Waterloo (song)

Last updated

"Waterloo"
Waterloo by ABBA US single side-A.png
US single of the English version
Single by ABBA
from the album Waterloo
B-side
  • "Honey, Honey (Svensk Version)" (Swedish-language release)
  • "Watch Out" (English-language release)
Released4 March 1974 [1]
Recorded17 December 1973
Studio Metronome, Stockholm, Sweden
Genre
Length2:42
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Benny Andersson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA singles chronology
"Nina, Pretty Ballerina"
(1973)
"Waterloo"
(1974)
"Honey, Honey"
(1974)
Audio sample
Waterloo (English version)

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Belgium200,000 [54]
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [55] Gold45,000
France500,000 [56]
Kenya10,000 [57]
Portugal20,000 [58]
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [59] Gold30,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [60]
Original release
Silver489,000 [61]
United Kingdom (BPI) [62] Platinum600,000
United States800,000 [63]
Yugoslavia [64] Gold100,000 [64]
Summaries
Worldwide5,000,000 [65]

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateTitleLabelFormatCatalog
Sweden4 March 1974"Waterloo" (Swedish) / "Honey, Honey" (Swedish) Polar Single POS 1186
Sweden4 March 1974"Waterloo" (English) / "Watch Out" Polar Single POS 1187
UK1974"Waterloo" / "Watch Out" Epic Single EPC 2240
US1974"Waterloo" / "Watch Out" Atlantic Single 45-3035
West Germany1974"Waterloo" (German) / "Watch Out"PolydorSingle2040 116
France1974"Waterloo" (French) / "Gonna Sing You My Lovesong"VogueSingle45. X. 3104

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. The song is performed by Hugh Skinner (Young Harry) and Lily James (Young Donna) and was produced by Benny Andersson.

Charts

Chart (2018)Peak
position
Hungary (Single Top 40) [66] 40
Scotland (OCC) [67] 70

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [68] Silver200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other cover versions

Live cover performances

Appearances in other media

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABBA</span> Swedish pop group

ABBA are a Swedish pop supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's name is an acronym of the first letters of their first names arranged as a palindrome. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the best-selling music acts in the history of popular music.

<i>Waterloo</i> (album) 1974 studio album by ABBA

Waterloo is the second studio album by the Swedish pop group ABBA, and the first released internationally. It was originally released on 4 March 1974 in Sweden through Polar Music. The album's title track won ABBA the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest and became a global hit, launching the group's career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurovision Song Contest 1974</span> International song competition

The Eurovision Song Contest 1974 was the 19th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, held on 6 April 1974 in the Dome in Brighton, United Kingdom. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and presented by Katie Boyle, this was the fifth time that the United Kingdom had staged the contest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mamma Mia (ABBA song)</span> 1975 single by ABBA

"Mamma Mia" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It is the opening track on the group's third album, the self-titled ABBA (1975). The song was released in September 1975 as its sixth single. The song's name is derived from Italian, where it is an interjection used in situations of surprise, anguish, or excitement. It corresponds to the English interjection "my, my!" The song was ABBA's first number one in the UK since "Waterloo" in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gigliola Cinquetti</span> Italian singer and TV presenter (born 1947)

Gigliola Cinquetti is an Italian singer, songwriter, and television presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABBA discography</span>

The discography of Swedish pop music group ABBA consists of nine studio albums, two live albums, seven compilation albums, four box sets, five video albums, 50 singles, and 43 music videos. To date, ABBA have sold 150 million records worldwide becoming one of the best-selling music artists in history. They have scored 9 No. 1 singles and 10 No. 1 albums in the UK, becoming the most successful Swedish act of all time on the Official Charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Number One</span> 2005 Helena Paparizou song

"My Number One" is a song recorded by Greek-Swedish singer Helena Paparizou, written by Manos Psaltakis, Christos Dantis, Natalia Germanou and produced by Christos Dantis. It was the Greek winning entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, held in Kyiv, awarding the country its first victory in the Eurovision Song Contest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SOS (ABBA song)</span> 1975 single by ABBA

"SOS" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in June 1975 as the fifth single from their self-titled 1975 album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fernando (song)</span> 1975 song

"Fernando" is a song written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, from the Swedish musical group ABBA. The song was written for their fellow group member Anni-Frid Lyngstad and was included on her 1975 album Frida ensam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chiquitita</span> 1979 ABBA song

"Chiquitita" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in January 1979 as the first single from Voulez-Vous (1979), the group's sixth album. Agnetha Fältskog performs the lead vocals. Originally, the track "If It Wasn't for the Nights" was going to be the album's lead single, but after "Chiquitita" was completed these plans were abandoned, and it remained an album track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One of Us (ABBA song)</span> 1981 single by ABBA

"One of Us" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in December 1981 by Polar Music as the lead single from the band's eighth studio album, The Visitors (1981). Written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, who also produced it, the song has lead vocals by Agnetha Fältskog and is about a woman trying to revive a relationship she had ended. It would become ABBA's last major hit for 40 years, and the last No. 1 single of their career, topping the charts in Belgium, Denmark, West Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands. "One of Us" was also a top-10 hit in countries like Austria, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. In the US, where it was released in 1983, it only charted on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart and the Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at number 107 and 33, respectively. The music video for the song was directed by Lasse Hallström, featuring Fältskog as a woman moving in her new house. "One of Us" has since been covered by Pandora in 1995, A-Teens in 1999 and Cher in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Winner Takes It All</span> 1980 song by ABBA

"The Winner Takes It All" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. Released as the first single from the group's seventh studio album, Super Trouper (1980), it is a ballad in the key of G-flat major, reflecting on the end of a relationship. The single's B-side was the non-album track "Elaine". The song peaked at No.1 in several countries, including the UK, where it became their eighth chart-topper. It was also the group's final top 10 hit in the United States. It was written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, with Agnetha Fältskog singing the lead vocal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring Ring (ABBA song)</span> 1973 single by Bjorn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida (ABBA)

"Ring Ring" is a song by Swedish group ABBA, released as the title track of their 1973 debut album. The single gave the group their big break in several European countries (although the rest of Europe, North America and Australia would be introduced to ABBA the following year). The song was written in Swedish by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, along with their manager Stig Anderson, with an original title of "Ring Ring (Bara du slog en signal)" ("Ring Ring (If Only You Called)"). Translation into English lyrics was helped by Neil Sedaka and his collaborator Phil Cody. The Swedish version reached No. 1 in the Swedish charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)</span> 1979 song by ABBA

"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! " is a song by Swedish band ABBA. It was recorded in August 1979 in order to help promote their North American and European tour of that year, and was released on ABBA's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 album as the brand new track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honey, Honey</span> 1974 single by ABBA

"Honey, Honey" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released as the second single from their second studio album, Waterloo, after the success of the title track at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fångad av en stormvind</span> 1991 single by Carola Häggkvist

"Fångad av en stormvind" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Carola Häggkvist. It was written and produced by Stephan Berg. The song is the best known as Sweden's winning entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1991 held in Rome, Italy, with 146 points.

Swedish popular music, or shortly Swedish pop music, refers to music that has swept the Swedish mainstream at any given point in recent times. After World War II, Swedish pop music was heavily influenced by American jazz, and then by rock-and-roll from the U.S. and the U.K. in the 1950s and 1960s, before developing into dansband music. Since the 1970s, Swedish pop music has come to international prominence with bands singing in English, ranking high on the British, New Zealand, American, and Australian charts and making Sweden one of the world's top exporter of popular music by gross domestic product.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (ABBA album) 1975 compilation album by ABBA

