Mamma Mia (ABBA song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Mamma Mia"
Mamma Mia Intermezzo No 1.jpg
Danish vinyl single
Single by ABBA
from the album ABBA
B-side
ReleasedSeptember 1975
Recorded12 March 1975
StudioMetronome Studio
GenreGlam rock, pop rock
Length3:35
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Benny Andersson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA singles chronology
"SOS"
(1975) 		"Mamma Mia"
(1975) 		"Rock Me"
(1976)
Music video
"Mamma Mia" on YouTube

"Mamma Mia" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It is the opening track on the group's third album, the self-titled ABBA. The song was released in September 1975 as its sixth single. The song's name is derived from Italian, where it is an interjection used in situations of surprise, anguish, or excitement. It corresponds to the English interjection "my, my!" (which can indeed be found in some lines within the song) but literally means "my mum". The song was ABBA's first number 1 in the UK since "Waterloo" in 1974.

History and impact[]

The distinctive sound at the start of the song is the marimba.[1] According to biographer Carl Magnus Palm, the instrument was incorporated at the last minute, added after Benny Andersson found it in the studio and decided its "tick tock" rhythm was perfect for the track.[2]

"Mamma Mia" was written at the home of Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus, and was the last track recorded for the album ABBA. It was one of four songs from the album to have a music video made to promote the album. Initially, however, "Mamma Mia" was never intended for release as a single.[1] Around this time, many artists were recording ABBA songs (such as "Honey, Honey" and "Bang a Boomerang"), similarly ABBA offered "Mamma Mia" to British pop group Brotherhood of Man, who turned it down.[3]

"I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" topped the Australian charts for three weeks; however, the promo clip for "Mamma Mia" proved the more popular after repeat screenings on Australian television, notably Countdown. ABBA's Australian record company, RCA, asked that "Mamma Mia" be released as a single but Polar Music refused.[4] However, Stig Anderson agreed to this; "Mamma Mia" was released in Australia in August 1975, where it spent 10 weeks at number one.[1] Cash Box said the single was "an example of [ABBA's] excellent musical taste," stating that the "tune is upbeat, with characteristically varied textures."[5]

After this success in Australia, Epic Records in the United Kingdom took notice of ABBA for the first time since their Eurovision Song Contest winner "Waterloo". From then on, Epic began to heavily promote ABBA's singles with the immediate result of "S.O.S." reaching the Top 10 in the British market, their first hit since "Waterloo". "Mamma Mia" soon followed, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart in January 1976, the second of ABBA's 18 consecutive Top 10 singles there.[1]

The B-side for the Australian release of "Mamma Mia" was "Hey, Hey Helen". In most other countries the B-side was the instrumental "Intermezzo Number 1". ABBA's British label Epic selected "Tropical Loveland" as the B-side for the UK release, believing another vocal track, especially one showcasing ABBA in a different musical style, would better promote the parent album.

As of September 2021, it is ABBA's seventh-biggest song in the UK with 860,000 chart sales (pure sales and digital streams).[6]

Track listings[]

International single[]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mamma Mia"
3:32
2."Intermezzo No. 1"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
3:48

UK single[]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mamma Mia"
3:32
2."Tropical Loveland"
  • Andersson
  • Ulvaeus
  • Anderson
3:05

Personnel[]

Charts[]

Certifications and sales[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[33] Gold 45,000double-dagger
Italy (FIMI)[34]
sales since 2009 		Gold 25,000double-dagger
Kenya — 10,000[35]
Portugal — 20,000[36]
United Kingdom (BPI)[38] Platinum 860,000[37]
West Germany — 300,000[39]
Yugoslavia[40] Silver 55,000[40]
United States — 193,000[41]
Summaries
Europe — 3,500,000[42]

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

A-Teens version[]

"Mamma Mia"
A*Teens-Mamma Mia.jpg
Single by A-Teens
from the album The ABBA Generation
Released30 April 1999 (1999-04-30)
Studio
  • Jam Lab (Gothenburg)
  • Hitsville (Halden)
Length3:44
LabelStockholm
Songwriter(s)
  • Benny Andersson
  • Stig Anderson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
Producer(s)Ole Evenrude
A-Teens singles chronology
"Mamma Mia"
(1999) 		"Super Trouper"
(1999)
Music video
"Mamma Mia" on YouTube

"Mamma Mia" is the debut single of Swedish pop group A-Teens. It was released on 30 April 1999 by Stockholm Records as the first single from their debut album, The ABBA Generation. The song is a cover of the popular hit by ABBA.

