ABBA on Swedish TV January 1975

ABBA on tour

I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do - the single

Promotion in Europe & the videos

LP "ABBA"

Promotion in Germany, Denmark & Holland

SOS - the single

More TV promotion - Autumn 1975

Agnetha & Frida go solo

ABBA in USA - November 1975

Mamma Mia - the single

Greatest Hits

JANUARY

ABBA on SVT

On January 3rd, 1975 Swedish TV broadcasted the TV special "Nygammalt" where ABBA performed "So Long" and "I've Been Waiting For You". It was the first ABBA appearance on Swedish TV since the victory in Brighton in April 1974!!!

The red chair session

This session was taken at the end of 1974 or the beginning of 1975. One of the shots was used as a cover picture for the Australian compilation LP "The best of ABBA" released at the beginning of 1976.

ABBA 1975 - various photo sessions

One of the early 1975 photo session. The pictures were published mostly in Swedish papers which can mean that the photos were taken by a Swedish photographer.

The "nude" photo session

It was not easy to gain popularity at the beginning of the group's career. One more "sexy" photo session was arranged at the beginning of 1975 in order to wake some more interest. The group members were of course not naked when the pictures were taken but it looked like it.

The Honey Honey outfits

An early 1975 session.

The 1975 tour - part 1

On January 10th, ABBA started their Scandinavian tour in Oslo (Norway).

On the road

This leg of the tour continued in: Stockholm, Lund, Copenhagen (DK), Göteborg, Helsinki (Finland) and Umeå. The second leg of the tour was planned for the summer 1975.

Germany

At the end of January ABBA went to Germany to promote their new single "So Long" in the TV Show "Disco"

 Photo sessions

Wolfgang Heilemann took as usual exclusive photos of ABBA during their stay in West Germany.

TV outfits

ABBA in their early glitter and glamour outfits.

FEBRUARY

Paris

On February 1st, 1975 they came to Paris where they promoted their latest single "So Long" on TV.

The famous photo session taken outside the replica of the Statue of Liberty in Pont de Grenelle in Paris.

So Long

The show "Ring Parade" featuring ABBA performing "So Long" was broadcasted in February 9th, 1975.

Photo session

Melodifestivalen 1975

Björn, Benny and Stikkan were special guests in the TV studio during Melodifestivalen 1975 in Gothenburg on February 15th, 1975. They were invited by Swedish TV as composers of the song "Bang-a-Boomerang" performed by Svenne & Lotta who participated in the competition.

Recording sessions and holidays

In February and March ABBA continued recording the new album and at the end of the March it was time for holidays. Agnetha and Björn went to Greece and Frida and Benny to California

MARCH

Bang-A-Boomerang

The next project that involved Björn and Benny was Svenne & Lotta's participation in Melodifestivalen. Benny's old friends from Hep Stars covered the ABBA song "Bang-A-Boomerang" and performed it in the Swedish outtake to the Eurovision Song Contest. The song appeared in two versions - Swedish and English - on Svenne & Lotta's album called "2". Five songs on the album were produced by Björn and Benny and the duo covered more B & B compositions on this album. Among them ABBA's "Dance (While the music Still Goes On)" and "Kära Gamla Sol" originally recorded by Björn and Benny in 1970. Svenne & Lotta's version of it was recorded in English and entitled "Roly-Poly girl". Even the song "When You Walk in the Room" was covered by Svenne & Lotta on this album - Agnetha Fältskog would make her own version of it 29 years later on "My Colouring Book" in 2004. Björn and Benny as well as most of the ABBA musicians played on the album and Micke Tretow was one of the engineers engaged in this project. The Swedish version of "Bang A Boomerang" reached # 2 on Svensktoppen in February and Svenne & Lotta's cover of "Dance" became #2 in April 1975.

The ABBA members were in the audience in the TV studio following Melodifestivalen.

Norwegian journalists paid a visit at the Polar Music office in the spring of 1975.

Stars of the Year

The British "Music Week" awarded ABBA with the prize "Stars of the Year"

More prizes at the Polar Music office.

Promotion in Europe

Holland 

In Holland ABBA appeared in the TV special  "Eddy Go Round" performing "I Do I Do I Do" at the beginning of March 1975.

Photo session

The "Hey" photo session

In "Top Pop" they performed "SOS" and "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do" which would be released as a single some months later.

