The song that best embodies the spirit of Eurovision and that launched its performers to international stardom turns 50. On April 6, 1974, the Swedish group Abba won the festival with Waterloo, a pure pop song, something until then unusual in the contest. Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad took the stage in Brighton (United Kingdom) to sing this catchy song in which a woman reflects on the battle that Napoleon lost and compares it to her own struggle love and how history repeats itself, while maestro Sven-Olof Walldoff conducted the BBC orchestra dressed as the French emperor.
That the fiftieth anniversary of the victory coincides with the celebration in Sweden of this year’s festival – it will be in May in Malmö – is a happy coincidence. In his honor, Malmö will host the ABBA world exhibition. There are also other initiatives to remember the anniversary in other European cities.
Waterloo, with music by Benny and Björn and lyrics by Stig Anderson, marked milestones in Eurovision. For the first time, a genuine pop song won, since until then ballads had won, or songs with some pop element but not as radical as in Waterloo. And it was the first time a group won; Before, soloists and a duo had won. There were six people on stage: the two vocalists, Benny on piano, Björn on guitar, another guitarist and a drummer. The platform shoes and the shine of the outfits did the rest.
They received 24 votes, six more than the second classified, Sì, by the Italian Gigliola Cinquetti, who had won Eurovision in 1964 with Non ho l’età. 17 countries participated in Brighton – at the time, the festival was a Western European affair; the Iron Curtain still existed – and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) did not have to organize semi-finals as it does now to screen. Spain came ninth with Sing and Be Happy, by the great Peret, which achieved 10 votes.
The Swedish group, forged in Stockholm in 1972, had already tried to represent their country at Eurovision the year before their victory, but was not selected. Precisely in 1973 it consolidated the name Abba, an acronym formed by the initials of the names of its members. There was also love on board. Agnetha and Björn had married in 1971, and Benny and Frida, a couple for years, married in 1978.
Waterloo catapulted Abba to world fame. They championed their own unmistakable style, influenced by British glam rock, which led them to produce memorable songs such as Dancing queen, Chiquitita, The winner takes it all, Mamma mia!, Super Trouper or Thank you for the music. They even recorded some with a Spanish version. They made their wild and extravagant clothing a hallmark. At first they did not have any money left over, and since the Swedish treasury allowed tax deductions for artistic costumes, it was key for their finances that their costumes were clearly scenic, unviable for use in everyday life.
After sweeping stages around the world and selling millions of records – it is estimated that in the seventies they became, after the automotive company Volvo, the largest generators of foreign currency for Sweden – they dissolved in 1982. Both marriages had divorced. few years before.
Since then they have taken different paths – the two men produced the musical Mamma mia! , while they began solo careers with mixed fortunes–, and have met on rare occasions. They have also launched virtual concerts with avatars, dubbed ABBAtars. A museum in Stockholm celebrates the group, and their songs remain classics of celebration and joy.