Upon its release, it became a smash hit in Sweden, where it peaked at number one and stayed there for eight consecutive weeks, earning a quadruple platinum certification.

On initial pressings of the single, the name of the band appeared as ABBA-Teens, but Stockholm Records thought it would be better to change the name of the band to A-Teens, so new pressings of the single were made.

Commercial performance[]

The single reached the top 20 in several European countries, reaching number three in Norway, number nine in Switzerland and the Netherlands, number 10 in Germany, number 12 in the United Kingdom, and number 14 in Austria and Finland. A Spanish version of the song was recorded for promotion in Latin America and Spain. Despite the worldwide success, the song failed to attract the Australian public, peaking at 72 on the ARIA Singles Chart, although it did reach number 13 in New Zealand.

In the United States, the single peaked at 63 on the Billboard Hot Single Sales Chart, becoming the band's first single to chart in the country.[43]

Music video[]

The music video was directed by Henrik Sylvén and was filmed in Sweden. It shows the A-Teens as waiters at an art exposition, and they are suppressed by the manager; but soon they discover that one of the paintings transports them to a party where the manager and patrons he's helping also join in on the fun.

Track listings[]

European 2-track CD single

  1. "Mamma Mia" (Radio Version) – 3:43
  2. "Mamma Mia" (Extended Version) – 5:48

European maxi-CD single

  1. "Mamma Mia" (Radio Version) – 3:43
  2. "Mamma Mia" (Giuseppe Remix) – 5:35
  3. "Mamma Mia" (Jam Lab Remix) – 3:56
  4. "Mamma Mia" (Extended Version) – 5:48

U.K. CD1

  1. "Mamma Mia" (Radio Version) – 3:45
  2. "Lay All Your Love on Me" – 4:04
  3. "Mamma Mia" (Karaoke Version) – 3:45
  4. "Mamma Mia" (CD-Rom Video) – 3:45

U.K. CD2

  1. "Mamma Mia" (Extended Version) – 5:48
  2. "Mamma Mia" (The Bold & The Beautiful Glamourmix Edit) – 3:46
  3. "Mamma Mia" (Trouser Enthusiasts' Undying Dub) – 9:20

U.K. cassette

  1. "Mamma Mia" (Radio Version) – 3:45
  2. "Mamma Mia" (Karaoke Version) – 3:45

U.S. CD single

  1. "Mamma Mia" (Radio Version) – 3:43
  2. "Mamma Mia" (Extended Version) – 5:48

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Certifications and sales for "Mamma Mia"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Norway (IFPI Norway)[68] Gold  
Sweden (GLF)[69] 4× Platinum 120,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

Release dates and formats for "Mamma Mia"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Sweden 30 April 1999 (1999-04-30) CD Stockholm [60]
United Kingdom 23 August 1999 (1999-08-23)
  • CD
  • cassette
 [70]
United States 28 September 1999 (1999-09-28) Contemporary hit radio MCA [71]

Mamma Mia! version[]

"Mamma Mia" was recorded by Meryl Streep for the soundtrack of Mamma Mia!. Her version was released on 8 July 2008 alongside the rest of the soundtrack, by Decca and Polydor Records. It was produced by Benny Andersson.

Charts[]

Chart performance for "Mamma Mia"
Chart (2008) Peak
position
Norway (VG-lista)[72] 17
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[73] 55
UK Singles (OCC)[74] 96
US Billboard Hot 100[75] 99

Certifications[]

Certificaions and sales for "Mamma Mia"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[76] Silver 200,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again version[]

Lily James, Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies recorded "Mamma Mia" for the soundtrack of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Their version was released on 13 July 2018 alongside the rest of the soundtrack, by Capitol and Polydor Records. It was produced by Benny Andersson.