The panther photo session

APRIL

Belgium

ABBA were in Brussels on April 14th & 15th.

France

This photo session was taken in Paris where they stayed on April 18-23 during their promotional trip in Europe.

Systéme 2

ABBA performed "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do" in three shows recorded by French TV. One of them was "Systéme 2" which was recorded on April 16-20 and broadcasted on April 27th, 1975.

I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do/Rock Me - the single

The single "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do" was released in most European countries in April 1975. In Scandinavia though the single saw its release in early autumn 1975. It did not enter the Swedish chart but it became successful in Norway where it stayed on the chart for 23 weeks peaking at #2

It entered the UK chart on July 12th, 1975 and stayed there for 6 weeks reaching number 38 (on August 2nd). One more flop in England and one more disappointment for ABBA. 

But in West Germany the single was much more successful. It entered the chart on April 14th, 1975 and it stayed there for 22 weeks peaking at # 6.

In France the single was released in April 1975 and it stayed on the chart for 14 weeks peaking at#14.

In Holland the single "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do" b/w "So Long" entered the chart in March 75 where it stayed for 10 weeks reaching #3. The US release would wait until December 10th, 1975. The single stayed on the chart for 8 weeks peaking at #15.

In Australia the single "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" b/w "Rock Me" became a very huge success in Australia. It topped the Australian hit list where it stayed totally for 14 weeks.

In New Zealand "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do" became a smash hit - it stayed on the chart for 48 weeks peaking at #1.

US promo

20 Polystar hits

"I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do" became a big hit in West Germany which made that the song appeared on the compilation album "20 Polystar Hits" among other international smash hits from that period.

Dutch TV

The 1975 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Stockholm and ABBA were of course in focus during the Eurovision heat in the capital of Sweden. The group members gave several interviews for TV stations from all over Europe. Agnetha and Frida appeared on Dutch TV which followed the group Teach-In representing The Netherlands.

The videos

Four new videos were filmed on April 28th and 29th, all of them were directed by Lasse Hallström. The promo videos for "Mamma Mia", "I Do I Do I Do..." were made in the studio. "Bang-A-Boomerang" on various spots in Stockholm (City and Djurgården) and SOS partly in the studio, partly outside.

Mamma Mia

Bang-A-Boomerang

SOS

I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do

- the LP

ABBA's third album called simply "ABBA" was released on April 21, 1975. It contained 11 songs including their latest by that time single hits: "So Long" and "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do". All songs from this album were released on singles. The album became the first international ABBA album reaching high positions in many countries all over the world.

The album contained the forthcoming hit "SOS" performed by Agnetha and the beautiful ballad "I've Been Waiting For You" with Agnetha on lead. Frida had lead vocals on the reggae ballad "Tropical Loveland". The biggest hit on the album which became ABBA's break through on the charts all over the world was the opening track on the A side "Mamma Mia".

The album "ABBA" sold very well in Sweden where it topped the chart for more than 16 weeks. It was re-released in March 1976 and one more time entered the album chart staying there for 2 more weeks.

Danish release

The UK release of the LP "ABBA featured a slightly changed cover with a frame. It entered the British chart first in January 1976 and stayed there for 10 weeks reaching #13.

The German record company Polydor released the album with two alternative cover versions. The second  version of the album received the title "Mamma Mia". It entered the album chart in West Germany on March 15th, 1976 where it stayed for 6 weeks reaching #31.

The album did not enter the Top 20 on the Austrian chart.

The French release of the album featured partly different layout on the back cover.

The LP "ABBA" saw its release in Italy first in May 1976. It stayed on the LP chart for three weeks peaking #11.

The album "ABBA" was released in Spain as LP/MC but it did not enjoy any bigger success on the Spanish LP chart.

The album "ABBA" became a smash success in Australia where it entered the LP chart on September 8th, 1975 and stayed there for unbelievable 65 weeks reaching #1 (for 11 weeks).

In USA the album was released on August 28, 1975. It appeared for 3 weeks on the album chart on November 15th, 1975 reaching #174. The album re-entered though the US chart in June 1976 where it stayed for 12 weeks reaching #202.

In Japan the LP "ABBA" saw its release at the beginning of 1976. Track list on the side A was partly changed and the opening track was "SOS" and not "Mamma Mia" as on all other releases of the album.

