Like A Magic Spell: Unlocking the Joy of ABBA Adrian Stirrup

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 special episode, we celebrate 50 years since ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton with WATERLOO. 

Singer and comedian Lorraine Bowen - aka The Crumble Lady - chats about the joy of singing ABBA (recorded in the *actual Brighton Dome*!). We also go back in time to 1974 and look at how the British press covered the Song Contest, the atmosphere in Brighton, and their first glimpse of ABBA. Plus, there's news of the upcoming second season of Like A Magic Spell


Lorraine Bowen's websiteThe Brighton Dome websiteWATERLOO anniversary celebrations on radio and TV - from Ian Cole's excellent ABBA Omnibus blogInstagram: likeamagicspell
Email: 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 episode, Adrian and author, podcaster and mum Molly Forbes dig into LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME and THE WAY OLD FRIENDS DO (LIVE). As well as discussing the music, they ramble into all sorts of areas including unrequited love, comparing ABBA songs to aerobic workouts, and having to Google things to understand what children these days are on about. With a guest appearance from Molly's nine year-old, Effie!
LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME (official lyric video)LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME (BenFlo harmonies version)THE WAY OLD FRIENDS DO (LIVE) (audio-only video from ABBA YouTube channel)The Way Old Friends Do (website of Ian Hallard's play)The Body Happy Organisation (Molly's website)A*Teens medley from Melodifestivalen, Saturday 3 FebruaryInstagram: likeamagicspell
Email: 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 shares and unlocks the sheer joy of ABBA.

In this episode, Adrian and ABBA fan Jamie Brown talk about OUR LAST SUMMER and THE PIPER from the SUPER TROUPER album. They cover the 'fifth member' of ABBA, how to write a song about a fascist dictator, and mangling the word 'croissant' so it fits into a song.
OUR LAST SUMMER (audio-only video from ABBA YouTube channel)THE PIPER (audio-only video from ABBA YouTube channel)Lasse Wellander obituary from The Guardian, Monday 10 April 2023Get Onto My Cloud: The Tim Rice PodcastNext week: LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME & THE WAY OLD FRIENDS DO (LIVE)
Instagram: likeamagicspell
Email: 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 shares and unlocks the sheer joy of ABBA.

For this episode, Adrian is joined by music journalist and host of the Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast, Steve Holden to discuss ME AND I and HAPPY NEW YEAR. They talk about when Steve met Björn over Zoom, the perils of Mexican fireworks and, inevitably, the bleakness of New Year.
ME AND I (audio-only video from ABBA YouTube channel)ME AND I (Dick Cavett Meets ABBA performance)Dick Cavett Meets ABBA (full show)ABBA on TV (fan site listing every TV appearance by ABBA)HAPPY NEW YEAR (official video)Article: How an ABBA Classic Becomes the Anthem of Vietnam's New Year CelebrationArticle: SVT celebrates ABBA with a big gala evening (in Swedish)The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast with Björn Ulvaeus and Martin ÖsterdahlNext week: OUR LAST SUMMER and THE PIPER
Instagram: likeamagicspell
Email: 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 shares and unlocks the sheer joy of ABBA.

In this episode, Adrian and journalist and ABBA fan Ian Jones put ON AND ON AND ON and ANDANTE, ANDANTE under the musical microscope. We get a bold claim about Frida's voice, a direct comparison between ABBA and The Beatles  - and can ABBA bring people back from the dead?!
On And On And On (official video)Andante, Andante (official video)Yes, Scotland did have its own chart until 2020Next week: ME AND I and HAPPY NEW YEAR
Instagram: likeamagicspell
Email: 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 shares and unlocks the sheer joy of ABBA.

In this episode, Adrian and entertainment reporter Sinéad Garvan dive in to look at SUPER TROUPER and THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL,  and get distracted with talk of YouTube comments, the grind of touring and Beverley Craven.
Super Trouper (official video)The Winner Takes It All (official video)The Winner Takes It All (Sarah Dawn Finer - Eurovision Grand Final 2013)Follow Sinéad on Instagram

Next week: ON AND ON AND ON and ANDANTE, ANDANTE
Instagram: likeamagicspell
Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com

Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup
Music by Ian Jones