Abba-esque is an extended play (EP) by English synth-pop duo Erasure. Released on 1 June 1992, the EP was Erasure's first and only 1 on the UK Singles Chart and also became a No. 1 hit in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, and Sweden.

Background

Mute Records released Abba-esque in the United Kingdom, while Elektra Records released it in the United States. Music videos were produced for all four tracks and issued as a video EP on VHS. A remix EP was also released by Mute Records in the UK which featured the same four songs in heavily reworked form. Shortly after the release, ABBA's Gold: Greatest Hits album also came out, sparking a revival of ABBA's music that has endured well into the 21st century.

After peaking at No. 2 twice (with "Sometimes" in 1986 and Crackers International in 1988), Erasure finally reached No. 1 in the UK with this release, remaining there for five weeks.

Track listings

All tracks written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus; "SOS" was co-written with Stig Anderson.

Abba-esque

  1. "Lay All Your Love on Me" – 4:45
  2. "SOS" – 3:49
  3. "Take a Chance on Me" – 3:43
  4. "Voulez-Vous" – 5:35

Abba-esque – The Remixes

  1. "Voulez-Vous" (Brain Stem Death Test Mix) (remixed by Fortran 5) – 5:46
  2. "Lay All Your Love on Me" (No Panties Mix) (remixed by Fortran 5) – 5:10
  3. "Take a Chance on Me" (Take a Trance on Me Mix) (remixed by Philip Kelsey) – 13:23
  4. "SOS" (Perimeter Mix) (remixed by Chris & Cosey) 5:17

Charts

Weekly charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1992)

!Peak<br/>position

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Denmark (IFPI)

|1

|-

!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)

|2

|-

!scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)

|1

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Greece (IFPI Greece)

|1

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Portugal (AFP)

|8

|-

!scope="row"|Spain Airplay (AFYVE)

|40

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|UK Indie (Music Week)

| align=center|1

|-

|}

Year-end charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1992)

!Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)

|88

|-

!scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)

|3

|-

!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop)

|28

|-

!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)

|5

|-

!scope="row"|Germany (Media Control)

|5

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

|59

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)

|60

|-

!scope="row"|Sweden (Topplistan)

|1

|-

!scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)

|5

|-

!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)

|7

|}

Decade-end charts

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1990–1999)

!Position

|-

!scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)

|41

|}

Certifications

Release history

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|

|-

!scope="row"|United Kingdom

|1 June 1992

|

|Mute

|

|-

!scope="row" rowspan="2"|Australia

|15 June 1992

|

|rowspan="2"|

|

|-

|13 July 1992

|12-inch vinyl

|

|-

!scope="row"|Japan

|21 July 1992

|CD

|Mute

|

|-

!scope="row"|Australia

|28 September 1992

|

|

|

|}

References