Category: ABBA

I remember when …

after one of our regular jaunts to see ABBA – The Movie with about 150 other cinemagoers at the Valhalla, Glebe, we went back to Sandra and Louise’s place for what ended up as a 12-hour ABBA viewing marathon.

We watched endless videos of ABBA in Japan, ABBA in Poland, ABBA in Germany, ABBA in Switzerland, ABBA in the UK … we finally ran out of videos to watch and had to beg Sandra and Louise to let us stay and watch old Countdown specials which featured two seconds of ABBA at the end of each one for 14 weeks when Fernando was Number 1 in the Top Ten.

We couldn’t get enough and none of us were leaving until the last music roll had been played on their antique pianola. Michele, Sandra and Louise were excellent at pianolaing and Money, Money, Money was given new life in a rousing interpretation.

We admired their rare Bjorn and Agnetha dolls, pillows, hat, scrapbooks, magazines and Pekingnese dog named Toby-Bjorn, due to its uncanny resemblance to an ABBA member’s pugnacious squashed-up face.

Louise had whipped up homemade Rocky Road, thus ensuring she’ll be invited to every ABBA fest in the future. The spread included gummi snakes, lollies, dips, fizzy drinks, with frankfurts and sausage rolls for the main course – essential foods for sustaining the marathon effort for viewing endless versions of Thank You For The Music. TC made a special guest star appearance but left early to go to his covetable job of DJing at a remote westie hotel in Pendle Hill.

Continue reading Three favourite ABBA fan memories (one was displayed at ABBAWORLD in Melbourne)

As an ABBA superfan, I met Robert Hughes one afternoon in 1991 to make a historical record of his recollections of working with ABBA.

Continue reading Actor Robert Hughes interview: ABBA — The Movie

NOBODY’S TO BLAME

**Ring Ring**

hi Honey Honey!

–Mamma Mia!

You’re so hot, teasing me,

I Am Just A Girl.

I Have A Dream, you said,

I Saw It In The Mirror,

your Arrival, Cassandra.

I’ve Been Waiting For You

you’re my Dancing Queen,

My Love, My Life

Lay All Your Love On Me!

I’m Gonna Sing You My Lovesong

Take A Chance On Me

I can fill that Hole in Your Soul

–Oh Fernando, it was like When I Kissed the Teacher

Kisses Of Fire

I was Head Over Heels

We know that Lovers Live A Little Longer.

That’s Me,

a bit of a Tiger

You’re my Supertrouper, my Lovelight.

I Wonder, Voulez Vous?

–Oh, I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do

please Rock Me and Dance While the Music Still Goes On

together we’ll Pick A Bale Of Cotton On Top Of Old Smokey while ordering a Midnight Special

But then, Our Last Summer…

If It Wasn’t for the Night when The Visitors came.

You caught us Sitting In The Palmtree

in a Tropical Loveland — Me and Bobby and Bobby’s Brother

squabbling over Money Money Money.

SOS!

What’s The Name Of The Game? you asked. You’d better Watch Out, you’re Under Attack!

Well Dum Dum Diddle I said,

I’ve heard all about you On and On and On with Elaine, Chiquitita and Nina Pretty Ballerina in Summernight City!

and What About Livingstone?

He Is Your Brother!

People Need Love, you blurted, he’s just the Man In The Middle

we treat each other The Way Old Friends Do

Sure I said, and I’m A Marionette!

You just want Two For The Price Of One.

All you ever say is Gimme Gimme Gimme You Owe Me One

now you’re Slipping Through My Fingers

Should I Laugh Or Cry?

Disillusion, that’s all I have.

Love Isn’t Easy but it sure is hard enough.

When All Is Said And Done The Winner Takes It All

but Why Did It Have To Be Me?

It’s a Crazy World.

A thing to remember, when we’re all alone …

One of Us is lonely, staring at the ceiling …

but Knowing Me, Knowing You

there is nothing we can do.

This is no time for cryin’

Move On

Another Town, Another Train

Next stop, Waterloo

So Long.

By Cotton Ward, using ABBA: The Lyrical Collection as reference material.