ABBA est une formation musicale suédoise fondée à Stockholm en novembre 1970 par Agnetha Fälkstog, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus et Anni-Frid Lyngstad (dite Frida). Les initiales des 4 prénoms formant le palindrome ABBA, ce n'est qu'en 1976 que le désormais célèbre logo (avec un B inversé) sera utilisé (ce logo est un ambigramme). If you change your mind, I'm the first in line Honey I'm still free Take a chance on me If you need me, let me know, gonna be around If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown Honey I'm still free Take a chance on me Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie If you put me to the test, if you let me try Take a chance on me (That's all I ask of you honey) Take a chance on me We can go dancing, we can go walking, as long as we're together Listen to some music, maybe just talking, get to know you better 'Cos you know I've got So much that I wanna do, when I dream I'm alone with you It's magic You want me to leave it there, afraid of a love affair But I think you know That I can't let go If you change your mind, I'm the first in line Honey I'm still free Take a chance on me If you need me, let me know, gonna be around If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown Honey I'm still free Take a chance on me Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie If you put me to the test, if you let me try Take a chance on me (Come on, give me a break will you?) Take a chance on me Oh you can take your time baby, I'm in no hurry, know I'm gonna get you You don't wanna hurt me, baby don't worry, I ain't gonna let you Let me tell you now My love is strong enough to last when things are rough It's magic You say that I waste my time but I can't get you off my mind No I can't let go 'Cos I love you so If you change your mind, I'm the first in line Honey I'm still free Take a chance on me If you need me, let me know, gonna be around If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown Honey I'm still free Take a chance on me Gonna do my very best, baby can't you see Gotta put me to the test, take a chance on me (Take a chance, take a chance, take a chance on me) Ba ba ba ba baa, ba ba ba ba baa Honey I'm still free Take a chance on me Gonna do my very best, baby can't you see Gotta put me to the test, take a chance on me (Take a chance, take a chance, take a chance on me) Ba ba ba ba baa, ba ba ba ba baa ba-ba Honey I'm still free Take a chance on me

I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay Ain't it sad And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me That's too bad In my dreams I have a plan If I got me a wealthy man I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball... Money, money, money Must be funny In the rich man's world Money, money, money Always sunny In the rich man's world Aha-ahaaa All the things I could do If I had a little money It's a rich man's world A man like that is hard to find but I can't get him off my mind Ain't it sad And if he happens to be free I bet he wouldn't fancy me That's too bad So I must leave, I'll have to go To Las Vegas or Monaco And win a fortune in a game, my life will never be the same... Money, money, money Must be funny In the rich man's world Money, money, money Always sunny In the rich man's world Aha-ahaaa All the things I could do If I had a little money It's a rich man's world Money, money, money Must be funny In the rich man's world Money, money, money Always sunny In the rich man's world Aha-ahaaa

Can you hear the drums Fernando? I remember long ago another starry night like this In the firelight Fernando You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar I could hear the distant drums And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar They were closer now Fernando Every hour every minute seemed to last eternally I was so afraid Fernando We were young and full of life and none of us prepared to die And I'm not ashamed to say The roar of guns and cannons almost made me cry There was something in the air that night The stars were bright, Fernando They were shining there for you and me For liberty, Fernando Though I never thought that we could lose There's no regret If I had to do the same again I would, my friend, Fernando Now we're old and grey Fernando And since many years I haven't seen a rifle in your hand Can you hear the drums Fernando? Do you still recall the frightful night we crossed the Rio Grande? I can see it in your eyes How proud you were to fight for freedom in this land There was something in the air that night The stars were bright, Fernando They were shining there for you and me For liberty, Fernando Though I never thought that we could lose There's no regret If I had to do the same again I would, my friend, Fernando There was something in the air that night The stars were bright, Fernando They were shining there for you and me For liberty, Fernando Though I never thought that we could lose There's no regret If I had to do the same again I would, my friend, Fernando Yes, if I had to do the same again I would, my friend, Fernando...

