Andante, Andante
| "Andante, Andante" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by ABBA | ||||
| from the album Super Trouper | ||||
| B-side | "The Piper" | |||
| Released | 1981 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Recorded | April 9, 1980 at KMH Studios | |||
| Genre | Europop, pop, Swedish pop | |||
| Length | 4:40 | |||
| Label | RCA Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus | |||
| Producer(s) |
Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus Michael B. Tretow | |||
| ABBA singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Andante, Andante" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in only two countries: El Salvador and Argentina. It was written by Benny and Björn on April 9, 1980, at Polar Music studios. At the beginning, this song was called "Hold Me Close". Anni-Frid Lyngstad handles the lead vocals.
The lyrics were translated into Spanish by Buddy and Mary McCluskey and recorded in October 1980 at Polar Music studios. This song was released for the first time in the album Super Trouper - Latin America version as track number 4 and it was reused in the album ABBA Oro as track number 12.
Abba - Uncensored on the Record explains "Andante Andante is a love song, and the repeated musical term of the title means gently, slowly or at a walking pace in Italian."[1]
This song was never released as a single (only as the B side of "Happy New Year") in Portugal.
Because the song was released as a single in only two countries, it never achieved success and never appeared in the global charts.
Though the theme seems at first to be a treatise in love making: "Make your fingers soft and light/ Let your body be the velvet of the night", the sensual nature of the song is somewhat mitigated in the refrain as it becomes an invocation of the muse: "I am your music and I am your song/Play me time and time again and make me strong". Augmentation is used in the refrain with the melody sung at half the tempo of the backing tracks, both singing the same lyrics.
The Abba tribute choir "Andante Andante" takes its name from this song.[2]
The Herald describes Andante, Andante as having an "Italian" flavour.[3]
Charts
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scotland (Official Charts Company)[4] | 81 |
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again version
Lily James recorded "Andante, Andante" for the soundtrack of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Her version was released on July 13, 2018 alongside the rest of the soundtrack, by Capitol and Polydor Records. It was produced by Benny Andersson.
Charts
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[5] | 22 |
| Scotland (Official Charts Company)[6] | 36 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[7] | 61 |
Other recordings
- Thorleifs recorded an instrumental version on their 1992 album Med dej vill jag leva.[8]
- Anni-Frid Lyngstad recorded a solo version of the song in Spanish in 2017 with Cuban-American trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. This version was released as part of Sandoval's album Ultimate Duets in 2018.
References
- ↑ Tobler, John (2012-01-04). "Abba - Uncensored on the Record". ISBN 9781908538239.
- ↑ "Eurovision marches to a distant drum - Music - Entertainment". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
- ↑ "My, my, how can we resist you? Swede dreams are made of this . . . the big-screen version of Abba musical Mamma Mia! celebrates a band that became a phenomenon, says Marisa Duffy". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 30, 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ↑ Information at Svensk mediedatabas
