110. Little Things (Voyage 2021, single 2022)

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The fourth single from Abba's 2021 comeback album Voyage has been a difficult pill for me to swallow. I have really tried to like this song but in the recent ranking of my favourite Abba songs it fell to last place (110th out of 110 songs). Taking the time to stop and really listen to the song made me find things in it to enjoy, but unfortunately it does not change the fact that I cannot think it as a bona fide Abba song


As a melody this is very much from Benny Andersson's songbook of the 21st century. Simple, not overstated but with quirky changes and turns in the melody. As an instrumental it would work well as included on Benny Anderssons Orkester album or second volume of his Piano album. I also love how the delicate piano lines are merged in places with the synthesizer and acoustic guitar.  

As wonderful as Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad are as singers, the problem for me in this song are the vocals. Their tender take on the song sounds as if they are holding back and trying to sing as quietly as possible for not to wake up the children in the next room. This is not how their vocals work the best for me. There are several examples of Fältskog and Lyngstad singing quietly and tenderly combining warmth and subtle power. Here they don't succeed.

Another problem for me are the lyrics. Björn Ulvaeus has proved that he is a master of engaging depictions of everyday lives of everyday people. Little Things sounds too cozy for me and the lyrics sung in the almost whispering manner by Agnetha and Frida make this an uneasy listening experience.

And I'd better not even go to the children's choir in the end. What is it here for exactly? I would not mind it doubling for Agnetha and Frida at parts, but as a coda to the song already too cozy for comfort it is cringy. Little Things as an Abba track on an Abba album is almost the only complete misstep of the otherwise high quality output of the Swedish group. There is little chance for this song to rise much higher in my ranking, but maybe the last place too harsh. 

Pay attention to:
  • How the piano and synthesizer interact
  • Try to listen to this song as an instrumental
Coming up... Man In the Middle

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