I know. But I get what he means. Ibrahimovic (another Swede, funnily enough) is regarded as a world class football player, but despite all this, he was still underrated compared to more often put forward names like Ronaldo, Zidane, Messi, Beckham, Ronaldinho. If that makes sense.
It doesn't. ABBA is a worldwide phenomenon. They might be underrated in the USA but that's the US's problem. Everywhere else? They aren't. mamma Mia! The musical on stage is worldwide (Inc the USA), two smash movies based on the stage show, a hugely popular 'live' show ongoing in London, 3 themed restaurants, a museum & massive (& on going) sales on cd's & downloads. Underrated isn't a term that applies to ABBA.
One track that Abba did was called Eagle. Not sure if it was a big popular hit but its absolutely immense compared to their usual poppie stuff. It was a masterpiece in my opinion.
Every real musician has a lot of respect for ABBA and their backing band. You don´t have to like their songs, but the skills and musicianship is on top level - and I mean top level.
Definitely, any songwriter should be in awe of their craftsmanship. These songs are absolutely stellar in both composition, arrangements and instrumentations. This is Beatles, Beach Boys, Billy Joel and Michael Jackson level of songwriting
As a DJ in the 70's I had a blast playing ABBA. It was a musical feast! And in love with Frida since 1975. The American critics tried to destroyed them! But when you like the music, you give a crap about the critics!
It's surprising how much ABBA is bass-driven. My favourite of their songs, "The Name of the Game" has immaculate arrangement and production, and beautiful melody and lyrics - but it's the bass that drives it along.
I totally agree. That funky syncopated bass line is killer. I don't know why this song isn't included more in the best of ABBA bass lines (maybe because there are so many good ones!). The whole song is a gem.
I was amazed that when they released "Voyage" last year, it sounded like they had just taken a feww weeks off and started recording again. But, it was 40 years! LEGENDS!!
I used to always compare ABBA to Led Zeppelin, mainly to throw people for a loop but the musicianship is kind of mind blowing for a pop group, especially the bass lines And nothing beats their vocals.
Once upon a time, to get really famous as a musician, you needed actually to be one. But auto tune, beats and songs by committee put an end to all that talent and creativity. And as for ABBA all four were already successful and established artists quite separately each other before the 4 musical friends and couples pooled their musical talent, for fun.
It's because it wasn't a massproduced generic corporate pop. The four members were all heavily involved in songwriting and production of all their music so it isn't just a singer singing somebody else's lyrics to somebody else's music. And another factor is Benny and Bjorn were really perfectionists when it comes to arrangements, it's crazy how complex the music actually is. Me and my band we tried our hand at Mamma Mia, it was NOT straightforward at all! But it's a blast, it's a crowd pleaser and we really enjoy playing it
Hello from Sweden! Really enjoyed this video. A huge shout out to Michael B.Tretow, an audio engineer, musician and composer. Tretow experimented with different recording techniques, and played an essential part in creating that special "ABBA sound". He also composed several themes and jingles for Swedish national radio and television. In 2001 Michael suffered a severe stroke, he lost his speech for ten years and all the memories from the ABBA-time vanished... he sold his studio in 2004. You will always be in our hearts, Mr Tretow, what a brilliant man you are. 🎸🎵🎶🎹💛💙
I did the Mama Mia show and all the bass parts were transcribed exactly. It was a bitch! So cool. So funky. So musical. Rutger is a monster. Dancing Queen is often played differently because there's so much improvisation going on. I used to think ABBA was a nice slick sweet pop music , but after doing the show I realize they're songwriting geniuses. And yeah, the girls vocals are balls on.
Cool. Yeh ABBA has some nice progressions good song writing. Same here. I played theatre bass and guitar choir musicals and stuff. Did the ABBA Grease Bee Gees Rocky Horror Jesus Super Star Cats etc Learn a lot respect once you have to work out some parts and write your own charts which of course then the damned choir want to change into some messed up key hahaa hate that. Such is life. Rock on. Peace.
somewhere on youtube Ani does an interview...the brunette with the very recognizable voice.....she said it was because of Hitler she was born...he had homes and nurses for babies and outlawed abortion...she was in that program.....@@thethinredline4714
Thank you for posting this great tutorial. I used play in a well-known rock band in the mid-seventies. I admit it, I used to HATE Abba, and even groups like the Carpenters, because I thought that they were all playing "bubble gum" music. But only when I became much older do I truly appreciate and enjoy these bands and their music, in spite of myself. Abba's ability to write hit songs, their live performances, were superb by anyone's calculations. And Karen Carpenters incredible voice and drumming abilities were on a level far above most musicians of my era. I'm just glad I lived long enough to put my "purist" ideas behind me and truly appreciate all kinds of music, in all their limitless iterations.
@@creativesource3514 I started with a little known rock group that you've probably never even heard of. We used to open for bigger groups like Ike and Tina Turner "back in the day." Then I joined a group called "Climax" in the early seventies when their drummer took ill when they were touring the country. Our guitar player Walter Nims wrote a hit song in '71 called "Precious and Few," and our lead singer Sonny Geraci passed away a couple of years ago. Sonny and Walt pretty much pioneered "soft rock," after their mainstream rock tune "Time Won't Let Me" was released in 1964. After that, musical tastes began to change with groups like Bread and The Association, and they had to change with it.
😮 Wow! I was blown away with this video. First, I’m coming from a totally non-musician’s perspective. I clicked to this because it came up in my feed and being a huge ABBA fan I love hearing how a song can be broken down into individual, isolated parts. Your video did this but in a way that blew my mind. I was totally hearing something completely new from a song I have heard since the day it was released (yup! that old! 😆). But having you break down the bass lines was just amazing. I am not going to hear Dancing Queen the same way ever again, and that’s a great thing! I’m so pumped that I will be able to hone in on the bass, which I think is freaking awesome on both versions, and I actually had never really like the live version very much, but, I absolutely LOVE it now and I think your acknowledgement of it being so good and just the points about their live performance being so professional and how great Agnetha and Frida’s vocals were, I was like “yes! Exactly!”. And you are so right! I watched the live version again after your video and, yup! Amazing. Your excitement and your obvious love of music and the bass is so evident in your presence and your delivery and also when you played. It’s awesome to hear someone like you who is obviously an amazing musician and an obvious student of your artistry. There was so much you shared I had absolutely no knowledge of, such as song structure and progression, transition and other terms and concepts that I now will have in my head when listening to songs, particularly the ones I love the most and Dancing Queen is absolutely one of those songs. I’m definitely gonna check all your videos out. You are extremely talented and a really positive force. Thanks so much!
Jerry, thanks so much for the lovely comment. It means the world to me that you not only enjoyed the video, but it changed the way you'll hear it from now on! The reason I do these videos are exactly for people like you. Thanks again my friend!
