The Infinite Dial

Up until now, I've stayed away from those single-artist channels that Sirius Satellite Radio does for a few weeks to tie in with a superstar artist release or some other event. It was an interesting concept when Todd Wallace signed on KYST (Beatleradio #9) in suburban Houston in the early '80s, but even with artists I like, it's usually too much of a good thing.

But I did check out Sirius' Abba Radio, appearing in place of Sirius Love on Channel 3 until the end of this week following the premiere of "Mamma Mia" the movie. Having slogged through "Mamma Mia" last weekend, I wanted to hear the songs sung well for a change.

During the 50 or so minutes I listened, there was a jingle that turned the Abba hit into "take a chance on [Channel] three"; interviews with the group members, a "story behind the song" segment with an Abba biographer. In other words, there was the level of production and staging that you'd like to hear go in to every jockless channel. (There are celebrity host segments on Abba Radio, but this stretch was jockless). It was also a good chance to be reminded briefly of some of the moments I'd barely registered at the time, like the group's attempt at '70s funk ("Man In The Middle").

Here's 45 minutes of Abba Radio; all songs are Abba unless otherwise noted:

"Summer Night City"
"Waterloo (French version)"
"Medley: Pick A Bale of Cotton/On Top Of Old Smokey/Midnight Special"
Hep Stars, "Bald Headed Woman" (Benny's '60s band)
"Ring Ring"
"That's Me"
"On And On And On"
"Super Trouper"
"Head Over Heels"
Amanda Seyfried & "Mamma Mia" Cast, "Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)"
"Man In The Middle"
"Mamma Mia"
"I've Been Waiting For You"