Happy birthday, Benny Andersson!

Benny Andersson, born december 16, 1946 in Stockholm, Sweden, is best known as the keyboardist for the super-group ABBA.  He co-composed the musicals Chess and Mamma Mia! He has been nominated for a Tony Award and a Grammy for Mamma Mia! 

ABBA releases "Waterloo" 1974

ABBA released their second studio album Waterloo March 4, 1974.  It was their first album to be released internationally.  The single Waterloo was released the same day, and it was the song that won ABBA the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.  

The single reached #1 in many countries.  It reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and ended the year at #49. The album only reached #145 on the Billboard 200 charts.  

The album generated the singles Honey, Honey, which peaked at #27 US Billboard Hot 100, and Hasta Manana.

"Dancing Queen" "Le Freak" "Swing Low" inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame 2015

The Grammy Hall of Fame honors musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance.  Recordings must be over 25 years old for consideration. At the 57th annual Grammy Awards celebration February 8, 2015, twenty-seven new recordings were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 

Among them were two recordings of the African American folk song Swing Low, Sweet Chariot: The Fisk Jubilee Singers for their 1909 recording; and Paul Robeson for his 1926 recording.

ABBA's Dancing Queen and Chic's Le Freak were inducted as well.

Happy birthday, Anni-Frid Lyngstad!

Anni-Frid Lyngstad, born November 15, 1945 in Ballangen, Norway, is one-fourth of the Swedish super-group ABBA. She's the only non-Swedish member of the group.  

She had a moderately successful singing career in Sweden, but it wasn't until she joined ABBA that she reached international fame.  She was married to fellow bandmate Benny Andersson for three years.  ABBA went on to sell 150 million albums and singles world-wide.

Her first solo album following the end of ABBA, Something's Going On, was released in 1982 and reached #1 in Sweden, and the single went to #1 in Belgium and Switzerland.  It is one of the best selling solo album of the ABBA members. 

ABBA releases "Waterloo" 1974

Swedish super-duper-group ABBA released their hit single Waterloo March 4, 1974. It was the first single from their second album Waterloo and it won the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden in 1974.

In 2005, at the 50th anniversary celebration, Waterloo was chosen as the best song ever in the competition. It has sold 5 million copies world-wide.

ABBA releases "Knowing Me, Knowing You" 1977

ABBA released Knowing Me, Knowing You, the third single from their fourth studio album Arrival February 14, 1977.  It was one of their biggest hits and one of their best songs.  Billboard ranked it #4 on its list of top 15 ABBA songs. Rolling Stone ranked it as #2 on their list of top 25 ABBA songs.

ABBA releases "Happy New Year" 1980

Happy New Year, the fourth single released from Super Trouper, ABBA's seventh studio album, was released December 15, 1980.  Its original release was limited but when it was re-released in 1999 for the new millennium, it reached #27 in Sweden and #15 in the Netherlands.

It was re-re-released in 2008 and made it to #4 in Sweden, and #5 in 2009. According to wikipedia, the song is a staple of the new year in Vietnam.

ABBA releases "Arrival" 1976

The Swedish super-group (and one of my favorite bands!) ABBA released their fourth studio album, Arrival, October 11, 1976, and it became one of their best-selling albums.  It was the first LP album that I ever purchased and it was money well spent.  It spawned three singles: Dancing Queen (which has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame); Knowing Me, Knowing You; Money, Money, Money.

The album went gold in U.S. and was the best selling album in the U.K. in 1977.

ABBA's "Dancing Queen" reaches #1 1977

Dancing Queen, the mega-hit from the Swedish super-group ABBA, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 April 9, 1977.  It was the only #1 song for ABBA in the US.  It was the first single from their album Arrival, released in October 1976.  

Dancing Queen topped the charts in more than a dozen countries.  In Sweden, it spent 14 weeks at the top. 

It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015.  

Happy birthday, Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang!

Christer Fuglesang, an astronaut for the European Space Agency born March 18, 1957 in Stockholm, Sweden, is a veteran of two space shuttle flights and is the first Swedish astronaut.

His first spaceflight was on Discovery (STS-116) as mission specialist in December 2006 to the International Space Station.  He conducted 3 EVAs during the flight with fellow astronaut Robert Curbeam.  Ground Control played Waterloo by ABBA as one of Fuglesang's wake-up calls.

HIs second and final flight was on Discovery (STS-128) as mission specialist in August-September 2009 to the ISS.  During the mission he conducted two EVAs with fellow astronaut John Olivas.

ABBA inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2010

Swedish super-group ABBA was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame March 15, 2010.  The Bee Gees Barry and Robin made the announcement.  ABBA released eight studio albums and have won numerous international music awards.

Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad  were on hand to accept the recognition.  Bjorn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Faltskog are the other two members of the group.

Genesis was inducted the same night.

ABBA releases "Super Trouper" 1980

Super-duper Swedish group ABBA (Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Anni-Fryd Lingstad) released their seventh studio album Super Trouper November 3, 1980.  It generated three hit singles, The Winner Takes It All, Super Trouper and Lay All Your Love on Me.  It was also the biggest selling album of 1980 in the United Kingdom.

ABBA releases "ABBA: The Album" 1977

Swedish super-group ABBA released their fifth studio album ABBA: The Album December 12, 1977 in Scandinavia.  British and American fans had to wait until after Christmas because of the massive pre-orders.  Apparently it was released in conjunction was this movie ABBA: The Movie, but I haven't seen or heard any more about it.

ABBA: The Album reached 14 on the USA Billboard 200 but broke the Top Ten in many other countries and went to #1 in many of those.

ABBA releases "The Visitors" 1981

Swedish super-group ABBA released their 8th and final album, The Visitors, November 30, 1981.  Many consider this to be their most complex and mature effort, getting away from the lighter pop music they had previously recorded.

Of course, it might have to do with both couples getting divorced the previous year and recording sessions became tense.  The Visitors peaked at #29 on the US Billboard 200 but went to #1 in other countries.

Happy birthday, Bjorn!

Bjorn Ulvaeus, born April 25, 1945, is probably best known for the Swedish 70's super-group ABBA.  He began his music career with the Hootenanny Singers.  Later he met Benny Anderson and soon the two formed ABBA.  The band lasted about 10 years but made history in such a short time with hits like Dancing Queen, Waterloo and Take a Chance on Me.

After ABBA, Bjorn has continued to collaborate with best friend Benny, writing musicals such as Chess and producing the movie Mamma Mia!

ABBA reunites for the first time in over 30 years!

Over the weekend at a private gala to celebrate 50 years of collaboration of song-writers Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-frid Lyngstadon joined them for an improptu performance of "Me and I".

Never say never:

“We took a break in ‘82, and it was meant to be a break,” Ulvaeus said in 2014. “It’s still a break and will remain so. You’ll never see us on stage again.”

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jun/06/abba-first-public-performance-30-years-me-and-i-bjorn-ulvaeus-benny-andersson?CMP=fb_gu

ABBA wins Eurovision Song Contest in 1974

April 6, 1974, ABBA bursts on to the global scene when they won the Eurovision Song Contest for "Waterloo".  The win launched ABBA's tremendously successful music career.  Actually, it is the only time the song contest winner has gone onto having international stardom.




http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-eurovision-song-contest-launches-a-bona-fide-star

Happy birthday, Agnetha Faltskog!

Agnetha Faltskog, the beautiful blond singer from ABBA, was born April 5, 1950 in  Jönköping, Jönköpings län (I'm not even going to try to pronounce that), Sweden.  Her legacy with ABBA is still felt today.  Our cruise two weeks ago even had an ABBA evening in one of the clubs!  That's staying power!