ABBA was never cool. That is an important fact. Instead, they cohabitated with The Partridge Family and Donny and Marie in a corporate/cultural reaction to the frightening incursion of unclean singers and doped rockers into the charts. If David Gates of Bread would shock families by dying of heroin, and if Jim Croce would disillusion the fans, then it was time for entirely controlled acts, whether that control was from outside (as in the Osmonds or Patridges) or inside (Bjorn's control of ABBA). Pro's could take over from the scary singer songwriters and teenagers with bands.

ABBA's formulation of safety was Douglas Sirk films done as song. They were never far from show tunes. Musically, they were sophisticated, but not innovative, and lyrically and visually, they were stage performers. As camp has embraced all things Sirkian, both satirically and genuinely, ABBA had to come back, and the time will soon come for the Partridges.

Camp's satirical barbs make good corporate sense for people who never gave up on the idea of an entirely safe, 100% appeal product. The Broadway "Mama Mia!" got bad reviews, as I recall, and actually struggled quite a bit (just as "Movin' Out" did). However, critics have a limited power in the face of waves of tourists, and the corporate forces behind the play advertised to out-of-towners: this is a "safe" and "fun" play. This is a "musical" the way you expect it.

The film of "Mama Mia!" is going to be the same situation: actors and even technical folks winking in camp, and audiences looking for a respite from a crumbling nation, and corporate interests congratulating themselves that they know how to create the 100% appeal product, and no song writers needed.

...and what difference does it make? Their music was fun, and hopeful. Hec it was pretty, and happy.

Apart from my interest in ABBA themselves, I appreciate this really smart and concise article.

ABBA's music is sheer sonic crack. It's probably not good for you, but I keep punching up the songs on my Ipod.

Having grown up in the 70s myself, I'm surprised that Mary Elizabeth Williams is just discovering the sexual undercurrent of ABBA's music now - I mean they were like the soundtrack of the swing set back then, when the mere word "Swedish" was a code word for some kind of imagined, unbridled sexuality.

Why can't Ikea furniture be as durable and well-crafted as ABBA's music? What's the deal here, Sweden?

One of the great pop groups of all time. Overdue to be sent to the Hall. Great vocals & lyrics (all done in a second language, think of U2 doing all their songs in German).

Greatest song, IMO, is 'Winner Takes it All'. 2nd Greatest is 'Take a Chance on Me', after that 7 or 8 could vie for 3rd.

Agree that 'Take a Chance on Me' would be a fine theme song for Sen. Obama.

Nice to see BS65 also appreciates ABBA. Makes him seem more like a regular person than he comes off in his daily screeds.

Prior to the era of crud personified by ABBA, we went through a long period of music that was actually about something -- political and metaphysical ideas. Apparently the questions being asked got too uncomfortable for a lot of people ("Could the government actually be working against our interest?"), leading to Saturday Night Fever, this, and an even longer period of nothink that we may (or may not) just be emerging from now.

So why do we love it so much? What you mean we, white woman? ABBA was a cultural tragedy, and some pretty awful music as well. The best American music (and all rock is influenced by American music) has always been played by some variation of guitar, piano, sax, bass and drums, in live performance. ABBA's about as far away from that as it's possible to get. Bubblegum pop for small children, given, but children ought to grow up sometime.

I've been playing this all summer, for some strange reason. It's by Gene McDaniels, from 1969, most memorably performed by Les McCann and Eddie Harris. You want Waterloo? I got your Waterloo....

1. Love the lie and lie the love

Hangin' on, with a push and shove

Possession is the motivation

that is hangin' up the God-damn nation

Looks like we always end up in a rut (everybody now!)

Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?

2. Slaughterhouse is killin' hogs

Twisted children killin' frogs

Poor dumb rednecks rollin' logs

Tired old ladies kissin' dogs

Hate the human, love that stinking mutt (I can't stand it!)

Try to make it real — compared to what?

3. The President, he's got his war

Folks don't know just what it's for

Nobody gives us rhyme or reason

Have one doubt, they call it treason

We're chicken-feathers, all without one gut (God damn it!)

Tryin' to make it real — compared to what? (Sock it to me, now)

4. Church on Sunday, sleep and nod

Tryin' to duck the wrath of God

Preacher's fillin' us with fright

Tryin' to tell us what he thinks is right

He really got to be some kind of nut (I can't use it!)

Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?

5. Where's that bee and where's that honey?

Where's my God and where's my money

Unreal values, crass distortion

Unwed mothers need abortion

Kind of brings to mind ol' young King Tut (He did it now)

Tried to make it real — compared to what?!

There's something magical and innocent about ABBA's world. Even the songs that are supposed to be sexy are sexy in a very innocent way. I was eight years old when I loved ABBA, and my best friend and I would dance around like crazy acting out the songs. It's still not possible to listen to "Bang-a-boomerang" without unleashing my inner 8-year-old.

Not too long ago I looked up my best friend's favorite song, "When I kissed the teacher," on youtube. Wow! The video is the worst ever, it's like being Rickrolled only with dorkier pants! But the song itself is still great. My friend had perfected the art of saying "when" with the Swedish accent, almost with a "b" sound at the start. I admired her for that.