I'm gonna have to listen to Dancing Queen a few times and focus on the base and other instruments because there are these songs where on its own I'm not sure i would recognise the bass line as having anything to do with song, which is awesome in itself ... or i'm just totally tone, music, beat and everything else deaf. Having said that 'My Generation' is one of my all time favorites especially for that raw dominating bass line. Music is so fascinating esepcially the way the bassline can seemingly hide in plain sight.
I’ve sung this song in a huge choir as the high soprano. ABBA conserto in April in Malmö, Sweden 2014. We were three girls singing the high notes at the besinning (Aaaaa aaa aaa aaa aa as a! 😂) It’s really high in the choir version! We were standing on our toes hitting the highest notes! 😅😛 Bye from 🇸🇪
This is awesome, Rutger Gunnarsson and Ola Brunkert got some really good beats going on no matter its recorded or live, these two legends are gone but their legacy will live for ever, you know, most of them appearing on studio music and live music are fantastic and Janne Schaffer not to forget.. sometimes i live in the past, just watching and listen to all this great old recorded live and studio music, it´s an era that will never come back... thanks..
Yes, musicians who were in completely different genres recognized the playing skills and solid production on ABBA's albums - Phil Collins obviously (who recorded at Polar both with Genesis and later when producing a solo album for Frida) and Big Country.
I'm a hard rocker. Over the years though, I've become interested in what differentiates the two kinds of music. Yeah, the two kinds. GOOD and BAD. Just like with so many things in life. This is phenomenal. Good breakdown. They're great musicians.
One has to remember they were all accomplished professional musicians before they formed ABBA for the Eurovision contest. It came as no surprise they went on to the success they had, they made music people loved !
I've been a drummer for the past 43 years & always loved & enjoyed playing this song, especially the syncopated snare / open hi-hat at the end of certain verses. The bass, however, - WOW! I just happened across your video while listening to different reaction videos & was so glad to see someone besides me had picked up on that bass line. Dancing Queen has one of my favorite bass guitar riffs, I never really had to learn notes with the exception of Jr. & High school band. I played the quads (new to the scene) my senior year in marching band, but the tympani during concert season. That was the extent of my knowledge of my note scale, but I wished I had learned at some point in my life to play the bass guitar & am glad to hear you breaking it down. My favorite part is at the end of the second verse where he does that very quick slide, for lack of the proper term. New subscriber as soon as I saw this!!
its good that Abba are getting more love now from current generations that they did in their prime period, they really were innovative and well as just great artists
You are describing me The incoming disco scene was a nightmare for the "cool" folk at that time. I was playing Hendrix type stuff. I play bass and this vid was great. They amaze me now.
For me the ultimate live version was from 1977 Aussie tour filmed in Abba the movie.This is 1979 Wembley London.But wait till you hear ''Gimme Gimme Gimme is another one with and killer bass and killer riff too.They had a genius sound engineer Michael Tretow that made every single detail audible and sparkling shinny.
@CHRISTIANO AZZURO 👍😉I agree, the same for me❗ That Australian Tour 1977 version is the best❗And, in Sydney, when they performed "S.O.S." with the torrential rain downpour, was ABBA's most memorable performance of their entire career.
Rutger is absolutely going WILD on "Summer Night City" from the 1979 London Wembley show. The whole thing is musically really impressive. Fantastic musicians, all of them.
As a lifelong Abba fan, it is soooo refreshing (and educational) to hear a different perspective of their songs. Thank you for highlighting what importance the Bass Guitar has on a song ❤
When I was a kid listening to the radio, I never would have imagined one day we'd be breaking those songs down and understanding their composition. It's amazing how much technical prowess you can hide in a pop song.
ABBA is not underrated band. Claiming otherwise shows a profound gap in your knowledge. It's one of the most influential bands in the history of music - I'd argue that they share the top spot with Beatles.
Probably depends on the country. I have no doubt Europe and the world outside of the US understand their genius. A lot of people just think of them as a pop act with catchy melodies without understanding the musical complexity.
@@philspear73they were huge in the US as well. Even the jukebox musical “Mama Mia” based on their catalog is one of the top grossing musicals of all time.
What a great choice Andrew! I love Rutger's playing and teach many of his bass lines. I'm a huge ABBA fan and also a good, old-fashioned hairy Metaller! It's very easy to love ABBA and say, Iron Maiden for example, for pretty much the same reasons: great playing, great singing and fab tunes!
Among ABBA's hardcore fans, Rutger is a legend. He was also classically trained and did many of ABBA's string arrangements. A lot of great bass lines in ABBA songs. 'Gimme Gimme Gimme' is well worth checking out and especially the long album version where it gets seriously funky during the instrumental break. ruclips.net/video/QJtWwmt0cXM/видео.html
@@thomasnicolaisen7312 No, Although Mike Watson was involved around that time (he is bassist on 'Does Your Mother Know') GGG was definitely Rutger. It's detailed in the 'ABBA Complete Recording Sessions' book. Rutger can also be seen playing in the background of the GGG official video plus he played it on the 79/80 tours.
Awesome introduction to Rutger’s playing. The real mad-scientist stuff is on Knowing Me, Knowing You. Even when you know it, it’s hard to fathom how or why he decided on his parts. His timing and note selection are so odd but so perfect.
I was a kid in the 70’s and ABBA was everywhere. It was always the bass lines that stuck in my head early on, from Waterloo onwards. I would have been 10 years old. Yes, I went on to become a bass player. But I always remember that the bass was always prominent, or forward in the mix as I learned later. I’m glad you mentioned the ABBA bass players as I feel they were the subliminal element that made their hits imho. People were singing those catchy lyrics to those catchy tunes and dancing to that grooving bass movement! 😃👍
Fun fact: Rutger was raised in a very VERY small community called Ledberg outside my home town of Linköping Sweden. My first band, which formed around 1975, consisted of me, a guitarist and a bassplayer who also was raised in Ledberg. So we jokingly used to state that Swedens best AND worst bassplayers came from the same small place. Quite an accomplishment
"Rutger" is pronounced with an "u" like in bull, not like in butter. Same with his family name Gunnarsson. Not that it matters in base heaven where he is now, probably playing a duet with ABBA guitarist Lasse Wellander that went over yesterday. RIP both of you guys. Vila i frid!
I always tell beginning bassists if they can master "Mamma Mia", note-for-note and stop-for-stop, that they can move on to other, more 'difficult', songs with confidence. That song is a perfect example of the "what you don't play is as important as what you DO play" statement.
I just stumbled across your video. As a teacher and a man-cave drummer, I'd like to thank you for saying what's right. It's okay to be yourself, be inventive, and put your own spin on things as long as the roots are there. Hey man, as the Rolling Stones sang, "I know, it's only rock and roll, but I like it."
Thanks for doing this. Tasteful bass playing so often gets overlooked compared to technical ability on the instrument. ABBA is timeless magic. So many hits have created so many memories for so many generations. I think even the band had no idea of the length/yrs of their relevance. They will be talked about and listened to for 100's of years.
