"Waterloo" is the first single from the Swedish pop group

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...

's second album of the same name, and their first under the Epic and

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labels. This was also the first single to be credited to the group performing under the name ABBA. The title and lyrics reference the 1815

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armies of the Sevent ...

, and use it as a metaphor for a romantic relationship. The Swedish version of the single was backed with the Swedish version of " Honey, Honey", while the English version featured "Watch Out" on the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

. "Waterloo" won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 for

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

, beginning ABBA's path to worldwide fame. It topped the charts in several countries, and reached the top 10 in the United States. At the 50th anniversary celebration of the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

in 2005, it was chosen as the best song in the competition's history. It received the same honour in a 14-country open vote in the run-up to the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, placing first above Sweden's winning songs in 2012 and 2015, Loreen's "

Euphoria Euphoria ( ) is the experience (or affect) of pleasure or excitement and intense feelings of well-being and happiness. Certain natural rewards and social activities, such as aerobic exercise, laughter, listening to or making music and d ...

" and Måns Zelmerlöw's " Heroes", respectively.

Writing, recording and meaning

"Waterloo" was written specifically to be entered into the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, after the group finished third with " Ring Ring" the previous year in the Swedish pre-selection contest,

Melodifestivalen 1973 Sweden chose their entry for Eurovision Song Contest 1973 in a national final called Melodifestivalen 1973. One of the competitors was a group of those who would later be the members of ABBA, but they only finished 3rd with their own entry. In ...

. The original title of the song was "Honey Pie". "Waterloo" was originally written with simultaneous

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States a ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

beats (unusual for an ABBA song). Recording of the song commenced on 17 December 1973, with instrumental backing from

Janne Schaffer Jan Erik Tage "Janne" Schaffer (born 24 September 1945) is a Swedish songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his work as a session guitarist for ABBA but he has also recorded with artists such as Bob Marley, Johnny Nash, Art Farmer and Ton ...

(who came up with the main guitar and bass parts),

Rutger Gunnarsson Johan Rutger Gunnarsson (12 February 1946 – 30 April 2015) was a Swedish musician, bass guitarist, guitarist, arranger and producer. He was closely associated with the pop group ABBA. Career Gunnarsson grew up in Ledberg parish. His career began ...

and

Ola Brunkert Ola Brunkert (15 September 1946 – 16 March 2008) was a Swedish drummer who was one of the main session drummers for the pop group ABBA. Brunkert and bassist Rutger Gunnarsson are the only two side musicians to appear on every ABBA album, not cou ...

. The song's production style was influenced by

Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...

's "

Wall of Sound The Wall of Sound (also called the Spector Sound) is a music production formula developed by American record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios, in the 1960s, with assistance from engineer Larry Levine and the conglomerate of sessio ...

": prior to recording "Ring Ring", engineer Michael B. Tretow had read Richard Williams' book ''Out of His Head: The Sound of Phil Spector'', which inspired him to layer multiple instrumental overdubs on the band's recordings, becoming an integral part of ABBA's sound. Subsequently, German and French versions were recorded in March and April 1974 respectively: the French version was adapted by Alain Boublil, who would later go on to co-write the 1980 musical ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

''. The song's lyrics are metaphorical and are about a woman who "surrenders" to a man and promises to love him, likening it to

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

's defeat at the

in 1815.

At Eurovision

The band considered submitting another song to Eurovision, " Hasta Mañana", but decided on "Waterloo" since it gave equal weight to both lead vocalists Agnetha Fältskog and

Anni-Frid Lyngstad Princess Anni-Frid Synni Reuss, Countess of Plauen (born Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad on 15 November 1945), also known by her nickname "Frida", is a Norwegian-born Swedish singer, songwriter and environmentalist, who is best known as one of the foun ...

, while "Hasta Mañana" was sung only by Fältskog. ABBA performed the song at

Melodifestivalen 1974 The Swedish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest was called Melodifestivalen 1974. It was, by far, won by the group ABBA, consisting of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Their song was calle ...

in February, singing it in Swedish. The song won, and therefore advanced to Eurovision. The song differed from the standard "dramatic ballad" tradition of the

by its flavour and rhythm, as well as by its performance. ABBA gave the audience something that had rarely been seen before in Eurovision: flashy costumes (including silver platform boots), plus a catchy uptempo song and even simple choreography. The group also broke from convention by being the first winning entry in a language other than that of their home country; prior to , all Eurovision singers had been required to sing in their country's native tongue, a restriction that was lifted briefly for the contests between 1973 and (thus allowing "Waterloo" to be sung in English), then reinstated before ultimately being removed again in . Compared to later ABBA releases, the singers' Swedish accents are decidedly more pronounced in "Waterloo". The song scored 24 points to win the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 final on 6 April, beating runner-up Gigliola Cinquetti of 's entry " Sì" by six points.

Reception

The song shot to No. 1 in the UK and stayed there for two weeks, becoming the first of the band's nine UK No. 1's, and the 16th biggest selling single of the year in the UK. It also topped the charts in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, West Germany, Ireland, Norway, South Africa, and Switzerland, while reaching the Top 3 in Austria, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and ABBA's native Sweden. (The song was immensely popular in Sweden, but did not reach No. 1 there due to Sweden having a combined Album and Singles Chart at the time: at the peak of the song's popularity, its Swedish and English versions reached No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, while the No. 1 spot was held by the album '' Waterloo''.) The song also spent 11 weeks on Svensktoppen (24 March – 2 June 1974), including 7 weeks at No. 1. As of September 2021, it is ABBA's eleventh-biggest song in the UK, including both pure sales and digital streams. Unlike other Eurovision-winning tunes, the song's appeal transcended Europe: "Waterloo" also reached the Top 10 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Rhodesia, and the United States (peaking at No. 6, their third highest-charting U.S. hit after No. 1 "

Dancing Queen "Dancing Queen" is a Europop and disco song by the Swedish group ABBA, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, '' Arrival'' (1976). It was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson. Andersson and Ulvae ...

" and No. 3 " Take a Chance on Me"). The ''Waterloo'' album performed similarly well in Europe, although in the US it failed to match the success of the single. ABBA had originally cited the song "

See My Baby Jive "See My Baby Jive" is a 1973 song by the British glam rock band Wizzard. Written and produced by Roy Wood, "See My Baby Jive" was the second single by Wood's band and their first to reach number one in the UK Singles Chart, spending four weeks ...

", by English

glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...

band Wizzard, as a major influence; in the wake of their Eurovision victory, they were quoted as saying that it would not surprise them if artists such as Wizzard would consider entering the Eurovision in the future. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an onli ...

'' said that this "is not a brash rocker, it's just solid rock with a very competent lady up front."

Legacy

"Waterloo" was re-released in 2004 (with the same B-side), to celebrate the 30th anniversary of ABBA's Eurovision win, reaching No. 20 on the UK charts. On 22 October 2005, at the 50th anniversary celebration of the

, "Waterloo" was chosen as the best song in the competition's history. Harry Witchel, physiologist and music expert at the

University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

, named "Waterloo" the quintessential Eurovision song. In 2017, ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' ranked the song number 9 on their list of the 15 greatest ABBA songs, and in 2021, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' ranked the song number 10 on their list of the 25 greatest ABBA songs.

Track listing

Swedish version

a. "Waterloo" (Swedish version) – 2:45
b. "Honey Honey" (Swedish version) – 2:55

English version

a. "Waterloo" (English version) – 2:46
b. "Watch Out" – 3:46

Official versions

* "Waterloo" (English version) * "Waterloo" (English alternate version) * "Waterloo" (French version) - recorded 18 April 1974 in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

, France * "Waterloo" (French/Swedish version) - overdubs of French and Swedish versions * "Waterloo" (German version) * "Waterloo" (Swedish version)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

Release history

''Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'' version

"Waterloo" was released on 1 June 2018 as the second single from the '' Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'' soundtrack, by Capitol and

Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

. The song is performed by

Hugh Skinner Hugh William Skinner (born 6 January 1985) is an English actor. He is best known for starring in sitcoms ''W1A'' (2014–2017) and '' The Windsors'' (2016–2020), and his appearances in musical films ''Les Misérables'' (2012) and ''Mamma Mi ...

