Just a Notion (3rd single)

I don't think they ever said otherwise, although I don't think it was explicit, either. But it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I know it's not a live Abba concert.
 
When the show was first announced years ago it was just seen as a bog standard hologram show, but happily it’s had much more involvement than expected from the four members and had the happy consequence that they’ve actually got together to record new music.

It’s interesting that now that they have announced the album, it’s seen (not just here) as somehow disappointing or lazy that they’re not going all out with a proper new show when that’s never what it was meant to be.
 
I think a lot of the bleating from hardcore fans is because they have chosen to do this with the 'wrong' song. Had they chosen Just Like That, I suspect there wouldn't be as much bellyaching.

I've never been a huge fan of either Just so perhaps it doesn't bother me so much. I do find it slightly vexing seeing Just A Notion being referred to as a 'fan favourite' in a lot of press now though, because I've never previously been aware of any particular massive appetite for it.
 
And it's not doing nearly as well on sales, either.
 
lolly said:
I think a lot of the bleating from hardcore fans is because they have chosen to do this with the 'wrong' song. Had they chosen Just Like That, I suspect there wouldn't be as much bellyaching.

I've never been a huge fan of either Just so perhaps it doesn't bother me so much. I do find it slightly vexing seeing Just A Notion being referred to as a 'fan favourite' in a lot of press now though, because I've never previously been aware of any particular massive appetite for it.
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Absolutely this. Also would have no problem if Just A Notion was another track on the album- it’s not like it’s FULL- but leaving Just Like That off when that’s basically complete and is a million times better really is just a bizarre decision.
 
As much as Just Like That is the superior song taken on its own merit, I'm sure that's not all that went into the decision-making process and I can kind of understand what might be the logic on the band's part.

I would imagine a big part of it is precisely because Just Like That is a complete song. It was completed, then it was discarded. So then what do they do? Put a 1982 recording on the album, which really would be pretty lazy, or do they rework it and have complaints from fans that they should have left it alone? Just A Notion is a song they've always liked but for various reasons never quite worked, that they have taken and now made into a finished "new" song.

And who knows, maybe there are a couple of songs on the album cut from the Just Like That cloth, they wanted to put a song in that was reminiscent of their early days and this is the one that fit the bill?
 
I don't think they'll be a Pt 2, but it wouldn't surprise me if they have held stuff back for a deluxe re-issue this time next year.
 
I'm sorry - ABBA have reunited for a new album after insisting for nearly forty years it would never happen and ANYTHING AT ALL is being described as 'a sucker punch' and 'insulting to fans'?! :D

Absolutely CLASSIC Eddie negativity!
 
Penelope said:
I'm sorry - ABBA have reunited for a new album after insisting for nearly forty years it would never happen and ANYTHING AT ALL is being described as 'a sucker punch' and 'insulting to fans'?! :D

Absolutely CLASSIC Eddie negativity!
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It wasn't Eddie who described it as an insult. And I think his comment re the sucker punch was about the live show, not the album.
 
Penelope said:
I'm sorry - ABBA have reunited for a new album after insisting for nearly forty years it would never happen and ANYTHING AT ALL is being described as 'a sucker punch' and 'insulting to fans'?! :D

Absolutely CLASSIC Eddie negativity!
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THANK YOU!

I've not been indulging in this BEASTLY TOPIC as I'm just GRATEFUL our HOLY leaders have deemed us worthy enough to have a new fucking album!
 
I'm not even an Abba loon (though I don't deny their magnificence). I have no issues with the album but then I am not really their target demographic.

I just find it curious that with a (likely) long residency at a purpose built arena, the songs are going to utilise old vocal takes. Surely recording vocals on a single run through of the show would not have been too much to ask? It would have added to the urgency of the experience.

I suppose if you consider this to be akin to an Abba theme park ride then it's ok.
 
dis gon b gud popcorn GIF
 
Eddie said:
I'm not even an Abba loon (though I don't deny their magnificence). I have no issues with the album but then I am not really their target demographic.

I just find it curious that with a (likely) long residency at a purpose built arena, the songs are going to utilise old vocal takes. Surely recording vocals on a single run through of the show would not have been too much to ask? It would have added to the urgency of the experience.

I suppose if you consider this to be akin to an Abba theme park ride then it's ok.
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If it HELPS, Benny said at one point that they’d be using old live vocals, not just the studio recordings, although not quite sure whether that’s still the case.

Still, a “new ABBA concert” is not and never was what this was meant to be, so if it makes more sense to think of it as a theme park ride then sure.
 
Apart from anything else, I don’t WANT a new live vocal take. It’s meant to be a fantasy ABBA concert and I don’t want to here Agnetha croaking her way through the old hits.

It’s nice that the ABBA sound is still there on the new stuff but let’s not kid ourselves that they’re in the vocal nick they were in the 70s.
 
Ag said:
THANK YOU!

I've not been indulging in this BEASTLY TOPIC as I'm just GRATEFUL our HOLY leaders have deemed us worthy enough to have a new fucking album!
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Eleven fucking days. Still can't believe it.
 
Pingu said:
Apart from anything else, I don’t WANT a new live vocal take. It’s meant to be a fantasy ABBA concert and I don’t want to here Agnetha croaking her way through the old hits.

It’s nice that the ABBA sound is still there on the new stuff but let’s not kid ourselves that they’re in the vocal nick they were in the 70s.
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Yes, I don't want new vocals either. If it was an actual person miming in front of me I may feel differently, but the whole point is that this ISN'T Abba now.
 
Jark said:
:D :D :D

maybe as this album is their swansong they just want every song to touch on a different "ABBA sound". it's not that deep and it's certainly not "insulting".

ABBA stans: *waits 40 years for new music, complains about inclusion of an old song among 9 new ones*
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I think I did say at the beginning of my post that I was sharing MY thoughts on 'Just A Notion' and I concluded it by re-iterating that point - that these were my own thoughts, nothing more. Like the song in question, there's absolutely nothing deep in my post at all. If I feel a bit insulted that a dated load of old twaddle that didn't pass muster at the time it was recorded, was subsequently passed over for inclusion on their next three studio albums, not to mention being rejected as b-side material for their 12 UK single releases from 1979-1982, that has now been scraped up off the cutting room floor and is elevated to promo material for a "new" album, then I feel a bit insulted. You're not going to change that by quoting my post and sarcastically summing up my comment.

To provide further clarity, I am excitedly counting down the days until this album is released. The release of a new ABBA album is something that I thought would never happen. I am old enough and ugly enough to be able to proudly say that I grew up with this group at the time they were actively recording and releasing their material in the 70's. The fact that they are releasing new material is enough to send me to my grave as one ecstatic old Queen. However, the last time I checked, I was allowed to have a personal opinion and if I somehow gave anyone the impression that I had installed myself up as the spokesperson for "my people" or an expert with regards to this particular track...well, I must have nodded off in that bit, because that certainly wasn't my intention.

I have a ten-track album to look forward to on November 5th regardless. Whilst this is clearly not going to be my favourite track on that album when all is said and done (pun fully intended), there's absolutely no crime in that. I'm just delighted they are back.
 
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I am liking this, a nice mix up from the first two singles. Very christmasy! I did think it was an old recording though even before I read about its origins!
 
Just A Notion is now an 8 for me, where I suspect it will peak. I'm fully on board with it now. The old presenting as new (but not really) is something I can relate to. The steel of voice and musical vigour all intact.
 
Finishing another listen. Regarding the vocals: what could be quite jarring, I actually find really clever in terms of bringing the previous lyric "I am now and then combined" full circle. They are interacting with their past in the most delicate and wonderful of ways. Bravo.
 
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