In Canada the "ABBA" album entered the chart on June 5th, 1976 at #100 and it stayed there for 5 weeks peaking at #55.

The note book

The photo sessions

The cover photos were taken at the Castle hotel in Stockholm and in the car outside the hotel.

Peps Blodsband

A wonderful parody on the cover of ABBA's third album was made by Swedish rock band from Scania - Peps Blodsband. The four band members sat in old car as ABBA did but they did not drink champagne but coffee from red thermos in old cups. The album was entitled "Hög standard" (High Standard) and was released at the end of 1975.

Bonniers musikklubb

"So Long" was the opening track on an early compilation album released by Bonnier's music club in 1975. Even other artists recording on Polar label appeared on this album as Svenne and Lotta (Bang-A-Boomerang), Ted Gärdestad, Runeson as well as ABBA's musician Björn J:son Lindh.

Schlagererfolge 74/75

ABBA appeared on a double compilation album "Stars präsentieren 56 Schlagererfolge 74/75" released in 1975 in West Germany by Polydor. The album featured a mix of two ABBA songs: "Honey Honey" (1'10) and "Waterloo" (1'44).

Aktuella schlager - Current hits

Swedish booklet "Aktuella schlager" in its issue number 139 featured lyrics to several current hits written by Björn, Benny and Stikkan and performed by ABBA on their latest album as well as other artists. The songs featured in the booklet were: "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do", "Rock Me", "SOS" by ABBA and "Att finnas till" by Birgitta Wollgård & Salut and "Kom ta en sista dans med mej" (Swedish version of "Dance While the music still goes On) by Svenne & Lotta.

MAY

Before the tour

Agnetha and Frida gave an extended interview for the Swedish weekly "Hänt i veckan" in May 1975. Several pictures of Agnetha and Frida exercising their dance numbers before the forthcoming tour were taken at the ABBA head-quarter in Baldersgatan in Stockholm.

Interview for "Kamratposten"

On May 13th ABBA gave an interview for the Swedish magazine "Kamratposten". The magazine comes out in Sweden every third week since 1892 and still existing. The magazine is primarily for children between 8 and 14 years old. It was natural for ABBA to accept the invitation as the most of their fans was in this age group at that time. The interview with some pictures was issued on August 27th, 1975.

Hamburg, Disco

ABBA went to Hamburg in West Germany for the second time on May 22-23, 1975 and participated in the TV show "Disco" where they performed "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do". The show was broadcasted by German TV on May 24, 1975. Wolfgang Heilemann took lots of new pictures which would soon be published by "Bravo" and other newspapers all over the world.

During their stay in Hamburg ABBA were awarded at the restaurant "Die Gurke" for 2 million singles "Honey Honey" sold in West Germany.

See even: ABBA related places/Hamburg Die Gurke

More photos taken in Hamburg

The lion session

The session taken by German photographer Bubbi Heilemann in May 1975 in Hamburg.

The Mamma mia session

One of the pictures taken during this photo session was later used for the cover of the Polydor single "Mamma Mia".

Paris

On May 26th and 27th  ABBA were in the capital of France where they recorded their performance of "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do" which would be aired one week later on French TV.

Ring Parade

filmed on May 25th, broadcasted on June 1st, 1975

ABBA in Denmark

ABBA arrived in Denmark on May 28th and made a TV special "Omkring et flygel" (which was shown on Danish TV on June 21, 1975). The host was Bent Fabricius-Bjerre.

The Tivoli sessions - Copenhagen

ABBA received gold records for sales of the LP "ABBA" in Denmark.

The Agnetha-ice-cream photo session

One more 1975 classical photo session featured Agnetha among puppets with a big ice-cream in her hand.

Holland

ABBA went to Holland where they performed in the "Eddy go round" TV special on June 11th. They sang several songs from their latest album and gave an interview. One of the many "cat & dogs"-sessions was taken after the show.

The TV Show

The "De hooge Vuursche" hotel outside Hilversum

The garden photo sessions were taken outside the hotel where the group stayed. The hotel is called "De hooge Vuursche" and situated 6 km from Hilversum where the show was recorded.  During that photo period Björn was very often seen in his "dog" sweater...

In Hilversum

Rehearsals - Stockholm

In June ABBA rehearsed at the Jarla Theatre in Stockholm before the second leg of their 1975 tour.