Yes, and the gutarist Janne Schaffer is a also true legend in my native country Sweden, who played as a studio musichian on allmost every song, but NOT live on tour. Yesterday it was 50 years since the "Waterloo" victory!
13:09 I especially like that C because it has a more bluesy vibe. And it makes the difference between amateur and pro bass players in a cover band. Everytime I hear that C played by a bassist I nod to him expressing my respect for her/his approach to Rutger Gunnarsson‘s style.
I totally agree about the more bluesy flavor that the C chord adds. I've noticed this in a number of rock songs as well, sometimes playing the major seventh over a major chord tends to sound a bit too pretty, and using the flat seventh instead adds a bit more spice -- provided it doesn't clash too much with the rest of the instruments. In this case it definitely works as the C is used as an approach note. It seems to be similar in Hysteria, where Chris also chooses the flat seventh over the major seventh when playing over the C major chord later on. I also often hear rock players choose the perfect fourth instead of the sharp fourth over the IV chord, and the major sixth instead of the flat sixth over the VI chord.
I can't understand how people think that this note would be a wrong note. I am 100% sure that it was just the jazzy attitude that Rutger had and that it was what he was hearing in his head when playing and that he was improvising. That chromatic playing is super common when you play jazz and with that choice of note you temporarry make the harmony to be a C7#11. It is unfortunally forbidden in Pop music but totaly normal in Jazz. Maybe Rutger also was playing some jazz between the ABBA gigs?
40+ years of looking down my nose at ABBA just vanished. I never knew! 🤯 But I'm looking forward to tackling Gunnarsson's work. And I'm also pretty sure I just heard a quiet howl of pain from the ghost of my 20 year old tech/death metal loving self 😱
Two things: I do think that tension note was a happy little accident. From what I've gathered, B&B weren't overly concerned with perfection for perfection's sake - they were open to experimenting with the sound (which happened to be Michael B. Tretow's forte), and if something sounded good in the mix, it stayed. (Also, in 1975 when the song was recorded/mixed, fixing stuff "in the mix" wasn't as easy as it would be later in the digital era. Sure, they could have spliced some different takes together if necessary - but for a small, barely noticeable "defect" I hardly think it would have been worth the effort.) Regarding ABBA being underrated - they _were_ massively underrated at the time on the subject of artistic merit. They were seen as a purely commercial act with little to none artistic value. Fortunately, time has proved their detractors wrong and I think it is fair to say that they are now receiving an almost universal (and IMO well deserved) appreciation.
I remember having to learn this song for my high school band (I played bass) since that was one of the songs we were doing that year and it was honestly pretty fun to do, I sometimes forget just how funky the bass in this song is
Thanks for highlighting this song. I think this is probably my favorite bass line to hear and play. I have always been in metal/rock bands but my heart is in pop/country bass lines. I always bust out these riffs in between songs during practice hoping the drummer will fall in lol
Great analysis. I was also surprised at how great ABBA was live. The ‘Does Your Mother Know/Hole In Your Soul’ live performance by them is my favourite..
The vocals in this song are to die for. As a bass player myself I usually key in on what’s driving the song - had never really paid attention to this songs details because the singing was so prominent but wow it’s all awesomeness!
I’ma acoustic guitarist and always wanted to learn to play the bass. I just happened across this video and couldn’t stop watching it. I grew up with abba and dig your breakdown.
When ABBA had their big breakthrough at ESC in Brighton. The conductor of the orchestra steps out dressed as Napoleon looking very much like the doll you have in the background. Funny coincidence!
Dude, this video was so much fun to watch and listen to! I don't even play bass, and your mastery of music in general is way above mine, but I know enough to appreciate your knowledge and passion. Thank you for your sincere and unbridled excitement! I was planning on skipping ahead when I saw the thumbnail (I'd never seen a video of yours before), but within seconds realized you and your breakdown were worth watching with my full attention.
@@markrae1317 Underrated (ubderrated - your spelling) means undervalued. Perhaps amongst the bass playing fraternity Rutger Gunarrson isn't underrated. However, amongst the non-playing public , I think he is underrated.
As an ABBA fan and pianist, I really love the bass line of Dancing Queen and play it very often even though I’m not a bassist. I personally like the wrong note at the end. If you want to do another video on ABBA’s bass lines and amazing bassist, I would recommend “Voulez-Vous”. Thanks for the nice video! 👍🏼
Arrival was my Christmas present 1976 age 12....fantastic band and songs, later in life i became a rock musician playing some pretty heavy music but i always listened to ABBA especially for songwriting skills and musicianship and now at 60yrs young i stilll do......😊
Rutger Gunnarsson was a genius as he showed on 'One of Us'. And by the way, ABBA weren't 'underrated', they were one of the biggest and best selling musical groups in the world.
These days they are highly underrated. I never hear them on the radio, there are no calls for them to record a new album, no one is making remixes of their songs, basically they get lumped in with every other disco act and forgotten
@@firemarshal2629no calls for them to record a new album... Apart from all the calls for them to record a new album and the dedicated arena in London for their live show that opened last year.
@@firemarshal2629 Actually, they are more popular now than they were twenty years ago. And they are constantly on the radio. They were never considered a 'disco' group. So you don't even understand what genre they were and what their place in musical history was.
As a rock & metal guy I have always had to hide my love for ABBA. Their story is incredible & I have learned a lot about music from studying their catalog. 0.0% chance I tell my buddies Im learning "Dancing Queen"
Oddly enough, I frequently encounter metal fans in comment sections of ABBA-related videos. Some hide their fandom IRL, others do not. There should be no shame in liking ABBA.Two of their biggest fans among other musicians are Ritchie Blackmore and Lemmy (supposedly Lemmy would threaten you with bodily harm if you dissed ABBA in his presence). There actually are metal/hard rock covers of ABBA that are very good. Check out At Vance and Swedish Hitz here on YT.
All that 70's stuff has great bassists and great basslines. ABBA were an amazing band, as were the Bee Gees. I'm mostly into death / thrash / black metal, but fact is fact.
finally, I'm not the only one who loves this track for the bass line! It's so huge and without it, that chorus wouldn't even be as epic as it is. Thanks, Andrew!
I was about 12 when this song came out. As an accomplished pianist (even then) I was accustomed to accidentals in classical music and never gave the approach note "error" a second thought within in the context of the arrangement, nor did I do so decades later when I honed in on the genius of the bass line. Harmonically that extra tension always sounded incredible to my ear and plays perfectly against the C# version of the line when it repeats.
I grown up listening to my mother’s vinyls and I discovered Abba in the early 80s and even if I became a rock fan later, Abba is for me still in the top of the best bands I knew .. their music is something else .. technically superior and it could be listened by anyone even kids like I was when I discovered them, old I became a musician songwriter and producer and the truth is more I learned more they get up on my charts .. it’s crazy how this band made so many amazing titles ..
