Dancing Queen

"Dancing Queen"
Single by ABBA
from the album Arrival
B-side	"That's Me"
Released	16 August 1976 (Sweden) 21 August 1976 (UK) 12 November 1976 (US)
Format	7" single
Recorded	4–5 August 1975 at Glen Studio
Genre	Euro disco
Length	3:51
Label	Polar (Sweden) Epic (UK) Atlantic (US)
Writer(s)	Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus Stig Anderson
Producer(s)	Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus
Certification	Gold (UK), Gold (USA)
ABBA singles chronology
"Rock Me" (1976) "Dancing Queen" (1976) "Money, Money, Money" (1976)
Music video "Dancing Queen" on YouTube

"Dancing Queen" is a pop song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in August 1976, and is commonly regarded as one of the most successful singles of the 1970s. In 2011, Rolling Stone Magazine listed it as one of the greatest songs of all time.^[1]

"Dancing Queen" was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, and features the shared lead vocal performance of Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It is considered by many to be one of ABBA's signature songs. "Dancing Queen" was recorded in 1975, and was released on the group's album Arrival the following year.^[2] The song was re-released as a single in 1992 to promote the compilation Gold: Greatest Hits.

History

The recording sessions for "Dancing Queen" began on 4 August 1975. The demo was called "Boogaloo" and as the sessions progressed, Andersson and Ulvaeus found inspiration to the dance rhythm in George McCrae's "Rock Your Baby", as well as the drumming on Dr. John's 1972 album Dr. John's Gumbo. Fältskog and Lyngstad recorded the vocals on sessions in September 1975, 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 Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who apparently started crying when listening: "I found the song so beautiful. It's one of those songs that goes straight to your heart."

While working on the lyrics, half of the second verse was scrapped: "Baby, baby, you're out of sight/hey, you're looking all right tonight/when you come to the party/listen to the guys/they've got the look in their eyes...". It survives in footage from a recording session.^[3]

After having been premiered on German and Japanese TV during the spring of 1976, "Dancing Queen" saw its first live and domestic performance, televised on Swedish TV on 18 June 1976, during an all-star gala staged by Kjerstin Dellert at the Royal Swedish Opera^[4] in honour of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his bride to be, Silvia Sommerlath, who were to be married the next day.^[5][6] Benny Andersson has cited it as "one of those songs where you know during the sessions that it's going to be a smash hit". Agnetha Fältskog has stated in a TV program: "It's often difficult to know what will be a hit. The exception was 'Dancing Queen'. We all knew it was going to be massive".

For their 1980 Spanish language album/compilation "Gracias Por La Música", ABBA recorded a Spanish version of "Dancing Queen", renamed "Reina Danzante", with Spanish lyrics provided by Buddy and Mary McCluskey. The track was later retitled "La Reina Del Baile" when included on the later compilation album ABBA Oro: Grandes Éxitos in the 1990s.

In 1993, in honor of Swedish Queen Silvia´s 50th birthday, Anni-Frid Lyngstad was asked to perform "Dancing Queen" on stage, repeating ABBA's 1976 performance of the song at the wedding reception of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. Frida contacted The Real Group and together they did an a cappella version of the song on stage at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm, in front of the king and queen. The Swedish Prime Minister at the time, Ingvar Carlsson, was also in the audience that night and said it was an ingenious idea to perform "Dancing Queen" a cappella. This performance with Lyngstad and The Real Group was filmed by Swedish Television SVT and is included in Frida – The DVD.

For the 1994 Australian film Muriel's Wedding songwriters Ulvaeus and Andersson allowed the use of “Dancing Queen” and other ABBA hits for its soundtrack. It was one of the ABBA songs included in Mamma Mia! the West End musical that was first produced in 1999 and which was later adapted into a movie in 2008.

The first International Standard Musical Work Code was assigned in 1995 to "Dancing Queen"; the code is T-000.000.001-0.

Reception

"Dancing Queen" became a massive worldwide hit, topping the charts in more than a dozen countries including ABBA's native Sweden (where it spent 14 weeks at the top),^[7] Australia, Belgium, Brazil, West Germany, the United Kingdom,^[8] Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway (where it charted for 32 weeks (VG-lista Top 10), making it the 11th best-performing single of all time in that country),^[9] South Africa and Rhodesia. "Dancing Queen" also topped the charts in the United States, ABBA's only #1 on the Billboard Hot 100,^[10] and was a Top 5 hit in Austria, Canada, Finland, France and Switzerland. The song sold over three million copies.^[11]

In the UK Singles Chart, "Dancing Queen" was the last of three consecutive No. 1s for ABBA in 1976, following "Mamma Mia" and "Fernando" earlier in the year.^[8]

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 #16 in the UK in September 1992.

