Disillusion (ABBA song)

"Disillusion" is a ballad^[1] by the pop group ABBA, on their first album Ring Ring (1973). It is notable as the only song ABBA recorded to have a song-writing credit from Agnetha Faltskog.^[2][3] She, unlike Anni-Frid Lyngstad, was a songwriter as well as a singer, and had dabbled in that in her pre-ABBA career.^[4] She wrote the music, with lyrics added by fellow ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus.^[5]

Writing

Although she wrote several Swedish top 40 hits during her solo career, Faltskog did not feel her compositions were suitable for ABBA's albums. However, although this is her only songwriting credit to appear on an ABBA album, she also co-wrote a song that ABBA performed in concert, "I'm Still Alive"; recordings of this often appears in bootlegs. The song itself is a folk-pop based ballad somewhat similar to her pre-ABBA solo work.

Composition

This is Faltskog's first track where she has exclusive lead vocal, and her only one until "The Winner Takes It All" in 1980. (The 1976 song "My Love, My Life" has backing vocals by Fältskog).^[1] The track has "sparse instrumentation", and the song has no harmonies from other ABBA members. This is different to the Swedish version she recorded for her 1975 solo album Elva kvinnor i ett hus (Eleven Women In One House). The song was produced by Faltskog and entitled "Mina Ogon"; it was "far more ambitious".^[1]

References

1. Tesch, Christopher Patrick ; editor: Matthew (2008). ABBA : let the music speak : an armchair guide to the musical soundscape of the Swedish supergroup (1st ed.). Fairfield Gardens, Qld.: Christopher J N Patrick. p. 10. ISBN 9780646496764.
2. Vincentelli, Elisabeth (31 March 2004). "Abba's Abba Gold". ISBN 9780826415462.
3. https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hotdog.hu%2Fmecm%2Fmecm-csajok&act=url
4. FitzGerald, Louise; Williams, Melanie (15 April 2013). "Mamma Mia! The Movie: Exploring a Cultural Phenomenon". ISBN 9781848859425.
5. Tobler, John (4 January 2012). "Abba - Uncensored on the Record". ISBN 9781908538239.