So glad you mentioned James Jamerson. I was waiting for that and you rightly so delivered. There would be no Rutger funk without Jamerson. Jamerson changed popular music with his bass lines. Before there was funk there WAS funk. It was just buried in Motown pop.
When I started to listen to Abba, late 70”s I loved their songs and played them to death…. Fast forward to 1982 I started learning bass (16 years old). Played in many bands afterwards and discovered James Jameson in 1990. Since then JJ has influenced my playing like no other. However, today 11.01.24 I re listened to the entire Abba catalog… what struck me immediately was that Rutger”s bass lines where undoubtedly influenced by J.J both chromatically and in his choice of syncopation. Today I also found / watched Andrew’s video and it confirmed what I heard as well re JJ. Rutger took his ideas to a different level. Much respect and R.I.P. sir.
...Hi, i don't know how far I've fallen down the ABBA rabbit hole, but I've just tripped into your channel ! ..i just have to tell you that i love your enthusiasm, interest and the way you can easily brake down and explain what you're finding in this iconic melody from my favourite band...by doing what you've done you are keeping ABBA relevant in today's generation of young fans who i hope will go on to discover the magical delight of ABBA... I'm the "1st generation fan" from all those years ago....thank you. 💞🎼
I think it would be a diminished chord in that chromatic thing you talked about. I do it in a couple of songs I wrote. It's like D Major, E flat dim, E minor. Great video and I love that you have discovered ABBA, one of the best acts to ever perform on this planet. I'm a musical nerd too and I can see that you know your stuff. My advice, make ABBA a huge part of your life. I still crave it daily. Those songs are the best ever written and those gorgeous girls who delivered them, almost other worldly. You play a mean bass. I bet you're a multi instrumentalist like me. I play 5, working on the 6th. I bet you play everything you get your hands on.
i was looking for this comment..thats exactly what i think too as a guitarist,,the diminished passing chord bass note..it can be used chromatically as in your example and to modulate too a different key
R.I.P Rutger Gunnarsson a real master in bass 😢🕯
that bassline here was easy
A lot of really great bass playing is 👍
@@anderschristensen4072 Sure. Now try to *come up with it* , and not just try to replicate it.
Definitely one of the coolest names ever.
@@Frontdesk99 This. Exactly. The true masters come up with the best part for the song, often times on the spot. Very few are this good at it.
How is it an underrated band? They're literally one of the most celebrated bands of all time.
I know. But I get what he means. Ibrahimovic (another Swede, funnily enough) is regarded as a world class football player, but despite all this, he was still underrated compared to more often put forward names like Ronaldo, Zidane, Messi, Beckham, Ronaldinho. If that makes sense.
It doesn't. ABBA is a worldwide phenomenon. They might be underrated in the USA but that's the US's problem. Everywhere else? They aren't. mamma Mia! The musical on stage is worldwide (Inc the USA), two smash movies based on the stage show, a hugely popular 'live' show ongoing in London, 3 themed restaurants, a museum & massive (& on going) sales on cd's & downloads.
Underrated isn't a term that applies to ABBA.
Music snobs like to turn their nose up at them though. I think that's what he means.
One track that Abba did was called Eagle. Not sure if it was a big popular hit but its absolutely immense compared to their usual poppie stuff. It was a masterpiece in my opinion.
He's young.
Every real musician has a lot of respect for ABBA and their backing band. You don´t have to like their songs, but the skills and musicianship is on top level - and I mean top level.
Definitely, any songwriter should be in awe of their craftsmanship. These songs are absolutely stellar in both composition, arrangements and instrumentations.
This is Beatles, Beach Boys, Billy Joel and Michael Jackson level of songwriting
@@MrKennyBones Completely agree, this one makes the short list of greatest pop songs of all time; and they have a bunch of other great songs.
That chord change under 'see that....' is so unique and powerful.
Metalhead here, ABBA is one of my all time favorite bands
ABBA’s plan was to play/sound the music at concerts as close/near to the studio track as possible- live! 🥹😘
Bye from 🇸🇪
Rutger’s choices in their song Knowing Me Knowing You are downright mind boggling and awesome. Best baseline in an ABBA track in my opinion.
Couldn't agree more. I started learning to play it because my dad loves the song, and the more and more I listened to it the more nuance I discovered.
This song infected me to be a huge Fan until Now!
As a bass teacher, I'm in full agreement with you Joe!
Mama Mia
One of us…..resonates with me for a good bass sound, i cannot speak for any technical side as i cannot play or read music
As a DJ in the 70's I had a blast playing ABBA. It was a musical feast! And in love with Frida since 1975. The American critics tried to destroyed them! But when you like the music, you give a crap about the critics!
So you’re saying if you like the music you actually care what critics think!
It’s usually the opposite for most people they don’t care.
It's surprising how much ABBA is bass-driven. My favourite of their songs, "The Name of the Game" has immaculate arrangement and production, and beautiful melody and lyrics - but it's the bass that drives it along.
Pop and rock music were generally much more bass-driven in the 70's than today.
I totally agree. That funky syncopated bass line is killer. I don't know why this song isn't included more in the best of ABBA bass lines (maybe because there are so many good ones!). The whole song is a gem.
Frida and Agnetha perfected the overdub vocal in real time! They almost sound like one voice with light flange
I noticed that too. Even better than the Everly Brothers
Incredible how fresh Abba's music still sounds after decades. Underrated band.
I was amazed that when they released "Voyage" last year, it sounded like they had just taken a feww weeks off and started recording again. But, it was 40 years! LEGENDS!!
For a band that dominated the world music scene for the best part of a decade... yes, somehow they are still underrated.
Underrated maybe in the US, in the UK they are massive.
underrated they are known around the world,sold mil. of albums have tons of fans. underatet no way
@@Peppeblackmetal in the hole world
I used to always compare ABBA to Led Zeppelin, mainly to throw people for a loop but the musicianship is kind of mind blowing for a pop group, especially the bass lines And nothing beats their vocals.
Once upon a time, to get really famous as a musician, you needed actually to be one. But auto tune, beats and songs by committee put an end to all that talent and creativity. And as for ABBA all four were already successful and established artists quite separately each other before the 4 musical friends and couples pooled their musical talent, for fun.
thank you sir!
@mkhud50n 😐Led Zeppelin recorded one of their albums, at ABBA's studio, in downtown Stockholm.
@@bachatamusica yes- Polar Music- most advanced studio then.
@@shadow-js2hn 😐That building looks the same from the outside, as it was back then.....but on the inside, it is no longer a music recording studio.
My mind is blown by how their music still sounds good after 4-5 decades 🙂
It's because it wasn't a massproduced generic corporate pop. The four members were all heavily involved in songwriting and production of all their music so it isn't just a singer singing somebody else's lyrics to somebody else's music. And another factor is Benny and Bjorn were really perfectionists when it comes to arrangements, it's crazy how complex the music actually is. Me and my band we tried our hand at Mamma Mia, it was NOT straightforward at all! But it's a blast, it's a crowd pleaser and we really enjoy playing it
J.S. Bach still sounds great after almost 300 years.
