Under Attack


"Under Attack" is a single by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally featured as a track on the 1982 compilation album , but was released as a single the following year in most countries. However, in the United Kingdom it was released on 3 December 1982. "Under Attack" was ABBA's 28th single for Polar Music and was the band's last widely released single.

Background

ABBA recorded "Under Attack" between 2 and 4 August 1982 at Polar Music Studios, Stockholm. The group had originally intended to release a new studio album, but the stress of the working environment led them to shelve the project indefinitely and instead to release a double-album compilation of their past singles featuring two new songs not previously released. The two new tracks that made it onto The Singles: The First Ten Years were "The Day Before You Came" and "Under Attack". The former was released as a single in October 1982.
"Under Attack" contains fragments from two unreleased ABBA songs: "Just Like That" and "Rubber Ball Man", also known as "Under My Sun". The song's dark lyrics seems to be about a stalker or an ex-lover.
On 11 December 1982, ABBA performed "Under Attack" on the BBC's Late Late Breakfast Show, in what was their last collective performance.

Music video

ABBA filmed a music video for "Under Attack" on 16 November 1982. Set in an empty warehouse, the video involves ABBA navigating their way through a room filled with red beacon lights. The video ends with the four members walking away in the distance, their backs to the camera, reaching the end of ABBA.

Reception

"Under Attack" was not a commercial success upon its release. ABBA's popularity was in decline and the two preceding singles had failed to reach No. 1 anywhere. Although a Top 5 hit in Belgium and the Netherlands, and a Top 20 single in a couple of other European charts, it did not become a major hit anywhere else. It peaked at No. 26 in the United Kingdom. In Australia, where the group's popularity only a few years earlier had rivaled that of The Beatles, "Under Attack" only reached No. 96 in the singles chart. "Under Attack" became ABBA's lowest charting single since "So Long". After the single's release, ABBA went on a temporary hiatus that effectively became indefinite and marked the end of the band.
Despite the song not being a commercial success, Rolling Stone magazine described it as "the best thing they've done in three years."
"Under Attack" is featured in the musical theatre production Mamma Mia! but not in the film.

Personnel

Cover versions