Tuesday, 25 November 2025

Dancing queen - Abba

If the photograph on this sleeve looks familiar, it's because it also appeared on this Spanish sleeve of 'Honey, Honey'. But this single was released some time later, when Abba released 'Dancing queen'. 

The single was made in Hungary, and features 'Fernando' on the B-side. As far as I know only six Abba singles were made in Hungary. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7886
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 15 November 2025
Tracks: 'Dancing queen' / 'Fernando

Fernando - Abba

While I bought the Spanish single of 'Fernando' I also found the Italian version. And again, the sleeve came with a different design. Just like on the Spanish one the Abba logo has gone missing, and is replaced by a certain custom font. 

There is no info on how many copies were sold of this single in Italy, but it reached number 3 in the chart run by the oldest music industry publication Musica e dischi

My collection: 7" single no. 7885
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 15 November 2025
Tracks: 'Fernando' / 'Tropical loveland

Money, money, money - Abba

I've bought a few copies of this single. But we've had 'Money, money, money' and 'Money, money', but this Yugoslavian pressing changes the layout even more and adds the B-side title to the front sleeve as well. 

The single was released by Radio-Televizija Beograd, as usual in Yugoslavia at that time. Interestingly, the Polar logo still survives in the upper right corner of this sleeve. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7884
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 15 November 2025
Tracks: 'Money, money, money' / 'Crazy world

Fernando - Abba

Another Spanish Abba single comes with another variation of the sleeve for 'Fernando'. Just like on 'Mamma Mia' the recommendation 'No. 1 en Inglaterra' is featured on this sleeve. What else? The familiar 'Abba' logo has gone missing and the title 'Fernando' is repeated three times. It's a design that is imperfect in a way. 

On the back sleeve the lyrics of 'Fernando' are printed in full, which I think is a first for an Abba single. It's another nice item for my growing Abba collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 7883
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 15 November 2025
Tracks: 'Fernando' / 'Intermezzo no. 1'

Mamma Mia - Abba

In 1975 Abba released Greatest Hits with on the cover a caricature of the band. That version was only released in Scandinavia and Spain, with a photograph on the inside of the gatefold sleeve. In the UK that photograph was promoted to the front sleeve, and so the illustration didn't get a lot of exposure in much of Europe.

This Spanish single of 'Mamma Mia' uses the illustration and adds the recommendation 'No. 1 en Inglaterra'. It makes this single quite remarkable and an attractive item.

My collection: 7" single no. 7882
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 15 November 2025
Tracks: 'Mamma Mia' / 'Tropical loveland

Does your mother know - Abba

For some reason you wouldn't associate Abba with huge success in America, but a lot of singles were released there. It is, however, not easy to find American singles with picture covers for some reason. So I was happy to find this copy of 'Does your mother know' at the record fair last week. (That saves a lot of postage costs.)

The funny thing about this sleeve is the back cover, on which there is an advertisement for three albums 'also on Atlantic Records & Tapes'. The albums Greatest HitsArrival and The Album are pictured. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7881
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 15 November 2025
Tracks: 'Does your mother know' / 'Kisses of fire

Chiquitita - Abba

Once more I bought the single 'Chiquitita' by Abba, this time because it is the French pressing. The sleeve isn't significally different, at least, the front sleeve - the back sleeve is the typically understated 'infobox' that is typical for these French releases.

'Chiquitita' sold 150,000 copies in France, but the single only reached number 14 in the singles chart in that country. With just 50,000 copies that single reached number 1 in Ireland. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7880
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 15 November 2025
Tracks: 'Chiquitita' / 'Lovelight

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