@@Saibotz1not really lmao
ABBA knew when to funk it up. And it worked
If by 'it worked' you mean 'it sold', you're right. Funky like a log of timber on marching day.
@@rinkinkel Don't be that guy. Nobody likes that gun.
@@rinkinkel , you're right , they weren't funky at all.
the bassist in this case in particular
Check the bass on My Mama Said
Hello from Sweden! Really enjoyed this video. A huge shout out to Michael B.Tretow, an audio engineer, musician and composer. Tretow experimented with different recording techniques, and played an essential part in creating that special "ABBA sound". He also composed several themes and jingles for Swedish national radio and television. In 2001 Michael suffered a severe stroke, he lost his speech for ten years and all the memories from the ABBA-time vanished... he sold his studio in 2004. You will always be in our hearts, Mr Tretow, what a brilliant man you are. 🎸🎵🎶🎹💛💙
I did the Mama Mia show and all the bass parts were transcribed exactly. It was a bitch! So cool. So funky. So musical. Rutger is a monster. Dancing Queen is often played differently because there's so much improvisation going on. I used to think ABBA was a nice slick sweet pop music , but after doing the show I realize they're songwriting geniuses. And yeah, the girls vocals are balls on.
Very few singers would be able to match those girls
One of the best bass lines for me...
Cool. Yeh ABBA has some nice progressions good song writing. Same here. I played theatre bass and guitar choir musicals and stuff. Did the ABBA Grease Bee Gees Rocky Horror Jesus Super Star Cats etc Learn a lot respect once you have to work out some parts and write your own charts which of course then the damned choir want to change into some messed up key hahaa hate that. Such is life. Rock on. Peace.
me thinks..bassline on the particular..song MamaMia is played by...another great:MikeWatson(?)
somewhere on youtube Ani does an interview...the brunette with the very recognizable voice.....she said it was because of Hitler she was born...he had homes and nurses for babies and outlawed abortion...she was in that program.....@@thethinredline4714
One of the best bands ever.
Bass-wise my favorite ABBA song is “One of us”. It is epic in my humble opinion.
I agree with you 100 percent - almost every morning on the way to work I demand everything from my 15 inch woofer just to hear that exact bassline
00:15. Underrated band???? By whom?? ABBA Is legendary famous.
RIP, Rutger.......you were one of the 3 best bass players in rock. Under appreciated. "Knowing me, Knowing you" was one of your best.....
pop
Abba basslines make me cry as I always get them wrong. Such epic musicianship!
😂,, &&; oh i knoww!
Thank you for posting this great tutorial. I used play in a well-known rock band in the mid-seventies. I admit it, I used to HATE Abba, and even groups like the Carpenters, because I thought that they were all playing "bubble gum" music. But only when I became much older do I truly appreciate and enjoy these bands and their music, in spite of myself. Abba's ability to write hit songs, their live performances, were superb by anyone's calculations. And Karen Carpenters incredible voice and drumming abilities were on a level far above most musicians of my era. I'm just glad I lived long enough to put my "purist" ideas behind me and truly appreciate all kinds of music, in all their limitless iterations.
Which band were you in?
@@creativesource3514
I started with a little known rock group that you've probably never even heard of. We used to open for bigger groups like Ike and Tina Turner "back in the day." Then I joined a group called "Climax" in the early seventies when their drummer took ill when they were touring the country. Our guitar player Walter Nims wrote a hit song in '71 called "Precious and Few," and our lead singer Sonny Geraci passed away a couple of years ago. Sonny and Walt pretty much pioneered "soft rock," after their mainstream rock tune "Time Won't Let Me" was released in 1964. After that, musical tastes began to change with groups like Bread and The Association, and they had to change with it.
Another great ABBA bassline (also played by Rutger) is "One of Us" from The Visitors.
Or Bang-A-Boomerang
It has such a satisfying tone, in part down to the short note lengths I think.
@@nlptrckshmn5535 Sounds like he plays fretless bass on that one. Like Stefan Brolund (Sw) or Jaco Pastorius (Am, Weather Report) did in the 70s.
Ever noticed the bass level drop in the intro of Mamma Mia?
I’ll throw in “Money, Money, Money”. Some of my favorite bass work from anyone on any song.
😮 Wow! I was blown away with this video. First, I’m coming from a totally non-musician’s perspective. I clicked to this because it came up in my feed and being a huge ABBA fan I love hearing how a song can be broken down into individual, isolated parts. Your video did this but in a way that blew my mind. I was totally hearing something completely new from a song I have heard since the day it was released (yup! that old! 😆). But having you break down the bass lines was just amazing. I am not going to hear Dancing Queen the same way ever again, and that’s a great thing! I’m so pumped that I will be able to hone in on the bass, which I think is freaking awesome on both versions, and I actually had never really like the live version very much, but, I absolutely LOVE it now and I think your acknowledgement of it being so good and just the points about their live performance being so professional and how great Agnetha and Frida’s vocals were, I was like “yes! Exactly!”. And you are so right! I watched the live version again after your video and, yup! Amazing. Your excitement and your obvious love of music and the bass is so evident in your presence and your delivery and also when you played. It’s awesome to hear someone like you who is obviously an amazing musician and an obvious student of your artistry. There was so much you shared I had absolutely no knowledge of, such as song structure and progression, transition and other terms and concepts that I now will have in my head when listening to songs, particularly the ones I love the most and Dancing Queen is absolutely one of those songs. I’m definitely gonna check all your videos out. You are extremely talented and a really positive force. Thanks so much!
Jerry, thanks so much for the lovely comment. It means the world to me that you not only enjoyed the video, but it changed the way you'll hear it from now on! The reason I do these videos are exactly for people like you. Thanks again my friend!
I'm gonna have to listen to Dancing Queen a few times and focus on the base and other instruments because there are these songs where on its own I'm not sure i would recognise the bass line as having anything to do with song, which is awesome in itself ... or i'm just totally tone, music, beat and everything else deaf. Having said that 'My Generation' is one of my all time favorites especially for that raw dominating bass line. Music is so fascinating esepcially the way the bassline can seemingly hide in plain sight.
@@BassFreedom Maybe you should take a look on bass player Peter Hook of Joy division and New order , he plays the bass almost like a guitar
Gotta love RUclips channels.
