Waterloo (Album)
Occupation
- Vocals: Agnetha Fältskog, Anni -Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus
- Bass: Rutger Gunnarsson
- E -Bass: Rutger Gunnarsson
- Acoustic Guitar: Björn Ulvaeus
- Drums: Ola Brunkert
- Piano, Moog, Mellotron: Benny Andersson
- Bass: Per Sahlberg Dance
- Tenor Saxophone: Christer Eklund Waterloo
- Congas: Malando Gassama Sitting In The Palmtree
Production
- Benny Andersson
- Björn Ulvaeus
Waterloo is the second album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released on 4 March 1974 in Sweden for the first time and stood there twelve weeks at the top of the sales charts. It sold by the end of 1974 250.000 times, so it was the best-selling album there at this time. The eponymous title song Waterloo won the group on April 6, 1974 in Brighton the Euro Vision Song Contest.
- 5.1 LP and CD 5.1.1 Page 1
- 5.1.2 Page 2
Begin Recording
After the group had completed a concert tour in September 1973, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus devoted to the composition of new songs. His first musical experiments earlier this month were held, the official start of recording for the new album was on 24 September 1973 with the title Dance (While the Music Still Goes On ), which was very inspired by the recordings of Phil Spector and the Agnetha Fältskog 's solo took over. This was followed by the recording of My Mama Said, Suzy -Hang- Around, Honey Honey and What About Livingstone in October. Suzy -Hang- Around is one of the few songs in the career of ABBA, the text of which was written by Andersson. In mid-November 1973, only the King Kong song was recorded, which was later considered by many fans as "the silliest song the band has ever produced ".
On November 14, 1973 those musicians were listed in the Swedish newspapers for the first time, of which a contribution was " Melodifestivalen 1974 " desired, should decide on the participation of Sweden at the Euro Vision Song Contest 1974. This invitation was both Andersson and Ulvaeus for, as well as for Stig Anderson a great incentive. They set out some thoughts on what kind of song was probably most appropriate for them and finally decided on a cheerful and faster song. Shortly after, she went to work on this piece in Ulvaeus ' holiday home on the island Viggsö. After they were done towards the beginning of December 1973, she gave a demo tape to Anderson, whose task was to find a suitable text and title. After a few days intensely focused on it, he waited in mid-December on the three-syllable word "Waterloo", which he had taken from a book of famous quotations.
Benny Andersson had a second article also written the text for Gonna Sing You My Love Song, whose solo was sung by Anni- Frid Lyngstad. The song was recorded a few days before the first backing tracks were recorded for Waterloo, in which Fältskog and Lyngstad sang the lead vocals together. Even the songs Sitting in the Palmtree, Hasta Mañana, Watch Out were recorded in the same month, of which some still needed a revision. So was continued in January 1974 with the works, including a Swedish language version of Honey, Honey was still in production.
On January 7, 1974, the composer and Stig Anderson submitted the participation of the group at the Swedish preliminary decision for the next Song Contest, although they were not even agree to what song they now wanted to present final. While Andersson and Ulvaeus had the song Waterloo specially composed for the occasion, but they also acknowledged the ballad Hasta Mañana greater potential, since this song was similar to the winning titles of recent years. Stig Anderson finally chose Waterloo because he was of the opinion that this particular title because of its uniqueness in contrast to previous contributions, and his tradition -breaking presentation might have greater chances of winning.
Euro Vision Song Contest and international breakthrough
On February 9, 1974 " Melodifestivalen 1974 " took place, in which ABBA took with the Swedish version of Waterloo, with 302 points, was able to record a massive victory. At this time, however, the song did not exist in its final mix; this was done during the month before the album was first released on March 4, 1974 in Sweden. This version of the record also contained the Swedish version of Waterloo, which appeared alongside the English on the same day as a single. For safety's sake the previous name Benny, Björn, Agnetha and Frida was given in parenthesis next to the new band name ABBA on the cover. In Sweden, the album quickly rose to # 1 on the sales charts; The two singles were ranked number 2 and 3, only four weeks after the chart entry 125,000 units had been sold, which was until then any album in Sweden have succeeded.
The Euro Vision Song Contest 1974 took place on April 6, 1974 held in Brighton, England, where ABBA as an eighth of a total of 17 participants presented their contribution. The competition was broadcast in more than 30 countries and seen by 500 million television viewers. At the end of the group dominated the points list with a six point lead. This appearance ABBA was now known worldwide and the English Waterloo single was released in a total of 54 countries of the world, where they occupy the top position in many European countries and place them in others, including in the U.S., in the top ten of the charts could.
The album was released first in the discography of ABBA in a variety of countries, such as in East Germany and Turkey, Poland, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico and the former Yugoslavia. In contrast to single it had, however, only very moderate success on the charts. Apart from Sweden, it only reached number 1 in Norway, as well as the Top Ten in Germany, Finland and Zimbabwe. On May 17, 1974, was also released in the UK, where it only reached number 28 and also in Australia (# 18 ) and New Zealand (# 38) is not met with a great deal resonance, just as the follow-up single Honey, Honey which was not released in the UK. For the release of the album in other countries, a remix of Ring Ring was added, replacing, for example, in the United States and Britain, the Swedish version.
Chart success
Album
Singles
Single releases
- Waterloo ( French) / Gonna Sing You My Love Song - France (May 1974 - no placement! )
- Hasta Mañana / Watch Out - Portugal, South Africa (# 2 - 8th Nov. 1974-15 wk. )
- Honey Honey / Hasta Mañana - Spain ( September 1974 - no placement! )
Title list
LP and CD
Page 1
Page 2
The album was released in Sweden in 1988 and in subsequent years in other countries as a CD. In parentheses is the track number of the CD releases is specified ( see CD / Cover Polar Music Int. AB).
Remaster version
The remastered version of the album was released in 2001 with the following bonus tracks:
30th Anniversary Edition
In 2004, the album was released as a 30th Anniversary Edition and supplemented again by two more bonus tracks and a DVD:
The music videos of the DVD of the 30th Anniversary edition:
Complete Studio Recordings
2005 appeared the Complete Studio Recordings with all eight studio albums, a rarities CD ( B-sides, outtakes, remixes ) and two DVDs. The Waterloo album of remastered 2001 version was expanded to include the following tracks:
Deluxe Edition
On the 40th anniversary of the album and the ESC victory appeared on April 4, 2014 Deluxe Edition of the album, which, as already the 30th Anniversary Edition will be supplemented by a DVD. In addition to the regular album tracks, there are eight bonus tracks on the CD.
DVD content: