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Rating: "Waterloo": Personally, before naming an album with such an ominous title, I would think twice, but when dealing with people like ABBA, the chances of running into an artistic debacle are decidedly limited, if not nonexistent. Still, "Waterloo" is somewhat a clay pot among iron pots within the Swedish quartet’s production, when compared to the delightful and never too underrated debut album "Ring Ring" and the subsequent "ABBA," "Arrival," and "The Album," which will launch them into the orbit of an overwhelming and unrepeatable success. Let me be clear, although it is a transitional album, "Waterloo" is still far from essential; it is an ABBA album, which means that entire fleets of supertankers loaded with the pseudo-musical flatulences of Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Justin Timberlake would not equal the value of a single copy, and that Benny and Bjorn’s compositional talent also emerges with dignity here, giving us some pearls of what some snobbishly call "bubblegum pop."
The standout tracks of "Waterloo" are the title track with its rhythmic easy rock and the light pop of the syrupy (but classy) "Honey, Honey", pieces that are not exactly excellent but in which the ABBA sound is immediately recognizable thanks to the almost perfect arrangements and the lively vocal interpretation of Frida and Agnetha. However, the album's overall level is somewhat marred by the faded reggae of "Sitting In The Palmtree", the staggering and almost cacophonous rock n' roll of "King Kong Song" and "Watch Out" (the latter particularly disappointing despite a beautiful almost hard rock opening riff), where the band begins to move away from the sweet, candy-like pop (in a good sense) of their early work to experiment with new sounds, which would be refined with much better results in the subsequent "ABBA" (just think of "Tropical Loveland" and "So Long"), and also by the lack of creative inspiration in pieces like the anonymous and filler tracks "Dance While The Music Still Goes On" and "Suzy-Hang-Around" or the mawkish "Gonna Sing You My Lovesong", which stands only thanks to Frida’s voice in the verses.
Up to this point, "Waterloo" does not even reach adequacy, but as I said, ABBA always has a rabbit to pull out of the hat to save the situation, such as the hypnotic and beguiling groove of "My Mama Said", where, seven years ahead of time, the sounds that would make "The Visitors" great emerge. There’s the carefree and innocent "What About Livingstone", where, by contrast, the contagious joy and innocence of "Ring Ring" reappear, and most importantly, the true gem, the evergreen of "Waterloo", the wonderful "Hasta Manana", a light, fresh, and airy ballad that becomes a masterpiece thanks to the nightingale-like voice of the divine Agnetha, here delivering the best performance of her career, worth alone the price of the album which nevertheless remains (along with "Voulez-Vous") the ugly duckling of ABBA’s discography, even though it is upon these still somewhat uncertain foundations that they will begin to build their well-deserved fortunes.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Waterloo (02:48)
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
02 Sitting in the Palmtree (03:38)
See me sitting in the palmtree
Looking down at people passing by
Sitting here no-one can harm me
They just stare at me and wonder why
No need to bother, I'm gonna stay up here
Whatever happens, I won't let no-one near
Until you tell me, Jeanie Jeanie on my mind, won't you please
You really love me, Jeanie Jeanie you're so fine, yes you are now
And in the evening, when the sun goes down
I'll be the bluest of men in this town
'Cause I love you, Jeanie Jeanie on my mind
See me sitting in the palmtree
Waiting for those little words from you
People laugh and point their fingers
Like I was a monkey at the zoo
But I will stay here, among my coconuts
So you will know dear, you're everything I've got
Now won't you tell me, Jeanie Jeanie on my mind
Winds blow, stars glow, I see a light in a window
Dark trees, soft breeze, carry my message to her please
See me sitting in the palmtree
Feeling angry at the silly crowd
No-one else but you can calm me
You should know by now I'm far too proud
I need to show you, I've got my feelings too
You shouldn't treat me like you always do
So won't you tell me, Jeanie Jeanie on my mind, won't you please
You really love me, Jeanie Jeanie you're so fine, yes you are now
And in the evening, when the sun goes down
I'll be the bluest of men in this town
'Cause I love you, Jeanie Jeanie on my mind
Jeanie Jeanie you're so fine
Jeanie Jeanie on my mind
Jeanie Jeanie you're so fine
Jeanie Jeanie on my mind
Jeanie Jeanie you're so fine
04 Hasta mañana (03:10)
When you say, "I miss the things you do"
I just want to get back close again to you
But for now, your voice is near enough
How I miss you and I miss your love
And though, all the days that pass me by so slow
All the emptiness inside me flows
All around and there's no way out
I'm just thinking so much of you
There was never any doubt
CHORUS
Hasta Manana
If you say you'll be there too
Hasta Manana if you will
I know it's worth it all, to spend my life alone with you
When it looked as though my life was wrong
You took my love and gave it somewhere to belong
I'll be here, when hope is out of sight
I just wish that I were next to you tonight
And though, I'll be reaching for you even though
You'll be somewhere else, my love will go
Like a bird on it's way back home
I could never let you go
And I just want you to know
CHORUS
Hasta Manana
If you say you'll be there too
Hasta Manana if you will
I know it's worth it all, to spend my life alone with you
(repeat Chorus)
07 Honey, Honey (02:56)
Honey honey, how you thrill me, ah-hah, honey honey
Honey honey, nearly kill me, ah-hah, honey honey
I'd heard about you before
I wanted to know some more
And now I know what they mean, you're a love machine
Oh, you make me dizzy
Honey honey, let me feel it, ah-hah, honey honey
Honey honey, don't conceal it, ah-hah, honey honey
The way that you kiss goodnight
(The way that you kiss me goodnight)
The way that you hold me tight
(The way that you're holding me tight)
I feel like I wanna sing when you do your thing yeah
I don't wanna hurt you, baby, I don't wanna see you cry
So stay on the ground, girl, you better not get too high
But I'm gonna stick to you, boy, you'll never get rid of me
There's no other place in this world where I rather would be
Honey honey, touch me, baby, ah-hah, honey honey
Honey honey, hold me, baby, ah-hah, honey honey
You look like a movie star
(You look like a movie star)
But I know just who you are
(I know just who you are)
And, honey, to say the least, you're a doggone beast
I don't wanna hurt you baby, I dont wanna see you cry
But i'm gonna stick to you boy, you'll never get rid of me
Honey honey, how you thrill me, ah-hah, honey honey
Honey honey, nearly kill me, ah-hah, honey honey
I heard about you before
I wanted to know some more
And now I know what they mean, you're a love machine (fade)
08 What About Livingstone (02:56)
Went to buy me a paper at the local news-stand
And then I heard them laugh and say
Look, they're gonna go flying way up to the moon now
Hey, what's it good for anyway?
