Under Attack
| "Under Attack" | ||||
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| Single by ABBA | ||||
| from the album The Singles: The First Ten Years | ||||
| B-side | "You Owe Me One" | |||
| Released | December 3, 1982 in UK February 21, 1983 |
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| Format | 7" single | |||
| Recorded | August 2 - 4, 1982 at Polar Music Studios |
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| Genre | Synthpop | |||
| Length | 3:45 | |||
| Label | Polar Music, Epic, Atlantic | |||
| Writer(s) | Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus |
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| Producer | Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus |
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| ABBA singles chronology | ||||
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"Under Attack" is the latest widely-released single by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally featured as a track on the 1982 compilation album The Singles: The First Ten Years, but was released as a single the following year in most countries. In the United Kingdom however, it was released on December 3, 1982. "Under Attack" was ABBA's 28th single for Polar Music.
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[edit] Background
Recording for Under Attack began between August 2 and August 4 1982 at Polar Music Studios, Stockholm.[1] The group had originally intended to release a new studio album, but the stress of the working environment led them to indefinitely shelve the project and instead release a double-album compilation of their past singles. Since it was decided that there would be two new tracks on the compilation, ABBA set to work recording the songs. The two tracks that made it onto what became "The Singles: The First 10 Years" were "The Day Before You Came" and "Under Attack". The former was released as a single in October 1982. The video for "Under Attack" was filmed in November 16, 1982.[2] The song contains fragments from two unreleased ABBA songs: "Just Like That" and "Rubber Ball Man".
On December 11, 1982, ABBA performed the song on the BBC's Late Late Breakfast Show, in what was their latest collective performance.[2][3]
[edit] Music Video
In November 1982 a music video was filmed to promote the song. Filmed in an empty warehouse, the video involves ABBA navigating their way through a room filled with sirens. The video ends with the four members walking away in the distance, their backs to the camera.
[edit] Reception
"Under Attack" was not a commercial success upon its release. ABBA's popularity was in decline and the two preceding singles (Head Over Heels and The Day Before You Came) had failed to reach #1 anywhere. Some fans say "Under Attack" was ahead of its time[who?], others criticize it for being too poppy and simplistic when compared to ABBA's earlier efforts. Although a Top 5 hit in Belgium and The Netherlands,[2] and a minor Top 20 single in a couple of other European territories, it did not become a major hit anywhere else. It peaked at number 26 in the United Kingdom[4] In Australia, where the group's popularity only a few years earlier had rivaled that of The Beatles, "Under Attack" was a sad swan-song, only reaching #96 in the singles chart. After the single's release, it was decided that ABBA would take a "break"; however, they would not record as a group again and later disbanded.[5]
Björn Ulvaeus has said that "Under Attack" is a good song which, if released a year earlier, would have been a big hit[citation needed]. Benny Andersson, however, has stated that although the production was strong, the song overall was not one of ABBA's better recordings[citation needed].
Musically, "Under Attack" is a song with strong production values and tight harmonies - it has a stereo sound that was popular in its day with a "soft fade" to end the song. The lead vocal has an interesting frequency equalization effect, not unlike certain parts of David McWilliams's "The Days of Pearly Spencer". Despite not being a commercial success, Rolling Stone magazine described the song as "the best thing they've done in three years."[6]
"Under Attack" is featured in the musical theatre smash Mamma Mia!, being the only number in the production that was not a major hit in Europe. Also in the musical is "Honey, Honey", which received limited release and success in Europe, plus some other ABBA songs that were not released as singles at all, such as "Our Last Summer" and "Slipping Through My Fingers".[7]
[edit] Chart positions
| Chart (1983) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 96 |
| Belgian Singles Chart | 3 |
| British Singles Chart | 26 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 5 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 16 |
| French Singles Chart | 43 |
| German Singles Chart | 22 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 11 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 15 |
[edit] Cover versions
- As mentioned earlier, the song is one of the opening numbers performed by the character of Sophie for the second act of the musical Mamma Mia!. In the context of the musical, the song is sung by Sophie as a nightmare about her wedding and also, about how to solve the situation. Again, some of the lyrics are altered to suit the story. However, the song was one of several not included in the 2008 Mamma Mia! movie adaptation.
- A cover of the song can be found on the ABBA tribute album ABBA Super Hits by Power Generation Project.
- Dutch artist Ice did a version on her 2004 album N Ster Vir My.
- A hi-NRG/eurodance cover by Abbacadabra can be found on the 2008 compilation We Love ABBA: The Mamma Mia Dance Compilation, released through Almighty Records. An audio sample can be heard on the official Almighty Records website.[8]
[edit] Live performances
- The song was performed live by Swedish singer Magnus Carlsson in 2002.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ Recording sessions. Abba Annual.
- ^ a b c Palm, Carl Magnus (2002). Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Real Story of Abba. Omnibus Press. p. 459.
- ^ Under Attack (ABBA) - from "The Late, Late Breakfast Show". Youtube.
- ^ Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1991). Rock movers & shakers. ABC-CLIO. p. 20.
- ^ ABBA biography. MTV.
- ^ Connelly, Christopher (February 3, 1983). Album Reviews – ABBA. Rolling Stone.
- ^ Adcock, Joe (June 13, 2003). 'Mamma Mia!' features ABBA tunes and a wedding plot. Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
- ^ Abbacadabra. Almighty Records.
- ^ Magnus Carlsson - Under Attack. Youtube.
