ABBA COVERS

Cover versions will probably always be contentious. Some people like them others hate them. Probably the 2 rules for doing a cover version are that you should only do a cover version if you can improve on the original or your version is significantly different to the original.

However, cover versions have a number of advantages for the original artists. They provide more income, they may introduce your music to a new audience and they are a good indication of how popular your music is.

On balance therefore it is probably good to have as many cover versions as popular even if you don't particularly like the version.

Date entered UK Charts	Song Recorded	Artist	Format	Highest UK Chart Position	Number of Weeks in UK chart
20th July 1974	Honey Honey	Sweet Dreams	Single	10	12
21st July 1984	The Day Before You Came	Blancmange (This version did better than ABBA's which reached only number 32 for 6 weeks in October 1982)	Single	22	8
13th June 1992	4 Tracks: Lead Track - 1. Lay all your love on me. 2. Take A Chance on Me	Erasure EP was called ABBA-ESQUE	EP	1 (Erasures only number 1- It entered yhe charts at number 1 and remained there for 5 weeks.)	12
5th September 1992	Dancing Queen	ABBACADABRA	Single	57	1
10th April 1999	Thank You For The Music	*Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, BWitched, Billie** (Charity record in aid of the Brit Trust)	Single	4	13
25th December 1999	I Have a Dream	Westlife (This version entered the UK charts at number 1)	Single	1	2

ABBAMANIA
21st August 2000

Following a British TV show as a Tribute to ABBA where the UK pop acts of the day sing a number of ABBA's more famous hits an album entitled ABBAMANIA was released as a charity album on 21st August 2000. The full track listing is shown below.

I Have a Dream by Westlife is the track mentioned above which hit the UK number 1 on 25th December 1999.

Thank Abba for the music is the performance performed at the Brit awards 1999 and is the track above released on 10th April 1999 reaching number 4 in the UK charts.

1. Money, Money, Money - Madness
2. Lay All Your Love On Me - Steps
3. I Have A Dream - Westlife
4. Chiquitita - Stephen Gately
5. Gimme, Gimme, Gimme - Denise Van Outen
6. Voulez Vous - Culture Club

7. Mamma Mia - Martine McCutcheon
8. Dancing Queen - S Club 7
9. I Know Him So Well - Steps
10. Does Your Mother Know - Bewitched
11. The Winner Takes It All - Corrs
12. Thank Abba For The Music - Brits Performance

The consensus of opinion is that the tracks do not tend to better the originals, many being straight copies and the vocals are not as good as Agnetha's or Frida's. However the album was instrumental in introducing ABBA music to a new generation of the 1990's and therefore on this basis alone is good news for those who are fans of ABBA.

The Corrs version of Winner Takes It All is regarded as a very poor version from a well respected group.

Steps version of Lay All your love on me was thought well of and the version of I Know Hin So Well (not strictly an ABBA song) was regarded as superior to the original version by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson.

The low points of the album are regarded as the Corrs Winner Takes it All, Denise Van Outen Gimme Gimme Gimme and S Club 7 Dancing Queen.

The high points are Steps I Know Him So Well and Lay All Your Love On Me and B*witched's Does Your Mother Know.