ABBA - Gracias Por La Musica (1980)

“Gracias Por La Música” is a 1980 album by Swedish pop group ABBA. “Gracias Por La Música” was originally released due to the unexpected surge in popularity for the group in Latin American countries such as Mexico and Argentina after the release of the Spanish-language versions of "Chiquitita" and "I Have a Dream" in 1979. These tracks were both released as singles and went on to become big hits. Encouraged by this success, the band therefore decided to record another eight tracks in Spanish and release a full-length album especially for the Latin American market. The songs selected were familiar hits, plus tracks that were thought to have a Latin flavour, such as "Move On" and "Hasta Mañana".

The couple Buddy and Mary McCluskey, both working at RCA Records in Argentina at the time, were again called in to translate the lyrics. During the recording sessions which took place in January 1980 in the Polar Music studios the lead vocalists Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad were helped with the pronunciation by Swedish/Spanish journalist Ana Martinez.

Neither Benny Andersson nor Björn Ulvaeus played an active role in the creation of the eight new Spanish tracks, leaving the production in the hands of the group's sound engineer Michael B. Tretow, who recorded the new Spanish vocal overdubs onto existing backing tracks at his home studio.

The absence of Andersson and Ulvaeus is most apparent on "Al Andar" (the Spanish version of "Move On") where the original opening speach from Ulvaeus was replaced by a more conventional opening verse sung by Agnetha.

Meanwhile, some of Tretow's new Spanish mixes were significantly different from their English counterparts, reflecting his own personal preferences regarding the handling of drum sounds as well as the significant time gap between the two versions, with some tracks being revisited up to six years after their original completion.

The album's title is the Spanish translation of the title of one of ABBA's hits, "Thank You for the Music".

 

Side A
A1. Gracias Por La Musica (Thank You For The Music)  (3:48)
A2. Reina Danzante (Dancing Queen)  (3:50) 
A3. Al Andar (Move On)  (4:05) 
A4. Dame! Dame! Dame! (Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!)  (4:45) 
A5. Fernando  (4:15) 

Side B
B1. Estoy Soñando (I Have A Dream)  (4:44) 
B2. Mamma Mia  (3:32) 
B3. Hasta Mañana  (3:05) 
B4. Conociendome, Conociendote (Knowing Me, Knowing You)  (4:02) 
B5. Chiquitita  (5:26) 

Credits
Composed By [Composición], Arranged By [Arreglos], Producer [Producción] – Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus
Engineer [Técnino De Sonido] – Michael B. Tretow
Lyrics By [Letra] – Stig Anderson
Translated By [Versión En Español] – Buddy , Mary McCluskey

Notes
Genre:  Europop
Label:  RCA Victor
© 1980

available at:  www.ad-vinylrecords.com