Like A Magic Spell: Unlocking the Joy of ABBA

Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is the song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the joy of ABBA. This special episode is an interview with longstanding ABBA author and biographer, Jan Gradvall, who's written a fantastic new book, The Book of ABBA: Melancholy Undercover. The phrase comes from a quote from Benny about the group's music: "Even the happier songs are melancholy at their core. What we did was melancholy, undercover." The book is available to buy [https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571390984-the-book-of-abba-melancholy-undercover/] now. Jan is also appearing in the UK at the end of October 2024: * Wednesday 23 October - London, Waterstones, Piccadilly with Ana Matronic and performances from The ABBA Tribute Band. * Thursday 24 October - Sheffield, Off The Shelf Festival with Daniel Dylan Wray, plus an ABBA and Eurovision Quiz. * Friday 25 October - Glasgow, Waterstones with Gemma Cairney. "Come dressed in your finest ABBA outfits". Instagram: likeamagicspell [https://www.instagram.com/likeamagicspell?igsh=cXQ3c3pxc3N4b2ww&utm_source=qr] Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com [likeamagicspell@gmail.com] Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is the song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the joy of ABBA. For this season finale, our guest is the podcaster, life coach and all-round brilliant egg Alice Rose [https://www.thisisalicerose.com/], and we cover THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC, I WONDER (DEPARTURE) and I'M A MARIONETTE. It's fair to say that we have strong views on all three! There are laughs, tangents about The Sound of Music and an important question for listeners at the very end. * THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dcbw4IEY5w] (official video) * THANK ABBA FOR THE MUSIC [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE7uMsDD050] (Brits performance) * I WONDER (DEPARTURE) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D-XcxD1KMc] (official audio-only video) * I WONDER (DEPARTURE) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMDvzC7EdZk] (Live From Sydney Showground, Australia, 1977) * I HAVE CONFIDENCE [https://youtu.be/9PX9SIQdCjs?si=S5BojpdbD7FmUdFB] (from 'The Sound of Music', sung by Julie Andrews) * I'M A MARIONETTE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0WMVEUb3FE] (official audio-only video) * I'M A MARIONETTE/GET ON THE CAROUSEL [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqVhG_IUFms] (Live In Australia) Remember to get in touch with your thoughts on which ABBA album we should focus on in season three! Instagram: likeamagicspell [https://www.instagram.com/likeamagicspell?igsh=cXQ3c3pxc3N4b2ww&utm_source=qr] Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com [likeamagicspell@gmail.com] Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is the song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the sheer joy of ABBA. This week, Adrian is joined by writer and actor Ian Hallard to talk about MOVE ON and HOLE IN YOUR SOUL, and along the way they end up talking about West German shampoo commercials, counting the 'la-la-la's, and taking your own ABBA singles to your birthday party. (And... SHHHHHH there's a secret something at the end of the episode that you cannot tell anyone about!) * MOVE ON [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5GKZgsgi4g] (official audio-only video) * Gard West German shampoo commercial [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1RU6xKvL0s] * HOLE IN YOUR SOUL [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geooJv-Usus] (official audio-only video) * HOLE IN YOUR SOUL [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR1nWKphP9Q] (concert footage) * THE WAY OLD FRIENDS DO [https://youtu.be/skLRuXH6ryU?si=ERmHJOnX2aPiIw0q] (teaser trailer, December 2022) Next week: THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC, I WONDER (DEPARTURE) and I'M A MARIONETTE Instagram: likeamagicspell [https://www.instagram.com/likeamagicspell?igsh=cXQ3c3pxc3N4b2ww&utm_source=qr] Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com [likeamagicspell@gmail.com] Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is a song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the sheer joy of ABBA. In this international episode, Adrian is joined from Sydney, Australia by ABBA superfan Leo Chant to talk about ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN and THE NAME OF THE GAME. They talk about meeting Benny and Bjorn in a courtroom, hijacking kids' roundabouts to play at being ABBA, and is THE NAME OF THE GAME genius or madness? * ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw_fuu9jIOc] (official video) * THE NAME OF THE GAME [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ90ZqH0PWI] (official video) * THE NAME OF THE GAME [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaOim-DLOT8] (A*Teens version) Next week: MOVE ON & HOLE IN YOUR SOUL Instagram: likeamagicspell [https://www.instagram.com/likeamagicspell?igsh=cXQ3c3pxc3N4b2ww&utm_source=qr] Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com [likeamagicspell@gmail.com] Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is a song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the sheer joy of ABBA. We're back for season two and will be talking about ABBA - THE ALBUM, starting with the first two tracks: EAGLE and TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. With this week's guest, literary editor and ABBA superfan Joelle Owusu [https://www.joelleowusu.com/], we talk about crimping irons, spending a "disgusting" amount in an ABBA gift shop, and the 1970s Look and Read serial Sky Hunter. There's also some AI-related ABBA nonsense at the end of the episode. * EAGLE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDI7x1nwTUw] (official video) * TAKE A CHANCE ON ME [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-crgQGdpZR0] (official video) * Look and Read - Sky Hunter [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE7SRpDSb1U] (complete series with no educational bits) * Nostalgia Podcast by Victoria Pennant [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nostalgia-podcast/id1489863003] Next week: ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN and THE NAME OF THE GAME Instagram: likeamagicspell [https://www.instagram.com/likeamagicspell?igsh=cXQ3c3pxc3N4b2ww&utm_source=qr] Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com [likeamagicspell@gmail.com] Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones