Abba - I Am The City

I Am The City was recorded on May 8 1982. It remained unreleased until it was included on the compilation album "More Abba Gold" in May 1993. This was one of 7 songs Abba recorded during 1982 for their possible next album after The Visitors, believed likely to be called Opus 10. The 7 songs were Should I Laugh Or Cry (Sep 1981), You Owe Me One, I Am The City, Just Like That (all May 1982), Cassandra, Under Attack and The Day Before You Came (all August 1982). However the group unofficially retired at the end of 1982, and the unfinished album was never completed. The unreleased songs eventually appeared as bonus tracks on The Visitors album or on compilation albums. There has been no definitive reason given for the group's retirement in December 1982. However there is no doubt that the two divorces had taken its toll on the group. Their hearts were no longer in it. During their career they had often said "Abba will carry on as long as we enjoy working together. The day that we are tired of it, we'll stop." The group's break-up was further hastened by Benny and Bjorn's collaboration with Tim Rice in early 1983 to write songs for the new musical project Chess. The four Swedes were no longer looking in the same direction, it was time to go their seperate ways. This is an unofficial promotional video made in 2007 for this song. Lyrics: Coming through a cloud, you're looking at me from above And I'm a revelation, spreading out before your eyes And you find me beautiful and irresistible A giant creature that forever seems to grow in size, And you feel a strange attraction, Ooh, ooh the air is vibrant and electrified, Welcome to me, here I am my arms are open wide Somewhere in the middle of the never ending noise, There is a pulse, a steady rhythm of a heart that beats And a million voices blend into a single voice, And you can hear it in the clamour of the crowded streets, People come and take their chances, Ooh, ooh, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose a lot Come make your own contribution to this melting pot I'm the street you walk, the language you talk I am the city, the skyline is me and the energy I am the city, the famous hotels And the cocktail bars, and the funny smells And the turmoil of cars, and the people The air that you're breathing is me, Yes I am the city, you let me be People feed me with their lives, I am a hungry soul And they all worship me, and pay their homage day and night Everyday I hear a lot of tired, shuffling feet But come tonight they will be dancing in the neon light, Dazzled by the crazy magic, Ooh, ooh, they're grabbing pieces of the fatted calf And in the wind if you listen hard, you'll hear me laugh I'm the street you walk, the language you talk I am the city, the skyline is me and the energy I am the city, the famous hotels And the cocktail bars, and the funny smells And the turmoil of cars, and the people The parks and the squares that you see, All the sounds that you hear, And the air that you're breathing is me, Yes I am the city, you let me be I am the city, you let me be, I am the city The famous hotels and the cocktail bars, And the funny smells and the turmoil of cars, And the people, the air that you're breathing is me Coming through a cloud, you're looking at me from above And I'm a revelation, spreading out before your eyes I'm the street you walk, the language you talk I am the city yes, I am the city, you let me be And you find me beautiful and irresistible, A giant creature that forever seems to grow in size, The skyline is me and the energy, I am the city you let me be Somewhere in the middle of the never ending noise, There is a pulse, a steady rhythm of a heart that beats I'm the street you walk, the language you talk I am the city, yes I am the city, you let me be And a million voices blend into a single voice, And you can hear it in the clamour of the crowded streets, The skyline is me, and the energy I am the city you let me be.

Added 24 May 2026