Top Of The Pops - Abba - So Long now online

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Submitted by Boogiebox on Fri, 2012-06-08 00:01
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Here you go, folks!  Just found this :):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFYcbKoztz0

Update: Here are two further links to the same footage.  The latter is in High Definition quality.  Comparing the penultimate and final links below, you can see the difference :):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuk4giz70tM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7xv51UxE3k

 

 

Submitted by gibb1962 on Fri, 2012-06-08 18:34
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Thanks Claire.Sara from Abba-On-TV rallied fans to contribute £3 - £4 each to obtain the live clip from TOTPs 04.12.74.It's a great performance,and i just love Agnetha.What a great thing Abba fans have done to save a piece of history.

—

Glenn

Submitted by Scrooge McDuck on Fri, 2012-06-08 21:05
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I agree that it's fun to watch this 'lost' performance. I like ABBA, and I have a lot of their clips. "Waterloo" is probably the one song that I have the most performances of. Nevertheless I wonder if this single clip is really worth £ 300. Just imagine the 'collectors' would sell all their single clips for that price. What would a whole show cost? £ 3,000? This is a very ambivalent matter, to say the least, even more as there is already a great number of ABBA footage available.
I am always willing to pay a reasonable price for a commercial DVD. But this collector doesn't even own the rights to the music and performance. I do not hope this is a sign of things to come and the next 'lost' (insert your favourite 70s artist) performance will cost £ 500....
As much as I enjoy collecting videos and shows myself, I would never pay such an amount of money for just three minutes. After all, we're talking about entertainment, a hobby, something to enjoy in your leisure, nothing that's vital. And I am pretty sure that in only a few weeks this will be just another "So Long" clip, and everyone will have moved on.

Submitted by Boogiebox on Mon, 2012-06-11 10:42
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I wonder if any of the missing TOTP performances of Abba are around anywhere, indeed whatever that unidentified 18/4/74 disc entry of Waterloo. 

I agree with you on the costs issue.  £300 for a 3 minute clip and various other high prices for editions of Top Of The Pops are rather excessive.

As Abba has been uploaded, hopefully this is the first of several RVA songs to be uploaded.  They have clearly seen our big interest in their archive of lost footage and will no doubt he pleased that we're all overenjoyed. :)

On reflection, you're right about the ownership of footage.  The BBC made the programmes, so copyright and ownership belong to them, but all going well, a good proportion of uploaded footage will become available to them in due course, especially high quality footage like the Rare Video Archive whose clips are superb.

—

Claire

Submitted by Boogiebox on Sat, 2012-06-09 09:16
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You're welcome Glenn.

I've just found the Abba On TV link, so I didn't get to contribute, but I'm probably one of many who didn't know about this before, but no worries, many were and thanks to them, we now have this footage!

I've added 2 new links, partly for comparison, but one most importantly, the latter one is of the highest quality from the same, sole TOTP performance.

Hopefully more RVA footage will go online and become available to the BBC or first Kaleidoscope.

I never thought I'd ever see This performance, but thanks to so many Abba fans, and me spotting this on Missing Episodes, we can now all enjoy this footage. :)  

Agnetha is lovely, they all are.  It's a shame they broke up but what a legacy they've left behind. :)

—

Claire

Submitted by panfan on Fri, 2012-06-08 22:03
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I'm a bit behind everything here: was this clip purchased from that Rare TV Archive or PVL?

Submitted by Boogiebox on Sat, 2012-06-09 09:23
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It looks like the Rare TV Archive has purchased the entire contents of the PVL, or at least a large proportion of that, but it turns out Abba On TV were an intermediary who asked Abba fans to donate towards the £300 RVA request, and I think the owner of Abba On TV liaised with RTA, and hey presto!, a superb performance. :)

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Claire

Submitted by panfan on Sat, 2012-06-09 23:06
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Didn't somebody say that most of what was on the RTA was available in some for or other anyway?

Now I'm on the PC, at last a chance to view the ABBA video!

Submitted by Boogiebox on Sun, 2012-06-10 10:40
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That was me. :)

http://rare-tv-archive.webuda.com/

I'm almost sure that the "Reel to Reel" and "U-Matic" sections of their web site completely match all of the Private Video Library.  I certainly recognise a number of dates, but the owner of RTA, Jon, has been on Missing Episodes recently describing the Abba footage, and this is hopefully one of many RTA uploads that will all hopefully eventually end up back at the BBC directly or via Kaleidoscope, who are brilliant in processing and restoring lost footage.