In 2000, "Dancing Queen" came fourth in a Channel 4 television poll of "The 100 Best Number Ones". It was chosen as #148 as part of the 365 Songs of the Century list. It is also ranked #174 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time,^[12] the only ABBA song on the list. That same year, it made VH1's 100 Greatest Dance Songs in Rock & Roll at #97. Also in 2000, editors of The Rolling Stone with MTV compiled a list of the best 100 pop songs. "Dancing Queen" was the 12th highest placed song from the 1970s.^[13]

On 9 November 2002, the results of a poll, "Top 50 Favourite UK #1's", was broadcast on Radio 2, celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Official UK Charts Company. 188,357 listeners voted and "Dancing Queen" came out at #8. On 5 December 2010, Britain's ITV broadcast the results of a poll to determine "The Nation's Favourite ABBA Song", in which "Dancing Queen" was placed at #2.

In 2009, the British performing rights group Phonographic Performance Limited celebrated its 75th anniversary by listing the 75 songs that have played most in Great Britain on the radio, in clubs and on jukeboxes. "Dancing Queen" was number eight on the list.^[14]

Former U.S. presidential candidate John McCain named "Dancing Queen" as his favorite song in a top 10 list submitted to Blender Magazine in August 2008.^[15] Also in August 2008, "Dancing Queen" surpassed the 500,000 mark for digital sales in the United States (512,000).

In August 2012 listeners to the 1970s-themed UK radio station "Smooth 70s" voted "Dancing Queen" as their favourite hit from the decade.^[16]

In October 2014 the musical instrument insurer Musicguard carried out a survey determining "Dancing Queen" to be the United Kingdom's favourite "floorfiller". Contrary to its closest competitors, "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson (#2) and "Twist and Shout" by The Beatles (#3), it turned out be very popular throughout the nation whereas the other two were strong regional favourites.^[17][18]

In March 2015, "Dancing Queen" became the 5000th song in "The Chain" on the Radcliffe and Maconie Show on BBC 6Music. The Chain, is officially the longest listener-generated thematically linked sequence of musically based items on the radio.

Track listings

^[19] 7" Vinyl

• a. "Dancing Queen"
• b. "That's Me"

1992 CD Re-issue

1. "Dancing Queen"
2. "Lay All Your Love On Me"

Charts and certifications

Chart positions Charts (1976–2008) Position Australian Singles Chart[20] 1 Austrian Singles Chart 4 Belgian Singles Chart 1 UK Singles Charts[8] 1 Canadian Singles Chart 1 Danish Singles Chart[21] 1 Dutch Singles Chart 1 Eurochart Hot 100 1 Finnish Singles Chart 3 French Singles Chart 5 German Singles Chart 1 Irish Singles Chart 1 Italian Singles Chart 14 Japanese Singles Chart 19 Mexican Singles Chart 1 New Zealand Singles Chart 1 Norwegian Singles Chart 1 Rhodesian Singles Chart 1 South African Singles Chart 1 Soviet Singles Chart 1[22] Spanish Singles Chart 10 Swedish Singles Chart 1 Swiss Singles Chart 3 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 6

Charts (1992) Position Australian Singles Chart 28 Belgian Singles Chart 16 British Singles Chart 16 Dutch Singles Chart 24 German Singles Chart 22 New Zealand Singles Chart 14 Norwegian Singles Chart 5 Swedish Singles Chart 15 Swiss Singles Chart 6 Charts (2008) Position Australian Singles Chart 58 British Singles Chart 82 Year-end charts Charts (1977) Position U.S. Billboard Hot 100 12 Sales and certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Japan (RIAJ) 350,000[23] United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Gold 1,060,000[25] United States (RIAA)[26] Gold 1,000,000^ Digital United States (RIAA)[27] 597,000[28] *sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Cover versions

A-Teens version

"Dancing Queen"
Single by A-Teens
from the album The ABBA Generation
Released	7 March 2000
Format	CD single Cassette 12" vinyl Airplay
Recorded	1999
Genre	Pop, Europop
Length	3:52 (Album Version) 3:20 (UK Radio Edit)
Label	Universal Music Group
Writer(s)	B. Andersson, S. Anderson, B. Ulvaeus
Producer(s)	Ole Evenrude
A-Teens singles chronology
"Take a Chance on Me" (2000) "Dancing Queen" (2000) "Upside Down" (2000)

"Dancing Queen" was A-Teens' fourth and final single from their first album The ABBA Generation.

