RING RING OR WRONG WRONG:
A Controversy

Some of you might be thinking to yourself (or talking to yourself, I don't mind), "What controversy?" Well...technically, Ring Ring is NOT an ABBA album. As originally released, Ring Ring was actually credited to Björn and Benny, Agnetha and Anna-Frid. Granted, most of the songs on the album were recorded by the four people who would soon become ABBA but technically, ABBA "did not really exist as a group." (ABBA: The Complete Recordings, p. 31)

So...where is the controversy? Well...the first cover represents the actual Ring Ring album (with credits written in Swedish). The second cover represents the version released after the group became known as ABBA (with credits written in English). And to make matters more confusing, the third cover represents a West German version of the Ring Ring album (with no real credits to speak of although the copyright information is in German). The track listings for the three albums are below. There are subtle differences.

Now...you might be thinking to yourself (or talking to yourself, I don't mind), does this really matter? Is it really a controversy? Technically...no. But this is ABBAnatic: The Alternative ABBA Web Page; if this isn't alternative I don't know what is!

P.S. Thanks to Rick for the newest acquisitions in the Ring Ring controversy: the fifth cover mentioned in Angus' mail below and the sixth cover which speaks for itself (if it could speak). I also felt the e-mail from Angus Kidman deserved to be added to this page verbatim. Thanks for the input, Angus! And thanks to Rick Bowen for confirming Angus' information and for sending the scan of the ABBA in Lois Jeans cover above.

Subject: Scandal and controversy a la Ring Ring

Loved the Ring Ring or Wrong Wrong page, but the story doesn't end there!
There are at least two other covers for the Ring Ring album available 
in Australia. Both feature the same track listing as version 2, 
but one has a shot of ABBA in jeans at a harbour, and the other is a 
variant on the four-faces-on-a-dark-background-in-a-half-moon shot 
from 1979. There's also the added scandal of the two different versions of 
Rock 'N' Roll Band (one out of print) and the SEVEN different versions 
of Ring Ring. Is it all worth a mention?

I think so!

1. Ring Ring (Bara Du Slog En Signal)

This is the Swedish version of Ring Ring.

2. Another Town, Another Train

3. Disillusion

This song has music by Agnetha and lyrics by Björn.

4. People Need Love

5. I Saw It In The Mirror

This song was originally written in 1970 for singer Billy G-son.

6. Nina, Pretty Ballerina

7. Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)

8. Me And Bobby And Bobby's Brother

Benny wrote the lyrics to this track.

9. He Is Your Brother

10. Ring Ring

This is the English version with lyrics by Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody.

11. I Am Just A Girl

12. Rock 'N Roll Band

This song is a Björn and Benny track.

1. Ring Ring

This is the English version with lyrics by Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody.

2. Another Town, Another Train

3. Disillusion

This song has music by Agnetha and lyrics by Björn.

4. People Need Love

5. I Saw It In The Mirror

This song was originally written in 1970 for singer Billy G-son.

6. Nina, Pretty Ballerina

7. Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)

8. Me And Bobby And Bobby's Brother

Benny wrote the lyrics to this track.

9. He Is Your Brother

10. She's My Kind Of Girl

This song replaces the Swedish version of Ring Ring which was on the original, Björn and Benny, Agnetha and Anna-Frid release of the Ring Ring album.

11. I Am Just A Girl

12. Rock 'N Roll Band

This song is a Björn and Benny track.

1. Ring Ring

This is the English version with lyrics by Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody.

2. Another Town, Another Train

3. People Need Love

4. Nina, Pretty Ballerina

5. Disillusion

This song has music by Agnetha and lyrics by Björn.

6. Rock 'N Roll Band

This song is a Björn and Benny track.

7. Honey Honey

This song replaces I Saw It In The Mirror. (I guess they didn't see it anymore!) Why this 1974 song was stuck on this 1973 album is beyond me.

8. Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)

9. Me And Bobby And Bobby's Brother

Benny wrote the lyrics to this track.

10. He Is Your Brother

10. She's My Kind Of Girl

11. I Am Just A Girl

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