So I said
Fellas, like to ask you a thing if I may
What about Livingstone?
What about all those men?
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while
Travelling up the Nile
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
What about Livingstone?
And all of those fellas at the local news-stand
Didn't know what to answer or what to say
So I told them about him, that he was just like
One of those spacemen in his way
And if you laugh at them
Then there's only a thing I can say
What about Livingstone?
What about all those men?
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while
Travelling up the Nile
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
What about Livingstone?
(Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
What about all those men?
(Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while
(Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Travelling up the Nile
(Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
(Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Wasn't it worth it then?
What about Livingstone?
(Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
What about all those men?
(Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
09 Watch Out (03:46)
You move like a flame of fire
Your eyes like a flash of lightning
The answer to all desire
And I'm gonna tame you, wild thing
You'd better watch out
I said you'd better watch out
Watch out
Anywhere you go I'll find you
Watch out
I'll be staying close behind you
And I'm tired of waiting
Yes it's driving me crazy
And my patience is fading
Oh, you'd better watch out
I said you'd better watch out
It's been kind of funny lately
You act like I was a stranger
I think you're beginning to hate me
But then you're a girl in danger
You'd better watch out
Ooh, I said you'd better watch out
Watch out
Anywhere you go I'll find you
Watch out
I'll be staying close behind you
And I've tired of waiting
Yes it's driving me crazy
And my patience is fading
So you'd better watch out
Yes I said you'd better watch out
Watch out
Watch out
And I'm tired of waiting
Yes it's driving me crazy
And my patience is fading
I said you'd better watch out
Oh girl you'd better watch out
Ah, you'd better watch out
Ooh, ah, you'd better watch out
10 Gonna Sing You My Lovesong (03:38)
You say she's been mad at you
Then you say you'll be patient, ooh
Still I see that she makes you blue
Come on, I'll give you consolation
Gonna sing you my love song, gonna bring you some light
Gonna make you feel happy every day of your life
Gonna sing you my love song, gonna make it all right
You're all I ever need, my darling
Just to be where you wanna be
So much fun we could have then, hmm
To be close for eternity
What a miracle to happen
Gonna sing you my love song, gonna sing it for you
Gonna give you sweet loving, gonna give myself too
Gonna sing you my love song, when I think about you
I know she doesn't make it easy
'cause you don't please her like you please me
You're my life, you're my angel
You're my first, you're my last
Would she care if you lingered
For another night
Wanna hold you tight
We could make it right
Gonna sing you my love song, gonna bring you some light
Gonna make you feel happy every day of your life
Gonna sing you my love song, gonna make it all right
I know she doesn't make it easy
Gonna sing you my love song, gonna sing it for you
Gonna give you sweet loving, gonna give myself too
Gonna sing you my love song, when I think about you
You're all I ever need, my darling
And I would love to sing my love song
For you
11 Suzy-Hang-Around (03:10)
Suzy was nine and I was ten
Right at the time when boys like to think they're men
She used to follow us at school
We really thought that she was a little fool
And one day we said to her
We don't want to hurt you girl
But you'd better
Look for a friend of your own, Suzy-hang-around
Better come back when you're grown, Suzy-hang-around
Nobody wants you around here and that's for sure
So get off our playground and stay away
That's all that we've got to say
Suzy-hang-around
Suzy went home to Mama's arms
Mama said "Look, she's never done you no harm
So get off her back and let her be
Why can't you play together in harmony?"
We really didn't know what to say
But as soon as she went away
We laughed and said
Look for a friend of your own, Suzy-hang-around
Better come back when you're grown, Suzy-hang-around
Nobody wants you around here and that's for sure
So get off our playground and stay away
That's all that we've got to say
Suzy-hang-around
Yes you'd better
Look for a friend of your own, Suzy-hang-around
Better come back when you're grown, Suzy-hang-around
Nobody wants you around here and that's for sure
So get off our playground and stay away
That's all that we've got to say
Suzy-hang-around
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