“Waterloo” is the iconic, career-launching song by the Swedish pop group ABBA.
The Breakthrough Song
- Release: 1974
- Writers: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson (lyrics).
- The Big Win: “Waterloo” was ABBA’s winning entry in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, which was the turning point that launched them from a European band to a global sensation. In 2005, it was named the best song in the contest’s history.
- Commercial Success: The single was a massive worldwide hit, topping charts in the UK, Germany, and many other countries. Crucially, it was ABBA’s first Top 10 hit in the US, proving their international appeal.
Musical Style and Theme
The song blended contemporary 1970s sounds with the band’s polished pop sensibility.
- Genre: A mix of Glam Rock and Pop, with an upbeat, energetic tempo that stood out at the time. The production style was heavily influenced by Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound,” featuring layered instruments and rich, multi-tracked vocals.
- The Metaphor: The lyrics famously use the historical Battle of Waterloo (Napoleon’s defeat in 1815) as a metaphor for a romantic surrender. The singer acknowledges that she’s been defeated by love, just as Napoleon was defeated in battle: “Waterloo, I was defeated, you won the war, Waterloo, promise to love you forevermore.”
- Performance: The song’s live performance at Eurovision was memorable, with the group appearing in bright, theatrical glam-rock costumes and conductor Sven-Olof Walldoff even dressed as Napoleon—all of which contributed to the song’s high-impact presentation.
“Waterloo” successfully established the core elements of ABBA’s signature sound: bright, complex melodies, impeccable production, and the harmonized vocals of Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.