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Was ABBA the blueprint for FA/SML?
Interested in hearing your observations on this theory. I am not totally convinced. Of course, some may put it in the category of Martians having a ball on the darkside of the Moon. It is worth following through Love them or loathe them, ABBA made a huge impression on the World stage and helped to put Sweden on the map. At one point they outgrossed companies like Volvo and SAAB. Prior to this Sweden in the World mindset was inter-changeable with Switzerland.
ABBA were no spring-chickens nor were they a micro-managed manufactured band. They combined the talents of already established performers, singer-songwriters and record producers. The opportunity? Eurovision Song Contest 1974 which they won via being selected through Melodifestivalen.
The aftermath? A stunning string of Benny and Bjorn crafted 'middle-of-the-road' singles. Undeniably successful high quality production values even if pop mainstream.
Sadly, sometimes life imitates art. Both m/f duo relationships broke down. This was only thinly disguised as ABBA added bitter lyrics like 'Winner Takes It All' to catchy pop music tunes. In the earning of metro-million bucks their personal lives as 'idealised' m/f relationships fell apart. One has to respect their collective integrity. Whilst endorsing the by-products like 'Mamma Mia' and the founding of the ABBA Museum in Stockholm they collectively turned their backs on doubling their wealth with a 40 years on reunion tour.
Back to the theory. Pinch of salt. It is a feminist theory. It supercedes the realities of both ABBA as performers and as people. Broadly-speaking the theory goes that the trauma of the ABBA break-up cut so deep into the ingrained socal psychological wish fulfilment of the Swedish people that they had to unconsciously re-invent a satisfactory romantic solution. ..
Along comes A+E Agnes and Elin in the new 'mythology' of the late 1990's to replace A+A from ABBA as the idealised girl-girl relationship that never happened. Lukasson explored the dynamics of girl-girl in 'We Are The Best'
The theory contends that ABBA was the blueprint for FA/SML. Consciously or unconsciously. What do you think?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5Ze2Ie-8Ms