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally released in Scandinavia on 17 November 1975 and in other parts of the world in 1976, notably the UK on 10 April, and on 18 September in the US and Canada. The 1976 version of the album included the band's most recent single "Fernando".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euphoria (Loreen song)</span> 2012 song by Loreen

"Euphoria" is a song performed by Swedish singer Loreen. It was released on 26 February 2012 as the third single from her debut studio album Heal (2012). The song was written by Thomas G:son, Peter Boström and produced by Boström and SeventyEight. It is best known as Sweden's winning entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 held in Baku, Azerbaijan. The song won the competition with a total of 372 points, at the time the second-highest point total in the contest's history. The song received the highest number of maximum (12) points of any entry in the contest's history with eighteen countries giving the song their top marks.

<i>Dancing Queen</i> (album) 2018 studio album by Cher

Dancing Queen is the twenty-sixth studio album by American singer Cher, released by Warner Bros. Records on September 28, 2018. It is Cher's first album in five years, following Closer to the Truth (2013). The album contains cover versions of songs recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, with the title referencing their 1976 song "Dancing Queen". The album follows Cher's appearance in the 2018 musical film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, based on the music of ABBA.

References

  1. "Album waterloo « Waterloo | ABBA". Abbasite.com. 4 March 1978. Archived from the original on 21 May 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  2. Shahriari, Andrew (28 September 2010). "Europop and Folk Fusions". Popular World Music. Routledge. ISBN   978-0136128984.
  3. Raykoff, Ivan; Deam Tobin, Robert, eds. (2007). "Camping on the borders of Europe". A Song for Europe: Popular Music and Politics in the Eurovision Song Contest. Routledge. p. 1. ISBN   9780754658795.
  4. "Waterloo - ABBA | Song Info | AllMusic". AllMusic . Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  5. Ewing, Tom (19 October 2007). "ABBA – "Waterloo"". Freaky Trigger . Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Abba win 'Eurovision 50th' vote". BBC News . 23 October 2005. Archived from the original on 19 October 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2006.
  7. "ABBA's Waterloo named best song in Eurovision Top 50". Brussels Times. 16 May 2021. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  8. Reporter (6 May 2014). "Eurovision stars ABBA wowed the world 40 years ago". Sundaypost.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  9. BBC (17 May 2005). "BBC – Radio 2 – Sold on Song – Song Library – Waterloo". Bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  10. Vincentelli, Elisabeth (31 March 2018). "The Year Abba channeled Phil Spector and conquered the world". Salon . Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  11. Scott, Robert (2002) 'ABBA: Thank You for the Music – The Stories Behind Every Song', Carlton Books Limited: Great Britain, p.42
  12. "Svensktoppen – 1974" . Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  13. UK Official Charts ABBA's Official Top 20 biggest songs Archived 2 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  14. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 11 May 1974. p. 20. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  15. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 18 May 1974. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  16. "Waterloo named best ever Eurovision song". Manchester Evening News. 19 May 2005. Retrieved 2 August 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  17. Benjamin, Jeff (14 August 2017). "ABBA's 15 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard . Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  18. Sheffield, Rob (2 September 2021). "The 25 Best ABBA Songs, Ranked". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  19. Lancefield, Neil (11 July 2023). "Rail staff perform Abba hit to mark London Waterloo's 175th anniversary". The Independent. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  20. David Kent (2006). Australian Charts Book 1993—2005. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. p. 10. ISBN   978-0-646-45889-2.
  21. "ABBA – Waterloo" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  22. "ABBA – Waterloo" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  23. "ABBA – Waterloo" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  24. "RPM Volume 21, No. 24". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. 3 August 1974. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  25. "Waterloo on Danish Top 20 – 1974". Danskehitlister.dk. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  26. "ABBA – Waterloo" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  27. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Waterloo". Irish Singles Chart.
  28. Spinetoli, John Joseph. Artisti In Classifica: I Singoli: 1960–1999. Milano: Musica e dischi, 2000
