ABBA Returns...

[Umbran]

Most of you won't care, but the musical group ABBA is releasing a new album, and have made a couple of cuts from it available.

One of the songs is "Don't Shut Me Down", a song that seems to be about a woman who has gone through some changes, and has returned to try an old romantic relationship anew. At least, if you are a normal person.

The video is just the music, with a circular graphic. Between that and the lyrics it reads to me like the HAL 9000 has spent some time thinking about what it has done, and is now back to be your girlfriend, or something.

Spoiler: Some of the lyrics

"When I left, I felt I'd had еnough
But in the shape and form I appear now
I havе learned to cope
And love and hope is why I am here now

[Chorus]
And now you see another me, I've been reloaded, yeah
I'm fired up, don't shut me down
I'm like a dream within a dream that's been decoded
I'm fired up, I'm hot, don't shut me down..."

and

"...Once these rooms were witness to our love
My tantrums and increasing frustration
But I go from mad
To not so bad in my transformation (So now)..."

 

[Morrus]

Good for them! It's not for me, but I have some fond memories of Abba being a soundtrack to events in years past.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Mama mia!

 

[Gradine]

 

[J.Quondam]

"Enough with the serenade, HAL. Just open the pod bay doors already!"

 

[Richards]

I had heard they were planning on doing some virtual concert tours next year and instead of performing on stage they were going to go the "holographic image" route. But - being a pun lover - I really appreciated the fact they were referring to their holographic images (from their younger days) as "ABBA-tars."

Link to prove I didn't just make that up for the benefit of the pun: Link to article

Johnathan

 

[Umbran]

I had heard they were planning on doing some virtual concert tours next year and instead of performing on stage they were going to go the "holographic image" route.

Yep. The article I read on it had an image of them in motion-capture suits.

And, honestly, it makes sense. They're all over 70. Touring performance is grueling work for the young, much less folks their age.

 

[nedjer]

Reminds me of the Glitterball Beholder swap-out. It was something like:

1 Disco lights
2 Disco music
3 Disco dance
4 Balloons
5 Glitter
6 Cocktails

Something for the whole party . . . sorry.

 

[Tonguez]

Yep. The article I read on it had an image of them in motion-capture suits.

And, honestly, it makes sense. They're all over 70. Touring performance is grueling work for the young, much less folks their age.

Its also an interesting experiment in the future of live music in the COVID world. ABBA is getting de-aged avatars via motion capture - which means potentially they can tour forever. ABBA have got the fanbase to pull in sales even if they never actually leave home themselves

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In honor of their return, one of my old faves/ “Arrival”: