Waterloo

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.[1]

Recording

Recording sessions for Waterloo began on 24 September 1973 with the track "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)". This song was unusual in that it is the only ABBA track not to feature member Benny Andersson on keyboards, instead featuring American pianist John "Rabbit" Bundrick who was in Sweden at the time.[2] Bundrick, however, was not credited on the album. Three weeks later the next two songs ("Suzy-Hang-Around" and "My Mama Said") went into the studio. A recording sheet from the day credits the artist as "ABBA", the first time the name was ever used in writing (the group had previously been called "Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid"), although their manager Stig Andersson had informally been calling them ABBA with the media for some time. The former of these songs marks the only time Benny Andersson sang lead on a track. Two more tracks were recorded on 17 October; "What About Livingstone" and "Honey Honey" – the latter being the second single released from the album in most countries. "King Kong Song" was recorded on 14 November, a song which members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus today single out as one of their weakest tracks.[2] This was also the date in which it was announced that ABBA were to appear at the Swedish selection for the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.

From that point, recording sessions sped up and the rest of the tracks were recorded. Two songs were up for consideration for their Eurovision entry; "Waterloo" and "Hasta Mañana". The group preferred the former but felt the latter was a safer bet. Ultimately they chose "Waterloo" as it was more the direction they wished to take the group. "Waterloo" and "Watch Out" were recorded on the same day, with the latter becoming the B-side to the former.[2]

Release

Waterloo was released in March 1974. It was first released on CD in Sweden in 1988 alongside Ring Ring and the self titled album. It is the only CD version of the album to follow the original Scandinavian LP`s running order.[3] Polydor first released Waterloo, along with Ring Ring, throughout Europe in 1990, with the discs being pressed in West Germany. These discs follow the running order of the Waterloo LP that was released in The Netherlands, swapping Watch Out and What About Livingstone? in the tracklist.[4][5] In 1995, Polydor reissued their pressings of all of ABBA`s albums in the United States.[6] The album has been reissued in digitally remastered form several times: in 1997 as part of "The ABBA Remasters" series,[7] then in 2001 with an updated cover artwork and some bonus tracks,[8] again in 2005 as part of The Complete Studio Recordings box set, and most recently in 2014 as a 40th anniversary "Deluxe Edition" reissue.[9] This version of the album entered the UK album charts.[10]

On April 5th, 2024, a new collection of vinyl products was released for the album`s 50th anniversary celebration, featuring: a double-LP 45rpm half-speed mastered gatefold version of the album; a seven-inch box set with colored discs (red, white and blue) of "Honey, Honey" / "King Kong Song", "Waterloo"/ "Watch Out" and "Waterloo (Swedish Version)" / "Honey, Honey (Swedish Version)", respectively; and individual 7" picture discs of these same three singles.[11][12][13] A 10" limited edition "Waterloo" single was also released, featuring the four different language versions of the track.[14] The half-speed high-quality audio was mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios.[11]

Deluxe edition

On April 7th, 2014, Waterloo was reissued as a 2-disc deluxe edition package for its 40th anniversary.[15][16] The first disc consisted of a CD version of the original album, expanded with eight bonus tracks, and featuring: all the language versions of "Waterloo" (including an alternate mix of the English version), the Swedish version of "Honey, Honey", and the 1974 US remix of "Ring, Ring".[15][16]

The second disc, a DVD, contained the "International Sleeve Gallery" along with thirteen TV appearances, eight of which were performances of "Waterloo": two from the Eurovision Song Contest, with a preview performance on SVT; two from Melodifestivalen, three from Top of the Pops, and one German performance from NDR`s Musik aus Studio B.[15][16] The remaining TV content included performances of "Honey, Honey" on Disco (ZDF), Spotlight (ORF), and Ein Kessel Buntes (Fernsehen der DDR), as well as an interview with Frida and Stig Anderson, following the band`s Eurovision victory.[15][16]

The set also came with a 20-page illustrated booklet with an essay on the making of the album.[15] It is the last release from the ABBA Deluxe Edition album series.[17]

Album cover

The album`s cover features the sub-title "Björn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida" although some editions replaced `Agnetha` with `Anna` – by which Agnetha Fältskog was known in some countries.[18] The cover photo was taken at Gripsholm Castle, in Mariefred, Sweden,[19] and features bass player Mike Watson [sv] dressed as Napoleon.[20]

Critical reception

"Waterloo" swept to victory at the Swedish heats and the group represented Sweden in Brighton for the Eurovision Song Contest 1974. ABBA won the contest and "Waterloo" became not only a massive hit in Europe but all over the world (peaking at No.6 in the US for example).[1] In Sweden, the album had already been released and topped the Swedish album charts for 12 weeks, becoming one of the biggest-selling Swedish albums ever to that point. In the UK the album made No.28,[1] the first time a foreign Eurovision act had charted an album and it performed well in the rest of Europe.[2]

Reviews of the album were positive with Phonograph Record`s Greg Shaw stating that it "might just turn out to be one of the classic début LPs of the `70s". Rolling Stone also gave the album a favourable review.[2] In a 3-star review, Bruce Eder from AllMusic said that it "is rather unusual in the group`s output, however, for the fact that the guys are still featured fairly prominently in some of the vocals, and for the variety of sound" and that, in relation to "King Kong Song", "when the women`s voices jump in on the choruses, it`s hard not to listen attentively; the quartet knew what a powerful weapon they had, but not quite how to use it".[24]

Track listing

The information is based on the Swedish version of the album and has been adapted from the official ABBA website.[25] All tracks are written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, except where noted.

The international edition of the album opens with the English version of "Waterloo" and closes with the English version of "Ring Ring". The American edition uses a 1974 US remix of "Ring Ring".

Deluxe edition

Released for the album`s 40th anniversary, this edition also features the Swedish version of "Waterloo" as a bonus track. All tracks are written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson, except where noted.

Personnel

• Agnetha Fältskog – lead vocals (4, 6), co-lead vocals (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12), backing vocals
• Anni-Frid Lyngstad – lead vocals (10), co-lead vocals (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12), backing vocals
• Björn Ulvaeus – acoustic guitar, guitar, lead vocals (2, 8), co-lead vocals (3, 6, 7), backing vocals
• Benny Andersson – piano, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, mellotron, clavinet, lead vocals (11), co-lead vocals (3, 6, 7), backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Ola Brunkert – drums
• Malando Gassama – congas and güiro on "Sitting in the Palmtree", tambourine on "Hasta Mañana"
• Rutger Gunnarsson – bass
• Janne Schaffer – electric guitars
• Per Sahlberg – percussion and bass on "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)"[26]
• John "Rabbit" Bundrick – keyboards on "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)" (not credited on the album sleeve)
• Christer Eklund – tenor saxophone on "Waterloo"[26]
• Sven-Olof Walldoff – string arrangement on "Honey, Honey"[26]

Production

• Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus – producers
• Michael B. Tretow – engineer
• Ola Lager – photography
• Ron Spaulding – original album design
• Jon Astley; Tim Young; Michael B. Tretow – remastering for the 1997 Remasters
• Jon Astley; Michael B. Tretow – remastering for the 2001 Remasters
• Henrik Jonsson – remastering for The Complete Studio Recordings box set

Charts

Certifications and sales