I was walking back from the gym listening to this song and feeling a lot of emotions. It’s so catchy and passionate that you feel good and catch yourself trotting along with a spring in your step. But there’s like a sense of mischevous delight in knowing that Abba is an “uncool” band most people dont totally respect, so it’s that same thrill of going against the grain I used to get from smoking, or going out in girl-mode the first few times, or proclaiming my love for Clarissa Explains It All.
But also, the song is about being in pain and feeling alienated from others around us. We are so isolated from other people, even when standing next to each other, that they cant sense our discontent even if they cared enough to try. And that makes me remember my lingering frustration at the powers that be, the way we live, and all the Karens of the world. It’s like that scene in Neon Genesis Evangelion where Asuka says “I hate Shinji, and I hate my mom, but mostly I hate myself!!!” Or else it’s like the *other* scene in My Dinner with Andre where they talk about how we dont really *live* anymore and modern humans are just going thru the motions walking around in a dream world.
the Carbon Freeze 
Ah, ‘S.O.S’! The real breakthrough song here in the UK. ‘Waterloo’ – and I remember seeing them perform it at that year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton – was a smash hit, a no. 1 because it was always going to be, but it was nearly eighteen months before this song gave them their second hit and really set their career in motion here. Loved it. For those of us outside the circle of the audience that ABBA compelled there were one or two tracks that compelled us too, and this and ‘Dancing Queen’ were those two.
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In a way, I’m still discovering the music of ABBA. After ignoring them for years, the movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert turned me on to “Dancing Queen”. For many years after that, ABBA to me were “Dancing Queen” and “Dancing Queen” was ABBA (much like The Kingsmen and “Louie Louie”). Now and again, however, I’d hear other gorgeous ABBA songs, this one included (that keyboard figure leading up to the chorus!). So yes, it’s an ongoing process. 🙂
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I love ABBA — always have, always will. They might be my favourite band ( the early Beatles, the Zombies, Herman’s Hermits, Bananrama, Small Faces are all up there — tough call ) .
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Oh, and Spanky And Our Gang, too !
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Oh, and one of your playlists mentioned Brasil ’66, another fave, favourite of mine They’re gear !
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&, in the same genre, Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass was a childhood fave — the song titled Lollipops And Roses on the Dating Game ( I still recall the girl covered in whipped cream on the cover ) . Thank you for your site.
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