| Ring Ring | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida |
| Cover: | ABBA - Ring Ring (Original Polar LP).jpg |
| Released: | 26 March 1973 |
| Recorded: | 29 March 1972, 26 September 1972 – 15 March 1973[1] |
| Studio: | Metronome, Europafilm and KMH Studio, Stockholm[2] |
| Length: | 35:43 |
| Label: | Polar |
| Next Title: | Waterloo |
| Next Year: | 1974 |
Ring Ring is the debut studio album by the Swedish group ABBA, initially credited as Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida. It was released in Scandinavia on 26 March 1973, and later in a limited number of other territories, including West Germany, Australia, South Africa and Mexico, through Polar Music. It was a chart-topping album in Belgium, and a big success in the Netherlands, Norway and South Africa.[3]
The album was re-released in Australasia in 1975, but was not released in the United Kingdom until 1992, and the United States until 1995.
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.[4] 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, was originally recorded by Björn & Benny in 1969 for the Swedish pornographic film Inga II: the Seduction of Inga. Released as a single in 1970, it became a hit in Japan,[5] and was released as the B-side of the English version of the "Ring Ring" single in Scandinavia. The track "Disillusion" was originally written in Swedish by Agnetha Fältskog for her solo album Elva kvinnor i ett hus. Although she had composed much of her Swedish solo output, "Disillusion" is the only song released on an ABBA studio album to feature a songwriting contribution from her.[6]
Ring Ring was first released on CD in Scandinavia in 1988 by Polar Music alongside Waterloo and ABBA's self titled album. It follows the same running order as the original Scandinavian LP, being the only CD of this album to do so.[7] Also in 1988, the international version was first released on CD in Australia by Rainbow Music Group. In 1990, the international version of the album was released on CD throughout Europe by Polydor Records with the discs manufactured in West Germany. In the United States, Ring Ring would not be made available on CD - or indeed at all - until 1995 when it was released there by Polydor. The album has been digitally remastered on CD multiple times: in 1997 as part of "The ABBA Remasters" series, in 2001 with an updated cover artwork and some bonus tracks, in 2005 as part of The Complete Studio Recordings box set, and most recently in 2013 as a "Deluxe Edition".
On October 14th, 2013, Ring Ring was reissued as a deluxe edition that consisted of a CD, DVD and a 20-page illustrated booklet with an essay on the making of the album.[8] The CD featured the original album along with thirteen bonus tracks, that included: rare original versions of tracks like "I Am Just a Girl"; "Man vill ju leva lite dessemellan", a 1972 hit for Frida, with backing vocals from the other ABBA members; "There’s A Little Man", from 1970, with backing vocals from Agnetha and that marked her first contribution to a song written and produced by Björn and Benny; and a 1972 spoken-word promotion single, "En hälsning till våra parkarrangörer", in which all members promote their 1973 Sweden tour. The DVD contained an "International Sleeve Gallery" and rare TV performances: "People Need Love" on Vi i femman, SVT; "Ring Ring" on Spotlight, ORF; and Ring Ring revealed on Låtarna som förändrade musiken, UR (a 2012 Swedish report where Benny talks about the album's creation).
The information has been adapted from the official ABBA website.[9] All tracks are written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, except where noted.
In the international edition, the English version of "Ring Ring" opens the album instead, and is replaced by "She's My Kind of Girl", as side two's new fourth track.
Released for the album's 40th anniversary. "Åh, vilka tider", the B-side of "Ring ring (bara du slog en signal)", was not included in this edition, but could be found on The Complete Studio Recordings. It also features the Swedish version of "Ring Ring".
All tracks are written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, except where noted.
| Chart (1973–76) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[11] | 10 |
| Swedish Albums Chart[12] | 2 |
| Chart (2023-2024) | Peak position |
| Greek Albums (IFPI)[13] | 20 |