Weekend Supplement ~ May 26th 2012: Summer Night City

I'm just packing me bags for a week's sojourn in Gran Canaria and departing the lovely weather of England for the stunning weather of the Canary Islands. As summer approaches at breakneck speed, it's hard not to think of amazing songs with the season in the title such as Belinda Carlisle's "Summer Rain", Caracola's "Summer Night", Jason Mraz's "Summer Breeze", Steps' "Summer of Love" and uh, The Party's "Summer Vacation" (plus no doubt a cavalcade of others). Anyhoo, topping this list is of course my beloved Abba with Summer Night City. Anything linked to the entire Voulez-Vous period is nigh on perfection, but I have a certain love for Summer Night City, particularly the full live version that you can see above. It begins with this moody, atmospheric, slowed down intro to the tune (that doesn't appear on the album) - it creates a feeling of the song stirring from a long sleep, stretching into life before the familiar, glorious, euphoric uptempo launches at around 50seconds. As you should well know by now, it's a song that is lyrically full of anticipation & decadance; musically there are some lovely piano riffs layered against energetic guitar riffs and (of course with this being Abba) a brilliant sing-a-long chorus. The live version also ends with an extended sirens call of "summer night city" against a rocking out instrumental - it mirrors the craziness & seeming never ending of those balmy, heated evenings. Delicious.

(PS - do check out Abba's unreleased Opus Ten track, I Am The City. It's bonkers, glorious and Abba perfection that somehow in my mind would make an amazing opening song for the 2012 London Olympics... Just a notion!)

Top 21 songs of the week:

21 ~ Delta Goodrem, Sitting On Top Of The World
20 ~ Chantal Claret, Pop Pop Bang Bang
19 ~ Marina & The Diamonds, Primadonna
18 ~ Alanis Morrisette, Guardian
17 ~ Scissor Sisters, Only The Horses
16 ~ Gravitonas, Sacrifice
15 ~ fun, Some Nights
14 ~ Nicki Minaj, Starships
13 ~ Regina Spektor, Don't Leave Me (NE/VID)
12 ~ Eric Saade, Backseat
11 ~ Danny Amazing
10 ~ Madonna, Turn Up The Radio
09 ~ Stooshe, Black Heart
08 ~ Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe
07 ~ Christopher, Mine Mine Mine
06 ~ Jason Mraz, Everything is Sound
05 ~ Little Jackie, Cock Block
04 ~ Maroon 5, Payphone
03 ~ Ola, I'm In Love
02 ~ Tone Damli & Eric Saade, Imagine
01 ~ Kylie, Timebomb (NE/1 Week)