The "Lois" photo session

A photo session promoting "Lois" trademark producing jeans was arranged in the summer 1975 in Stockholm. The sessions were taken on two spots in Stockholm: on the Riddarholmen-island (go.to/ABBA related places for more info) and outside Grand Hotel.

The blue session

Even the "Freizeit Magazin's" readers got their "own" ABBA pictures. Some lucky people could win T-shirts signed by ABBA themselves.

The tour 1975 part 2 

The itinerary

Before the second leg of the tour ABBA had several rehearsals in the entertainment park "Gröna Lund" in Stockholm.

The Gröna Lund session

The famous picture taken in Gröna Lund is well-known all over the world. It appeared on some LP covers as for instance on the French compilation "Golden Double Album" in 1976. Below there is an rare previously unseen alternative take from the same session.

Rämshyttan

ABBA started their tour in the Swedish folkparks on June 21st in Skellefteå in northern part of Sweden. On their way to northern Sweden the group and their team with equipment stayed for a couple of days in the recreation center Rämshyttan near the city of Borlänge in the province Dalarna.

Agnetha & Frida relaxing in sauna

Their show in Eskilstuna has been recorded by a fan in the audience and nowadays it is available on bootleg CDs. The quality is quite good and it is fun to hear ABBA talking Swedish. ABBA performed: Hey Hey Helen, He Is Your Brother, Hasta Manana, Rock Me, SOS, King Kong Song, Gonna Sing You My Lovesong, Sitting in the Palmtree, Intermezzo no 1, Rock'n'Roll Band (leadvocal Frida!), I've Been Waiting For You, Honey Honey, Waterloo, Watch Out, I Do I Do I Do... and So Long.

Gamleby, July 9th

Summer on Viggsö

German TV went to Sweden and met ABBA having holidays on their island Viggsö in Stockholm archipelago. The footage featured an interview with the group and Stikkan and a video for "SOS".

Even the German press got a possibility to meet ABBA on their island and take pictures.

Momarkedet Norway, August 1975

ABBA went to Norway in August and performed "SOS" and "Waterloo" in "Momarkedet" in their cat-dog-outfits.

Photo session

The Blaupunkt ads

Photo sessions for the ads of the German electronic company "Blaupunkt" were taken on August 28th, 1975. The ads were published in the autumn the same year.

S.O.S - the single

The third single from the album "ABBA" - "SOS" b/w "Man In The Middle" was released in Scandinavia and several countries in Europe and USA in summer/autumn 1975. "SOS" entered the Norwegian chart on October 2nd, 1975 and stayed there for 26 weeks peaking at #2. The single was even hit in Denmark.

The single was released in the UK on September 14th, and it entered single chart two weeks later (on September 27th) at #31. The second week on the chart found '"SOS" on #16 and one week later on # 13. The highest position of the single on the British chart was #6 on October 25th, and it was a real breakthrough for ABBA in the UK. "SOS" stayed on #6 for 2 weeks.

In West Germany the single entered the chart on August 4th, and stayed there for 30 weeks peaking at #1 (for 7 weeks) on September 15th. 

In Belgium "SOS" entered the chart in July 75 and became #1.

In Holland the single entered the chart on June 14th, 1975 and stayed there for 10 weeks peaking at #2.

"SOS" was #1 in Australia, New Zealand and Mexico; #2 in Austria, Italy, Norway, Zimbabwe; #3 in Switzerland and #4 in Ireland.

In France the single was released with "Bang-A-Boomerang" on the A-side and "SOS" on the B-side. The single cover was re-edited by the record company Vogue later when "SOS" became a big hit in the UK and other countries. The title "S.O.S." was printed with bigger letters on the single cover. Probably because of all this mess the single reached only #59 on the French chart.

The East German release of "SOS" by Amiga was backed with "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do". The cover photo featured a shot from ABBA's performance in DDR in November 1974. The Yugoslavian edition featured cover photo from the "Waterloo"-photo session.

US promo

20 original top hits

"SOS" became a huge hit in West Germany where it was released on the Polystar compilation "20 original top hits" among other international hits performed by different artists. "SOS" was the opening track on the album's A-side.

For fuld musik 2

"SOS" was featured on the Danish hit compilation released at the beginning of 1976. Another hit on this compilation was Harpo's "Moviestar" with Frida as a background singer.

Alice Cooper

Frida and Benny were in audience when Alice Cooper performed in Gröna Lund in Stockholm on August 31st, 1975.

