Song Analysis - Dancing Queen

 Dancing Queen, the song that is probably ABBA's most popular and is pretty much the song that people commonly associate with ABBA.  The song that really gave them that boost in success that they had been looking for, and remains to this day, their most successful song.

ABBA began working on Dancing Queen in September 1975.  Apparently the moment each ABBA member had heard the finished song, they were all overcome with emotion by how good it was.  If I remember correctly, Bjorn was so excited when the song was finished that he couldn't even sleep and instead drove to his sister's house and played it to her.  Frida was said to have cried happy tears when she first heard it.  

The song is fun and happy, as it's about being young and carefree, enjoying teenage hood by going out and dancing.  Though this girl in the song, the Dancing Queen in question, likes to have a bit of flirtatious fun, teasing people but never falling through.  

I was watching a video by the YouTuber Roomie the other day, and he mentioned how he found the lyrics in Dancing Queen to be questionable, how she's young and sweet, only seventeen, hinting as if there's some creepiness in the actual lyrics and the meaning of the song.  However I really don't think at all that's what ABBA are hinting at.  The song isn't in anyway trying to condone or suggest hitting on a minor girl, as if that's acceptable.  I can understand why someone could assume that, but that's not the case with this song.

I've already mentioned how this song is like a more modern, revamped version of Nina, Pretty Ballerina and is also one of two songs to feature an age in an ABBA song, that other being Man In The Middle.  Man In The Middle also features a girl being only seventeen, but that song is explicitly about a bad guy who does bad things.  Dancing Queen is not.

Dancing Queen features a beautiful blend of Agnetha and Frida's vocals, with amazing stacked and layered vocals and Bjorn and Benny adding some harmonies a bit during the chorus, as well.  It has an amazingly fun and exciting soundscape, with lots of piano, strings, and synthesizer, a funky bass and fun guitars.  Agnetha and Frida's voices blend together beautifully, yet the song also highlights their different voices.  Especially in the second chorus, with Agnetha's high note.  This song is perfect.  And it's no wonder it's their most successful song.  

Though one thing to mention is, this song is not your stereotypical ABBA song.  Yes ABBA mention dancing in a good number of songs, and they have a lot of upbeat, fun, happy songs, but that doesn't mean all ABBA songs sound like that.  As I've been showing throughout this whole song analysis thing that I've been doing, ABBA have tried out and played around with all types of songs and styles, and no song sounds the same.  Because Dancing Queen is ABBA's most popular, I've seen so many videos of people trying to make ABBA-style songs and they think that to make an ABBA song, you have to rip-off Dancing Queen,  But that is not true.  Idk where I'm going with this, I guess it's just a pet peeve of mine.

Anyways, ABBA were known to not really let people film them in the recording studio while they worked, yet in 1975 for a documentary about Stig called Mr. Trendsetter, ABBA were filmed working on Dancing Queen in the studio, and in that video, they're seen recording a verse that didn't end up making it into the final version of the song.  In fact, allegedly, the song was originally structured different as well.

Intro: You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life....

Verse 1: Baby baby you're out of sight, hey you're looking alright tonight.  When you come to the party, listen to the guys.  They've got that look in their eyes."

Verse 2: You’re a teaser, you turn ’em on leave ’em burning and then you’re gone.  looking out for another, anyone will do.  You’re in the mood for a dance. and when you get the chance."

Chorus: You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet only seventeen. Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine, oh yeah. You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life.  See that girl, watch that scene, digging the Dancing Queen

Verse 3: Friday night and the lights are low, looking out for the place to go. Where they play the right music, getting in the swing. you come to look for a king.

Verse 4: Anybody could be that guy, night is young and the music’s high. With a bit of rock music, everything is fine. you’re in the mood for a dance.  and when you get the chance."

Chorus 2

But when they officially released the song, they rearranged it to be: 

Intro.

Verse 1: Friday nights and the lights are low...

Verse 2: Anybody can be that guy...

Chorus 1

Verse 3: You're a teaser you turn 'em on....

Chorus 2.

However, in 1980, Agnetha and Frida recorded the song again in Spanish for the Gracias Por La Musica album, and it ended up keeping the original 4 verse structure

The Spanish version of the song, originally titled Reina Danzante but renamed to La Reina Del Baile, is essentially the same, though this version of the song doesn't really highlight the dancing queen's age, just talking about being young and youthful, which I think further emphasizes how the song is about being young and carefree and not being a creepy creep, creeping on minor girls.

The Spanish version roughly translates to: 

Verse 1: Friday night and where to go. Everything ready to go. lights everywhere. look for a place, music and dancing.

Verse 2:  One and all to enjoy.  There is a sensational rhythm, with a very violent rock, long to dance, no one is going to stop you. And in the crowd.

Chorus:  You shine with fullness, finally all youth reigns. Your concern, finally all youth reigns. To dance, to spin. you know how to laugh and vibrate. Look well, there it goes, like a queen already

Verse 3:  And even though you know how to flirt, he is only interested in dancing. With whom you no longer care, alone you don't care no one is going to stop you

And verse 4 is a repeat of verse 2.

I already touched on this in my post about Mamma Mia, but basically Michael B. Tretow had some fun with the mixing on this track as well, and it just doesn't sound as fun and exciting as the English one.  Bjorn and Benny also weren't involved in the recording process, and as amazing as Agnetha and Frida were in recording the song, it sounds empty.  And also, in the English version in the second chorus, Agnetha does this incredible high note on the "Oh yeah", and there's none of that in the spanish version.  Even when ABBA would perform the song during their 1979 tour, Agnetha wouldn't do the high note.  I guess she got lazy.  (jk of course.)

Of course, ABBA would perform this on various TV shows to promote it from 1976 until 1978, and then would perform the song live during their 1977 and 1979 tours, their final performance of the song being in Japan, 1980, until 2020 when they did the motion capture for the Voyage show.  Despite the fact that this was ABBA's most popular song, they didn't perform the song as much as I'd have initially thought.  I believe Waterloo or SOS holds the record of being the most performed ABBA song.

 

I like the song, it's great and fun. It definitely is well deserving of being ABBA's most popular song, I just feel like it's become a bit overrated. Not saying I don't like it - i love it, it's just I don't like people's reaction to it hahaha. Like they assume that once they've heard Dancing Queen, they've heard it all, but it's not accurate.  But the song is perfect, and ABBA gave it their all and they did a fantastic job with it.