Added: Dec 3, 2008
From: troylockhart49
Duration: 3:52
"Dancing Queen" is the biggest hit single recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, and as such is considered by many to be their signature song. It was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, recorded in 1975 for the group's album Arrival, and released as a single the following year with "That's Me" as the B-side.It reached the No.1 position on the popular music charts in approximately 13 countries."Dancing Queen" features the shared lead vocal performance by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Its opening keyboard glissando and hummed vocals are one of the most identifiable sections in pop music history."Dancing Queen" appears to have a relatively straight-forward lyric/storyline; it's about a 17-year-old girl having a good time on a Friday night. Not fazed by the social pressures in her daily life as a teenager, all she wants to do is go out and look for a 'king' to dance with. Upon further listening the lyrics seem to suggest that all of us can become the Dancing Queen if we let ourselves go and enjoy life. This message is part of what gives the song its appeal to such a diverse audience."Dancing Queen" is the 33rd most successful song in music history."Dancing Queen" recording sessions began August 4, 1975; the demo was called 'Boogaloo', and as the sessions progressed, Andersson and Ulvaeus found inspiration to the dance rhythm in George McCrae's disco classic "Rock Your Baby", as well as the drumming on Dr. John's 1972 album Gumbo. Fältskog and Lyngstad recorded the vocals on sessions in September, and the track was completed three months later.During the sessions, Benny Andersson brought a tape home with the backing track on it and played it to his fiance, singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who apparently started crying when listening. "I found the song so beautiful". While working on the lyrics, part of the verse was scrapped: "Baby, baby, you're out of sight/hey, you're looking alright tonight/when you come to the party/listen to the guys/they've got the look in their eyes..."."Dancing Queen" spent six weeks at No.1 in the UK from September 1976, and became ABBA's only chart-topper in the United States in April 1977. It also hit No.1 in at least twelve other countries worldwide: ABBA's native Sweden (where it spent 14 weeks at the top), Norway, Ireland, West Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia), South Africa, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. "Dancing Queen" also reached the Top 5 in Canada, Finland, Switzerland, Austria and France. The track did not prove a mega-hit in Italy, however, peaking at No.14. As ABBA never achieved the same sort of popularity in Italy as elsewhere, this may explain the song's low chart position.In 1992, the song was re-released in the UK, as Erasure sparked an ABBA revival after the success of their "Abba-esque" EP topping the UK charts. The re-issued "Dancing Queen" reached No.16 in the UK in September 1992.Anni-Frid Lyngstad performed this song to commemorate the 50th birthday of Queen Silvia. The performance used an a cappella arrangement by The Real Group, which sang back-up for the performance. The arrangement was later released on the group's album "Varför får man inte bara vara som man är".In 2000, "Dancing Queen" came fourth in a Channel 4 television poll of "The 100 Best Number Ones" in 2001. It was chosen as number 148 as part of the 365 Songs of the Century list. It was also was ranked #171 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, the only ABBA song on the list.On November 9th 2002, the results of a poll, "Top 50 Favourite UK Number Ones", was broadcasted on Radio 2, celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Official UK Charts Company. 188,357 listeners voted and "Dancing Queen" came out at number eight.U.S. presidential candidate John McCain named "Dancing Queen" as his favorite song in a top 10 list submitted to Blender Magazine in August 2008.
Channel: Music
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