Charts[]

Chart performance for "Mamma Mia"
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[77] 49
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[78] 21
Scotland (OCC)[79] 54
UK Singles (OCC)[80] 57

Certifications[]

Certifications for "Mamma Mia"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[81] Silver 200,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References and appearances in other media[]

  • In 1980, a Spanish version of "Mamma Mia" was included on the album Gracias Por La Música.
  • In 1999, a musical with the same name, Mamma Mia! (with an exclamation point to differentiate its name from the title track), opened in London's West End, featuring many of ABBA's songs and production has spread to many other countries, with more than 5,000 performances on Broadway alone. A film adaptation premiered in theaters in 2008.
  • ABBA perform parts of the song live in the film ABBA: The Movie (1977).
  • The song is featured in the movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1993) which was made in Australia, the site of the single's greatest success.
  • The song can be heard in another Australian film Muriel's Wedding (1994).
  • The song can be heard in the That '70s Show episode "No Quarter". Jackie plays it trying to get to sleep, to the annoyance of Donna.
  • In a second-season episode of the television drama Boston Legal, the character Ivan Tiggs, performed by Tom Selleck references the song in reaction to his fiancé's breaking into a line from Dancing Queen.[82]
  • The A-Teens cover is used as the opening theme of the German reality programme Frauentausch.
  • On 5 December 2010, on a British poll of the nation's favourite ABBA song, the song was placed at number 6.
  • Aus TV series sent up this video in their second season in 1990 with Jane Turner and Gina Riley in the roles of Agnetha and Anni-Frid, respectively.
  • Cher recorded the song for her ABBA cover album "Dancing Queen".
  • In 2019 Josh Turner Guitar released a YouTube cover of the ABBA song "Mama Mia" with Joshua Lee Turner as vocalist and banjo player? ... Banjo Player! and Carson Mckee playing acoustic guitar and singing backup vocals. This popular video has over 1 million views[83]
  • In 2018, Austin Weber uploaded his cover of the song on Youtube where he remade the song with a synth keyboard, recorded his own vocals and danced to them while in Kyoto, Japan. This popular cover would go on to get over 9.3 million views.[84]
  • In 2020, Gabi DeMartino covered the song, in a medley along with "The Name Of The Game" titled "Mamma Mia 2 Medley" on her debut extended play, Gabroadway.

