Steps - Thank Abba For The Music (#Steps20)

Original release date: March 29th 1999
Buy Thank Abba For The Music here (Amazon UK)
Read all my Step One 20th anniversary reviews here

Back when pop was having a halcyon moment and was, in fact, very good indeed, awards shows, such as The Brits, could yield jolly interesting collaborations with spectacular (steptacular?) results. Rev the Delorian up to 88 miles per hour, or hop in your Hot Tub Time Machine because I am taking you back to 1999 when such an event occurred. Picture it – the Brits, 1999. I am about two stone lighter than I am now, giving it twink realness for the gods – watching, with rapt attention, popcorn bucket on my lap, just in my undies (probably Calvin Klein, this was before I discovered Aussie Bum and Andrew Christian). A plethora of chart topping pop stars, including Tina Cousins, Billie Piper and B*Witched, all sashay on the stage to the sounds of Abba – in what may be the finest Abba tribute since Erasure’s Abba-esque. I may have been super delighted by all this, but squealed quite loudly (in a gruff manly fashion) when my favourite pop group of the time, Steps, joined the stage. The fab five were riding high from the 2-1-2 success of their previous three singles (One For Sorrow, Heartbeat/Tragedy and Better Best Forgotten), so seeing them perform the music of one of the acts that inspired them was a real treat. Now what is the appropriate name for a collection of pop acts? The groove machine of pop acts weaved their way, with exuberant delight, through Take A Chance On Me, Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia and Thank You For The Music. Dance routines and sing a long glee are pretty hard to resist and this joyous moment in pop history was so well received that the medley was formally released a month or so later as a bonafide single in its own right (under the moniker of Supertroopers, I believe). Less than 3 weeks after Better Best Forgotten stormed to number two (and was still top twenty, as were the most recent hits from B*Witched and Billie Piper), Thank Abba For The Music debuted at its peak position of number four. Purists may argue that this doesn’t count towards Steps excellent run of consecutive top five hits, but hey – they sang on it and it was an official single (of course, similarly this means I should include their contribution to Denise & Johnny’s cover of Especially For You a few months earlier but lets see how I feel when the anniversary of that release rolls around). It was also a sizeable top ten hit in places as far flung as Sweden and Australia, a testament to the enduring power of Abba but also how much Steps and the rest of Supertroopers were becoming house hold names across the world.

(Of course this wasn't Steps only foray into the world of Abba. They would re-visit what is arguably the greatest back catalogue of all time when they participated in Abba-mania later that year, doing a funky version of Lay All Your Love On Me and a mesmerising rendition of I Know Him So Well, from Chess. I'd still love to hear a version of the latter where Lee and H take lead vocals and the ladies do backing harmonies. Then, H&Claire sang Gemini's Another You Another Me on their 2002 album of the same name. Their first return was heralded by a percolating cover of Dancing Queen; and finally their much anticipated new album - out in April - features Benny & Bjorn composition, and must-be-second-single, Story Of A Heart. Thank Abba For The Music indeed, because Steps always do them proud).

UK chart run ~ 4-5-4-12-14-21-26-26-32-35-34-42-63