Top notch packaging!
Allen Chapman | STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT USA | 05/18/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Let me first say that the packaging of this 30th anniversary disc is why you want it. Released in 1975, this was ABBA's biggest selling album. The odd part is that here in the States, these aren't ABBA's Greatest Hits! But around the rest of the world these were all early hits for the band.
The album is released using the original artwork used in Sweden. Most other countries used the inner shot of the group sitting on a park bench as the cover. I always liked the bizarre darwing better. Aside from the cover, the entire packaging has been designed to look like an LP. The sleeve is made of glossy hard cardboard, it is a gatefold cover like the original album. The coolest part is the CD itself, it sits inside a paper sleeve (just like an LP) and the front of the CD is black has grooves on it and the original Polar label in the center. The backside of the CD is also black, not the standard silver. Very cool they way this was put together.
The music on here has been reissued many times over the years and is readly available everywhere. The unique packageing is what makes this one for your collection.
"
International collection
William | Australia | 06/07/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This greatest hits collection was originally released in Sweden in 1975 with the bizarre artwork as approved by the members of ABBA. Alot of the tracks contained were only hits in Sweden, but they were all brilliant tracks nevertheless. A year later, the collection was released in United Kingdom with a different cover (ABBA sitting on a parkbench) and an additional track "Fernando" which, at the time, was roaring up the charts.
In Australia, where ABBA fever was VERY high, we got a completely different collection in 1976 called "Best of ABBA" which contained about 80% of the tracks from "Greatest Hits". The Aussie compilation contained some very interesting artwork itself, although is unlikely to ever be released on CD. It was No.1 on the album charts for ages, and the famous ABBA tour down under in 1977 ensured that the "Best Of" compilation stayed on the album charts.
As the other reviewer pointed out, GREATEST HITS is a must own ... it was an album which remained in UK charts for abolutely ages back in the 70's. The anniversary CD pays tribute to that fact by presenting it like an LP record with all the original artwork (as well as the parkbench picture for the UK fans). Even if you have all these songs scattered across your other ABBA CD's, buy it for the history. And while you are at it, check out the ABBA website and search for the artwork for the Australian compilation ("Best of" album)
ABBA ruled the 70's ...."
Classic seventies album
Emmenem | 03/17/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was thrilled to hear that this album would finally be released on CD, because it is undoubtedly one of THE classic albums of the seventies and ABBA's definitive breakthrough in the albums market. It became the second biggest-selling album of the seventies in the UK, only beaten by 'Bridge over troubled water' by Simon & Garfunkel. This CD version was long overdue. Actually, in my country we got a slightly different compilation back in 1976. That one omitted 'He is your brother' and 'Another town, another train', had a different running order and also a different (not fold-out) cover. I remember playing that album to pieces.
The artwork of this CD release is exceptionally well done, staying as close as possible to the vinyl version. This was how the album was released in Sweden, with 'Fernando' as the first track (in the UK it was the last track).
At the time, the album title was rather puzzling, since several of the tracks were from ABBA's first, internationally unreleased, album 'Ring Ring' and therefor completely unknown to an international audience. That didn't prevent the album from becoming one of ABBA's biggest worldwide sellers.
This album may not have all of ABBA's biggest hits (you would have to resort to 'ABBA Gold' for that), but for nostalgic reasons it is an essential addition to any serious CD collection."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1