Dancing Queen 504209 226120492 2008-07-16T22:18:23Z Teknocrat123 5550455 /* Other artists who have recorded covers of the song */ {{Infobox Single | Name = Dancing Queen | Cover = Dancing_Queen_That's_Me.jpg | Caption = | Artist = [[ABBA]] | from Album = [[Arrival (ABBA album)|Arrival]] | A-side = | B-side = [[That's Me (song)|That's Me]] | Released = [[August 16]], [[1976]] <small>(Sweden)</small><br>[[August 21]], [[1976]] <small>(UK)</small><br>[[November 12]], [[1976]] <small>(US)</small> | Format = [[7" Single]] | Recorded = | Genre = [[Disco/Pop]] | Length = 3:51 | Label = [[Polar Music|Polar]] (Sweden)<br>[[Epic Records|Epic]] (UK)<br>[[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] (US) | Writer = [[Björn Ulvaeus]], [[Benny Andersson]], [[Stig Andersson]] | Producer = [[Björn Ulvaeus]], [[Benny Andersson]] | Director = [[Lasse Hallström]] | Certification = Gold ([[British_Phonographic_Industry|UK]]), Gold ([[RIAA|USA]]) | Last single = "[[Rock Me (ABBA song)|Rock Me]]"<br>[[1976]] | This single = "Dancing Queen"<br>[[1976]] | Next single = "[[Money, Money, Money]]"<br>[[1976]] | Misc = }} "'''Dancing Queen'''" is the biggest hit single recorded by [[Sweden|Swedish]] pop group [[ABBA]], and as such is considered by many to be their signature song. It was written by [[Benny Andersson]], [[Björn Ulvaeus]] and [[Stig Anderson]], recorded in [[1975]] for the group's [[album]] ''[[Arrival (ABBA album)|Arrival]]'', and released as a single the following year with [[That's Me (song)|That's Me]] as the [[B-side]].<ref>[http://www.abba4therecord.com/singles_results.php abba for the record - vinyl singles<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It reached the No.1 position on the popular music charts in approximately 13 countries. "Dancing Queen" features the shared lead vocal performance by [[Agnetha Fältskog]] and [[Anni-Frid Lyngstad]]. Its opening keyboard [[glissando]] and hummed vocals are one of the most identifiable sections in pop music history. "Dancing Queen" has a relatively straight-forward lyric/storyline; it's about a seventeen-year-old girl having a good time on a Friday night. Not fazed by the social pressures in her daily life as a teenager, all she wants to do is go out and look for a 'king' to dance with. "Dancing Queen" is the 33rd most successful song in music history.<ref>[http://www.mediatraffic.de/alltime-track-chart.htm]</ref> ==History== "Dancing Queen" recording sessions began [[August 4]], [[1975]]; the demo was called 'Boogaloo', and as the sessions progressed, Andersson and Ulvaeus found inspiration to the dance rhythm in [[George McCrae]]'s [[disco]] classic "[[Rock Your Baby]]", as well as the drumming on [[Dr. John]]'s [[1972]] album ''[[Gumbo]]''. Fältskog and Lyngstad recorded the vocals on sessions in September, and the track was completed three months later. During the sessions, Benny Andersson brought a tape home with the backing track on it and played it to his fiance, singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who apparently started crying when listening. "I found the song so beautiful". While working on the lyrics, part of the verse was scrapped: "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 the look in their eyes...". == Reception == "Dancing Queen" spent six weeks at No.1 in the [[UK]] from September [[1976]], and became ABBA's only chart-topper in the [[United States]] in April [[1977]]. It also hit No.1 in at least twelve other countries worldwide: ABBA's native [[Sweden]] (where it spent 14 weeks at the top), [[Norway]], [[Ireland]], [[West Germany]], [[Belgium]], the [[Netherlands]], [[Canada]], [[Zimbabwe]] (then [[Rhodesia]]), [[South Africa]], [[Mexico]], [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]. "Dancing Queen" also reached the Top Five in [[Finland]], [[Switzerland]], [[Austria]] and [[France]]. The track did not prove a mega-hit in [[Italy]], however, peaking at No.14. As ABBA never achieved the same sort of popularity in Italy as elsewhere, this may explain the song's low chart position. In 1992, the song was re-released in the UK, as [[Erasure]] sparked an ABBA revival after the success of their "[[Abba-esque]]" EP topping the UK charts. The re-issued "Dancing Queen" reached No.16 in the UK in September 1992. Anni-Frid Lyngstad performed this song to commemorate the 50th birthday of [[Queen Silvia]]. The performance used an [[a cappella]] arrangement by [[The Real Group]], which sang back-up for the performance. The arrangement was later released on the group's album "Varför får man inte bara vara som man är". In 2000, "Dancing Queen" came fourth in a [[Channel 4]] television poll of "The 100 Best Number Ones" in [[2001]]. It was chosen as number 148 as part of the 365 [[Songs of the Century]] list. It was also listed in [[Rolling Stone Magazine]] as one of the all time greatest songs in 20th century pop music history. On [[November 9th]] [[2002]], the results of a poll, "Top 50 Favourite UK Number Ones", was broadcasted on [[BBC Radio 2|Radio 2]], celebrating the 50th anniversary of [[The Official UK Charts Company]]. 188,357 listeners voted and "Dancing Queen" came out at number eight. In 2008 readers of the [[Australia]]n [[LGBT]] website SameSame voted "Dancing Queen" "The Gayest Song of All Time".[http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/2060/And-the-Gayest-Songs-Of-All-Time-Are.htm][http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/2051/] ==Chart positions== {| class="wikitable" !align="left"|Chart !align="center"|Position |- |align="left"|Australian Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Belgian Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Brazilian Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Dutch Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|German Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Irish Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Mexican Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|New Zealand Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Norwegian Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|South African Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Swedish Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|U.K. Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100]] |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Zimbabwean Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Canadian RPM Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Finnish Singles Chart |align="center"|3 |- |align="left"|Swiss Singles Chart |align="center"|3 |- |align="left"|Austrian Singles Chart |align="center"|4 |- |align="left"|French Singles Chart |align="center"|5 |- |align="left"|Spanish Singles Chart |align="center"|10 |- |align="left"|Italian Singles Chart |align="center"|14 |- |align="left"|Japanese Singles Chart |align="center"|19 |} ==Cover versions== ===The A*Teens version=== {{Infobox Single | Name = Dancing Queen | Cover = Dancin_Queen.JPG | Artist = [[A*Teens]] | from Album = [[The ABBA Generation]] | Released = March 7, 2000 | Format = [[CD Single]] <br> [[Compact cassette|Cassette]] <br> [[Vinyl|12" Vinyl]] <br> [[airplay (song)|Airplay]] | Recorded = 1999 | Genre = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Europop]] | Length = 3:48 | Label = [[Universal Music]] | Writer = B. Andersson, S. Anderson, B. Ulvaeus | Producer = Ole Evenrude | Last single = "[[Take a Chance On Me]]" <br>(2000) | This single = "Dancing Queen" <br>(2000) | Next single = "[[Upside Down (A*Teens)|Upside Down]]" <br>(2000) }} '''Dancing Queen''' was [[A*Teens]]' fourth and last single' from their first album [[Abba Generation|"The ABBA Generation"]], a cover on the [[ABBA]]'s song with the same name. When the single came out in the spring of 2000, it peaked at number-one in [[Mexico]] becoming their first number-one hit in that country, the song was also a smash hit in [[South America]] peaking at number-three in [[Argentina]], number-five in [[Chile]], number-six in [[Colombia]] and number-fifteen in [[Brazil]]. This was the main single for the [[United States]] promotion, when the album was released in [[March 2000]]. "Dancing Queen" reached ninety-five on the [[Billboard]] Hot 100, thirty-six on Airplay and earned a [[Gold]] [[Certification]] in the United States selling over 500,000 copies and also peaked at number-thirteen on the Hot Single Sales Chart.<ref>[http://www.a-teens.com/?sid=article&pid=read&id=82 Official Website]</ref><ref>[http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=353&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+Singles+Sales&ci=3036773&cdi=7540192&cid=01%2F01%2F2000 Hot Single Sales Chart]</ref> "Dancing Queen" was a double A side with "The Name Of The Game" in [[Europe]], where the song was promoted on radio at the same time as "Dancing Queen" because [[Universal Music]] thought that "Dancing Queen", being the last single, needed a back-up to be successful. The video for "The Name Of The Game" was an unofficial video, made especially for an [[A*Teens]] TV Special in [[Sweden]] and it was never intended to be a promotional video. It was only aired by Channel 4. ====Music Video==== Directed by [[Patrick Kiely]], it was the first video for the group to be filmed in the [[United States]]. The video itself was tribute to the movie [[The Breakfast Club|"The Breakfast Club"]] - [[Paul Gleason]], the actor who played Richard Vernon in the movie, played the same role in the video. This video was filmed on [[March 7]] [[2000]] which is the same day the song was released. In the video, the band gets detention but when the principal goes outside, the class room turns into a [[1970s|70s]] [[Discotheque]]. In the meantime the band is playing around the school on skates and bikes. It has 729,371 views on [[Youtube]] as of 11, April 2008. ====Releases==== '''European 2-Track CD Single''' #Dancing Queen [Album Version] - 3:48 #The Name Of The Game - 4:17 '''European/Mexican CD Maxi''' #Dancing Queen [Album Version] - 3:48 #Dancing Queen [Pierre J's Main Radio Mix] - 3:27 #Dancing Queen [Pierre J's Main Extended Mix] - 5:47 #Dancing Queen [BTS Gold Edition Mix] - 5:13 '''U.S. CD Single''' #Dancing Queen [Album Version] - 3:48 #Dancing Queen [Extended Version] - 5:48 '''U.S. Cassette''' #Dancing Queen [Album Version] - 3:48 #Dancing Queen [Extended Version] - 5:48 ===Other artists who have recorded covers of the song=== * Abbacadabra (from various compilations released by [[Almighty Records]]) * [[Jodi Albert]] and [[Carley Stenson]] from ''ABBAMania 2'' * Arrival from their album ''First Flight'' * [[Claudja Barry]] * [[Beat Crusaders]] * [[The Countdown Singers]] * Milo Bender * The Black Sweden from ABBA tribute album ''Gold'' * [[Luka Bloom]] from ''Keeper of the Flame'' * [[Brotherhood of Man]] on their 1980 album "[[Sing 20 Number One Hits]]" * [[Donna Burke]] from Japanese ''ABBA Ibiza Caliente Mix'' * [[Belinda Carlisle]] from German ''ABBA Mania'' album * Philippe Cohen Solal (of [[Gotan Project]]) featuring Melonie Cannon from ''The Moonshine Sessions'' * [[Diablo (band)|Diablo]] from ''Elegance In Black'' album * Chixie Dix from ABBA tribute album ''ABBAlicious'' * [[Carol Douglas]] * DJ Ensamble featuring Päivi Lepistö from ABBA tribute album ''Trancing Queen'' * Dressed In White from ABBA tribute album ''Lay All Your Love On ABBA'' * Duck Gang * [[E-Rotic]] from ABBA tribute album ''Thank You For The Music'' * Gaynor Ellen from [[Reader's Digest]] Music album ''It's Raining Men: Retro Dance & Party Mix'' * Euphorica from ABBA tribute album ''ABBA Dance'' * The Falcons (local group from the [[Bahamas]]) * Flock Of Doug * [[Garageland]] from New Zealand tribute album ''ABBAsalutely'' * [[Girl Authority]] from their self-titled ''[[Girl Authority (album)|Girl Authority]]'' album * Glow from ABBA tribute album ''ABBAMetal'' (also released as ''[[A Tribute to ABBA]]'') * [[The Grace]] a.k.a. [[TSZX]] * Klaus Hallen * Holm from ''Music For Astronauts'' * Housecream * Issa from ABBA tribute album ''The Electronic Tribute To ABBA'' * [[Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers]] * [[Mambo Kurt]] from ''Spiel Heimorgel Spiel'' * [[CoCo Lee]] from ''ABBA: A Tribute - The 25th Anniversary Celebration'' * Scooter Lee from ''By Request...The Disco/Dance Album'' * [[London Philharmonic Orchestra]] * [[Jennifer Love Hewitt]] from ''[[Love Songs (Jennifer Love Hewitt album)|Love Songs]]'' * Maruca & Anastácia * [[Pamela McNeill]] from ''Tribute To ABBA'' album * Moped * [[Munich Philharmonic Orchestra]] * [[Nils Landgren]] from ''Funky ABBA'' * [[Oompah Brass]] [http://www.oompahbrass.com], in 3/4 on ''Oompocalypse Now'' (2008) [http://www.oompahbrass.com/Oompah_Brass/CD.html]. * [[P (band)|P]] * [[Franck Pourcel]] * Projekt Remix * Puriti * [[Raining Pleasure]] (featured in the Greek film ''Hardcore'') * [[Rajaton]] from ''Rajaton Sings ABBA With The Lahti Symphony Orchestra'' * [[The Real Group]] from ''ABBA: A Tribute - The 25th Anniversary Celebration'' * [[Redd Kross]] * [[Regine Velasquez]] * Rhythm Patrol vs. Miss A. * [[Rockapella]] * [[Rozalla]] * [[Kalomoira Saranti]] & Giwrgos Xristou * [[S Club|S Club 7]] from ''[[Abbamania]]'' * [[San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus]] from the album ''ExtrABBAganza!''. * SD Project from ABBA tribute album ''ABBA Chill Out'' * [[SexBomb Girls]] * [[Sixpence None the Richer]] from ''[[Dick (film)|Dick]]'' soundtrack and ''The Best Of Sixpence None The Richer'' * The Sunday Drivers * Swede Dreams * [[The Ten Tenors]] * [[Texas Lightning]] from ''[[Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch]]'' * Triple M * [[Wing (singer)|Wing]] * [[Victor Wong (singer)|Victor Wong]] * [[The Yayhoos]] from ''Fear Not The Obvious'' album ===Artists who have performed/recorded the song live=== * [[Dan Baird]] (with the Sofa Kings) * [[Jimmy Barnes]] * [[Belle & Sebastian]] * [[Black Sabbath]] * [[Christy Carlson Romano]] (on the TV series ''[[Even Stevens]]'') * [[John Frusciante]] of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] * [[Robbie Fulks]] * [[Paul Gilbert]] from the Japanese live album ''[[Acoustic Samurai]]'' * Growing Girls * [[Fran Healy]] * [[Taylor Hicks]] * [[The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu]] * [[Kylie Minogue]] (at the closing ceremony for the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]]) * [[Moxy Früvous]] * [[Over the Rhine]] * [[Sex Pistols]] * Jason Shand * [[The Sugarcubes]] (with lead singer [[Björk]]) * [[Donna Summer]] * [[Frank Turner]] * [[U2]] * Björk ==Appearances in other media, etc.== * The song is a prominent number in the ABBA musical ''[[Mamma Mia!]]'' * In [[Mortal Kombat]] series, the character, [[Frost (Mortal Kombat)|Frost]], has a kick/stumble move called Dancing Queen in her Tong Bei stance. Not only that, thanks to Kreate-A-Fighter, in [[Mortal Kombat: Armageddon]], a player can find this move in the low kick section and include it in their custom fighters. * The song was featured in the [[1994]] film ''[[Muriel's Wedding]]'' as the theme for idealised dreaming, with the character Muriel desiring a perfect life. She always wished her life was "Dancing Queen". * The song is occasionally performed by the Queen's military band (as part of an ABBA medley) during the changing of the guard ceremony at [[Buckingham Palace]] in [[London]]. * The song was sung by the character "Ms. Swan" during a comedy sketch on ''[[MADtv]]''. * ABBA donned 18th century-inspired costumes when they first performed this song for King [[Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden]] the night