Mamma Mia
Ligonberry Ouzo Triple Citrus Sunrise Ice Cream topped with White Ischoklad and Blue Sugar Sprinkles
In 1972, four performers, made up of two couples, formed the musical group, ABBA. The bands name was created by using the first letter of each members’ first names: Agnetha Fältskoa, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
Both Benny and Björn were in separate rock groups as teenagers. Called the Swedish Beetles, Benny’s band, the Hep Stars, recorded a song that was written by Benny and Björn, who had began to regularly collaborate. In 1969, Benny submitted a song to for the Swedish Eurovision entry. While he didn’t win, he met Anni, who also had participated in the festival. Anni, along with Björn’s partner, Agnetha, would join the men in the recording studio as they worked on their first album together. Anni and Agnetha had their own successful music careers when they began singing backing vocals for Benny and Björn.
In April 1970, the two couples vacationed in Cyprus and what begun as singing for fun on the beach turned into an impromptu live performance, leading to a stage act back home named Festfolket, meaning Party People. Surprisingly, the act garnered negative reviews, causing the foursome to put their ideas of working together on the back burner.
It wasn’t until 1971 after “Hej, gamle man,” a song credited to Björn & Benny but one that all four created was released and found popularity, that they began working dedicating more time to collaboration. By 1973, the group started officially going by ABBA, even negotiating with a Swedish fish-canning company for the rights to the name. In 1974, ABBA was chosen to represent Sweden at Eurovision with the song “Waterloo,” and they won the international contest, which led to a European tour. ABBA’s next single “Honey, Honey,” reached number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and even though in 2005, Eurovision declared “Waterloo” to be the best song in its history, overall there was worry in the 70s that ABBA would be a one-hit wonder. Slowly but surely, ABBA’s music gained popularity and “Mamma Mia” reached the number one spot in the UK. A couple years later, “Dancing Queen,” was number 1 in the US. As they became one of the most popular bands in the world, Björn and Agnetha went through a divorce. The media was convinced that the breakup would affect the band. However, their sixth studio album, topped charts in 1979.
However on December 11, 1982, ABBA performed for the last time, and while they didn’t make an official announcement, this performance was viewed as the end. Benny and Björn continued to work together, specifically writing songs for musicals. In 1983, they met producer Judy Craymer who believed their songs had theatrical potential and 14 years later, Craymer commissioned Catherine Johnson to write a book for a musical inspired by ABBA’s discography.
Mamma Mia! opened on April 6, 1999, and told the story of Sophie, who invites three men, who could all possibly be her father, to her Greek wedding behind her mother, Dona’s, back. The musical not only provided ABBA fans with nostalgia, but promoted the strength of single motherhood, female friendships, and female sexuality. Almost a decade later, the musical was adapted into a movie with a star studded cast, including Meryl Streep playing Dona, Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan playing two of the fathers, Amanda Seyfried as Sophie, and Julie Walters as one of Donna’s friends. The cast filmed on the island of Skopelos while drinking large amounts of Ouzo. Despite the movie receiving mixed reviews for its campy feel and for the actor’s varying singing skills, it became a beloved classic. So much so that 10 years later, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, brought the cast, now including Cher, back together for a continuation of the story. The sequel, which also is a prequel, celebrates the reopening of the Hotel Bella Donna in honor of Donna’s recent passing, and explores Donna’s early experiences on the island including her meeting of the three fathers. The film was a box office hit, further popularizing ABBA’s music and planting the band and the film franchise in the hearts of many.
Before the release of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, ABBA unexpectedly reunited and recorded two new songs. “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down” were released as singles in September 2021. Voyage, ABBA’s ninth studio album will be released in one month, on November 5th 2021 and will be followed by a concert residency complete with virtual avatars of the band.
