Happy New Year
by ABBA

Album: Super Trouper (1980)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was one of several songs on Super Trouper written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus during a working holiday in Barbados. The song actually started life as an idea for a musical. The plot was to be centered around a New Year's Eve, a thought that got into Björn and Benny's heads on a plane over to the island. They ran into the comedian John Cleese at the holiday resort and asked him if he would be interested in writing a manuscript. When Cleese turned them down, the idea was abandoned.
  • This wasn't released as a single until 1999 when it reached #4 in Sweden and #8 in The Netherlands. The song was re-released in 2008 and it again peaked at #4 in Sweden, as well as #5 in Norway and #14 in Denmark.
  • Swedish pop group A-Teens covered the song in 2000 peaking at, yep, #4 on the Swedish chart as well as #12 in Finland.
  • This had a working title of "Daddy Don't Get Drunk On Christmas Day."

Comments: 1

  • George Pope from Vancouver BcOdd they likely conceived the song in 1979, but sang about New Year 1989; maybe to keep the song relevant longer? It's 2023, & I happily play this as relevant still on the morning of 1st of January, as I do yearly. . .
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

Psychedelic Lyrics

Psychedelic LyricsMusic Quiz

Whoa man! Do you know which band came up with these cosmic lyrics?

Maxi Priest

Maxi PriestSongwriter Interviews

The British reggae legend tells the story of his #1 hit "Close To You," talks about his groundbreaking Shabba Ranks collaboration "Housecall," and discusses his latest project with Robin Trower.

Don Brewer of Grand Funk

Don Brewer of Grand FunkSongwriter Interviews

The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.

Adam Duritz of Counting Crows

Adam Duritz of Counting CrowsSongwriter Interviews

"Mr. Jones" took on new meaning when the song about a misguided view of fame made Adam famous.

Vanessa Carlton

Vanessa CarltonSongwriter Interviews

The "A Thousand Miles" singer on what she thinks of her song being used in White Chicks and how she captured a song from a dream.