy that the public can access some of their unreleased recordings on Youtube for FREE. How very kind!
Ok, here’s a dream sequence. The ABBA girls are back and BAO is in the studio to complete “Just Like That”. Ahh, don’t wake me, my dream is perfect! JLT is awesome!!!!
Hi Robb,
It sounds as if you may have only just discovered JLT. You lucky so and so.
I would love to imagine there is still the day to come, when I’ll hear something from ABBA that I haven’t heard before. The thrill of that ‘first’ hearing. Maybe I’m being greedy – just had ‘From a twinkling…….’
Ah well.
Russ
Well, I’ve tried all over trying to buy a copy of The Visitors. I didn’t want to order it
on – line, but wanted to go into a shop, physically pick it up and take it to the till, to pay for it. I have been really surprised by the the response I ‘ve received though. Every one telling me how popular ABBA is (!), the till operators – and all ‘hip’ looking youngsters as well, and that they did have it in, they just all sold out! So, an on-line purchase it will be, then.