ABBA

IT is the dancefloor hit that was the late Queen’s favourite song.

But we can reveal Abba’s Dancing Queen — released 50 years ago this week — almost had a completely different name and made the Swedish foursome cry the first time they heard the final edit.

In an exclusive interview to mark half a century of the song, which has been streamed more than two billion times and was voted the UK’s favourite dancefloor filler, ­historian Carl Magnus Palm explains that Abba still have unheard songs.

But friend of the band Carl fears the world will never hear them.

And he insists that members Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Frida Lyngstad have no interest in reforming.

Carl, who has known the band for 25 years, told The Sun: “Dancing Queen was one the songs that Abba are most proud of as its sound was so unique at the time they wrote it.

“But the lyrics didn’t come until a long time after the melody was formed.

“They told me that for weeks they sung nonsense words over the chorus.

The working title was ‘Boogaloo’ as they were the words they sung instead of Dancing Queen for a long time.

“I’m not sure it would’ve been the hit it is today if they had stuck with that. When they eventually found the lyrics and the song was finished, some of the band were reduced to tears, they found it so beautiful.”

On the prospect of them reforming and releasing of new songs, he added: “They seem very firm that they are going to enjoy their retirement and that they’ll be no more new music.

“However, I know there are a few songs which have never been heard. They were written for their last album and didn’t make the cut.

“They won’t even tell people the names of the tracks. I guess while they remain unreleased there is always a chance of new music. It’s not impossible but unlikely.”

Carl revealed that the famously private Swedish group remain close but rarely socialise together.

And he said they shed tears of joy when they saw their younger selves in hologram form at London’s Abba Voyage show.

Carl also said that songwriter Bjorn is working on a new musical with the help of AI and an unnamed “British female artist”.

Abba formed in 1972 and went on to become one of the world’s biggest acts, selling more than 50million records.

Dancing Queen alone — which was released in August 1976 — has sold more than 4million globally and has two billion downloads on Spotify.

The song was not only voted the UK’s favourite Abba hit of all time by Radio 2 listeners in 2024 but was voted the nation’s favourite dancefloor song ever.

But Carl, who got close to the band having been a historian and author on their music for 25 years, told how the song could have been so different to the track we all love.

He said: “Abba had a big hit with Waterloo in 1974 but the reality was everything after that for a while had been a flop in the UK and they put great store by what was a success in ­Britain.

“They wondered whether part of it was down to getting distracted in the songwriting process. So in the summer of 1975 they went to a tiny cabin in the Swedish archipelago island of Viggso near Stockholm.

“Bjorn and Agnetha, who were married at the time, had a property there and they had this small two-bedroom guest cabin with an indoor porch.

“I was lucky enough to be allowed to go there. They set up Benny’s piano and two chairs and started to write a melody.

“No one could reach them there, so they could focus. For the first time Bjorn brought an electric guitar and amp instead of his acoustic guitar because he told me he’d been listening to lots of American dance music like Stevie Wonder and George McCrae’s Rock Your Baby.

“They then came up with this melody. It was the beginning of Dancing Queen. For ages the lyrics were ­gibberish — English words with no meaning or cohesion. I heard them. The chorus was simply ‘Boogaloo’.

“In the next few weeks they went back to the mainland and laid it all down.

“Benny and their manager wrote the lyrics about this 17-year-old ­clubbing girl.

“They gave no suggestion it was based on Agnetha and Frida — just a fictitious young clubber. They told me that they got rid of some extra verses, which the fans never heard.

“I’m glad they did as originally the first two lines to the song were going to be ‘Baby, baby, you’re out of sight. Hey, you’re looking all right tonight’.

“They knew people would have hated that so they cut it out.

“It was a good job because I doubt it would’ve been the hit it is today with those as your opening lyrics.”

Carl also told about how the band became emotional when the song was finally cut.

He said: “Bjorn and Benny told me there were absolutely ecstatic. They finished it late at night and Bjorn was desperate to play it to someone. Agnetha was asleep at home so he went to his sister’s place instead, and they played this tape over and over again.

“Bjorn went home to Frida, who he was married to then, and played it.

“She told me she put the tape in the tape machine, pressed the play button, and she thought it was so beautiful that she started to cry.

