salvo

I do appreciate both a lot, but I'd have to go with ABBA. Though, I'm also probably more familiar with ABBA's catalogue than I am with The Carpenter's. Maybe I should change that, but until then...

I went through an ABBA phase a few summers ago. Their cheese is a given, but those melodies make up for everything.

Frownland

It's John.

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Neapolitan

I don't think any of their big hits are cheesy (maybe I'm too familiar with them), but possibly the album fillers were. SMH over those lyrics for Dum Dum Diddle.

but you're right that the melody (and their harmony) to make up for it.

ABBA : Dum Dum Diddle

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musicreels

Has anybody like ABBA's new LP 'Voyage'?

bob_32_116

ABBA.

Karen Carpenter had one of the best voices ever in popular music - but a great voice isn't everything. After the initial novelty of the first few Carpenters singles, which were great, I found a certain sameness to them. There was something almost mechanical about how every note was so perfect. Whether it was a song about newlywed lovers, or a song about aliens visiting Earth, the manner of delivery was exactly the same.

There was nothing wrong with Agnetha's or Anna-Frid's voice either, but more importantly they really seemed to live those songs. That may be partly because the songs were written by the group members themselves. I usually have more time for singers who write their own songs.

bob_32_116

"Superstar", as youj probably know, was written by Leon Russell. Prior to my hearing the Carpenters' version, therre was a version out by Australian singer Colleen Hewett. Her voce is nowhere near as good as Karen Carpenter's, but she absolutely put heart and soul into it. When I eventually heard the Carpenters' version, Karen sounded insipid by comparison.

Mindy

gimmie gimmie gimmie a man after midnight lol

that song jams so hard

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bob_32_116

Well, that's the other thing. there seemed much more variety to ABBA's songs. The Carpenters would probably never have wanted to do a song a rocking as "Gimme Gimme Gimme", but if they had wanted to I doubt whether they could have pulled it off. "Top of the World" was about as far as they went in that direction; it was their version of "Let's do a fast song for a change, let's kick some arse".

rubber soul

I think the Carpenters' idea of a rock song was their version of Please Mr. Postman

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paulb6699

Both amazing musical entity’s. It’s like water and air haha