(Young Harry) and Lily James (Young Donna) and was produced by Benny Andersson.

Charts

Certifications

Other cover versions

* In 1986, Doctor and the Medics covered the song, reaching number 45 in the UK charts. * In 2018,

Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...

covered the song on her ABBA covers album ''

''. During her Here We Go Again Tour she performed "Waterloo" together with "

SOS is a Morse code distress signal (), used internationally, that was originally established for maritime use. In formal notation is written with an overscore line, to indicate that the Morse code equivalents for the individual letters of "SOS" ...

" and " Fernando". On 31 October 2018 " The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" and " Take Me Home" were cut from her

Classic Cher Classic Cher was the third concert residency by American singer-actress Cher. The show is performed in Las Vegas, Oxon Hill, and Atlantic City. Set list This set list is representative for the opening concert on February 8, 2017. #"Woman's Wo ...

concert residency and "Waterloo", "SOS" and "Fernando" were added. On 18 September 2019 Cher also performed "Waterloo" at the season 14 finale of ''

America's Got Talent ''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is a televised American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distribu ...

'', to promote the album and her Here We Go Again Tour.

Live cover performances

* The song is featured in the encore of the musical ''

Mamma Mia! Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to: Roles *Mother, a female parent *Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority *Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels Places * Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlemen ...

''. The song does not have a context or a meaning. It is just performed as a musical number in which members of the audience are encouraged to get up off their seats and sing, dance and clap along. * The song is performed by the cast over the closing credits of the film ''

'', but is not featured on the official soundtrack. ** The song is also performed in the sequel, ''Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'', by Hugh Skinner and Lily James.

Appearances in other media

* ABBA perform parts of the song live in the 1977 film '' ABBA: The Movie''. * The Australian film'' Muriel's Wedding'' (1994), features "Waterloo" in a pivotal scene in which lead

Toni Collette Toni Collette Galafassi (born Toni Collett; 1 November 1972) is an Australian actress, producer, singer, and songwriter. Known for her work in television and independent films, she has received various accolades throughout her career, inclu ...

bonds with the character played by Rachel Griffiths. The film's soundtrack, featuring five ABBA tracks, is widely regarded as having helped to fuel the revival of popular interest in ABBA's music in the mid-1990s. * "Waterloo" features prominently in the 2015 science-fiction film '' The Martian''. The song plays as the film's lead, played by

Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Ameri ...

, works to ready his launch vehicle for a last-chance escape from Mars. * "Here I Go Again", the 11th episode of the third season of ''

Legends of Tomorrow ''DC's Legends of Tomorrow'', or simply ''Legends of Tomorrow'', is an American time travel superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klemmer, who are also executive producers a ...

'' (19 February 2018), begins ''in medias res'', with the titular time-traveling team having apparently just restored a time-transplanted Napoleon from the 1970s, where he had come into possession of a copy of the record. The song is also stuck in the head of one member of the team, until he erases his own memory to get it out. * In " Mother Simpson", the eighth episode of the seventh season of ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...

'', Mr. Burns plays "

Ride of the Valkyries The "Ride of the Valkyries" (german: Walkürenritt Ritt der Walküren, links=no) refers to the beginning of act 3 of '' Die Walküre'', the second of the four operas constituting Richard Wagner's '' Der Ring des Nibelungen''. As a separate pie ...

" from a tank about to storm the Simpson home, but the song is cut-off and "Waterloo" is played, to which Smithers apologizes, advising he "must have accidentally taped over that".

References

External links

Classic pop video of Waterloo

Abba4therecord.com
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Waterloo (Abba Song) ABBA songs 1974 singles Atlantic Records singles Epic Records singles Eurovision songs of 1974 Eurovision songs of Sweden Congratulations Eurovision songs Melodifestivalen songs of 1974 UK Singles Chart number-one singles Number-one singles in Germany Irish Singles Chart number-one singles Number-one singles in Norway Number-one singles in South Africa Number-one singles in Switzerland Songs written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus Eurovision Song Contest winning songs Swedish-language songs Polar Music singles Polydor Records singles Music videos directed by Lasse Hallström 1974 songs Songs about Napoleon Songs about Belgium Song recordings with Wall of Sound arrangements