Every ABBA song from memory at the Festival of Chichester

David performs his feat – every song written and released by Abba, more than 120 songs from memory – on Saturday, July 6, starting at 9.30am in the St Blaise Centre, off the Boxgrove Priory car park, PO18 0EE. Everyone welcome. You can come and go as you please. No ticket is required and entry is free but there’s a retiring collection in aid of the Sussex Snowdrop Trust, Boxgrove Priory funds and Sage House dementia hub.

David, a 64-year-old solicitor from Yapton and a member of Boxgrove Priory Choir, will be accompanied at the piano by Chichester musician David Russell.

“I’ll be starting my Abbathon at 9.45am on July 6 and expect to finish at around 5.15pm. The singing will be split into four sessions, separated by coffee/lunch breaks; in my first session I’ll be concentrating on the band’s early output interspersed with songs from their 2021 Voyage album, but after that, starting with Waterloo – the song which 50 years ago wowed Eurovision in Brighton – I’ll take the songs roughly chronologically, ending with a rousing encore of the band’s most popular work.

“There are over 120 Abba songs in all. As well as enjoying the well-known floor fillers, audience members will have the chance to listen to some less well-known songs from the various albums, including such gems as So Long, I’ve Been Waiting For You, Gonna Sing You My Love Song and Bang A Boomerang, and other songs you may recognise from inclusion in the two smash-hit Mamma Mia films such as Andante Andante and Slipping Through My Fingers. Abba were masters at writing tremendous upbeat and very memorable melodies but with words that were often highly poignant and intense. Their songs encompassed a huge range of styles, structures and tempi and were superbly orchestrated. I very much hope my audience will in fact be more than just an audience, joining in whenever they wish.”

David started learning the Abba songs at the end of 2022. He then learnt two songs a week throughout 2023 which got him to the end of the task, but to spice things a little, he’s added some really niche numbers to the mix: “The group wrote a number of songs that either in full or in part only found their way onto albums released after they effectively split in 1982. There were also a couple of songs they wrote for their principal managers which were issued on vinyl in extremely limited quantity, and one or two other curiosities. I plan to sing all these as well to provide in total what I like to think is the most comprehensive rendition of Abba work that is possible.’

“Admission to the Abba event, which forms part of the Festival of Chichester is absolutely free and at any time on the day. Come when you can, go when you must. Soft drinks and biscuits will be available, for which just a donation is invited, but you are welcome to bring picnic food. A retiring collection will be split between Boxgrove Priory funds, Sussex Snowdrop Trust and Sage House.”