Dancing Queen
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It has been suggested that Dancing Queen (A*Teens song) be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) |
| “Dancing Queen” | |||||
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| Single by ABBA from the album Arrival |
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| B-side | That's Me | ||||
| Released | August 16, 1976 (Sweden) August 21, 1976 (UK) November 12, 1976 (US) |
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| Format | 7" Single | ||||
| Genre | Pop/Europop/Disco | ||||
| Length | 3:51 | ||||
| Label | Polar (Sweden) Epic (UK) Atlantic (US) |
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| Writer(s) | Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Stig Andersson |
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| Producer | Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson |
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| Certification | Gold (UK), Gold (USA) | ||||
| ABBA singles chronology | |||||
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"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.[1]
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" has a relatively straight-forward lyric/storyline; it's about a seventeen-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.
"Dancing Queen" is the 33rd most successful song in music history.[2]
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[edit] 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...".
[edit] Reception
"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, Canada, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia), South Africa, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. "Dancing Queen" also reached the Top Five in 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 listed in Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the all time greatest songs in 20th century pop music history.
[edit] Chart positions
| Chart | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 18 |
| Belgian Singles Chart | 17 |
| Brazilian Singles Chart | 1? |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 15 |
| German Singles Chart | 11 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 16 |
| Mexican Singles Chart | 16 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 14 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 112 |
| South African Singles Chart | 12 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 114 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 16 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 11 |
| Zimbabwean Singles Chart | 14 |
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart | 12 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 4 |
| French Singles Chart | 5 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 10 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 14 |
| Japanese Singles Chart | 19 |
[edit] Cover versions
[edit] Artists who have recorded covers of the song
- A*Teens from The ABBA Generation
- Abbacadabra (from various compilations released by Almighty Records)
- Jodi Albert and Carley Stenson from ABBAMania 2
- Arrival from their album First Flight
- Claudja Barry
- Beat Crusaders
- The Countdown Singers
- Milo Bender
- The Black Sweden from ABBA tribute album Gold
- Luka Bloom from Keeper of the Flame
- Donna Burke from Japanese ABBA Ibiza Caliente Mix
- Belinda Carlisle from German ABBA Mania album
- Philippe Cohen Solal (of Gotan Project) featuring Melonie Cannon from The Moonshine Sessions
- Diablo from Elegance In Black album
- Chixie Dix from ABBA tribute album ABBAlicious
- Carol Douglas
- DJ Ensamble featuring Päivi Lepistö from ABBA tribute album Trancing Queen
- Dressed In White from ABBA tribute album Lay All Your Love On ABBA
- Duck Gang
- E-Rotic from ABBA tribute album Thank You For The Music
- Gaynor Ellen from Reader's Digest Music album It's Raining Men: Retro Dance & Party Mix
- Euphorica from ABBA tribute album ABBA Dance
- The Falcons (local group from the Bahamas)
- Flock Of Doug
- Garageland from New Zealand tribute album ABBAsalutely
- Girl Authority from their self-titled Girl Authority album
- Glow from ABBA tribute album ABBAMetal (also released as A Tribute to ABBA)
- The Grace a.k.a. TSZX
- Klaus Hallen
- Holm from Music For Astronauts
- Housecream
- Issa from ABBA tribute album The Electronic Tribute To ABBA
- Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
- Mambo Kurt from Spiel Heimorgel Spiel
- CoCo Lee from ABBA: A Tribute - The 25th Anniversary Celebration
- Scooter Lee from By Request...The Disco/Dance Album
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Jennifer Love Hewitt from Love Songs
- Maruca & Anastácia
- Pamela McNeill from Tribute To ABBA album
- Moped
- Munich Philharmonic Orchestra
- Nils Landgren from Funky ABBA
- Oompah Brass [2], in 3/4 on Oompocalypse Now (2008) [3].
- P
- Franck Pourcel
- Projekt Remix
- Puriti
- Raining Pleasure (featured in the Greek film Hardcore)
- Rajaton from Rajaton Sings ABBA With The Lahti Symphony Orchestra
- The Real Group from ABBA: A Tribute - The 25th Anniversary Celebration
- Redd Kross
- Regine Velasquez
- Rhythm Patrol vs. Miss A.
