Abba-esque

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Abba-esque
Abba-esque cover
EP by Erasure
Released 1992
Recorded 1991
Genre Synthpop
Length 17:46
Label Mute Records
Producer(s) David Bascombe
Professional reviews
Erasure chronology
Chorus
(1991)
Abba-esque
(1992)
Pop! - the First 20 Hits
(1992)


Erasure singles chronology
"Breath of Life"
(1991)
"Take a Chance on Me"
(1992)
"Who Needs Love Like That (Hamburg Mix)"
(1992)
Cover art for Erasure's Abba-esque remix EP
Cover art for Erasure's Abba-esque remix EP

Erasure scored their first number-one on the UK singles chart with the release of the Abba-esque EP in 1992. Always big fans of the Swedish quartet ABBA, performing various songs in concert for years, Erasure (Vince Clarke and Andy Bell) released this four-song covers EP, which was originally intended as a full album.

Contents

Mute Records released Abba-esque in the UK, while Elektra Records released it in the U.S.

Many credit this EP release as a major catalyst for a revival of ABBA's music in the 1990s, which was further perpetuated with heavy emphasis on ABBA music in the motion pictures Muriel's Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, as well as the stage show Mamma Mia!

EPs are eligible for the singles chart in the UK. After peaking at number two twice (with "Sometimes" and Crackers International), Erasure hit number one with this release and it remained there for five weeks. In Germany the EP climbed to number two. In the U.S., where EPs chart on the Billboard 200, Abba-esque peaked at number eighty-five. Although never officially released as a single, the song "Take a Chance on Me" received significant radio play in the U.S. At the time, Billboard Hot 100 policy prevented songs not released as singles from entering the chart, although the track did hit number fifty-one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.

A remix EP was also released by Mute in the UK which featured the same four songs.

The release of the Abba-esque EP in due course precipitated the release of a similar EP, Erasure-ish, by ABBA tribute band Björn Again, which featured two Erasure tracks ("A Little Respect" and "Stop!") performed in the style of ABBA.

  1. "Lay All Your Love on Me" (B. Anderson/B. Ulvaeus)
  2. "SOS" (S. Anderson/B. Anderson/B. Ulvaeus)
  3. "Take a Chance on Me" (B. Anderson/B. Ulvaeus)
  4. "Voulez-Vous" (B. Anderson/B. Ulvaeus)

  1. "Voulez-Vous" (Brain Stem Death Test Mix) (remixed by Fortran 5)
  2. "Lay All Your Love on Me" (No Panties Mix) (remixed by Fortran 5)
  3. "Take a Chance on Me" (Take a Trance on Me Mix) (remixed by Philip Kelsey)
  4. "SOS" (Perimeter Mix) (remix by Chris & Cosey)
Preceded by
"Please Don't Go" by KWS
UK number one single
May 3, 1992 for 5 weeks
Succeeded by
"Ain't No Doubt" by Jimmy Nail
Erasure
Vince Clarke | Andy Bell
Erasure discography | B-sides and non-album songs
Albums/EPs: Wonderland | The Circus | The Innocents | Crackers International
Wild! | Chorus | Abba-esque | I Say I Say I Say | Erasure | Cowboy | Loveboat | Other People's Songs | Nightbird | Union Street | Light at the End of the World
Compilations: The Two Ring Circus | Pop! - the First 20 Hits | Hits! The Very Best of Erasure
Live album: Acoustic Live
Box Sets: EBX 1 | EBX 2 | EBX 3 | EBX 4
Singles: Who Needs Love Like That | Heavenly Action | Oh L'amour | Sometimes | It Doesn't Have To Be | Victim of Love | The Circus | Ship of Fools | Chains of Love | A Little Respect | Stop! | Drama! | You Surround Me | Blue Savannah | Star | Chorus | Love to Hate You | Am I Right? | Breath of Life | Take a Chance on Me | Who Needs Love Like That (remix) | Always | Run to the Sun | I Love Saturday | Stay With Me | Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day) | Rock Me Gently | In My Arms | Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me | Rain | Freedom | Moon & the Sky | Solsbury Hill | Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) | Oh L'amour (remix) | Breathe | Don't Say You Love Me | Here I Go Impossible Again | All This Time Still Falling Out of Love | Boy | I Could Fall in Love with You
Video/DVD: Sanctuary - the EIS Christmas Concert 2002 | Hits! the Videos | The Tank, the Swan and the Balloon | Great Hits Live - Live at Great Woods | The Erasure Show - Live in Cologne | On the Road to Nashville
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