Ask Ian.....10 September 2003

Q		A
In ‘Dancing Queen’ who is the dancing queen they are referring to, is it aimed at a real life person? Nigel, England		No, it’s just a song. It’s not about any particular person, though it was widely assumed that it was written for the new Swedish queen after ABBA performed it at a gala concert on the eve of the Swedish king and queen’s wedding in June 1976 (at the time she was 33, not "young and sweet, only 17").

I have seen that you have written the following on ABBAMAIL: "Frida's charity single will be a limited edition of 1,000 and should be released in October. One track is an ABBA song sung in English and the other is in German with some Swedish by Frida." Is this charity single the one that is made together with Swiss singer Dan Daniell? Richard, Germany		Indeed it is Richard. That was a piece of news that I passed on to the ABBAMAIL list that had been posted elsewhere by Manu of fanzine ABBA Remember. Keep checking the Latest News page for further information as it becomes available.

I need to settle the hash of a dismissive young music critic, who doesn't realize how big ABBA was and is. Can you direct me to the best sources to prove that ABBA was at one point in the late '70s the biggest band in the world and that it ranks among the top-selling acts of all time? If these things are not true, please let me down easy. Gord McLaughlin		It’s been reported that ABBA have sold 350 million records, placing them third after The Beatles and Elvis Presley, who have both reputedly sold "over 1 billion". I'm afraid that I don't know of any "authoritative" place to direct you to find confirmation of this information.

Do you know what date is the last show for Anne Wood in ‘Mamma Mia!’ in Sydney? I think it is 13^th September but I really want to go to her last show and no one seems to know. I hope you can help! Thanks Kate		I’ve not heard when her last performance will be, though the Sydney production closes on 5 October before moving on to Perth, so I presume that may be her last performance.

Is there a karaoke version of ‘Honey, Honey’? We want to use it for a wedding - do you know a source to get it quickly? Thanks, Eckart		There are a few ABBA karaoke discs on the market. Try an on-line store such as HMV.

Apparently there is an ABBA song with no lyrics or singing on it. Could you pleeeease tell me what it is as it has been bothering me for ages. Many thanks, Tammy		There are two: ‘Intermezzo no. 1’ on the album ‘ABBA’, and ‘Arrival’ on the album of the same name, though this one does have wordless vocals (i.e. a lot of "aaah aaah"ing).

I wonder if you can help on my quest to find ABBA in those white jumpsuits with the sequins. I hope you know the one i mean. I just need a photo, my daughter is in a school play. Thanks so much, Pat		I can’t say for sure which particular costumes you mean without a bit more description. I suggest you try searching in the ABBA Picture Gallery site, which has thousands of ABBA photos.

Many years ago, I recall seeing sheet music for ‘I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do’ which contained a verse I've never heard ABBA sing. The lyrics were: Let's get together / Every day will be better I love you / I do, I do, I do, I do, I do Leave it or take it / I believe we can make it Don't you too? / I do, I do, I do, I do, I do Has there ever existed a recorded version of the track where ABBA sings these lyrics? Thanks, Tom (in Chicago)		I’ve never heard of a recorded version (by ABBA or anyone else) with that particular verse, though it’s been appearing in sheet music since 1975.

Where can I find the results (read out in English by Katie Boyle) of the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest - audio announcing ABBA as the winners? With hope, Michelle Sagar.		There are copies of that part of the Eurovision broadcast circulating through fan circles, but I’m not sure where you might find one. Perhaps one of our generous readers will be able to help out.

I was wondering if there is a remastered version of ‘Summer Night City’ as it appears on the box set, not like it appears on the ‘Voulez-Vous’ CD. Richard L. Marshall		The songs on the ‘Thank You For The Music’ box set (including the “full length” version of ‘Summer Night City’) were remastered in 20 bit. This version of 'Summer Night City' has never been remastered in 24 bit. Being a technical dunce, I’m not sure what difference there is between that and 24 bit remastering that has been done for the last few years.

I’m looking for the movie; ‘ABBA - The Movie’. I live in Sweden. Do you know were I can buy this movie? I have contacted our local movie store but they don’t have it. Best regards!!! Med vänlig älsning, Dan Fransson AND I'm trying to track down a copy of ‘The Movie’ that will play in Canada. Can anyone help? Duncan McFarlane AND I want to buy ‘ABBA - The Movie’ (in Australia). Where can I buy it? Telminov		Currently, ‘The Movie’ is unavailable. You may find a second hand copy somewhere like eBay - though beware there are many bootleg copies on offer there. It's only ever been officially released in the UK, Sweden and on laserdisc in the 1980s. The last available version from the UK was deleted in 1999. Universal is working on re-releasing it on DVD sometime next year.

