Introduction
Unveiling a Diamond: The Story Behind ABBA’s “From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel”
“From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel” isn’t quite an ABBA song in the traditional sense. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the band’s creative process, offering a medley of demo recordings for their beloved ballad “Like An Angel Passing Through My Room.”
The story begins in 1981. Benny Andersson, one half of ABBA’s songwriting duo alongside Björn Ulvaeus, started with a simple melody. To capture the essence, Björn even sang a placeholder lyric – “Twinkle, Twinkle” – hinting at the song’s future ethereal quality. The track evolved, taking titles like “Another Morning Without You” and “An Angel Walked Through My Room,” reflecting its melancholic theme.
These demo recordings, compiled into “From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel,” showcase the song’s early iterations. We hear the melody taking shape, the instrumentation being explored, and perhaps even Agnetha Fältskog or Frida Lyngstad experimenting with vocals (though this isn’t confirmed).
The medley’s title itself is symbolic. “Twinkling Star” evokes the song’s initial spark of inspiration, while “Passing Angel” hints at the ephemeral quality of the lost love it describes. This unreleased track offers a unique opportunity for ABBA fans to delve deeper, to appreciate the raw beauty of the song before it was polished into the masterpiece we know today as “Like An Angel Passing Through My Room.”
While “From A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel” might not be a fully formed song, it’s a precious window into ABBA’s creative alchemy. It allows us to witness a pop gem being born, a testament to the brilliance and meticulousness that made them one of music’s most enduring phenomena.