Jon, himself has restored the Abba performance, which looks brilliant in high definition quality. :)

—

Claire

Submitted by Flight14 on Sun, 2012-06-10 23:00
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Thanks for that  Abba : 'So Long' 1974 TOTP link Boogiebox.I enjoyed watching it.To think it was considered lost until now.My memories of Abba were whatever they released it went straight to no.1. !!.

Submitted by Boogiebox on Sun, 2012-06-10 23:19
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Delighted you like the clip. :)

I've always loved Abba, among other groups/singers, and when I saw footage of their sole TOTP performance had been uploaded online, I was more than happy to share it with you and the others.  One of their less well known but equally as good songs as their more famous hits.

In terms of Waterloo, do you or any others know how they appeared on the 9/5/74 TOTP with the crowd?

Thanks to Jez, I can rule out Pan's People, so the crowd appeared on their own (like to Ringo Starr's Only Sixteen on 28/2/74), or they alternated with the chart rundown, or they danced over the credits?

Whether on promo film, BBC studio performances or clips inherited from other countries, including "Abba In Australia", Abba were always a joy to watch, still are today, thanks to Youtube, and whenever they appeared live on Top Of The Pops, they could certainly sing live as well as in the studio recording versions that got released on 7" records. :)

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Claire

Submitted by Scrooge McDuck on Mon, 2012-06-11 18:52
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It wasn't until long ago that I believed "So Long" had never been released as a single in the UK because it never made the UK charts (like "Honey Honey" which wasn't released in the UK). It was a small hit in Germany, No.11 I believe. I remember when I first heard it on the radio, I didn't like it very much. Today I think it's ok, but still not one of their better efforts. Maybe my excitement keeps within bounds because ABBA performed the song on 'disco' and that clip is of course well known here.
After "Waterloo" ABBA had to struggle for a while for their second Top 10 single in the UK, but "S.O.S." finally did it, and deservedly so. Now, "S.O.S." on TOTP would even get me excited!

Submitted by Flight14 on Mon, 2012-06-11 00:36
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I probably watched the 1974 Eurovision which Abba won.I wonder how many of us really thought that they would go on to Superstardom after that?.I remember hearing 'Mama Mia' on the radio & realising they were more than a one-hit wonder.....

I found a clip from 'TOTP' 1974 with good ol' Jimbo introducing them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_fWAxqPax0

 

Submitted by Boogiebox on Mon, 2012-06-11 10:41
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A very much missed broadcaster and fundraiser, Jimmy certainly stood the test of time, and this clip is one of many fun presentations Jimmy did, who had his own unique style of presentation and humour per show.

An excellent performance by Abba, Peter.  Thanks for the link.

Were any Waterloo performances repeated?

I know 25/4 and 9/5 are listed as repeats, but I'm double checking, as a certain number of repeats are sole or first-time performances, due to misprints on the database.

If correct, 25/4 will be a repeat of the existing 11/4 performance, and 9/5 would logically, but not confirmed, as being a repeat of the existing 2/5 performance.

—

Claire

Submitted by Scrooge McDuck on Sat, 2012-06-16 09:33
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Those of us living on the European mainland already knew ABBA before they took part in the ESC. Although not as ABBA, but as Björn, Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or one of the similar names that the group had before they finally got their breakthrough as ABBA. They even appeared on disco as early as January 1973, and "Ring Ring" was a substantial hit in our neighbouring country the Netherlands in 1973.

But I agree that none of us imagined they would gain international superstardom. At a time, when we used to listen to Pink Floyd, Yes or the Moody Blues, we did not take them seriously anway...

Submitted by panfan on Mon, 2012-06-11 00:23
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At the risk of veering OT, Peter, that raises an interesting point - sometimes I think you can hear a song and just know it will go on to be a winner.  What do others think?

Submitted by Boogiebox on Mon, 2012-06-11 10:41
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You've made a good point there, Panfan.

I've never given a thought if a catchy song would automatically reach number 1, but I can well believe that many people's predictions have come true.

Among them, Abba's Waterloo certainly deserved its placing at number 1, and one of the best Eurovision songs ever.  It increased their stardom from thereon, even moreso nowadays thanks to the musical Mamma Mia! :)

—

Claire

Submitted by Boogiebox on Mon, 2012-06-11 10:46
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Sorry, folks for my previous misprint when I asked how Abba's Waterloo appeared (a presently unidentified Disc reference) and put the wrong date of 9/5/74, which was a repeat performance, according to the database.

I have since corrected the date to 18/4/74.

