On the 6th April 2014 it will be exactly 40 years since Abba won the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton and became a huge part of music history, ironically singing about one of the great battles in European history, namely Waterloo!!

Just as the Battle of Waterloo was the Duke of Wellington and Great Britain’s victory and Napoleon and France’s loss, so ABBA’s victory for Sweden spelt defeat for Italy, Netherlands and the UK who were the followers up in 2nd, 3rd and 4th spot. In fact all three songs representing these countries would have been worthy winners in any other year. Italian singer Gigliola Cinquetti’s beautiful, haunting ballad “Go” came in in second place, whilst the more uplifting entries from Holland and the UK, Mouth & MacNeil’s “I See A Star” and Olivia Newton John’s “Long Live love” achieved respectability in third and fourth place respectively.

However once ABBA stepped onto the stage at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with their song “Waterloo”, there could only be one winner. As well as offering a catchy song, ABBA stole the show through the visual impact of their two sexy, glamorous female vocalists, Agnetha and Anna-Frid, in glam rock costume. The impact of the broadcast of “Waterloo” to an international audience, resulted in the song reaching No1 across Europe in the UK, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. “Waterloo” also reached No1 in South Africa, No4 in Australia and No6 in the USA.

And just like the Battle of Waterloo, the rest is history………But the course of history was very nearly so different, as so often fine margins make the difference to success in life, business, sport and of course music and marketing!! The song “Waterloo” was the first single and title track off ABBA’s second album. It was also the first release to use the ABBA name, as their first album “Ring Ring” was credited as Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha, Frida. Somehow a group called BBAF would not have had the same “Ring Ring”!!

In fact the song “Ring Ring” was the follow up single in the UK to “Waterloo”, but although a very catchy, commercial sounding song, rather paled in comparison to “Waterloo” and as a result only reached No32 in the UK charts in July 1974. Another year elapsed before we heard another ABBA song in the UK, and again rather surprisingly the brilliant song “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do I Do” also failed to reach the UK Top 30, peaking at No38. It was starting to look rather grim for ABBA and despite all the band’s great potential, they were looking like they were destined to be known for the one huge international hit “Waterloo”.

However Fate and the Music Gods intervened and ABBA’s fourth single release “SOS” reached No6 in the UK in October 1975; still one of their greatest songs to this day!! 1976 saw ABBA join the Pop Top Table with three UK No1s, “Mamma Mia”, “Fernando” and “Dancing Queen”, securing their status as legends. The combination of Benny and Bjorn’s mastery of complex and catchy song writing and the combination of Agnetha and Anna-Frid’s complimentary vocal styles proved irresistible to not only the UK, but the world!!

ABBA reigned supreme across the Earth for eight years from 1974 to 1982 and their reign only came to an end because they decided to abdicate in 1982, amidst tension and tiredness within the band dynamics.

So to mark the 40th Anniversary of ABBA winning Eurovision Song Contest, here’s the Record Press Top 20 Best ABBA Songs –

Top 20 Best ABBA Songs

1) The Winner Takes It All ( UK No1 1980 )

2) SOS ( UK No6 1975 )

3) Dancing Queen ( UK No1 1976 )

4) Eagle ( UK No – 1978 )

5) Honey Honey ( UK No – 1974 )

6) I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do I Do ( UK No38 1975 )

7) Fernando ( UK No1 1976 )

8) Name Of The Game ( UK No1 1977 )

9) Thank You For The Music ( UK No33 1983 )

10) Waterloo ( UK No1 1974 )

11) Money Money Money ( UK No3 1976 )

12) Ring Ring ( UK No32 1974 )

13) The Day Before You Came ( UK No33 1982 )

14) Knowing Me Knowing You ( UK No1 1977 )

15) Summer Night City ( UK No5 1978 )

16) Chiquitita ( UK No2 1979 )

17) I Have A Dream ( UK No2 1979 )

18) Gimme Gimme Gimme ( No3 1979 )

19) Take A Chance On Me ( No1 1978 )

20) Mamma Mia ( UK No1 1976 )

What are your favourite ABBA songs? Let us know in the Reply Box below.

Celebrate your love of ABBA in your home or office, by ordering your favourite ABBA song in a vinyl or CD format; single, album or album cover; framed and mounted as a picture disc souvenir. You can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… 

ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records, framed CDs and framed DVDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration  / special occasion ie a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th Birthday ( How about the No1 song on the day of birth? ), a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!!  THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

For further information on new releases & re-issues and other merchandise or memorabilia, go to the ABBA website……..  www.abbasite.com/