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«I like ABBA. I don't know if I should feel guilty about it. They made
good pop records, you know!» (Bruce Springsteen)
The Swedish disco-pop quartet ABBA, the most commercially successful pop
group of the 1970s, remains one of the most popular bands
of all-time worldwide - from Australia to Russia, ABBA reigns supreme.
The marriage of Ulvaeus and Fältskog, followed later by that of Andersson
and Lyngstad, had laid the romantic and musical foundations of the Abba
concept. An early single, «People Need Love», reached number 17 in Sweden in
June 1972. The Eurovision Song Contest served as a backdrop to their
international ambitions and after Lyngstad's tentative entry in the
qualifying Swedish heats as a soloist in 1971, the quartet, now known as
Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid, attempted to represent their country
with the infectious «Ring Ring» in 1973. They succeeded the following April as ABBA, with the more polished and
bouncy «Waterloo», which not only won the contest, but topped the UK charts
and, amazingly, for a Eurovision entry, infiltrated the US Top 10. The
middling success of the re-released «Ring Ring» and singalong «I Do, I Do, I
Do, I Do, I Do» provided little indication of the chart domination that was
to follow. In September 1975, ABBA returned with the worldwide hit «SOS», a
powerhouse pop production highlighted by immaculately executed
counter-harmonies and an infectiously melodic arrangement.
These classic ingredients of the ABBA sound were ably evinced on their
first trilogy of UK chart-toppers «Mamma Mia», «Fernando» and «Dancing
Queen», which also found favour in Australia and Germany, and just about
every other country in the world. The last also brought them their only US
number 1 and precipitated their rise to pop superstardom with sales
unmatched since the golden age of the Beatles.
Firmly in control of their destinies, both on the artistic and commercial
fronts, the band undertook a tour of Europe and Australia in 1977, most
remarkable for its extravagant use of costume, sets and orchestration.
Between 1977-1978 they celebrated a second trilogy of UK chart-toppers
(«Knowing Me, Knowing You», «The Name Of The Game» and «Take A Chance On
Me»), whose haunting grace was enhanced by some of the finest promotional
videos of the period. Although «ABBA: The Movie» proved less memorable,
there was no doubting their commercial acumen. With international stardom assured, they began the 80s with two more UK
number 1s, «The Winner Takes It All» and «Super Trouper», taking their UK
chart-topping tally to an impressive nine in a little over six years.
Although the dissolution of both marriages in the band threatened their
unity, they maintained a high profile, not least on the international
business circuit where they eclipsed the car manufacturers Volvo as Sweden's
largest earners of foreign currency during 1982. With little left to achieve
within their chosen genre, they elected to rest the band that same year.
Concert photography: © Helge Øverås. Must not be used without permission.
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