On May 3, 1982, Abba returned to the Polar
studios with the intention of recording new songs for his next Lp,
after the publication in November 1981 "The Visitors".
The first one was: "You owe me one", followed a
week later by "I am the city", and twenty days
later by: "Just like that", continuing in August
with: "Cassandra"; "Under attack" and
"The day before you came".
At the beginning of September, seeing that the
personal problems of the members of the group hinder normal development of the
recordings sessions; because both couples were in the process of breaking up. Benny
Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, like producers of the album, tried to
save the project, of what was clear was going to be the farewell album of ABBA,
anticipated the end of the sessions, they searched on the archives
unpublished material with which to complete the new album.
So to the six songs
already mentioned, they took from "Super Trouper sessions":
"Put on your white sombrero" & "Burning My Bridges" and
from "The Visitors sessions": "Giving a Little bit
more". But after making a couple of compilations with
remixes of some of these songs, decided to definitively abort the album,
considering that the minimum expected quality of an ABBA record was not
achieved.
The best way to say goodbye was with a double "greatest hits"
album where all the singles plus two extra tracks from the summer sessions of
'82 were compiled. This work was published in November and December as: ABBA
The Singles - The 1st Ten Years ", preceded in October of the
single: "The day before you came / Cassandra ", and another
posthumous one in February of the 83:"Under Attack / You owe me one
". Up to here, what the real story left us. But what was "Opus 10"
then?.
Halfway through the recording sessions of "The Visitors", in June
1981, the group gave an interview to a journalist from the Swedish newspaper: "Expressen".
Published shortly after with the title "Abba, is recording his tenth
album". The journalist called this work still without date or definitive
name, because it would not have until October, as "Opus 10",
which was later misinterpreted. The rumor spread that the following work of
ABBA was going to be called "Opus 10" and when "The
Visitors" saw the light in November, it was said that "Opus 10"
had been the provisional title of the Lp.
But in reality it was that, “Opus 10” (work #10) comes from the calculation
of studio albums published to date, June 1981, plus Vol.1 & Vol.2 “Greatest Hits”, excluding: "Gracias por
la musica" from 1980.
Years later, when in the alternative market appeared the instrumental song Nationalsång
"-" National anthem ", recorded in Polar Music studios
between March 16 and 18, 1981, during the same sessions of:" Fanfare
For Icehockey World Championships '81 ", Although it was really an
early adaptation of the Swedish national anthem, it was renamed " Opus 10
"; this immediately unleashed the fever among the fans of Abba,
extending the uncertain story that it was actually the central theme of the new
album that Abba was going to record in the summer / autumn of 1982, with the
songs mentioned above and others still unpublished today.
1- The day before you came.(5:53).
2- Cassandra.(4:50).
3- Under attack.(3:50).
4- You owe me one.(3:30).
5- I am the city.(4:02).
6- Just like that.(Rmx).(4:21).
7- Giving a little bit more.(Rmx).(2:41).
8- Put on your white sombrero.(4:31).
9- Slipping through my fingers / Me and I (live).(8:37).
(The Dick Cavett Meets ABBA TV
Special).(April 29.1981).
-Bonus tracks -
10- Fanfare For Ice hockey World Championships '81.(0:32).
11- Nationalsång.(A.k.a “Opus 10“).(3:10)
All songs recorded between May and August 1982 except: 8. Outtake from
“Super Trouper sessions”. August 9.1980. 10. & 11. March 16-19.1981. All
tracks recorded at Polar Music - Stockholm, Sweden. Written by Benny Andersson
& Björn Ulvaeus
But it was never like that in reality. There was never an Lp project with
the name of "Opus 10", although it has been disseminated in some
books about Abba, including the authoritative biography of Agnetha
"As I Am". bit.ly/Ab81ba2 What is
brought here is a reconstruction, for the taste of some people, of one of the
compilations made during September 1981 in search of that possible studio
album with no name, but with the certainty that it never existed one Lp or
proyect "Opus 10". I´m sorry to say this.