I've heard Abba from day 1 and never noticed the bass guitar until now
The vocal range in this song is insane. 🎉
Backing Vocals go full metal scream on the record after 'tambourine'
Which is why no one attempts to copy them
I’ve sung this song in a huge choir as the high soprano. ABBA conserto in April in Malmö, Sweden 2014. We were three girls singing the high notes at the besinning (Aaaaa aaa aaa aaa aa as a! 😂) It’s really high in the choir version! We were standing on our toes hitting the highest notes! 😅😛
Bye from 🇸🇪
This is awesome, Rutger Gunnarsson and Ola Brunkert got some really good beats going on no matter its recorded or live, these two legends are gone but their legacy will live for ever, you know, most of them appearing on studio music and live music are fantastic and Janne Schaffer not to forget.. sometimes i live in the past, just watching and listen to all this great old recorded live and studio music, it´s an era that will never come back... thanks..
Rutger has arranged and played bass on a whole line of Swedish hits from the -70s and -80s, the Abba ones is just a bit of his astounding legacy.
Yes, musicians who were in completely different genres recognized the playing skills and solid production on ABBA's albums - Phil Collins obviously (who recorded at Polar both with Genesis and later when producing a solo album for Frida) and Big Country.
Definitely a mistake but brief and deep in a rich funky mix; in that day and age you could easily let it go even if you heard it in the booth.
ABBA used the elite of Swedish studio musicians on their records.
I'm a hard rocker. Over the years though, I've become interested in what differentiates the two kinds of music. Yeah, the two kinds. GOOD and BAD. Just like with so many things in life.
This is phenomenal. Good breakdown. They're great musicians.
One has to remember they were all accomplished professional musicians before they formed ABBA for the Eurovision contest. It came as no surprise they went on to the success they had, they made music people loved !
I've been a drummer for the past 43 years & always loved & enjoyed playing this song, especially the syncopated snare / open hi-hat at the end of certain verses. The bass, however, - WOW! I just happened across your video while listening to different reaction videos & was so glad to see someone besides me had picked up on that bass line. Dancing Queen has one of my favorite bass guitar riffs, I never really had to learn notes with the exception of Jr. & High school band. I played the quads (new to the scene) my senior year in marching band, but the tympani during concert season. That was the extent of my knowledge of my note scale, but I wished I had learned at some point in my life to play the bass guitar & am glad to hear you breaking it down. My favorite part is at the end of the second verse where he does that very quick slide, for lack of the proper term. New subscriber as soon as I saw this!!
Thats amazing!!! Thanks so much for watching 😀🤘
its good that Abba are getting more love now from current generations that they did in their prime period, they really were innovative and well as just great artists
You are describing me The incoming disco scene was a nightmare for the "cool" folk at that time. I was playing Hendrix type stuff. I play bass and this vid was great. They amaze me now.
For me the ultimate live version was from 1977 Aussie tour filmed in Abba the movie.This is 1979 Wembley London.But wait till you hear ''Gimme Gimme Gimme is another one with and killer bass and killer riff too.They had a genius sound engineer Michael Tretow that made every single detail audible and sparkling shinny.
@CHRISTIANO AZZURO 👍😉I agree, the same for me❗ That Australian Tour 1977 version is the best❗And, in Sydney, when they performed "S.O.S." with the torrential rain downpour, was ABBA's most memorable performance of their entire career.
@@bachatamusica and they’ve had an orchestra in Australia
Rutger is absolutely going WILD on "Summer Night City" from the 1979 London Wembley show. The whole thing is musically really impressive. Fantastic musicians, all of them.
As a lifelong Abba fan, it is soooo refreshing (and educational) to hear a different perspective of their songs. Thank you for highlighting what importance the Bass Guitar has on a song ❤
When I was a kid listening to the radio, I never would have imagined one day we'd be breaking those songs down and understanding their composition. It's amazing how much technical prowess you can hide in a pop song.
ABBA is not underrated band. Claiming otherwise shows a profound gap in your knowledge. It's one of the most influential bands in the history of music - I'd argue that they share the top spot with Beatles.
Probably depends on the country. I have no doubt Europe and the world outside of the US understand their genius. A lot of people just think of them as a pop act with catchy melodies without understanding the musical complexity.
@@philspear73they were huge in the US as well. Even the jukebox musical “Mama Mia” based on their catalog is one of the top grossing musicals of all time.
I think they are underrated in the US for sure.
Calm down😂
What a great choice Andrew! I love Rutger's playing and teach many of his bass lines. I'm a huge ABBA fan and also a good, old-fashioned hairy Metaller! It's very easy to love ABBA and say, Iron Maiden for example, for pretty much the same reasons: great playing, great singing and fab tunes!
Knowing me knowing you by Abba had a killer bass groove as well. Rutger Gunnarsson was a virtuoso on the bass.
Rutger is playing syncopes, and playing around the vocals. Genius!
Among ABBA's hardcore fans, Rutger is a legend. He was also classically trained and did many of ABBA's string arrangements. A lot of great bass lines in ABBA songs. 'Gimme Gimme Gimme' is well worth checking out and especially the long album version where it gets seriously funky during the instrumental break. ruclips.net/video/QJtWwmt0cXM/видео.html
Wasn't "Gimme Gimme Gimme" recorded with Mike Watson on bass?
@@thomasnicolaisen7312 No, Although Mike Watson was involved around that time (he is bassist on 'Does Your Mother Know') GGG was definitely Rutger. It's detailed in the 'ABBA Complete Recording Sessions' book. Rutger can also be seen playing in the background of the GGG official video plus he played it on the 79/80 tours.
@@chelseacharger watson did ...If it wasn't for the nights if im not mistaken from the same album
I love Rutger's funky playing on "Lovers (Live A Little Longer)".
How is ABBA underrated? It's one of the most famous, classic groups.
One thing is being successful and another one being respected. Another example: the Bee Gees.
Awesome introduction to Rutger’s playing. The real mad-scientist stuff is on Knowing Me, Knowing You. Even when you know it, it’s hard to fathom how or why he decided on his parts. His timing and note selection are so odd but so perfect.
I was a kid in the 70’s and ABBA was everywhere. It was always the bass lines that stuck in my head early on, from Waterloo onwards. I would have been 10 years old. Yes, I went on to become a bass player. But I always remember that the bass was always prominent, or forward in the mix as I learned later.
I’m glad you mentioned the ABBA bass players as I feel they were the subliminal element that made their hits imho. People were singing those catchy lyrics to those catchy tunes and dancing to that grooving bass movement! 😃👍
I’ve been geeking on this song’s bass and drum groove for at least 10 years. Thanks so much for this incredible video!
Fun fact: Rutger was raised in a very VERY small community called Ledberg outside my home town of Linköping Sweden. My first band, which formed around 1975, consisted of me, a guitarist and a bassplayer who also was raised in Ledberg. So we jokingly used to state that Swedens best AND worst bassplayers came from the same small place. Quite an accomplishment
"Rutger" is pronounced with an "u" like in bull, not like in butter. Same with his family name Gunnarsson. Not that it matters in base heaven where he is now, probably playing a duet with ABBA guitarist Lasse Wellander that went over yesterday. RIP both of you guys. Vila i frid!
