Abba - Waterloo

Probably Eurovision's biggest success ever via Sweden. In 1974 Abba took part in the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on the 6th of April in Brighton with a catchy little ditty called Waterloo. Influence by the Glam Rock scene of the UK and dressed in the latest fashions of the time (remember folks this is mid 1970's) they performed the song in English and won the contest with just 24 points. They had previously tried for Eurovision in 1973 with Ring Ring but failed to get chosen by the Swedish broadcasters. So this time they knew what they had to do to win a place, but for them it was a small step in the band's idea of making the big time.

The single got to number 1 in the UK and also the top of the charts in several European countries too. Also it hit the charts in Australia and America too where Eurovision wasn't really that well known. Apparently the band have said that Waterloo is roughly based and influenced by Wizzard's single See My Baby Jive (a hit in 1973) which I never thought about until now, but there is a similar sound. Although they released another couple of singles in the UK they all flopped here until S.O.S was released in 1975 which got into the top 10 and the rest is history. This was the beginning of the Abba story, from this one contest that would shoot them into superstardom and worldwide stars.

Tonight's Eurovision Song Contest is to take place in Sweden, 39 years after Abba's triumph win, the band split up in 1982 and vowed they would never sing together again. There are a lot of rumours that they might appear tonight to sing Waterloo, seeing that the band have opened this year a museum in Sweden celebrating the bands career and that Agnetha Fältskog has just released a new album, have all helped to fuel the rumours. It would be nice to think they might get back together but it is doubtful! Here is the original single, plus a picture disc version of the single that was released here to celebrate the 30th anniversary.

Eurovision Song Contest

Tomorrow is the Eurovision Song Contest which is held every year and the various national broadcasters of European countries select a song to represent their country in the show and it has been running since 1956. The idea of the contest basically was to rebuild Europe and to rebuild friendships and trust after the second world war had left most countries war torn and shattered. A country would give Europe a vision of that countries music, people and community via a pop song and national dress (if they had one). Up until recently the rule was that they had to sing in their nationality not in English so that the song would come across using emotion and a good melody.

Britain have won it 5 times in total and tomorrow night Bonnie Tyler is our representation in the contest. Last year it was Englebert Humperdinck and came second to last I think. Over the years the true vision and idea of a united Europe via a song contest has been hit more by politics. The last few years it is becoming more noticeable how a neighbouring country is voting for each other rather than giving the votes out fair, which has had a few countries complaining how unfair it is becoming. Also it shows how unpopular a country is becoming also as Britain have been coming in quite low the last few years, I think it shows we are not that popular in Europe! Each year there are calls for the UK to pull out of the show as it is becoming a joke because a country didn't vote for us as they don't like any of our policies or the fact we became allies with another country.

I really hope Bonnie does well but I don't think it is a Eurovision song, they are hoping her loyal fan base through Europe will help her with the votes, we shall see. I think it is such as shame that the original idea of a united Europe through music has yet again been ruined by politics. So I'm celebrating Eurovision with a couple of singles which will feature in the next couple of posts!

Abba - Dancing Queen

Probably Abba's most well known worldwide hit, more of a case of where it didn't charts I think! One of the most successful and remembered songs from the 1970's was released in August 1976 off the album Arrival and went straight to number 1 in the UK and in America too. The song became a huge disco hit, even though the single isn't really a disco track and an ultimate party tune that always gets people up dancing! The song had been recorded the previous year and I remember watching a TV show about the band and Freda said in the show how she cried when she first heard the backing track as it had such a beautiful tune, also on the same show, they showed a bit of film of them recording the song with an extra verse that never made the single. Over the years, the members of Abba have said that when they recorded the song, they all knew it would be a massive hit.

It was re-issued in 1992 to promote the issue of the compilation album Abba Gold, which (next to Queen's Greatest Hits) has become the UK's second biggest selling album of all time. I guess that shows just how popular the band were and still are I guess. The song always gets placed high up in the best ever song polls and biggest hit charts of the music channels. A track that has survived the various generations throughout the years and will continue I guess.

Here are the scans of my singles, the first one is the most owned copy of the single, on the orange Epic label

Here is the rarer copy of the single, the first pressing when it got released back in August 1976 on the yellow Epic label. Epic records were just about to revamp the labels design and had come up with the orange version which would last for the next four years.