before he was married to [[Silvia Sommerlath]], June 19, 1976. * "Dancing Queen" was also featured in a couple of episodes of ''[[Winter Sonata]]'', an immensely popular [[Korean]] drama series. * The song was featured prominently in [[Spike Lee]]'s [[1999]] film ''[[Summer of Sam]]''. According to Lee, he had to personally contact ABBA and get permission to use the song, as the band were afraid that Lee was going to mock them in the movie. The song was used to ironically underscore an argument between [[John Leguizamo]] and [[Mira Sorvino]]. * Late night talk show host [[Art Bell]] occasionally uses "Dancing Queen" as [[bumper music]] on his show. Because of this, [[Phil Hendrie]] (on his own show) always uses "Dancing Queen" as his bumper music for bits in which he plays Bell. * In one episode of [[That 70s Show]], when Hyde and Jackie recount how they initially became romantic, Jackie began to reminisce about how they first danced together to "Dancing Queen." Upon hearing this, Hyde stops the story, saying: "Hold it. I don't shake it and I don't listen to Abba." * During the 2007 Houston Art Car Parade, a former school bus which houses a dance floor, disco balls, and rope lights rolled as The Dancing Queen - the song was played on the bus, along with 70s disco hits. * In the final episode of the TV show [[Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law]], the song's melody accompanies Phil Ken Sebben's backwards drive back to California from "The Most Eastern Point In The USA". * In the episode [[My Mirror Image]] of TV sitcom [[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]] the song is played on JD's [[Deck (building)|deck]] when a group of gay seniors are having a party there. * The song is performed by Wing in episode 903 of South Park entitled "Wing." ==Notes and references== <div class="references-small"> <references/> </div> {{start box}} {{succession box | before = "Kiss and Say Goodbye" by [[The Manhattans]] | title = [[Dutch Top 40]] number-one single | years = [[September 4]] - [[October 2]], [[1976]] | after = "Mon Amour" by [[BZN]] }} {{succession box one to three | before = "[[Don't Go Breaking My Heart]]" by [[Elton John]] and [[Kiki Dee]] | title1 = [[UK Singles Chart]] [[List of number-one singles (UK)|number-one single]] | years1 = [[September 4]] - [[October 11]], [[1976]] | after1 = "[[Mississippi (song)|Mississippi]]" by [[Pussycat]] | title2 = [[Kent Music Report|Australian Kent Music Report]] [[List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1970s|number one single]] | years2 = [[September 6]] - [[October 25]], [[1976]] | after2 = "Let's Stick Together" by [[Bryan Ferry]] | title3 = [[Irish Singles Chart]] number-one single | years3 = [[September 10]] - [[October 15]], [[1976]] | after3 = "[[Mississippi (song)|Mississippi]]" by [[Pussycat]] }} {{succession box | before = "[[Rich Girl (Hall & Oates song)|Rich Girl]]" by [[Hall & Oates|Daryl Hall and John Oates]] | title = [[Billboard Hot 100|U.S. Billboard Hot 100]] [[List of number-one hits (United States)|number-one single]] | years = [[April 9]], [[1977]] | after = "[[Don't Give Up on Us (song)|Don't Give Up on Us]]" by [[David Soul]] }} {{end box}} {{ABBA}} {{A*Teens}} [[Category:1976 singles]] [[Category:ABBA songs]] [[Category:Disco songs]] [[Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles]] [[Category:Number-one singles in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Number-one singles in Australia]] [[Category:Number-one singles in Germany]] [[Category:Number-one singles in Ireland]] [[Category:Number-one singles in Mexico]] [[Category:Number-one singles in Norway]] [[Category:Oricon International Singles Chart number-one singles]] [[Category:A*Teens songs]] [[es:Dancing Queen]] [[fr:Dancing Queen]] [[it:Dancing Queen]] [[ja:ダンシング・クイーン]] [[nl:Dancing Queen (lied)]] [[pl:Dancing Queen]] [[scn:Dancing Queen]] [[sv:Dancing Queen]]