“Waterloo” is the first single from the Swedish pop group ABBA’s second album, Waterloo and their first under the Epic and Atlantic labels. This was also the first single to be credited to the group performing under the name ABBA.
On 6 April 1974 the song was the winning entry for Sweden in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. The victory began ABBA’s path to worldwide fame. The Swedish version of the single was a double A-side with “Honey, Honey” (Swedish version), while the English version usually featured “Watch Out” on the B-side.
The single became a No. 1 hit in several countries. It reached the U.S. Top 10 and went on to sell nearly six million copies, making it one of the best-selling singles in history. At the 50th anniversary celebration of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005, it was chosen as the best song in the competition’s history.
“Waterloo” was written specifically to be entered into the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, after the group finished third with “Ring Ring” the previous year in the Swedish pre-selection contest, Melodifestivalen 1973. The original title of the song was “Honey Pie”. “Waterloo” was originally written with simultaneous rock music and jazz beats (unusual for an ABBA song).
Recording of the song commenced on 17 December 1973, with instrumental backing from Janne Schaffer (who came up with the main guitar and bass parts), Rutger Gunnarsson and Ola Brunkert. The song’s production style was influenced by Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound”: prior to recording “Ring Ring”, engineer Michael B. Tretow had read Richard Williams’ book Out of His Head: The Sound of Phil Spector, which inspired him to layer multiple instrumental overdubs on the band’s recordings, becoming an integral part of ABBA’s sound.
Subsequently, German and French versions were recorded in March and April 1974 respectively: the French version was adapted by Claude-Michel Schönberg, who would later go on to co-write Les Misérables. “Waterloo” is about a woman who “surrenders” to a man and promises to love him, referencing Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Waterloo Lyrics (1974)
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 chance 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
So how could I ever refuse
I feel like I win when I lose
Waterloo – couldn’t escape if I wanted to
Waterloo – knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo – finally facing my Waterloo
Waterloo – knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo – finally facing my Waterloo
Waterloo – knowing my fate is to be with you
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