Where are those happy days, they seem so hard to find I tried to reach for you, but you have closed your mind Whatever happened to our love? I wish I understood It used to be so nice, it used to be so good So when you're near me, darling can't you hear me S. O. S. The love you gave me, nothing else can save me S. O. S. When you're gone How can I even try to go on? When you're gone Though I try how can I carry on? You seem so far away though you are standing near You made me feel alive, but something died I fear I really tried to make it out I wish I understood What happened to our love, it used to be so good So when you're near me, darling can't you hear me S. O. S. The love you gave me, nothing else can save me S. O. S. When you're gone How can I even try to go on? When you're gone Though I try how can I carry on? So when you're near me, darling can't you hear me S. O. S. And the love you gave me, nothing else can save me S. O. S. When you're gone How can I even try to go on? When you're gone Though I try how can I carry on? When you're gone How can I even try to go on? When you're gone Though I try how can I carry on?

My my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender Oh yeah, and I have met my destiny in quite a similar way The history book on the shelf Is always repeating itself Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war Waterloo - Promise to love you for ever more Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo My my, I tried to hold you back but you were stronger Oh yeah, and now it seems my only hope is giving up the fight And how could I ever refuse I feel like I win when I lose Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war Waterloo - Promise to love you for ever more Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo And how could I ever refuse I feel like I win when I lose Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war Waterloo - Promise to love you for ever more Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo

Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong You're enchained by your own sorrow In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow How I hate to see you like this There is no way you can deny it I can see that you're oh so sad, so quiet Chiquitita, tell me the truth I'm a shoulder you can cry on Your best friend, I'm the one you must rely on You were always sure of yourself Now I see you've broken a feather I hope we can patch it up together Chiquitita, you and I know How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end You will have no time for grieving Chiquitita, you and I cry But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you Let me hear you sing once more like you did before Sing a new song, Chiquitita Try once more like you did before Sing a new song, Chiquitita So the walls came tumbling down And your love's a blown out candle All is gone and it seems too hard to handle Chiquitita, tell me the truth There is no way you can deny it I see that you're oh so sad, so quiet Chiquitita, you and I know How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end You will have no time for grieving Chiquitita, you and I cry But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you Let me hear you sing once more like you did before Sing a new song, Chiquitita Try once more like you did before Sing a new song, Chiquitita Try once more like you did before Sing a new song, Chiquitita

I wasn't jealous before we met Now every woman I see is a potential threat And I'm possessive, it isn't nice You've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice But now it isn't true Now everything is new And all I've learned has overturned I beg of you... Don't go wasting your emotion Lay all your love on me It was like shooting a sitting duck A little smalltalk, a smile and baby I was stuck I still don't know what you've done with me A grown-up woman should never fall so easily I feel a kind of fear When I don't have you near Unsatisfied, I skip my pride I beg you dear... Don't go wasting your emotion Lay all your love on me Don't go sharing your devotion Lay all your love on me I've had a few little love affairs They didn't last very long and they've been pretty scarce I used to think that was sensible It makes the truth even more incomprehensible 'Cause everything is new And everything is you And all I've learned has overturned What can I do... Don't go wasting your emotion Lay all your love on me Don't go sharing your devotion Lay all your love on me (repeat 2x and fade)

Half past twelve And I'm watching the late show in my flat all alone How I hate to spend the evening on my own Autumn winds Blowing outside the window as I look around the room And it makes me so depressed to see the phone There's not a soul out there No one to hear my prayer Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight Won't somebody help me chase these shadows away Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight Take me through the darkness to the break of the day Movie stars Find the end of the rainbow, with that fortune to win It's so different from the world I'm living in Tired of T.V. I open the window and I gaze into the night But there's nothing there to see, no one in sight There's not a soul out there No one to hear my prayer Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight Won't somebody help me chase these shadows away Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight Take me through the darkness to the break of the day Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight... Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight... There's not a soul out there No one to hear my prayer Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight Won't somebody help me chase these shadows away Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight Take me through the darkness to the break of the day Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight Won't somebody help me chase these shadows away Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