What day of August will ‘ABBA Gold’ DVD be released? I checked out Hastings music on line and they do not have it listed in the August releases. BDA in Austin Texas AND Because I can't seem to get a definite answer from anybody else and I know how reputable you are from my past questions... Do you know if Universal intends on releasing the ‘ABBA Gold’ DVD here in the United States, and if so, when? I would greatly appreciate if I could get a reliable answer for this question! :-) Sincerely, Mark Ohio, USA		‘ABBA Gold’ on DVD is scheduled for release in the USA on 9 September.

Which ABBA song has the words "hands up baby hands up?" Jorjust		There is no ABBA song with those lyrics. I couldn’t tell you what that song might be. The song is called 'Hands Up (Give me your heart)' by disco duo Ottawan. See http://www.70disco.com/ottawan.htm for further information. Thanks to Jørn, Sara Russell and Walter Veldman for all writing in about this.

How many albums and singles have the group ABBA sold internationally? D. Newson		According to the official figures from Universal Music, ABBA have sold 350 million records.

I would like to know with Agnetha's new album have any American composers contributed the music or they are all Scandinavians? Did Agnetha chat/talk with Marie Fredriksson when they were attending Rolling Stone concert since their VIP booths were near to each other? Tony from USA - Wisconsin		I’ve not heard what composers might have contributed to Agnetha’s alleged forthcoming album – there’s been very scant firm information released about it. And I have no idea whether Agnetha and Marie spoke at the Stones concert.

On which album can I find ‘Like An Angel Passing Through My Room’? Genevieve		It’s on ABBA’s eighth and final studio album ‘The Visitors’, released in 1981.

I like to know how I can get the number ‘Under My Sun’? Do you know that? There was a Danish fan named Jan who once made a copy for me on tape but now I can’t find that tape, Can you help me? Love from Hanne Larsen, Denmark		It’s appeared on a number of bootleg CDs. You might find a bootleg featuring it on-line somewhere, or you could join one of the many ABBA forums (such as ABBAMAIL) and see if you can arrange a trade with another fan.

Racking my brain to remember the movie about a young Australian woman that featured ABBA music? Can you help? Bill Morie		That movie is ‘Muriel’s Wedding’, released in 1994. Here's some more information about it.

Could you please assist me in regard to getting mail to Agnetha? Is it possible to reach her via a reliable source. In other words, a service that will actually be able to reach her. I do not want to have my mail end up in some black hole. The reason I ask is that I have a tape of a song written and sung by a school class, especially for the attention of Agnetha. Kind of like a thank you thing, together with a group letter I very much appreciate your feedback. Wes Morley		I’m sorry, but I can’t help with private contact details of ABBA members, no matter how worthy the cause. You could try writing to the Official International Agnetha, Benny, Björn, Frida Fan Club, who may be able to forward your letter.

Ted Gärdestad's box set, ‘Solregn’, was supposed to have been released in 2001. I see what appears to be a compilation CD available on import on several websites, but no box set. I am looking for the English version of ‘Take Me Back To Hollywood’ on CD from ‘Blue Virgin Isles’. Can you advise on this? Thanks. Jim McCaslin		`The ‘Solregn’ box set was indeed released and it does contain ‘Take Me Back To Hollywood’. Not to be confused with the single disc album ‘Droppar av Solregn’. Skivhugget has the box set listed as available right now - search for "Ted Gärdestad" - if you spell it "Gardestad" you won't find anything..` (thanks to Grant Whittingham for information)

Having recently bought the picture disc of the ‘Voulez-Vous’ LP I have been trying to find out how many copies were pressed in the UK. Thanks to Grant he informed me that this was also released in France with a differrent B side picture. Stephen Mclaughlin, Darlington England UK (A Proud Scot!)		I’m sorry to say that I have no idea how many copies of the ‘Voulez-Vous’ picture disc were pressed, either the UK or French versions.