- Rockapella
- Rozalla
- Kalomoira Saranti & Giwrgos Xristou
- S Club 7 from Abbamania
- San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus from the album ExtrABBAganza!.
- SD Project from ABBA tribute album ABBA Chill Out
- SexBomb Girls
- Sixpence None the Richer from Dick soundtrack and The Best Of Sixpence None The Richer
- The Sunday Drivers
- Swede Dreams
- The Ten Tenors
- Texas Lightning from Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
- Triple M
- Wing
- Victor Wong
- The Yayhoos from Fear Not The Obvious album
[edit] Artists who have performed/recorded the song live
- Dan Baird (with the Sofa Kings)
- Jimmy Barnes
- Belle & Sebastian
- Black Sabbath
- Christy Carlson Romano (on the TV series Even Stevens)
- John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Robbie Fulks
- Paul Gilbert from the Japanese live album Acoustic Samurai
- Growing Girls
- Fran Healy
- Taylor Hicks
- The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu
- Kylie Minogue (at the closing ceremony for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia)
- Moxy Früvous
- Over the Rhine
- Sex Pistols
- Jason Shand
- The Sugarcubes (with lead singer Bjork)
- Donna Summer
- Frank Turner
- U2
[edit] Appearances in other media, etc.
- The song is a prominent number in the ABBA musical Mamma Mia!
- In Mortal Kombat series, the character, Frost, has a kick/stumble move called Dancing Queen in her Tong Bei stance. Not only that, thanks to Kreate-A-Fighter, in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, a player can find this move in the low kick section and include it in their custom fighters.
- The song was featured in the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding as the theme for idealised dreaming, with the character Muriel desiring a perfect life. She always wished her life was "Dancing Queen".
- The song is occasionally performed by the Queen's military band (as part of an ABBA medley) during the changing of the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London.
- The song was sung by the character "Ms. Swan" during a comedy sketch on MADtv.
- ABBA donned 18th century-inspired costumes when they first performed this song for King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden the night before he was married to Silvia Sommerlath, June 19, 1976.
- "Dancing Queen" was also featured in a couple of episodes of Winter Sonata, an immensely popular Korean drama series.
- The song was featured prominently in Spike Lee's 1999 film Summer of Sam. According to Lee, he had to personally contact ABBA and get permission to use the song, as the band were afraid that Lee was going to mock them in the movie. The song was used to ironically underscore an argument between John Leguizamo and Mira Sorvino.
- Late night talk show host Art Bell occasionally uses "Dancing Queen" as bumper music on his show. Because of this, Phil Hendrie (on his own show) always uses "Dancing Queen" as his bumper music for bits in which he plays Bell.
- In one episode of That 70s Show, when Hyde and Jackie recount how they initially became romantic, Jackie began to reminisce about how they first danced together to "Dancing Queen." Upon hearing this, Hyde stops the story, saying: "Hold it. I don't shake it and I don't listen to Abba."
- During the 2007 Houston Art Car Parade, a former school bus which houses a dance floor, disco balls, and rope lights rolled as The Dancing Queen - the song was played on the bus, along with 70s disco hits.
- In the final episode of the TV show Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law, the song's melody accompanies Phil Ken Sebben's backwards drive back to California from "The Most Eastern Point In The USA".
- In the episode My Mirror Image of TV sitcom Scrubs the song is played on JD's deck when a group of gay seniors are having a party there.
[edit] Notes and references
| Preceded by "Kiss and Say Goodbye" by The Manhattans |
Dutch Top 40 number-one single September 4 - October 2, 1976 |
Succeeded by "Mon Amour" by BZN |
| Preceded by "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Elton John and Kiki Dee |
UK Singles Chart number-one single September 4 - October 11, 1976 |
Succeeded by "Mississippi" by Pussycat |
| Australian Kent Music Report number one single September 6 - October 25, 1976 |
Succeeded by "Let's Stick Together" by Bryan Ferry |
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| Irish Singles Chart number-one single September 10 - October 15, 1976 |
Succeeded by "Mississippi" by Pussycat |
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| Preceded by "Rich Girl" by Daryl Hall and John Oates |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single April 9, 1977 |
Succeeded by "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul |
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