Cette nostalgie à l'égard d'ABBA prendra rapidement le nom d'« ABBA-revival » dès 1989, à l'occasion des premiers concerts de Björn Again, un groupe australien clonant avec humour l'apparence, ainsi que le répertoire d'ABBA. Rapidement, de nombreux autres artistes rendirent hommage à ABBA en reprenant certains de leurs titres. En 1992, alors qu'un retour est en train de voir le jour dans les clubs de Londres et Sydney, le groupe anglais Erasure s'illustra avec un mini-album hommage à ABBA (intitulé Abba-Esque) qui se classa n° 1 dans plusieurs pays européens, dont la Suède et l'Angleterre. Deux ans plus tard, en 1994, les films australiens Muriel (dans lequel la jeune héroïne écoute inlassablement ABBA) et Priscilla, folle du désert (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) (dans lequel la musique et les mimiques d'ABBA sont utilisées et tendrement parodiées dans un spectacle travesti culte de Sydney) mirent un autre coup d'accélérateur au regain de notoriété d'ABBA. Tout au long des années 1990, la vague « ABBA-revival » ne cessera de s'amplifier au fil des reprises (A-Teens, entre autres), rééditions et compilations diverses (voir la section Discographie), pour culminer en 1999, à l'occasion d'une comédie musicale événement, intitulée Mamma Mia!. Le 6 avril 1999, 25 ans jour pour jour après sa victoire au Concours Eurovision de la chanson, ABBA y refaisait indirectement surface avec 23 de ses chansons génialement insérées. Selon le pays, Mamma Mia! est présentée en anglais, en suédois, en espagnol, en coréen et en allemand. Le spectacle est retentissant de vie, de couleurs, d'humour et fait revivre les grands succès d'ABBA au travers d'une comédie sentimentale écrite par Catherine Johnson et produite par Judy Craymer et trois des membres de ABBA, en l'occurrence Anni-Frid, Benny et Björn. À ce jour, Mamma Mia! fut présentée devant 20 millions de spectateurs répartis dans seize villes internationales. Début 2006 apparaît un groupe allemand, Abba Gold, reprenant point pour point la scénographie, les costumes et le répertoire d'ABBA et font revivre sur scène le groupe mythique à s'y méprendre. Concerts à l'Olympia en juillet 2006 et tournée en Europe.

I don't wanna talk About the things we've gone through Though it's hurting me Now it's history I've played all my cards And that's what you've done too Nothing more to say No more ace to play The winner takes it all The loser standing small Beside the victory That's her destiny I was in your arms Thinking I belonged there I figured it made sense Building me a fence Building me a home Thinking I'd be strong there But I was a fool Playing by the rules The gods may throw a dice Their minds as cold as ice And someone way down here Loses someone dear The winner takes it all The loser has to fall It's simple and it's plain Why should I complain. But tell me does she kiss Like I used to kiss you? Does it feel the same When she calls your name? Somewhere deep inside You must know I miss you But what can I say Rules must be obeyed The judges will decide The likes of me abide Spectators of the show Always staying low The game is on again A lover or a friend A big thing or a small The winner takes it all I don't wanna talk If it makes you feel sad And I understand You've come to shake my hand I apologize If it makes you feel bad Seeing me so tense No self-confidence

I have a dream, a song to sing To help me cope with anything If you see the wonder of a fairy tale You can take the future even if you fail I believe in angels Something good in everything I see I believe in angels When I know the time is right for me I'll cross the stream - I have a dream I have a dream, a fantasy To help me through reality And my destination makes it worth the while Pushing through the darkness still another mile I believe in angels Something good in everything I see I believe in angels When I know the time is right for me I'll cross the stream - I have a dream I'll cross the stream - I have a dream I have a dream, a song to sing To help me cope with anything If you see the wonder of a fairy tale You can take the future even if you fail I believe in angels Something good in everything I see I believe in angels When I know the time is right for me I'll cross the stream - I have a dream I'll cross the stream - I have a dream

No more carefree laughter Silence ever after Walking through an empty house, tears in my eyes Here is where the story ends, this is goodbye Knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa) There is nothing we can do Knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa) We just have to face it, this time we're through (This time we're through, this time we're through This time we're through, we're really through) Breaking up is never easy, I know but I have to go (I have to go this time I have to go, this time I know) Knowing me, knowing you It's the best I can do Mem'ries (mem'ries), good days (good days), bad days (bad days) They'll be (they'll be), with me (with me) always (always) In these old familiar rooms children would play Now there's only emptiness, nothing to say Knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa) There is nothing we can do Knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa) We just have to face it, this time we're through (This time we're through, this time we're through This time we're through, we're really through) Breaking up is never easy, I know but I have to go (I have to go this time I have to go, this time I know) Knowing me, knowing you It's the best I can do