When the single came out in the spring of 2000, it peaked at number one in Mexico, becoming their first number one hit in that country, the song was also a smash hit in South America peaking at number three in Argentina, number five in Chile, number six in Colombia and number fifteen in Brazil.

This was the main single for the United States promotion, when the album was released in March 2000. "Dancing Queen" reached ninety-five on the Billboard Hot 100, thirty-six on Airplay and number thirteen on the Hot Single Sales Chart.^[29][30]

"Dancing Queen" was released as a double A-side with "The Name of the Game" in Europe, where both the songs were promoted on radio at the same time, because Universal Music Group thought that "Dancing Queen", being the last single, needed a back-up to be successful. The video for "The Name of the Game" was an unofficial video, made especially for an A-Teens TV special in Sweden and it was never intended to be a promotional video. It was only aired by Channel 4.

Music video

Directed by Patrick Kiely, it was the first A-Teens video to be filmed in the United States. It was filmed on 7 March 2000, the same day the song was released. The video was a tribute to the movie The Breakfast Club. Paul Gleason (now deceased), the actor who played the principal in the movie, plays the same role in the video. When the principal leaves the members of the band (and many extras to serve as background dancers) alone in the detention room (which was actually the library), the school turns into a '70s discotheque. Part of the video also takes place in the dining area outside the school building. Towards the end of the video, the scene returns to normal as detention ends and everyone leaves.

Releases

European 2-Track CD single

1. "Dancing Queen" [album version] – 3:48
2. "The Name of the Game" – 4:17

European/Mexican CD maxi

1. "Dancing Queen" [album version] – 3:48
2. "Dancing Queen" [Pierre J's Main Radio Mix] – 3:27
3. "Dancing Queen" [Pierre J's Main Extended Mix] – 5:47
4. "Dancing Queen" [BTS Gold Edition Mix] – 5:13

U.S. CD single

1. "Dancing Queen" [album version] – 3:48
2. "Dancing Queen" [extended version] – 5:48

U.S. cassette

1. "Dancing Queen" [album version] – 3:48
2. "Dancing Queen" [extended version] – 5:48

