Does Your Mother Know
"Does Your Mother Know" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by ABBA | ||||
from the album Voulez-Vous | ||||
B-side | "Kisses of Fire" | |||
Released | 27 April 1979 | |||
Recorded | February–March 1979 | |||
Studio | Polar, Stockholm, Sweden | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:15 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
| |||
ABBA singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Does Your Mother Know" on YouTube |
"Does Your Mother Know" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was the second single taken from their sixth studio album, Voulez-Vous, as was the B-side, "Kisses of Fire". The track is notable for its emphasis on male vocals, performed by Björn Ulvaeus, with female backing vocals.[4]
Composition and recording[edit]
With lyrics described by ABBA biographer Carl Magnus Palm as "a daring tribute to cross-generational flirting in big city night clubs",[5] the track was recorded in February–March 1979 (initially under the working title "I Can Do It") and released as a single in April of that year. The distinctive guitar riff was taken from the recording of an unfinished song in August 1975,[6] whilst the middle section ("Take it easy...") was adapted from an unreleased track called "Dream World".[7]
"Does Your Mother Know" was composed by Benny Anderson and Ulvaeus at the beginning of 1979 on a songwriting trip to the Bahamas, rather than on the Swedish island of Viggsö in the Stockholm Archipelago, where much of their music had previously been written. The inspiration for the lyrics came from a newspaper article, whilst the title was a phrase Ulvaeus had seen in a book or magazine.[8] The demo featured his guide vocal and it was decided to keep this during the recording process.[4] An early, rockier version of song (with a longer introduction) was performed partially live for the BBC TV special, Abba in Switzerland, recorded in Leysin on 16 February and broadcast across Europe in April 1979.[9][10] The instrumental introduction on the released version featured a sound Anderson had created on an expensive Yamaha analogue synthesizer, somewhat similar in its operation to the Minimoog.[8] The drumming style was influenced by Carmine Appice, whom Ola Brunkert had seen perform with Rod Stewart at a concert in Leicester, while ABBA were in the United Kingdom doing some TV promotional work.[11]
In 2019, the single was re-released on picture disc.[12]
Personnel[edit]
- Björn Ulvaeus – Lead vocal
- Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad – Backing vocals
- Lasse Wellander – Guitar
- Mike Watson – Bass guitar
- Lars O. Carlsson , Kajtek Wojciecjowski – Tenor saxophones
- Benny Anderson – Keyboards and synthesizers
- Ola Brunkert – Drums[13]
Reception[edit]
"Does Your Mother Know" was another sizeable ABBA hit, hitting No. 1 in Belgium and reaching the top 5 in Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Finland. It was also a top 10 hit in Australia, Canada, West Germany, Rhodesia and Switzerland. As of September 2021, it is ABBA's 14th-biggest song in the UK, including both pure sales and digital streams.[14]
Billboard felt the song sounds like those from the musical Grease, saying that "the sweet, airy vocals contrast effectively with the rocking instrumentation."[15] Cash Box said that it is a "rocking departure for the group, although the overall sound is still Europop."[1] Record World said that "this buoyant pop-rocker is destined to become a classic."[2] AllMusic reviewer Donald A. Guarisco said in a retrospective review of the song that "ABBA's recording balances the song's rock elements with dance music touches to create an intriguing dance/rock hybrid" and that its "macho feel is enhanced by a rockabilly-styled melody that flowers into a swinging chorus".[3] In 2021, Total Guitar rated "Does Your Mother Know" as ABBA's fourth best guitar song, after "Waterloo", "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" and "SOS".[16]
The song was featured heavily in the 2003 film Johnny English, starring Rowan Atkinson.
Charts[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2018) |
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Certifications and sales[edit]
ABBA version[edit]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
France | — | 80,000[38] |
United Kingdom (BPI)[39] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Mamma Mia! version[edit]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Singles". Cash Box. Vol. 41, no. 1. New York. 19 May 1979. p. 22.
- ^ a b "Hits of the Week". Record World. Vol. 35, no. 1662. New York. 19 May 1979. p. 1.
- ^ a b Guarisco, Donald A. "Does Your Mother Know Review Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
- ^ a b Elliott, Mark (27 April 2019). "'Does Your Mother Know': The Story Behind The ABBA Song". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ Palm, Carl Magnus (2001). Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA. London: Omnibus Press. p. 399. ISBN 0711983895.
- ^ Palm, Carl Magnus (1994). ABBA: The Complete Recording Sessions. London: Century 22. pp. 53, 86–89. ISBN 0907938108.
- ^ Scott, Robert (2002). Abba: Thank You For The Music – The Stories Behind Every Song. London: Carlton Books. pp. 108–109. ISBN 1842227939.
- ^ a b Anderson, Benny; Ulvaeus, Björn; Craymer, Judy & Dodd, Philip (2006). Mamma Mia! How Can I Resist You?: The Inside Story of Mamma Mia! and the Songs of ABBA. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. pp. 74–78. ISBN 978-0297844211.
- ^ "Abba in Switzerland". Radio Times. No. 2892. London. 12 April 1979. Retrieved 15 May 2024 – via Genome.
- ^ Potiez, Jean-Marie (2007). ABBA: The Book (Updated ed.). London: Quantum Publishing. p. 189. ISBN 978-1845733063.
- ^ Paphides, Pete (2022). "The History of the Book on the Shelf". Record Collector. No. 539. London. pp. 89–99.
- ^ "ABBA - Does Your Mother Know / Kisses of Fire". discogs. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ Voulez-Vous (LP sleeve notes). ABBA. New York: Atlantic Recording Corporation. 1979. SD 16000.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Copsey, Rob (7 November 2021). "ABBA's Official Top 20 biggest songs". The Official Charts Company. London. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ Harrison, Ed, ed. (19 May 1979). "Top Single Picks". Billboard. New York. p. 99. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Scaramanga, Tony (November 2021). "Rock Me! ABBA's top 10 guitar songs". Total Guitar. No. 351. Bath. p. 26. ISSN 1355-5049.
- ^ Kent, David (1994). Australian Charts Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 978-0646119175.
- ^ a b Kent, David (31 December 1979). "National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. No. 288. p. 3. Retrieved 10 January 2023 – via Imgur.
- ^ "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "RPM 100 Singles". RPM Weekly. Vol. 31, no. 25. Toronto. 15 September 1979. Retrieved 14 October 2016 – via Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Does Your Mother Know". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "ABBA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "ABBA Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ Downey, Pat; Albert, George & Hoffmann, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950–1993. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited. p. 1. ISBN 978-1563083167 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – ABBA – Does Your Mother Know" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1979". Ultratop. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1979". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ^ "Top Singles 1979". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 22 December 1979. p. 27.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
- ^ Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). Fabrice Ferment (ed.). "TOP 45 Tours – 1979". 40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles (in French). OCLC 469523661. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2022 – via Top-France.fr.
- ^ "British single certifications – ABBA – Does Your Mother Know". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ "British single certifications – Original Cast Recording – Does Your Mother Know". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 January 2023.