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Claire

Submitted by Flight14 on Fri, 2012-06-15 02:40
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We had our very own Abba ! : 'The Brotherhood Of Man' - they sounded like,& looked like Abba.'Save All Your Kisses For Me' -massive hit in 1976.

                           Abba : 'Fernando'  

                           Brotherhood Of Man :  'Angelo'  &  'Figaro' .

& then there was 'Co-Co' Britain's entry to the  Eurovision Song Contest in 1978 which sort of metamorphasised slightly into 'Bucks Fizz'  in the 1980's but all very much influenced by Abba.

Submitted by Boogiebox on Fri, 2012-06-15 15:31
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Ah yes, the Brotherhood Of Man, Bucks Fizz and Co-Co.  I remember them all well.

Here's a rarity by the Brotherhood Of Man.  Anyone remember this minor 1982 hit of theirs?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0am1hvpFncA

—

Claire

Submitted by Scrooge McDuck on Sat, 2012-06-16 09:27
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I certainly do not remember it, but if anything ever sounded like ABBA, this is it!

Submitted by Boogiebox on Sat, 2012-06-16 22:54
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In the UK, this song was the Brotherhood's final ever chart hit.  It reached number 67 in July 1982! :O

It has an Abba-Esque sound to it.

This is a later, long-running line-up of the group that first charted with Tony Burrowes and Sunny among the performers performing United We Stand.  That exists in b/w from a recovered 29/1/70 TOTP. :)

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Claire

Submitted by cornershop15 on Mon, 2012-06-18 23:32
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Hello Claire,

Thanks for the So Long video. Not one of my favourite ABBA tunes but still great viewing.

 

You'll obviously be familiar with their album cover for Waterloo:

 

I found an alternate version of that picture a few weeks ago, at a foreign photo site, and prefer it to the record sleeve. The colours are more vibrant and you can see what was cropped out. The man dressed as Napoleon is their bass player Mike Watson:

Larger version:

Photo session for 'Waterloo' LP

 

Another view of the room, in Sweden's Gripsholm Castle:

Gripsholm Castle - Official Website

 

This is one of my favourite ABBA songs:

Another Town, Another Train (1973)

 

Submitted by Boogiebox on Tue, 2012-06-19 00:27
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You’re welcome, Cornershop :)

I’m thrilled to bits how much missing footage keeps turning up including Abba’s So Long.  I know what you mean about the song.  I, personally like it but some songs are better than others.  Difficult to say what my top favourite Abba song is, as I love them all, but they made many melodic songs. :)

Gary Glitter, as a person, isn’t one of my favourite personalities, for obvious reasons, but I still like his music and see two missing TOTP performances of his – Remember Me This Way and Doing Alright With The Boys have surfaced.

Although I’m a big Abba fan, I’ve not seen this cover before, but it looks cool.

As usual, I love the photos of the picture covers.

I wonder what Mike Watson is doing today.

There’s a fault with your Gripsholm Castle photo, but I’ll look for it on the web site and see if Youtube has Another Town, Another Train uploaded online. :)

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Claire

Submitted by cornershop15 on Tue, 2012-06-19 01:17
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Don't know what the problem is, Claire. All the links are working fine from my point of view.

You may have read the post before I edited in the YouTube video (click the song's title).

I liked Gary Glitter when he was at the peak of his career and enjoyed his interviews but my appreciation of the records, including I Love You Love Me Love (easily my favourite), has unfortunately been clouded by what I've heard and read in recent years. 

Gary looked unrecogniseable the last time I saw him, at that trial in Vietnam. If memory serves, he resembled Master Po in Kung Fu (the one who called David Carradine "Grashopper"). Prefer to think of him as he was really.

Back to ABBA, One of Us is One of my favourites:

ABBA - One of Us

#3 in 1981

 

Submitted by Boogiebox on Tue, 2012-06-19 10:50
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The official web site link is fine, as are the other links, but “Image hosted by Tripod” is displayed above your Gripsholm Castle link.

Not to worry, those photos on the link are superb.  
 
I’ve just listened to the Another Town, Another Train song for the first time, which is really nice.  I see was on the album Ring Ring, whose single I'm very familiar with. :)

I know what you mean about Gary Glitter.  Although his heyday was the 1970s, it’s a shame he got himself involved in very unsavoury activities which got him in prison and destroyed his reputation along the way. :(

I also agree how Gary has changed considerably in looks and who you liken him to! lol  

He looked best how he appeared when on Top Of The Pops.

Ah, One of Us by Abba.  What a beautiful song. :)

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Claire