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Mamma Mia – The Song That Saved ABBA". ABBA – The Official Site. Polar Music International. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  2. ^ Palm, C.M. (2002). Bright Lights, Dark Shadows. London: Omnibus.
  3. ^ BBC Radio Shropshire, Keith Middleton show – Nicky Stevens interview, 29 May 2010
  4. ^ "ABC: Love is in the Air: Strange Fruit". Archived from the original on 15 August 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  5. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 15 May 1976. p. 16. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  6. ^ UK Official Charts ABBA's Official Top 20 biggest songs
  7. ^ David Kent (2006). Australian Charts Book 1993—2005. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 978-0-646-45889-2.
  8. ^ "Australian Charts > ABBA". australian-charts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Austrian Charts > ABBA". austriancharts.at Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Ultra Top - Belgian Charts". Ultra Top. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  12. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts > ABBA". IrishCharts.ie. Retrieved 3 November 2020. Note: User must define search parameter as "Abba".
  14. ^ a b "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 15 May 1976. p. 63. Retrieved 12 June 2021 – via World Radio History.
  15. ^ "Official Top 40 Singles". Nztop40.co.nz. 17 May 1976. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Norwegian Charts > ABBA" (in Norwegian). norwegiancharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  17. ^ http://home.zipworld.com.au/~callisto/zimbabwe.html Archived 8 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  18. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  19. ^ "Charts". Hit Parade. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  20. ^ "Official Singles Chart - Mamma Mia". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  21. ^ [Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002]
  22. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-1993. Record Research. p. 11.
  23. ^ Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffmann, Frank W (1994). Cash Box pop singles charts, 1950–1993. Libraries Unlimited. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-56308-316-7.
  24. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – ABBA – Mamma Mia". GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  25. ^ [1][dead link]
  26. ^ Steffen Hung. "italiancharts.com – Italian Charts – Singles Digital – 23/10/2008". Italian Charts. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  27. ^ Steffen Hung. "ABBA – Mamma Mia". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  28. ^ Chart Statistics for Mamma Mia
  29. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 427. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  30. ^ "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  31. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 1976 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 8 December 1963. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  32. ^ Hunter, Nigel, ed. (1977). "Top 100 Singles 1976". BPI Year Book 1977 (2nd ed.). London, England: The British Phonographic Industry Ltd. pp. 216–18. ISBN 0-906154-00-6.
  33. ^ "Danish single certifications – ABBA – Mamma Mia". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  34. ^ "Italian single certifications – ABBA – Mamma Mia" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 6 May 2020. Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Mamma Mia" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  35. ^ "ABBA the World - Kenya". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 8 November 1979. p. ABBA-18. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  36. ^ Fernando, Tenente (8 November 1979). "ABBA the World - Portugal". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. ABBA-30. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  37. ^ "ABBA's Official Top 20 biggest songs". www.officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  38. ^ "British single certifications – ABBA – Mamma Mia". British Phonographic Industry.
  39. ^ "International - From The Music Capitols of the World - Hamburg" (PDF). Billboard. 17 April 1976. p. 74. Retrieved 16 September 2020 – via World Radio History.
  40. ^ a b "ABBA fenomen ili fenomenalna ABBA". Džuboks. No. 33. April 1977. p. 5. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Popboks.
  41. ^ Trust, Gary (23 January 2009). "Ask Billboard: Mariah Carey, Abba, Oasis, The Verve". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  42. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 393. ISBN 0668064595. European sales of this disc were 3,500,000, with over 500,000 in Britain alone, where ABBA's popularity was immense
  43. ^ "Mamma Mia" Hot Single Sales Chart
  44. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  45. ^ "A*Teens – Mamma Mia" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  46. ^ "A*Teens – Mamma Mia" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  47. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9715." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  48. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16 no. 28. 10 July 1999. p. 13. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  49. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16 no. 28. 10 July 1999. p. 11. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  50. ^ "A*Teens: Mamma Mia" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  51. ^ "A*Teens – Mamma Mia" (in French). Les classement single.
  52. ^ "A*Teens – Mamma Mia" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  53. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 336 Vikuna 12.8. – 19.8. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 13 August 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  54. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – A*Teens" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  55. ^ "A*Teens – Mamma Mia" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  56. ^ "A*Teens – Mamma Mia". Top 40 Singles.
  57. ^ "A*Teens – Mamma Mia". VG-lista.
  58. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  59. ^ "A*Teens – Mamma Mia" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  60. ^ a b "A*Teens – Mamma Mia". Singles Top 100.
  61. ^ "A*Teens – Mamma Mia". Swiss Singles Chart.
  62. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  63. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  64. ^ "Year in Focus: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1999". Music & Media. Vol. 17 no. 1. 1 January 2000. p. 11.
  65. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  66. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  67. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  68. ^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  69. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  70. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 23 August, 1999: Singles". Music Week. 21 August 1999. p. 29.
  71. ^ "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1318. 24 September 1999. p. 81.
  72. ^ "Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia". VG-lista. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  73. ^ "Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  74. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  75. ^ "Meryl Streep Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  76. ^ "British single certifications – Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  77. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  78. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  79. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  80. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  81. ^ "British single certifications – Lily James/Keenan Wynn/Davies – Mamma Mia". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  82. ^ David E. Kelley. "Boston Legal : Live Big : Season 2, Episode 16" (PDF). Boston-legal.org. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  83. ^ "Hear Joshua Lee Turner and Carson McKee Cover ABBA's Mamma Mia". YouTube. 25 November 2019. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021.
  84. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "THIS MAN FLEW TO JAPAN TO SING ABBA IN A BIG COLD RIVER - Austin Weber - Mamma Mia Official Video". YouTube.
Retrieved from ""