  29. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 17, 1974" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  30. "ABBA – Waterloo" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  31. "flavour of new zealand – search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  32. "ABBA – Waterloo". VG-lista. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  33. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  34. Brian Currin (25 May 2003). "South African Rock Lists Website – SA Number 1s". Rock.co.za. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  35. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  36. "Kvällstoppen 1972–1975" (PDF). www.hitsallertijden.nl. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 May 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  37. "ABBA – Waterloo". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  38. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  39. "ABBA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  40. Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffmann, Frank W (1994). Cash Box pop singles charts, 1950–1993 . Libraries Unlimited. p.  1. ISBN   978-1-56308-316-7.
  41. "National Top 100 Singles for 1974". Kent Music Report. 30 December 1974. Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2022 via Imgur.
  42. Hung, Steffen. "Forum – 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  43. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1974". austriancharts.at. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  44. "Jaaroverzichten 1974". Ultratop. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  45. "RPM Volume 22, No. 19". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. 28 December 1974. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  46. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  47. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1974". Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  48. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1974" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  49. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1974". Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  50. "Swiss Year-End Charts, 1974". Archived from the original on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  51. "Top 100 1974". Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  52. "Billboard Top 100 – 1974". Billboard . Longbored Surfer. 1974. Archived from the original on 25 November 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  53. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1956". Cash Box Magazine . 1957. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  54. "BIEM copyright rule angers Belgian publishers" (PDF). Music Week. 22 November 1975. p. 42. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  55. "Danish single certifications – ABBA – Waterloo". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  56. Kahn, Henry (8 September 1979). "ABBA the World – France". Billboard . p. ABBA-14. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  57. "ABBA the World – Kenya". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 8 November 1979. p. ABBA-18. ISSN   0006-2510. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  58. Fernando, Tenente (8 November 1979). "ABBA the World – Portugal". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. ABBA-30. ISSN   0006-2510. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  59. "ABBA - Waterloo". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Archived from the original on 13 January 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  60. "British single certifications – ABBA – Waterloo". British Phonographic Industry.
  61. "From Music Capitals of the World – Stockholm". Billboard . 27 July 1974. p. 52. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  62. "British single certifications – ABBA – Waterloo". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  63. Carl Magnus Palm (28 October 2009). Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA. Omnibus Press. ISBN   9780857120571. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  64. 1 2 "ABBA fenomen ili fenomenalna ABBA". Džuboks . No. 33. April 1977. p. 5. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022 via Popboks.
  65. "Abba: Sweden's conquerors of international pop – and the gold discs keep rolling in" (PDF). Music Week . 19 February 1977. p. 52. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  66. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  67. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  68. "British single certifications – Lily James/Hugh Skinner – Waterloo". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  69. Strong, Martin C. (1999). The Great Alternative & Indie Discography . Canongate. ISBN   0-86241-913-1.
  70. Cashmere, Paul (24 September 2018). "Cher Opens Here We Go Again Tour In Auckland And Then Heads Out For Gelato". Nosie11. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  71. Caulfield, Keith (9 February 2017). "Cher Returns to the Concert Stage With Glitz & Hits (But No Politics)". Billboard . Archived from the original on 9 February 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  72. Thompson, Avery (19 September 2019). "Cher, 73, Rocks Plunging Purple Jumpsuit & Performs 'Waterloo' On 'AGT' Finale". Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  73. Snetiker, Marc (13 October 2015). "How ABBA (and that 'Waterloo' scene) made it into 'Muriel's Wedding'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  74. Newman, Melinda (2 October 2015). "The Martian Soundtrack Filled With Disco Classics". Billboard . Archived from the original on 11 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  75. Pahle, Rebecca (6 October 2015). "The Very Best Moments in 'The Martian' (Including the One Ridley Scott Wanted to Cut)". Pajiba.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  76. Sava, Oliver (20 February 2018). "Legends Of Tomorrow channels "Hedgehog Day" for an excellent time loop story". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  77. Weinstein, Josh (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.