Dancing Queen
ABBA
Sweden
12" x 12"

"Dancing Queen" is a Europop and disco song by the Swedish group ABBA, released as a single from their fourth studio album, “Arrival” (1976). It was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson

As a worldwide hit, it became ABBA's only number one song in the United States and topped the charts in numerous other countries.

 

“Dancing Queen” was written in the summer of 1975, and the writers immediately felt that had written a great dance tune. The song was inspired by George McCrae’s disco hit, “Rock Your Baby” and the drumbeats on Dr. John’s album Gumbo. With the working title “Boogaloo,” Ulvaeus and Andersson worked on the song together for months before showing it to the rest of the band.

“We knew immediately it was going to be massive,” said ABBA singer Agnetha Fältskog. In fact, the first time Ulvaeus and Andersson played “Dancing Queen” for the rest of the group, Anni-Frid Lyngstad burst into tears.

 

ABBA recorded the song in 1975, about a year before its initial release of the song so that it would come out before their album, “Arrival”. The first single, “Fernando,” was released in March 1976.

The band (especially Andersson) wanted to release "Dancing Queen" as the follow-up single to "Mamma Mia" but their manager, Stig Anderson, insisted that the more sedate "Fernando" should be first, as he felt it would appeal to a broader audience. So, the band waited until August to release “Dancing Queen” to build excitement for the album release in October.

 

Dancing Queen had its first live and domestic performance on June 18, 1976 during an all-star gala staged at the Royal Swedish Opera in honor of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his bride-to-be, Silvia Sommerlath, who were married the following day.

 

Numerous Sources