Arrival

"Arrival"
Song by ABBA from the album Arrival
Released	11 October 1976 (1976-10-11)
Length	3:00
Label	Polar
Writer	Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson
Producer	Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson
Arrival track listing
Side A: "When I Kissed the Teacher" "Dancing Queen" "My Love, My Life" "Dum Dum Diddle" "Knowing Me, Knowing You" Side B: "Money, Money, Money" "That's Me" "Why Did It Have To Be Me?" "Tiger" "Arrival"

"Arrival", which had working titles of "Fiol", "Ode to Dalecarlia" & "Arrival in Dalecarlia", was the instrumental title track from Swedish pop group ABBA's album of the same name.

Background

"Arrival" was the second and last song from the group not to contain lyrics, following "Intermezzo No.1" the previous year.

As with "Intermezzo No.1", the choral tune, heavily influenced by traditional Swedish folk music, was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. It was recorded on 30 August 1976 at Stockholm's Metronome Studio.

In 1983, a different version of the song with lyrics, called "Belle", was sung by Daniel Balavoine and Anni-Frid Lyngstad ("Frida") as part of the French musical ABBAcadabra. Also in 1983, it was re-recorded with different lyrics, and released as "Time" by B. A. Robertson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

The title of the album, Arrival, gave the instrumental its name, rather than vice versa. It was also one of the last tracks to be recorded for the album before its release on 11 October 1976.

Cover versions

Mike Oldfield version

"Arrival"
Single by Mike Oldfield
from the album QE2
Released	12 September 1980
Format	Vinyl
Recorded	1980
Genre	Instrumental
Label	Virgin Records
Writer(s)	Benny Anderson Björn Ulvaeus
Producer	Mike Oldfield David Hentschel
Mike Oldfield singles chronology
"Blue Peter" (1979) "Arrival" (1980) "Sheba" (1980)

In 1980 Mike Oldfield made a cover-version of the song, which is found on his QE2 album. The artwork for Oldfield's single is a parody of ABBA's Arrival album artwork depicting the artist in a Bell 47G helicopter.

Track listing

1. "Arrival" – 2:46
2. "Polka" (live on European tour 1980) – 3:34

Oldfield's credits

• Mike Oldfield: Electric Guitars, African Drums, Celtic Harp, Bass Guitar, Mandolin, Spanish Guitar, Synthesizers, Vocoder, Aboriginal Rythmn Sticks, Vocals
• David Hentschel: Synthesizers, Drums, Vocals
• Maggie Reilly: Vocals
• Strings and Choir arranged by David Bedford
• Leader of Strings: Dick Studt
• Choir English Chorale

Other cover versions, sampling, etc.

• French singer Michèle Torr covered the song and added lyrics, under the title "J'aime".

• German dance group Scooter sampled "Arrival" in the song "Roll Baby Roll" on their 2003 album The Stadium Techno Experience, although some chords are slightly altered.

• The British rock band The Darkness played "Arrival" as their opening song on headlining tours.

• Sarah Brightman recorded a vocal version for her 2008 seasonal album A Winter Symphony, with previously unused lyrics from Björn Ulvaeus, which he wrote in 1999 for possible inclusion in the Mamma Mia! musical.^{[citation needed]} She is the first artist ever that was given permission to sing ABBA's unused materials.^{[citation needed]}

References

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