In 1990/91 a book was published in Australia by Picolo called ‘The Global Music Pulse’. It gave one point for every number one single all of the major pop acts have had all over the world and then compiled a top ten. The Beatles were 3 Elvis 2 and ABBA first. It is not based on record sales. Can you please tell me where I can get a copy and whether one is available for albums as well? Kind regards, John Blackburn from London		I’ve never heard of this book. I’ve tried searching various on-line bookstores (in Australia and elsewhere) without success.

Hello Ian, I am writing in reference to this question from 29 January 2002: While in Sweden I managed to meet some people who had just completed an album (made in fun with ABBA artists and others) the entire album was comprised of songs that were made with fake language and the music round it was supposed to represent the country of origin - I heard the album and it was fun. It was released and was just a fun in house studio compilation but I can’t remember the title and haven’t seen anything round that resembles the album I heard back then - do you know about it or have you anything that resembles the topic mentioned, sincerely Nic Papalia Maybe somone's already told you, but the album Nic Papalia refers to is Michael B. Tretow's ‘Caramba’ from 1981. ‘Caramba’ is a joke album by Tretow and Ted Gardestad. Nic's description is actually to the point. The album really is very funny, and actually holds some pretty good songs - and the usual great production of Tretow. ‘Caramba’ even had a huge hit in Scandinavia with ‘Hubba Hubba Zoot-Zoot’. Most tracks mimic real cultures, languages and sounds: Track list: BLAZTAH 1 (Side A): ALI BABA (sort of oriental, Djingis Khan-style), SPOTTNJIK (Russian folkish, great track!), HUBBA HUBBA ZOOT-ZOOT (unknown, perhaps martians...?), EINE FEINE (german hot-rocking-disco-track, fantastic!), FIDO (Tretow takes the dog for a walk). BLAZTAH A (Side B): AITHO (chinese karathe-track), ANNA KAPOAE (hawaiian), DONNA MAYA, AHLLO, CARHUMBA (the last three not mimicing any particular culture, but still very funny). All the best! Anders, Stockholm		Thank you very much for all that information, Anders. I’ve heard of the album of course, but I’ve never actually heard it. It didn’t even come to mind when I was answering that question. Hopefully Nic will see your response.

I am interested in screening ‘ABBA The Movie’ at a cinema. Village Roadshow don't hold the rights to the film and are unable to find out who do. Who would I need to contact in order to get clearance to screen the film? Kristian F, Brisbane Australia		I’m not 100% sure who would own the rights to ‘The Movie’ in Australia now, though I assume it would be Universal. 20th Century Fox owned the distribution rights originally. To the best of my knowledge, prints that have been shown in various cinemas around Australia over the past few years have been privately owned.

I have a tape and was wondering where they are originally from? It is one of their old ones. Thank you Doris from FL		ABBA are from Sweden.

Do you know the name or the author of that opera Frida sang in the TV show with Olivia Newton-John and in ABBA dressing room at Wembley??? Thanks, Luciana from Brazil		I’ve been told by an opera buff friend that it’s ‘Una voce poco fa’ from ‘The Barber of Seville’ by Gioacchino Rossini.

Do you have any information in that vast mental ABBA database of yours if the ‘My Love, My Life’ prototype ‘Monsieur, Monsieur’ had the same inspirational source of Bjorn's as the later ‘Our Last Summer’. Having just listened to an MP3 clip of ‘Monsieur, Monsieur’ I think we was robbed by it's exclusion from ‘Arrival’! Stephen Curry, Londonderry, UK.		I believe that yes, both songs share the same inspiration of Björn’s reminiscence of a romance he had in Paris in his late teens.

Could you send me some information on the break up of ABBA and why it happened? Also the end of each couples marriage and reasons for their break up. And some information on their activities now and any information on a reunion of any kind past or present. Thanks--Mike-		ABBA broke up simply because they had achieved all that they could as a group, their enthusiasm for working in the group was waning and they all wanted to move on to new projects, the girls with solo albums and the boys with musicals. Björn and Agnetha’s marriage ended simply because the couple grew apart, while Benny and Frida’s marriage ended when he met and fell in love with another woman (to whom he is married to this day). For more information, I recommend you read the biography ‘Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA’ by Carl Magnus Palm - see his website for more on the book.

I'm looking at planning a tribute album for ABBA. I want to record ABBA's songs. Yasu Matsushita from Japan.		I recommend you contact your local Universal Music office.
MORE ASK IAN