Album: ABBA
Artist: ABBA
Year: 1975
1. Mamma Mia
2. Hey, Hey Helen
3. Tropical Loveland
4. SOS
5. Man in the Middle
6. Bang-A-Boomerang
7. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
8. Rock Me
9. Intermezzo No. 1
10. I’ve Been Waiting For You
11. So Long
I was introduced to ABBA’s music as a kid and they were probably the first non-children’s band I ever sang along to. While many of their songs from a lyrical standpoint don’t rise above your run-of-the-mill pop band, they rose above it by having great harmonies and some excellent guitar and piano work by Benny and Bjorn.
The popular songs from their self-titled album are Mamma Mia, SOS, and Rock Me, which I remember singing out loud as a kid and still love to do now. Two of the pleasant surprises from this album are Hey, Hey Helen (about a women leaving her abusive husband) and Tropical Loveland about…a tropical loveland, but it’s a very catchy tune. But easily the hidden gem here is Intermezzo No 1, a rockin’ instrumental that really shows off Benny’s talents and makes me long for an Intermezzo No 2.
My favorite ABBA songs are on other albums (Knowing Me, Knowing You; Take a Chance on Me; One of Us) but their self-titled album is the most consistent from beginning to end.
Death By Troggles 
I guess you can tell me whether this is surprising or not, but I absolutely love ABBA.
You seem to have a pretty wide music palette, so no. They’re also one of the best pop bands ever.
Beau, do you remember your dad and I blasting Abba songs on our boom box when we stayed at the motel all weekend with poolside-room after the house fire? John doesn’ t like Abba, but I do. My favorite Abba songs are: Thank You For the Music; Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight); Money, Money, Money; Knowing Me, Knowing You; and The Name of The Game.
Peggy- Have you seen “Mamma Mia!” with Meryl Streep? My mom and I love that movie. It’s got each one of those Abba songs that you mention are your favorites in it.
ABBA, Crystal Gayle, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers and John Denver pretty much sums up my childhood music experience.