Under Attack
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| “Under Attack” | |||||
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| Single by ABBA from the album The Singles: The First Ten Years |
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| B-side | "You Owe Me One" | ||||
| Released | December 3, 1982 in UK, February 21, 1983 | ||||
| Format | 7" single | ||||
| Genre | Synthpop | ||||
| Length | 3:46 | ||||
| Label | Polar Music, Epic, Atlantic | ||||
| Writer(s) | Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus | ||||
| Producer | Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus | ||||
| ABBA singles chronology | |||||
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This article is about the ABBA song. For the Casualties album, see Under Attack.
"Under Attack" was the last single release by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally featured as a track on the 1982 compilation album The Singles: The First Ten Years, but was released as a single the following year in most countries. In the UK however, it was released on December 3, 1982. "Under Attack" was ABBA's twenty-eighth single for Polar Music.
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[edit] History
"Under Attack" was one of the last songs ABBA recorded (on August 2, 1982). The group had originally intended to release a new studio album, but the stress of the working environment (not helped by the fact that the two couples were now divorced) led them to indefinitely shelve the project and instead release a double-album compilation of their past singles. Since it was decided that there would be two new tracks on the compilation, ABBA set to work recording the songs. The two tracks that made it onto what became The Singles: The First Ten Years were "The Day Before You Came" and "Under Attack". The former was released as a single in October 1982.
[edit] Reception
"Under Attack" was not very popular upon its release. ABBA's popularity was in decline and the two preceding singles had failed to reach No.1 anywhere. Some fans say "Under Attack" was ahead of its time, others criticize it for being too poppy and simplistic when compared to ABBA's earlier efforts. Although a Top 5 hit in Belgium & The Netherlands & a minor Top 20 single in a couple of other European territories, it did not become a major hit anywhere else. In Australia, where the group's popularity only a few years earlier had rivaled that of The Beatles, "Under Attack" was a sad swan-song, limping into the singles chart at No.96. After the single's release, it was decided that ABBA would take a "break." However, they would not record as a group again.
Bjorn Ulvaeus has said that "Under Attack" is a good song which, if released a year earlier, would have been a big hit. Benny Andersson, however, has stated that although the production was strong, the song overall was not one of ABBA's better recordings.
Musically, "Under Attack" is a song with strong production values and tight harmonies - it has a stereo sound that was popular in its day with a "soft fade" to end the song. The lead vocal has an interesting frequency equalisation effect not unlike certain parts of David McWilliam's "The Days of Pearly Spencer".
"Under Attack" is featured in the musical theatre smash Mamma Mia!, being the only number in the production that was not a major hit in Europe. Also in the musical is "Honey, Honey", which received limited release and success in Europe, plus some other ABBA songs that were not released as singles at all, such as "Our Last Summer" & "Slipping Through My Fingers".
[edit] Chart positions
| Chart (1983) | Position |
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| Belgian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 5 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 11 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 15 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 16 |
| German Singles Chart | 22 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 26 |
| French Singles Chart | 43 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 96 |
[edit] Cover versions
- The song is one of the opening numbers performed by the character of Sophie for the second act of the musical Mamma Mia!
- A cover of the song can be found on the ABBA tribute album ABBA Super Hits by Power Generation Project.
- Dutch artist Ice did a version on her 2004 album N Ster Vir My.
[edit] Live performances, appearances in other media, etc.
- The song was performed live by Swedish singer Magnus Carlsson
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