That live performance of ABBA, all live playing and singing was crazy good, what proffesionals 😮
I always tell beginning bassists if they can master "Mamma Mia", note-for-note and stop-for-stop, that they can move on to other, more 'difficult', songs with confidence.
That song is a perfect example of the "what you don't play is as important as what you DO play" statement.
I've been looking up everything about Rutger since yesterday. Many thanks for this analysis. His contribution is massive.
The musicians in ABBA were some of the best of the Swedish jazz and rock scene.
Great video. Nice to see rutger get some limelight. I don’t play a bass but I always appreciated RG’s talent which is really showcased in this song 😊
8:25 after the 3 chromatic notes the backing vox begin their arp/riser scale into the chorus. Brilliant arrangement work.
I just stumbled across your video. As a teacher and a man-cave drummer, I'd like to thank you for saying what's right. It's okay to be yourself, be inventive, and put your own spin on things as long as the roots are there. Hey man, as the Rolling Stones sang, "I know, it's only rock and roll, but I like it."
Thanks for doing this. Tasteful bass playing so often gets overlooked compared to technical ability on the instrument. ABBA is timeless magic. So many hits have created so many memories for so many generations. I think even the band had no idea of the length/yrs of their relevance. They will be talked about and listened to for 100's of years.
Totally agree!🤩
Yes, and the gutarist Janne Schaffer is a also true legend in my native country Sweden, who played as a studio musichian on allmost every song, but NOT live on tour. Yesterday it was 50 years since the "Waterloo" victory!
13:09 I especially like that C because it has a more bluesy vibe. And it makes the difference between amateur and pro bass players in a cover band. Everytime I hear that C played by a bassist I nod to him expressing my respect for her/his approach to Rutger Gunnarsson‘s style.
Same here!
I totally agree about the more bluesy flavor that the C chord adds. I've noticed this in a number of rock songs as well, sometimes playing the major seventh over a major chord tends to sound a bit too pretty, and using the flat seventh instead adds a bit more spice -- provided it doesn't clash too much with the rest of the instruments. In this case it definitely works as the C is used as an approach note. It seems to be similar in Hysteria, where Chris also chooses the flat seventh over the major seventh when playing over the C major chord later on. I also often hear rock players choose the perfect fourth instead of the sharp fourth over the IV chord, and the major sixth instead of the flat sixth over the VI chord.
I can't understand how people think that this note would be a wrong note. I am 100% sure that it was just the jazzy attitude that Rutger had and that it was what he was hearing in his head when playing and that he was improvising. That chromatic playing is super common when you play jazz and with that choice of note you temporarry make the harmony to be a C7#11. It is unfortunally forbidden in Pop music but totaly normal in Jazz. Maybe Rutger also was playing some jazz between the ABBA gigs?
40+ years of looking down my nose at ABBA just vanished. I never knew! 🤯 But I'm looking forward to tackling Gunnarsson's work.
And I'm also pretty sure I just heard a quiet howl of pain from the ghost of my 20 year old tech/death metal loving self 😱
Quite a few ABBA songs are actually metal. Check out Summer Night City live (ABBA) and Yngwie Malmsteen's version
@@kaaring Cheese mate, will do 🤘
Dude, the way you geek out over this is utterly beautiful! Don’t ever stop, bro.
Love the combo of dissecting the song/reacting in real time to the live video! Great work!
Two things:
I do think that tension note was a happy little accident. From what I've gathered, B&B weren't overly concerned with perfection for perfection's sake - they were open to experimenting with the sound (which happened to be Michael B. Tretow's forte), and if something sounded good in the mix, it stayed. (Also, in 1975 when the song was recorded/mixed, fixing stuff "in the mix" wasn't as easy as it would be later in the digital era. Sure, they could have spliced some different takes together if necessary - but for a small, barely noticeable "defect" I hardly think it would have been worth the effort.)
Regarding ABBA being underrated - they _were_ massively underrated at the time on the subject of artistic merit. They were seen as a purely commercial act with little to none artistic value. Fortunately, time has proved their detractors wrong and I think it is fair to say that they are now receiving an almost universal (and IMO well deserved) appreciation.
Rutger Gunnarsson was The Man 💥
I remember having to learn this song for my high school band (I played bass) since that was one of the songs we were doing that year and it was honestly pretty fun to do, I sometimes forget just how funky the bass in this song is
Rutger gunnarsson is a genius
Really? What's so genius? It's average and mostly clichés, and what was good about got flattened in post production.
@@rinkinkelmillions of people disagree with you
delusion is common.
@@rinkinkelAnd you are an example of that...
@@perwestermark8920 I rest my case.
Thanks for highlighting this song. I think this is probably my favorite bass line to hear and play. I have always been in metal/rock bands but my heart is in pop/country bass lines. I always bust out these riffs in between songs during practice hoping the drummer will fall in lol
as a drummer and loyal abba fan, I would 😄
Great analysis. I was also surprised at how great ABBA was live. The ‘Does Your Mother Know/Hole In Your Soul’ live performance by them is my favourite..
Yess! Hole in your soul is one of my favourites too! Nobody ever mentions this, almost hard rock track with the girls almost screaming a crecendo!😍🤩
I got a LOT of chills from their singing. Modern singers don’t do this. I don’t know what happened?
Laziness.
The vocals in this song are to die for. As a bass player myself I usually key in on what’s driving the song - had never really paid attention to this songs details because the singing was so prominent but wow it’s all awesomeness!
I’ma acoustic guitarist and always wanted to learn to play the bass. I just happened across this video and couldn’t stop watching it. I grew up with abba and dig your breakdown.
When ABBA had their big breakthrough at ESC in Brighton. The conductor of the orchestra steps out dressed as Napoleon looking very much like the doll you have in the background. Funny coincidence!
Dude, this video was so much fun to watch and listen to! I don't even play bass, and your mastery of music in general is way above mine, but I know enough to appreciate your knowledge and passion.
Thank you for your sincere and unbridled excitement! I was planning on skipping ahead when I saw the thumbnail (I'd never seen a video of yours before), but within seconds realized you and your breakdown were worth watching with my full attention.
Thank you SO much! I appreciate you! 🤘
Agree! Just found you here today! Looove ABBA!🤩😍🥰😘
Bye from 🇸🇪
There is a reason why ABBA has very few if any copy band in spite of being one of the most successful bands ever, no one can sing like them
Rutger Gunarrson was an absolute monster. Excellent feel and tone. A truly underrated bassist.
What nonsense! He is massively respected!
@@markrae1317 That's your opinion.
I have met many bassists and guitarists who don't know who he is / was or appreciate his talent.
@@localbod That's not what ubderrated means!
@@markrae1317 Underrated (ubderrated - your spelling) means undervalued. Perhaps amongst the bass playing fraternity Rutger Gunarrson isn't underrated. However, amongst the non-playing public , I think he is underrated.
