Thank You for the Music

History

The recording of "Thank You for the Music" started in Marcus Music Studio in Stockholm, on 2 June 1977. The group had also performed the tune at their concert tour through Europe and Australia during the spring of 1977, as part of a mini-musical "The Girl with the Golden Hair" where the song was used as an ending encore. The lyrics used in this live version were slightly different from the studio version recorded later. Before the tour, in December 1976, Andersson and Ulvaeus also performed a segment of the melody on piano and acoustic guitar on the Swedish evening news programme "Rapport".

The first recording of the tune had a jazzy cabaret feel with Agnetha Fältskog on a solo song, inspired by artists in the style of Doris Day and similar. The group later made another arrangement of the same melody, which became the more widely known version. The first version was released in its entirety on the 1994 CD box "Thank You for the Music". The later version was recorded on 21 July 1977 in Glen Studio (a family studio that used to be located in the Glenmark family home but now relocated to a small former grocery shop close to their home).

The song was included on "The Album" and was used as a final melody in the film "ABBA – The Movie", which had its premiere at Christmas of 1977. The single "Eagle" of May 1978 also had this song as its B-side. It was later included in "Greatest Hits Vol. 2" released in the fall of 1979 when ABBA started touring North America and Europe. A promotion video was recorded in February 1978, directed by Lasse Hallström, where ABBA sings "Thank You for the Music" in front of kids singing along.

"Thank You for the Music" was later included on "ABBA Gold – Greatest Hits" of 1992. In 1999, it was used for the musical "Mamma Mia!", and in 2008 for the film with the same title. When the musical was translated into Swedish by Niklas Strömstedt, it got the title "Tack för alla sånger" ("Thanks for all the songs").

Reception

It was not released as a single in the United Kingdom and Ireland until late 1983, peaking at number 33 and number 17 respectively. In the Netherlands, the song peaked at number 23. The title of the song "Thank You for the Music" is often taken to signal the end of ABBA, leading it to be considered a farewell song.

As of September 2021, it is ABBA's 20th-biggest song in the UK, including both pure sales and digital streams.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Personnel

ABBA

• Agnetha Fältskog – lead and backing vocals
• Anni-Frid Lyngstad – backing vocals
• Björn Ulvaeus – backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, mandolin
• Benny Andersson – backing vocals, keyboards ;Additional personnel and production staff
• Lasse Wellander – acoustic lead guitar, mandolin
• Rutger Gunnarsson – bass
• Roger Palm – drums, tambourine

References

References

1. UK Official Charts [https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/abbas-official-top-20-biggest-songs__26113/ ABBA's Official Top 20 biggest songs]
2. (17 May 1980). "Cash Box - International Best Sellers".
3. David Kent. (2006). "Australian Charts Book 1993—2005". Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W..
4. "SA Charts 1965 – March 1989".
5. "Dutch Charts > ABBA". dutchcharts.nl Hung Medien.
6. "Official Charts Company" ABBA". [[Official Charts Company]].
7. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1978".