Like A Magic Spell: Unlocking the Joy of ABBA

Adrian Stirrup
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Unlocking the joy of ABBA, one song at a time.

  1. 12/23/2024 · BONUS

    Yule-ez Vous

    Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is the song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the joy of ABBA. A Christmas special episode! As a little present for you, I thought I'd gather together some of the ABBA-related highlights available this festive season. Below are some of the links I talked about. THANK YOU for listening in 2024 and see you for more in 2025! LITTLE THINGS (official video)The Mike Yarwood Christmas Show from 1978'ABBA Christmas' sketch from Saturday Night LiveABBA on BBC iPlayerABBA on BBC SoundsChannel 5 (My5) websiteSky Arts websiteLike A Magic Spell: ME AND I & HAPPY NEW YEARInstagram: likeamagicspell Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

    9 min

  2. 10/13/2024 · BONUS

    Interview with Jan Gradvall, author of The Book of ABBA: Melancholy Undercover

    Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is the song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the joy of ABBA. This special episode is an interview with longstanding ABBA author and biographer, Jan Gradvall, who's written a fantastic new book, The Book of ABBA: Melancholy Undercover. The phrase comes from a quote from Benny about the group's music: "Even the happier songs are melancholy at their core. What we did was melancholy, undercover." The book is available to buy now. Jan is also appearing in the UK at the end of October 2024: Wednesday 23 October - London, Waterstones, Piccadilly with Ana Matronic and performances from The ABBA Tribute Band.Thursday 24 October - Sheffield, Off The Shelf Festival with Daniel Dylan Wray, plus an ABBA and Eurovision Quiz.Friday 25 October - Glasgow, Waterstones with Gemma Cairney. "Come dressed in your finest ABBA outfits".Instagram: likeamagicspell Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

    30 min

  3. 09/22/2024

    Thank You For The Music, I Wonder (Departure) & I'm A Marionette

    Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is the song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the joy of ABBA. For this season finale, our guest is the podcaster, life coach and all-round brilliant egg Alice Rose, and we cover THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC, I WONDER (DEPARTURE) and I'M A MARIONETTE. It's fair to say that we have strong views on all three! There are laughs, tangents about The Sound of Music and an important question for listeners at the very end. THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC (official video)THANK ABBA FOR THE MUSIC (Brits performance)I WONDER (DEPARTURE) (official audio-only video)I WONDER (DEPARTURE) (Live From Sydney Showground, Australia, 1977)I HAVE CONFIDENCE (from 'The Sound of Music', sung by Julie Andrews)I'M A MARIONETTE (official audio-only video)I'M A MARIONETTE/GET ON THE CAROUSEL (Live In Australia)Remember to get in touch with your thoughts on which ABBA album we should focus on in season three! Instagram: likeamagicspell Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

    42 min

  4. 09/15/2024

    Move On & Hole In Your Soul

    Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is the song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the sheer joy of ABBA. This week, Adrian is joined by writer and actor Ian Hallard to talk about MOVE ON and HOLE IN YOUR SOUL, and along the way they end up talking about West German shampoo commercials, counting the 'la-la-la's, and taking your own ABBA singles to your birthday party. (And... SHHHHHH there's a secret something at the end of the episode that you cannot tell anyone about!) MOVE ON (official audio-only video)Gard West German shampoo commercialHOLE IN YOUR SOUL (official audio-only video)HOLE IN YOUR SOUL (concert footage)THE WAY OLD FRIENDS DO (teaser trailer, December 2022)Next week: THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC, I WONDER (DEPARTURE) and I'M A MARIONETTE Instagram: likeamagicspell Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

    55 min

  5. 09/08/2024

    One Man, One Woman & The Name of the Game

    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 international episode, Adrian is joined from Sydney, Australia by ABBA superfan Leo Chant to talk about ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN and THE NAME OF THE GAME. They talk about meeting Benny and Bjorn in a courtroom, hijacking kids' roundabouts to play at being ABBA, and is THE NAME OF THE GAME genius or madness? ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN (official video)THE NAME OF THE GAME (official video)THE NAME OF THE GAME (A*Teens version)Next week: MOVE ON & HOLE IN YOUR SOUL Instagram: likeamagicspell Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

    34 min

  6. 09/01/2024

    Eagle & Take A Chance On Me

    Everyone has an ABBA story. Like A Magic Spell is a song-by-song podcast which unlocks and shares the sheer joy of ABBA. We're back for season two and will be talking about ABBA - THE ALBUM, starting with the first two tracks: EAGLE and TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. With this week's guest, literary editor and ABBA superfan Joelle Owusu, we talk about crimping irons, spending a "disgusting" amount in an ABBA gift shop, and the 1970s Look and Read serial Sky Hunter. There's also some AI-related ABBA nonsense at the end of the episode. EAGLE (official video)TAKE A CHANCE ON ME (official video)Look and Read - Sky Hunter (complete series with no educational bits)Nostalgia Podcast by Victoria PennantNext week: ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN and THE NAME OF THE GAME Instagram: likeamagicspell Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

    41 min

  7. SEASON 2 TRAILER

    Season Two Trailer

    Hello, we're back! This trailer episode gives you a sneaky peek at what's to come in season two. Every season of Like A Magic Spell deep-dives into an ABBA album and this season, we're looking at ABBA - The Album from 1977. Get ready for the new season by listening to the album on YouTube or on Spotify. And please spread the word about the podcast - tell your friends, tell your family, tell strangers on the bus. It all helps! Season two starts on Monday 2 September. Instagram: likeamagicspell Email: likeamagicspell@gmail.com Produced and hosted by Adrian Stirrup Music by Ian Jones

    5 min

  8. 04/02/2024 · BONUS

    My, My! The 50th Anniversary of ABBA Winning Eurovision

    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

    27 min
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Unlocking the joy of ABBA, one song at a time.

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