My, my! Fifty years after ABBA’s international breakthrough with “Waterloo” in the Eurovision Song Contest, Polar Music International celebrates this milestone. When Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid “Frida” Lyngstad entered the already colourful stage at The Dome in Brighton, England on April 6, 1974, dressed in shiny glam-rock costumes typical of the era, the world of pop changed forever.
The Waterloo album is now reissued as a Half-Speed mastered 45RPM 2LP Vinyl, along with a limited edition box set of the three vinyl singles originally released by Polar in 1974; the singles are also available as separate picture discs. To top it all off, there is a unique 10-inch vinyl disc featuring “Waterloo” in four different languages and a new line of anniversary apparel taking it back to the 70’s. Pre-order it HERE.
Waterloo, ABBA’s second album, was first released in Sweden in March 1974. It was an enormous success: up to that point, no other album had sold as many copies in the group’s home country. And no wonder, as Björn and Benny had written, arranged and produced a string of great songs, most of them graced by the compelling lead vocals of Agnetha and Frida. The Waterloo album offers many riches beyond the title track. There is the breezy “Honey, Honey”, a highly familiar tune in the 21st century through its inclusion in the Mamma Mia! musical; “Hasta Mañana”, a tear-drenched ballad that almost became ABBA’s Eurovision entry; the early 1960s pop of “Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)” – and much more.