Other artists who have recorded covers of the song

• Abbacadabra (from various compilations released by Almighty Records)^[31]
• Angeleyes on the album ABBADance (1999)
• Jodi Albert and Carley Stenson from ABBAMania 2 (2004)
• Arrival from their album First Flight (1999)
• Audioscam on the album Abbattack (2008)
• Claudja Barry
• Candy Cane
• Chet Lam, a Hong Kong-based indie musician, recorded the song on his "Camping" (2006)
• Beat Crusaders on their album Musicrusaders (2005)
• Milo Binder on the promo compilation Rolling Stone – Rare Trax Vol. 2 (1997)
• Black Sweden on Gold (2004) ~ often mistakenly listed as Black Sabbath on P2P filesharing networks
• Luka Bloom on his album Keeper of the Flame (2000)
• BNB on the album Bossa Mia: Songs of ABBA (2008)
• Brotherhood of Man on their album Sing 20 Number One Hits (1980)^[32]
• Donna Burke from Japanese ABBA Ibiza Caliente Mix
• Belinda Carlisle from the German ABBA Mania album (2005), which tied into a TV special
• Philippe Cohen Solal featuring Melonie Cannon on the album Solal Presents: The Moonshine Sessions (2007)
• Diablo on their album Elegance In Black (2000)
• Chixie Dix on the compilation ABBAlicious (2004)
• Carol Douglas on her album Full Bloom (1977)
• Eric Bibb on his album Even Better Than the Disco Thing (2008)
• E-Rotic from ABBA tribute album Thank You for the Music (1997)
• Euphorica on the album ABBA Dance (2003)
• Frank Turner on the album The First Three Years (2008)
• Flock of Doug on the album Wish I Were Here (2004)
• Garageland from New Zealand tribute album Abbasalutely (1995)
• Girl Authority from their self-titled Girl Authority album (2005)
• Glow on the compilation A Tribute to ABBA (also released as ABBAMetal) (2001)
• The Grace a.k.a. TSZX on their album 한번더, OK? (2007)
• Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers on their album Non-Stop ABBA Party
• Mambo Kurt from Spiel, Heimorgel spiel (2007)
• Coco Lee on her album CoCo's Party (1996) and ABBA: A Tribute – The 25th Anniversary Celebration (1999).
• London Philharmonic Orchestra
• Jennifer Love Hewitt on her album Love Songs (1992)
• Issa on the Electronic Tribute to ABBA compilation (2001)
• Pamela McNeill from Tribute To ABBA album
• Munich Philharmonic Orchestra
• Nils Landgren from Funky ABBA (2004)
• Manabu Nagayama and Shunji Suzuki from Natural Beauty Basic Presents Blend compilation (2004)
• Oompah Brass in 3/4 on Oompocalypse Now (2008).^[33]
• P from their self-titled album (1995)
• Pink Lady on an episode of their variety show Pink Lady and Jeff.
• Franck Pourcel
• Raining Pleasure (featured in the Greek film Hardcore)
• Rajaton from Rajaton Sings ABBA With The Lahti Symphony Orchestra (2006)
• The Real Group from ABBA: A Tribute – The 25th Anniversary Celebration (1999)
• Redd Kross
• Regine Velasquez
• Richard Clayderman played an instrumental version on his album The ABBA Collection
• Riff Raff from Rock 'N' Roll Mutation Vol. 1: Riff Raff Performs ABBA (2006)
• Rob ‘N’ Raz DLC from ABBA: The Tribute (1992)
• Rozalla
• Inger Lise Rypdal
• Marion Rung had a 1977 single release of the Finnish rendering "Prinsessa"
• Kalomoira Saranti and Giwrgos Xristou
• S Club 7 from ABBAmania (1999)
• SD Project on the album ABBA Chill Out (2006)
• San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus from the album ExtrABBAganza! (1997)
• Seppo Rannikko from the album Sahara (1976)
• SexBomb Girls
• Shana Vanguarde
• Sixpence None the Richer from Dick (1999) soundtrack and The Best of Sixpence None the Richer (2004)
• The Spooky Men's Chorale (2009)
• Steps (1999) and again for their The Ultimate Collection (Steps album) album (2011)
• Stixx on the EP Scotsmanality Survivor
• The Ten Tenors
• Texas Lightning from Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch (2005)
• Vocal Six on the CD "International" 2006
• Wing from her album Wing Sings ABBA
• Victor Wong
• The Yayhoos from their album Fear Not The Obvious (2001)
• Tracy Huang from her album "Mississippi" (1977)
• Meryl Streep Christine Baranski Julie Walters for the Soundtrack of the movie Mamma Mia
• Naya Rivera and Amber Riley of the Glee Cast performed the song in the season 2 episode Prom Queen
• The KLF, under The JAMs moniker, sampled "Dancing Queen" for "The Queen and I" on their debut album 1987 (What the Fuck Is Going On?). ABBA and the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society forced them to "deliver up the master tape, mothers, stampers and any other parts commensurate with manufacture of the record".^[34] King Boy D and Rockman Rock travelled to Sweden to destroy the unsold copies there.^[35]
• Norwegian doctor, politician, author, comedian and singer Trond Viggo Torgersen recorded a version of the song as "Danskebåtartisten" (The Danish Boat Artist), a Swede (probably a woman), where his character doesn't understand the lyrics sheet while singing the song and requests help from somebody called/nicknamed Stikkan (possibly a reference to Stig Anderson)

Notable musicians who have performed the song live

• Alanis Morissette
• Edurne (in the TV show Operación Triunfo in Spain)
• Dan Baird (with the Sofa Kings)
• Jimmy Barnes on The Andrew Denton Breakfast Show – Musical Challenge (2000)
• Girls' Generation
• Belle & Sebastian
• Christy Carlson Romano (on the TV series Even Stevens)
• The Continentals
• John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Robbie Fulks
• Paul Gilbert from the Japanese live album Acoustic Samurai
• Robyn from her current world tour as a mash-up with her song "Show Me Love"
• Growing Girls
• Fran Healy
• Taylor Hicks
• The KLF
• Kylie Minogue (at the closing ceremony for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia and during her Intimate and Live Tour)
• Moxy Früvous
• Over the Rhine
• Sex Pistols
• Jason Shand
• S Club 7 (Performed Live in their TV Show Miami 7 Episode 11 "Bermuda Triangle" .
• The Sugarcubes (with lead singer Björk)
• Sabrina Salerno (in the TV show "The Dancefloor" in Italy)
• Donna Summer
• Those Darn Accordions
• Frank Turner
• U2 (during the Zoo TV tour, 1993, and joined by Björn and Benny on stage for the track as the tour reached Stockholm)
• Sarah Geronimo and Yeng Constantino (ASAP '08)
• Johnny's Jr on Shounen club (Japan)
• Wilson Phillips on their current Christmas Tour
• Demon Kogure on Classic Rock Jam 2011 New Year's Special

References

External links

• Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Preceded by "Moviestar" by Harpo	Swedish Singles Chart number-one single 24 August 1976 – 23 November 1976	Succeeded by "Daddy Cool" by Boney M.
Preceded by "Kiss and Say Goodbye" by The Manhattans	Dutch Top 40 number-one single 4 September 1976 – 2 October 1976	Succeeded by "Mon Amour" by BZN
Preceded by "Nice and Slow" by Jesse Green	Belgian Flemish VRT Top 30 number-one single (first run) 4 September 1976 – 9 October 1976	Succeeded by "In Zaire" by Johnny Wakelin
Preceded by "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Elton John and Kiki Dee	Eurochart Hot 100 Singles number-one single 4 September 1976 – 6 November 1976	Succeeded by "Daddy Cool" by Boney M
	UK Singles Chart number-one single 4 September 1976 – 16 October 1976 (6 weeks)	Succeeded by "Mississippi" by Pussycat
Preceded by "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Elton John and Kiki Dee	Australian Kent Music Report number-one single 6 September 1976 – 25 October 1976	Succeeded by "Let's Stick Together" by Bryan Ferry
	Irish Singles Chart number-one single 10 September 1976 – 15 October 1976	Succeeded by "Mississippi" by Pussycat
Preceded by "Moviestar" by Harpo	Norwegian VG-lista Singles Chart number-one single 6 September 1976 – 22 November 1976	Succeeded by "Mississippi" by Pussycat
Preceded by "Daddy Cool" by Boney M.	German Singles Chart number-one single 17 September 1976	Succeeded by "Daddy Cool" by Boney M.
Preceded by "In Zaire" by Johnny Wakelin	Belgian Flemish VRT Top 30 number-one single (second run) 23 October 1976	Succeeded by "Mon Amour" by BZN
Preceded by "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" by Barbra Streisand	Canadian RPM Singles Chart number-one single 2 April 1977 – 9 April 1977	Succeeded by "The Things We Do for Love" by 10cc
Preceded by "Rich Girl" by Daryl Hall and John Oates	U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single 9 April 1977	Succeeded by "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul
Preceded by "She'd Rather Be With Me" by Pat McGlynn	Japanese Oricon International Weekly Singles Chart number-one single 8 August 1977	Succeeded by "Hotel California" by The Eagles

ABBA Agnetha Fältskog Björn Ulvaeus Benny Andersson Anni-Frid Lyngstad Studio albums Ring Ring Waterloo ABBA Arrival ABBA: The Album Voulez-Vous Super Trouper The Visitors Compilations Greatest Hits Greatest Hits Vol. 2 Gracias Por La Música The Singles: The First Ten Years Thank You for the Music Gold: Greatest Hits Oro: Grandes Éxitos More Gold: More Hits Thank You for the Music (box set) The Definitive Collection 18 Hits The Complete Studio Recordings Number Ones The Albums Hits! Hits! Hits! Other albums ABBA Live List of ABBA tribute albums Abba-esque The ABBA Generation ABBAmania Abbasalutely Rajaton Sings ABBA with Lahti Symphony Orchestra A Tribute to ABBA Mamma Mia Mamma Mia! Original Cast Recording Mamma Mia! The Movie Soundtrack Live at Wembley Arena Tours and TV specials Eurovision Song Contest 1974 European & Australian Tour (ABBA) ABBA: The Tour Dick Cavett Meets ABBA Congratulations Films and musicals ABBA: The Movie The Girl with the Golden Hair Mamma Mia! Mamma Mia! (film) Video games SingStar ABBA ABBA: You Can Dance Related music Discography Awards and nominations Songs Just Like That Unreleased songs ABBA: The Museum Music of Sweden Related individuals Stig Anderson Rutger Gunnarsson Ola Brunkert Michael B. Tretow Lasse Hallström A-Teens Björn Again Linda Ulvaeus Book:ABBA

A-Teens Marie Serneholt Amit Paul Dhani Lennevald Sara Lumholdt Studio albums The ABBA Generation Teen Spirit Pop 'til You Drop! New Arrival Extended plays Extr-A-Teens Compilation albums Greatest Hits 14 Hits Remix albums The ABBA Generation Remix DVDs Bouncing off the Ceiling (Upside Down) The DVD Collection Floorfiller Related articles Discography Songs Music of Sweden ABBA

A-Teens singles The ABBA Generation "Mamma Mia" "Super Trouper" "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" "Happy New Year" "Dancing Queen" Teen Spirit "Upside Down" "Halfway Around the World" "Sugar Rush" Pop 'til You Drop! "Can't Help Falling in Love" "Floorfiller" New Arrival "A Perfect Match" "Let Your Heart Do All the Talking" Greatest Hits "I Promised Myself" Soundtrack singles "Heartbreak Lullaby"