Inger Lise Andersen

The Norwegian pop singer Inger Lise Andersen (later Rypdal) got in touch with Stikkan Andersson already in 1968 when he wrote Swedish lyrics for her song "Romeo och Julia" which became successful on Swedish hit chart. On September 7th, 1975 Inger Lise entered Svensktoppen with her Swedish version of "I've Been Waiting For You" which became Swedish title "Jag har väntat på dej". The single stayed on the chart for 11 weeks peaking at #3.

Arthur Greenslade

Arthur Greenslade (May 4th, 1923, Northfleet, Kent - November 27th, 2003 Sydney, Australia) was a British conductor and arranger for films and television as well as for a number of performers. In the 1950s he was pianist and arranger with the Oscar Rabin Band. He has arranged for Jack Jones, Chris Farlowe, Serge Gainsbourg, Genesis, Cat Stevens, Diana Ross and Dusty Springfield. For Shirley Bassey he famously arranged "Goldfinger" and "Send in the Clowns". He has conducted orchestras in the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall, and was Bassey's musical director.
Greenslade has also conducted some "easy listening" classics.
He was most active in the 1960s and 1970s.

In December 1974 Arthur Greenslade and his orchestra recorded in London a whole LP with instrumental versions of well-known ABBA songs featuring even pre-ABBA recordings written by Björn and Benny. The LP contained 12 songs and it was released in 1975 being one of the first cover albums with ABBA songs released world-wide.

Pick a bale of cotton...

Possibly the strangest musical ABBA project was the recording of American folk medley: Pick A Bale Of Cotton, On Top Of Old Smokey and Midnight Special. ABBA wanted to contribute to the German compilation album with the profits donated to the cancer fond. An remixed version of the medley would appear 3 years later on the B-side of the SP "Summer Night City" (go.to.ABBA The Album+1978). The medley had been recorded on May 6th, 1975.

Recording sessions - Fernando & Dancing Queen

At the beginning of September the group was in the studio recording their probably most successful songs ever: "Fernando" and "Dancing Queen". The Swedish Television prepared at the same time a TV special about Stikkan Anderson and some filming was done in the studio when the first version of "Dancing Queen" was being recorded.

Platinum for "ABBA"

On September 9th,  Stikkan organized a party in a restaurant in Stockholm. ABBA were presented with platinum disc for sales of the album "ABBA" in Sweden.

Veckorevyn

ABBA became group of the year in the voting of the readers of the Swedish magazine "Veckorevyn". They were awarded with a painting of Hans Arnold and 5000 Swedish Crowns which the group decided to give for charity.

Made In Sweden

In September SVT (Swedish TV) made a 45-minute special featuring the most popular artists in Sweden. The programme featured: ABBA, Lill Lindfors and Björn Skifs. ABBA performed 3 songs: Mamma Mia, I Do I Do I Do... and So Long. The show was presented on the MIDEM fair in Cannes in January 1976.

Photo session outside TV house in Stockholm during filming of the show "Made in Sweden"

More promotion, September 1975

At the end of September ABBA made short promotional trips to Italy, France and Germany.

Italy - September 20-21, performed "SOS" in a TV show recorded in Venice.

In the TV show "Musikladen" on German TV the group performed "SOS" live.

Photo sessions

France - Ring parade filmed on September 24th and broadcasted on September 28th, 1975

 in Stockholm

In the autumn of 1975 Wolfgang Heilemann arranged en extended photo session. Many of the pictures taken during this session would be published in newspapers all over the world.

The King session

At the office

Thousands of pictures were taken at the headquarter in Baldersgatan in Stockholm.

Stage outfits...

...with the costume designer Owe Sandström.

Choreography

Agnetha and Frida were working hard with their choreography together with their teacher Graham Tainton. They did advanced gymnastics and aerobics exercises in the special room at the Polar Music office in Baldersgatan in Stockholm

The Moulin Rouge Session

Benny and Björn were dressed in tailcoats and top hats and the girls in Charleston costumes with corsages.

The silver folio sessions

The group posed wrapped in a silver folio.

The scarf-session

This classical session printed on thousands of posters all over the world was taken someday in the autumn of 1975.

The "Veckorevyn" session

This famous photo session which was published among others in the Swedish weekly "Veckorevyn" at the beginning of 1976.