Description:
Something's Going On was the first solo-album in English for ABBA singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida). Her previous albums had all been recorded in Swedish. Something's Going On was first released in 1982 and has since then been re-released several times, mainly in 2005 in re-mastered form with bonus tracks. The promotion videos from this album, are included in the 3 1/2 hour documentary Frida - The DVD.
In 1982, Frida felt it was time to record a solo-album again, this time in English and aimed at the international market. ABBA were spending less and less time together and the group were unofficially on a break. Björn Ulvaeus
Something's Going On was the first solo-album in English for ABBA singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida). Her previous albums had all been recorded in Swedish. Something's Going On was first released in 1982 and has since then been re-released several times, mainly in 2005 in re-mastered form with bonus tracks. The promotion videos from this album, are included in the 3 1/2 hour documentary Frida - The DVD.
In 1982, Frida felt it was time to record a solo-album again, this time in English and aimed at the international market. ABBA were spending less and less time together and the group were unofficially on a break. Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson spent most of their time writing what was to become the musical Chess. Going through her divorce from Andersson, Frida had heard Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight", and then "listened to the album (Face Value) non-stop for eight months". As Collins himself put it in a TV interview: "Frida and I had something in common as far as our divorces were concerned. We were both the injured party." Polar Music approached Collins, asking if he would be interested in producing Frida's new solo album. He accepted the offer, thus making this his second album to be recorded in the Polar Studios, the first being Genesis' Duke (1980).
Polar Music sent out invitations to publishing companies around the world, announcing Frida's plans and asking for songs suitable for the project. The response was overwhelming; more than 500 songs came in to the Polar Music offices in Stockholm. Among the composers who made it to the album's final tracklist were Bryan Ferry, Stephen Bishop, Rod Argent and Russ Ballard. The Giorgio Moroder/Pete Bellotte composition "To Turn The Stone" was originally written for Donna Summer's 1981 album I'm a Rainbow - a double set which for various reasons would remain in the Casablanca Records archives until 1997. Frida also asked Per Gessle, later of Roxette, to set Dorothy Parker's bittersweet poem "Threnody" to music. A re-interpretation of the Face Value track "You Know What I Mean" - a song especially close to her heart, both musically and lyrically - was also included.
Recording began in the Polar Studios, Stockholm, on February 15, 1982 and continued until March 31. Earth Wind & Fire's horn players (the Phenix Horns) - also an important part of the Face Value album - came to Stockholm for a two day visit. Strings, orchestra, and harp were later recorded at Sir George Martin's Air Studios in London in the attendance of both Martin and Paul McCartney. Produced at a time when most commercial recordings still used only analog technology, the album was one of the few to be both digitally recorded and mixed.
At the time of recording Something's Going On Frida wanted to distance herself from the "typical ABBA pop sound". She wanted to break away from being associated with the group and make a fresh start both as an artist and as an individual. The new songs, new musicians, and new producer gave Frida a new identity. Collins' production and especially his unique gated drum sound heard throughout the album as well as the rough and raw guitar riffs of the lead single "I Know There's Something Going On" made it perfectly clear this was no lightweight ABBA record. All backing vocals were sung by Frida and Phil. The album closes with their duet "Here We'll Stay".
Swedish Television, SVT, documented this historical event, by filming the whole recording process. From day one in the studio to the releaseparty when the album was completed. The result became a one hour TV-special, including interviews with Frida and Phil, Björn & Benny from Abba, as well as all the musicians on the album. This documentary is included in Frida - The DVD.
In the autumn of 1982 Frida unveiled the results of these recording sessions by releasing the single and video "I Know There's Something Going On". An extensive promotion tour of Europe and the United States followed. In Europe, Frida went to all the major countries and performed both the single and other songs from the album on major TV-channels. The album received positive reviews by critics. Billboard wrote: "ABBA's auburn-haired songstress makes a bold solo-project a stunning success" and Mark Coleman described the album in the third edition of Rolling Stone Album Guide as a "sharp, rock-oriented, delightfully eclectic album. Audiences around the world also accepted the new, rockier sound and both the album and its lead single soon started climbing the charts; the single became a #1 hit in France (where it spent five weeks at the top), Belgium, Switzerland and Costa Rica, and reached the Top 10 elsewhere throughout Europe. It also became a huge success in Australia and South Africa. In the United States, the single reached a respectable #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #9 on Radio & Records airplay. The single was heavily promoted on MTV. The single sold some 3.5 million copies and Frida as a solo artist did in fact far better on the charts than any of the ABBA-singles of 1982. The album sold 1.5 million copies worldwide, making this the best-selling solo project of any of the former ABBA members to date.[1] A notable exception to its success was in the UK, traditionally a hugely popular market for ABBA, but the single never got in to top 40. The album, however, was a top 20 hit (peaking at #18).
The track "Shot Down In Action" from the Something's Going On sessions remains unreleased.
Frida left Stockholm and moved to London in early 1983.
Something's going on was used in MTV's Daria Episode #406 "I Loathe a Parade" as the closing credits
... (more)
(less)
Manufacturer: Polydor
Release date: 19 June 1982
EAN: 0602498687673 UPC: 602498687673
My tags:
Add tags
Login
