6 April 1974: “Waterloo! Couldn’t escape if I needed to” - ABBA wins the Eurovision Track Contest
As all of us gear up for the 2023 Eurovision Contest, it’s price spending a second to look again on its most legendary 12 months. Eurovision would possibly appear to be an enormous deal now, however within the 70s it was at an entire different stage.
Identical to the upcoming contest, the 1974 version was additionally held within the UK regardless of it not being the earlier winner. Whereas 2022 winners Ukraine aren’t in a position to maintain the competition as a consequence of Russia’s invasion, in 1974 Luxembourg had back-to-back wins and already hosted it so handed the baton onto the UK.
And the place higher to host the kitschest contest on the earth than within the UK’s queer capital, Brighton? The stage was set for an iconic 12 months.
Forward of the competition, held on at the present time in 1974, France pulled out of the race, citing the dying of President Georges Pompidou, whereas Greece made their Eurovision debut.
After wins in 72 with ‘Après toi’ by Vicky Leandros and in 73 with ‘Tu te reconnaîtras’ by Anne-Marie David, Luxembourg’s entry was German-English singer Ireen Sheer with the track ‘Bye Bye I Love You’. Earlier than she made her identify in musical movie Grease, Australian singer Olivia Newton-John represented the UK with the track ‘Lengthy Reside Love’, whereas Gigliola Cinquetti returned to the competitors after successful for Italy in 1964.
It was feared that Cinquetti’s track ‘Sì’ (‘Sure’) would affect an upcoming referendum in Italy over divorce, so the nation didn’t broadcast the competition till a month later.
However the headline act of all the ceremony was the debut of Swedish pop group ABBA. Shaped in Stockholm in 1972, musical couples Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus; and Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, joined collectively as an official foursome after profitable pop recordings as “Björn & Benny”.
ABBA tried to enter the 1973 Eurovision Track Contest by competing in that 12 months’s Melodifestivalen, the Swedish nationwide choice competitors. Their track ‘Ring Ring’ didn't qualify. With renewed efforts, the group set their sights on 1974 with a brand new track, ‘Waterloo’ in English, as an alternative of their native language Swedish.
The track gained over Swedish audiences on the subsequent 12 months’s Melodifestivalen in February earlier than ABBA took their act to Europe on the Eurovision Grand Remaining.
ABBA gained by a transparent margin on the day. With full jury factors awarded to them by Finland and Switzerland, they beat out second-place Italy by six factors.
As ABBA celebrated their win, they carried out the track ‘Waterloo’ once more within the Grand Brighton Lodge, on the appropriately named first-floor Napoleon suite. They couldn’t understand it then, however the group have been on track for pop historical past.
ABBA are essentially the most profitable entry in Eurovision historical past having offered over 380 million albums and singles since their win. 25 years to the day after their victory, ABBA would unveil the jukebox musical Mamma Mia!, compiling the best hits of their profession, within the West Finish on 6 April 1999.
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