Ring Ring (album)

Overview

When the first song "People Need Love" was recorded in the spring of 1972, the group was just one of many projects the four members were involved in. Only after the title track, "Ring Ring" became a hit, did the four decide to go on working together as a permanent group. The original 1973 Polar version of the album opens with "Ring Ring (Bara du slog en signal)", the Swedish version of the track, and places the English-language version as track four on side two.

The track "She's My Kind of Girl", included on the international editions, is in fact a song by Björn & Benny which dates back to 1969, which was a hit in Japan, and had also been included on the b-side of the English version of the "Ring Ring" single in Scandinavia. Ring Ring also features a song co-written by Agnetha Fältskog. Although she had composed much of her Swedish solo output, the song "Disillusion", for which she wrote the music, is the only song released on an ABBA album to feature a songwriting contribution from her.

Ring Ring was first released on CD in Sweden in 1988; a West German CD release followed in 1990 (later released internationally). The album has been reissued in digitally remastered form three times; first in 1997, then in 2001 and again in 2005 as part of the The Complete Studio Recordings box set.

Track listing

From the official ABBA website.

All tracks written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, except where noted.

1997 re-release

Ring Ring was remastered and reissued in 1997 with the same track listing.

2001 re-release

Ring Ring was remastered and reissued in 2001 with three bonus tracks (all songs produced by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus):

2005 re-release

Ring Ring was remastered and reissued again in 2005 as part of the The Complete Studio Recordings box set with several bonus tracks (all tracks were produced by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus):

2008 re-release

Ring Ring was reissued once again in 2008 as part of the The Albums box set but without any bonus tracks.

2013 re-release

Remastered Ring Ring was reissued again in 2013 as Deluxe Edition with several "bonus tracks" and "extra bonus tracks - early versions". Also came with a bonus DVD.

Bonus tracks (all tracks were produced by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus):

Extra bonus tracks – early versions (all tracks were produced by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus):

Bonus DVD with the following clips:

Original Swedish track list from 1973

The Original vinyl release in Scandinavia did not include the track "She's My Kind of Girl", and featured the Swedish version of "Ring, Ring", in addition to the English version.

Side one

1. "Ring Ring (Bara du slog en signal)" (Swedish version)
2. "Another Town, Another Train"
3. "Disillusion"
4. "People Need Love"
5. "I Saw It in the Mirror"
6. "Nina, Pretty Ballerina"

Side two

1. "Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)"
2. "Me and Bobby and Bobby's Brother"
3. "He Is Your Brother"
4. "Ring Ring" (English version)
5. "I Am Just a Girl"
6. "Rock'n Roll Band"

Singles

1. "People Need Love/Merry-Go-Round" (June 1972)
2. "He Is Your Brother/Santa Rosa" (November 1972)
3. "Ring Ring/Rock'n Roll Band" (February 1973)
4. "Nina, Pretty Ballerina/He Is Your Brother" (March 1973)
5. "Another Town, Another Train/Rock'n Roll Band" (May 1973)
6. "Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)/I Am Just a Girl" (June 1973)
7. "I Am Just a Girl/Ring Ring" (August 1973) (Japan only)
8. "Me and Bobby and Bobby's Brother/I Am Just a Girl" (1973) (Poland only)
9. "Rock'n Roll Band" (US)

Personnel

Additional musicians

Production