Posted on 04/06/2014 1:46:30 AM PDT by JoeProBono
It is 40 years since Abba won the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton - a victory that started their meteoric rise to super group status with millions of fans around the globe.
When the four-piece stepped on to the stage accompanied by a man dressed as Napoleon to deliver their country's entry for the competition, they were virtually unknown.
The audience at the 1,700-seat Brighton Dome on 6 April, 1974, had no idea how huge the Swedish group, which performed Waterloo, would become. Most of them were concentrating on the UK entry - Olivia Newton John with her song Long Live Love.
John Henty, who lives in Lewes, East Sussex, was one of those watching and describes the instant impact the band had on the crowd.
He said: "Nobody knew Abba. Who were Abba? They were an unknown quantity.
"But clearly the moment they went into the number and the style of it and the outrageous costumes and the guy wearing Napoleon gear and you suddenly thought, 'this is something'."
Some of their better music was written about their relationships collapsing.
Kind of like Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" album.
In the London company, Elaine Page played Florence and Barbara Dickson was Svetlana. Florence carries most of the song.
She’s aged very well.
Here’s a clip of her with the late Jon Lord (of Deep Purple)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91rEcANacRc
Ain’t that the truth! The DVD set has a lot of details http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-30/fleetwood-mac-s-rumours-spills-secrets-of-love-chaos.html
And yet, here they are back together and touring again. I think Dallas is on the itinerary as a matter of fact. There’s a classic Joe Bologna film called “Made For Each Other” that comes to mind...
Thanks! JoeProBono for the pic.
forgot how good they looked, (never noticed the guys in the band)
I think I have the duet with Judy Kuhn and Marcia Mitzman. Also Whitney Houston and Cissy Houston do a nice version.
Beautiful song. I loved the musical - it was so spot-on to the times. It needs a revival!
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