"People Need Love" is the debut single recorded in March 1972 by Swedish pop group ABBA, at the time known as 'Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid'. The song was on the group's first album, Ring Ring, released in 1973.
"People Need Love"
Standard European artwork (One of Swedish releases pictured)
As the majority of ABBA songs were, "People Need Love" was written and composed by the two male band members, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.[1] It was engineered by Michael Tretow who aimed to create a Phil Spector-like wall of sound on the recording.[2] The song begins in the key of B major and modulates up to C♯ major for the final chorus.
Although their debut album did not bring them to global attention, it follows some standards of ABBA's style.[1] The ballad is about what people can give each other to make their lives easier and create a better world.[1]
Reception
The basic aim of the "People Need Love" single was not to promote the quartet, since all four individuals had other commitments and did not have the time to form a permanent group (an example of this is the crediting; the single in most of the territories is credited to "Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid"), but to promote the "Björn & Benny" duo, which was the singing and songwriting partnership of the two men. The women were simply guesting on the new "Björn & Benny" single. However, the very positive audience reaction was unexpected.
"People Need Love" made the Top 20 of the combined Swedish singles and albums chart, and reached No. 3 on the popular Swedish radio chart show, Tio i topp (The Top Ten). It was the foursome's first charting record in the United States, where it peaked at No. 114 on the Cashbox singles chart and No. 117 on Record World singles chart. The Playboy RecordsU.S. release was credited to "Bjorn & Benny (with Svenska Flicka)",[3] and according to ABBA's manager Stig Anderson, could have been a much bigger American hit, if not for the limited distribution resources of the label that was unable to meet the demand from retailers and radio programmers.
At the time of the single's release, the Ring Ring album had not been planned, since there was no intention to form a permanent group. However, the song was included on the album the following year. Although recorded earlier than most of the album, it can retroactively be considered the lead single from Ring Ring.
In the Netherlands and Belgium the single had its release in August 1973 as the follow-up to the highly successful single Ring Ring. It however performed rather badly, reaching just no. 47 on the Radio Noordzee Top 50 from the Dutch service of Radio North Sea International.[4]
A Swedish country band called Nashville Train (which included some of ABBA's own backing band members) covered the song in 1977 on their album ABBA Our Way, released on the Polar Music label in Sweden.
References
^ abcCole, Ian (23 February 2020). ABBA: Song by Song. Fonthill Media. pp. 48–. GGKEY:UUB3KX87Y3H.
^Carl Magnus Palm (28 October 2009). Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA. Omnibus Press. pp. 276–. ISBN978-0-85712-057-1.
^"Björn and Benny (With Svenska Flicka) - People Need Love / Merry-Go-Round - Playboy - USA - P 50014". 45cat.com. 1972-09-16. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
^"Radio Noordzee Top 50 15 september 1973". home.planet.nl. 1973-09-15. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
External links
1972 television appearance at YouTube
January 08, 2023
people, need, love, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, novembe. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources People Need Love news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message People Need Love is the debut single recorded in March 1972 by Swedish pop group ABBA at the time known as Bjorn amp Benny Agnetha amp Anni Frid The song was on the group s first album Ring Ring released in 1973 People Need Love Standard European artwork One of Swedish releases pictured Single by Bjorn amp Benny Agnetha amp Anni Fridfrom the album Ring RingB side Merry Go Round En karusell ReleasedJune 1 1972RecordedMarch 29 1972Metronome studios StockholmGenreEuropop popLength2 45LabelPolar MusicSongwriter s Benny AnderssonBjorn UlvaeusProducer s Benny AnderssonBjorn UlvaeusBjorn amp Benny Agnetha amp Anni Frid singles chronology People Need Love 1972 He Is Your Brother 1972 Audio video People Need Love on YouTube Contents 1 Track listing 2 Composition 3 Reception 4 Personnel 4 1 Additional musicians 5 Chart history 6 Cover versions 7 References 8 External linksTrack listing EditA People Need Love 2 45 B Merry Go Round En karusell 3 24Composition EditAs the majority of ABBA songs were People Need Love was written and composed by the two male band members Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus 1 It was engineered by Michael Tretow who aimed to create a Phil Spector like wall of sound on the recording 2 The song begins in the key of B major and modulates up to C major for the final chorus Although their debut album did not bring them to global attention it follows some standards of ABBA s style 1 The ballad is about what people can give each other to make their lives easier and create a better world 1 Reception EditThe basic aim of the People Need Love single was not to promote the quartet since all four individuals had other commitments and did not have the time to form a permanent group an example of this is the crediting the single in most of the territories is credited to Bjorn amp Benny Agnetha amp Anni Frid but to promote the Bjorn amp Benny duo which was the singing and songwriting partnership of the two men The women were simply guesting on the new Bjorn amp Benny single However the very positive audience reaction was unexpected People Need Love made the Top 20 of the combined Swedish singles and albums chart and reached No 3 on the popular Swedish radio chart show Tio i topp The Top Ten It was the foursome s first charting record in the United States where it peaked at No 114 on the Cashbox singles chart and No 117 on Record World singles chart The Playboy Records U S release was credited to Bjorn amp Benny with Svenska Flicka 3 and according to ABBA s manager Stig Anderson could have been a much bigger American hit if not for the limited distribution resources of the label that was unable to meet the demand from retailers and radio programmers At the time of the single s release the Ring Ring album had not been planned since there was no intention to form a permanent group However the song was included on the album the following year Although recorded earlier than most of the album it can retroactively be considered the lead single from Ring Ring In the Netherlands and Belgium the single had its release in August 1973 as the follow up to the highly successful single Ring Ring It however performed rather badly reaching just no 47 on the Radio Noordzee Top 50 from the Dutch service of Radio North Sea International 4 Personnel EditAgnetha Faltskog lead and backing vocals Anni Frid Lyngstad lead and backing vocals Bjorn Ulvaeus acoustic guitar lead and backing vocalsBenny Andersson piano keyboards lead and backing vocalsAdditional musicians Edit Ola Brunkert drums Mike Watson bass Janne Schaffer electric guitarChart history EditChart 1972 PositionSweden Tio i Topp 3Swedish Combined Singles Albums Chart 17U S Cashbox Top 100 114U S Record World 117Cover versions EditA Swedish country band called Nashville Train which included some of ABBA s own backing band members covered the song in 1977 on their album ABBA Our Way released on the Polar Music label in Sweden References Edit a b c Cole Ian 23 February 2020 ABBA Song by Song Fonthill Media pp 48 GGKEY UUB3KX87Y3H Carl Magnus Palm 28 October 2009 Bright Lights Dark Shadows The Real Story of ABBA Omnibus Press pp 276 ISBN 978 0 85712 057 1 Bjorn and Benny With Svenska Flicka People Need Love Merry Go Round Playboy USA P 50014 45cat com 1972 09 16 Retrieved 2016 10 07 Radio Noordzee Top 50 15 september 1973 home planet nl 1973 09 15 Retrieved 2020 03 25 External links Edit1972 television appearance at YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title People Need Love amp oldid 1124838359, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