New bass player and bass geek here! In love with this instrument, I can’t wait to learn more, thanks fir this video 👍
As an ABBA fan and pianist, I really love the bass line of Dancing Queen and play it very often even though I’m not a bassist. I personally like the wrong note at the end. If you want to do another video on ABBA’s bass lines and amazing bassist, I would recommend “Voulez-Vous”. Thanks for the nice video! 👍🏼
Arrival was my Christmas present 1976 age 12....fantastic band and songs, later in life i became a rock musician playing some pretty heavy music but i always listened to ABBA especially for songwriting skills and musicianship and now at 60yrs young i stilll do......😊
I think RG was a big part of the reason for why DQ and many other Abba songs are so good. He was fantastic.
Rutger Gunnarsson was a genius as he showed on 'One of Us'. And by the way, ABBA weren't 'underrated', they were one of the biggest and best selling musical groups in the world.
These days they are highly underrated. I never hear them on the radio, there are no calls for them to record a new album, no one is making remixes of their songs, basically they get lumped in with every other disco act and forgotten
@@firemarshal2629no calls for them to record a new album... Apart from all the calls for them to record a new album and the dedicated arena in London for their live show that opened last year.
Only underrated in the US. Everywhere else legends. Massive in fact.
@@firemarshal2629 Actually, they are more popular now than they were twenty years ago. And they are constantly on the radio. They were never considered a 'disco' group. So you don't even understand what genre they were and what their place in musical history was.
Rutger Gunnarsson and his bass made Dancing Queen a smash. ABBA was lucky to have him. Smooth Smooth Smooth.
As a rock & metal guy I have always had to hide my love for ABBA. Their story is incredible & I have learned a lot about music from studying their catalog. 0.0% chance I tell my buddies Im learning "Dancing Queen"
Oddly enough, I frequently encounter metal fans in comment sections of ABBA-related videos. Some hide their fandom IRL, others do not. There should be no shame in liking ABBA.Two of their biggest fans among other musicians are Ritchie Blackmore and Lemmy (supposedly Lemmy would threaten you with bodily harm if you dissed ABBA in his presence).
There actually are metal/hard rock covers of ABBA that are very good. Check out At Vance and Swedish Hitz here on YT.
Yes you should, all your metal buddies are probably also closeted ABBA fans like yourself 😂
Now I like Lemmy even more!🤩
Rutger Gunnarsson was a very good baseplayer, we often said so discussing Abbas hitsongs 40 years ago.
Rutger is amazing, all of his bass lines are wicked!! 😙👍
this song affected me as a kid and now it does even more . I can articulate the feelings, but why the song causes them, is beyond me .
All that 70's stuff has great bassists and great basslines. ABBA were an amazing band, as were the Bee Gees. I'm mostly into death / thrash / black metal, but fact is fact.
finally, I'm not the only one who loves this track for the bass line! It's so huge and without it, that chorus wouldn't even be as epic as it is. Thanks, Andrew!
I was about 12 when this song came out. As an accomplished pianist (even then) I was accustomed to accidentals in classical music and never gave the approach note "error" a second thought within in the context of the arrangement, nor did I do so decades later when I honed in on the genius of the bass line. Harmonically that extra tension always sounded incredible to my ear and plays perfectly against the C# version of the line when it repeats.
Agreed.
All the little ghost notes are what make a great disco tune, funkin it up. Terrific playing
Great that Rutger is getting recognition.
I always did love the beginning guitar riff of "Gimme Gimme Gimme"....one of the best song intro's I have ever heard!!!
Great job breaking it down - I have always loved Rutger’s playing!
As a bassist I’ve always appreciated disco and especially love this bass line from my youth.
Awesome breakdown! I’m going to LOVE this new series. Thank you, Andrew!
I grown up listening to my mother’s vinyls and I discovered Abba in the early 80s and even if I became a rock fan later, Abba is for me still in the top of the best bands I knew .. their music is something else .. technically superior and it could be listened by anyone even kids like I was when I discovered them, old I became a musician songwriter and producer and the truth is more I learned more they get up on my charts .. it’s crazy how this band made so many amazing titles ..
So glad you mentioned James Jamerson. I was waiting for that and you rightly so delivered. There would be no Rutger funk without Jamerson. Jamerson changed popular music with his bass lines. Before there was funk there WAS funk. It was just buried in Motown pop.
When I started to listen to Abba, late 70”s I loved their songs and played them to death…. Fast forward to 1982 I started learning bass (16 years old). Played in many bands afterwards and discovered James Jameson in 1990. Since then JJ has influenced my playing like no other. However, today 11.01.24 I re listened to the entire Abba catalog… what struck me immediately was that Rutger”s bass lines where undoubtedly influenced by J.J both chromatically and in his choice of syncopation. Today I also found / watched Andrew’s video and it confirmed what I heard as well re JJ. Rutger took his ideas to a different level. Much respect and R.I.P. sir.
And you should listen carefully to "One of us"! What he does there is a completely mind blowing stroke of genius.
great tone on your Jazz bass
If you want to learn about songwriting & music production in general, then you NEED to listen to ABBA. They are just phenomenal in every aspect.
Abba ruled America and Europe in 77.I got to see my beautiful girls that year I was 14.They were TIGHT live.Agnetha and frida great vocal cohesion .
Thanks for celebrating the work of the great Rutger Gunnarsson. This is an outstanding break down of his great work.
Underrated band? Not if you look at the sales. In the USA? Yes.
...Hi, i don't know how far I've fallen down the ABBA rabbit hole, but I've just tripped into your channel ! ..i just have to tell you that i love your enthusiasm, interest and the way you can easily brake down and explain what you're finding in this iconic melody from my favourite band...by doing what you've done you are keeping ABBA relevant in today's generation of young fans who i hope will go on to discover the magical delight of ABBA... I'm the "1st generation fan" from all those years ago....thank you. 💞🎼
Janet, I appreciate you for watching! I'm happy to keep ABBA's magic going with this generation :) thanks so much!
385.000.000 underrated albums sold.
Wow, I've always marveled about ABBA's bass lines. Then i see this video out of the blue. So cool!
I think it would be a diminished chord in that chromatic thing you talked about. I do it in a couple of songs I wrote. It's like D Major, E flat dim, E minor. Great video and I love that you have discovered ABBA, one of the best acts to ever perform on this planet. I'm a musical nerd too and I can see that you know your stuff. My advice, make ABBA a huge part of your life. I still crave it daily. Those songs are the best ever written and those gorgeous girls who delivered them, almost other worldly. You play a mean bass. I bet you're a multi instrumentalist like me. I play 5, working on the 6th. I bet you play everything you get your hands on.
i was looking for this comment..thats exactly what i think too as a guitarist,,the diminished passing chord bass note..it can be used chromatically as in your example and to modulate too a different key
Great BREAKDOWN. "Bang A Boomerang" and "If It Wasn't For The Nights" are also absolutely sick bass lines by ABBA.