“Agnetha has since told me she had chills and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up when she heard it.”

The video for the song was recorded in a “matter of hours” on a low budget.

When released, Dancing Queen spent six weeks at No1 in the UK and topped the charts in 15 different countries.

According to Carl, Abba loved the song so much they always tried to play it as their final tune of every encore at live shows.

It gained fans from all over the world, including the King and Queen of Sweden and the late Queen ­Elizabeth, who regularly said was her favourite song.

Virgin Radio DJ Chris Evans once recalled performing a DJ set at a ­private royal party.

When Dancing Queen was played, the Queen reportedly remarked to her guests: “I always try to dance when this song comes on because I am the Queen and I like to dance”.

Carl added that the band were moved by having the late Queen as a fan, saying: “They were all very touched.”

However, Bjorn told him that he was “puzzled” by the fact Dancing Queen is seen as a dancefloor song as “he still thinks it’s too slow to dance to”.

In 1979, Bjorn and Agnetha split and two years later Frida and Benny did the same. It saw the band go on an indefinite hiatus.

But in 2021, they returned with new material and album Voyage.

A year later, interactive experience Abba ­Voyage opened in London — showing the band as holograms from their pomp.

Carl added: “They loved Abba ­Voyage and they went to the opening. Bjorn told me it was like watching a band he used to know from decades ago.

“He said it was like an out-of-body experience.

“There were tears of happiness when they saw it, definitely.”

Carl, who first got to know the band when they worked with him to release his 2001 book Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Definitive Bio- graphy Of Abba, said that the likelihood of there being any reunion is very slim.

Carl added: “They are winding down now.

“They like their privacy. They have grandchildren. They are in their 70s and 80s.

“The chance of a reunion is very slim I think. But it’s not impossible. There are still the songs that didn’t make it on Voyage, but they are showing no signs of wanting anyone to know what they are.

“They are still close but they don’t really socialise. They are all living very low-key lives.

“It is only Bjorn who is working. He is working on a musical — using the help of AI — with a British female singer, whose name they have not told me.

“One thing I know for sure is that when they recorded Dancing Queen on that tiny porch they would never have dreamed it would still be as relevant and popular today — 50 years on.”

• Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The ­Definitive Biography Of Abba by Carl ­Magnus Palm is available now.

WHEN you think of Sweden, you think ABBA, IKEA and Northern Lights – as well as it being an expensive holiday destination.

However, I got to know another side of its capital city Stockholm when I lived there for a few months as a student.  

And as a student, it meant I was on a strict budget, so I was on the hunt for the cheapest places to eat and drink as well as finding the best free things to do.

So here’s everything you need to know to avoid emptying your wallet, from cheap transport to bargain hidden gems.

Travel passes

If you’re planning on travelling around the city by public transport, then the SL Smart Card can save you money.

Instead of topping up or paying a fare everyday, you purchase a time-limited travel card and this lets you take all the buses, trams, inner-city commuter ferries, metro and commuter trains your heart desires. 

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When I found the perks of the SL cards, I was exploring the city like nobody’s business as I didn’t have to think about the logistics of costs if I wanted to go to two different neighbourhoods in one day.

Depending on how long you’re there you can choose from different time periods, starting at 24 hours for £13.83 (SEK 180). 

Compare that to a 24-hour pass across Zones 1-6 in London is £23.60?

A much bigger bargain.

Hidden gems

While the centre of Stockholm is great, did you know that the Stockholm Archipelago is home to 30,000 islands?

So one thing I highly recommend is hopping on an inner-city commuter ferry, which you can use with your SL card.

I recommend stopping off at Djurgården, known as Museum Island and is home to ABBA Museum.

But Art-lovers will also love Modern Museet and it is free to visit on Friday evenings between 6pm and 8pm during spring and autumn.

Otherwise ride the metro to Gamla Stan and find Stortoget, the city’s oldest square which is referred to as ‘The Bloodbath,’ having sparked the Swedish War of Liberation.  

You may need to squint your eyes for this one; the Iron Boy (Järnpojke) sculpture is the smallest public monument in Stockholm. 

You might also miss is the narrowest street in the whole city, found down the steps of Mårten Trotzigs gränd. Touch both walls with your hands and make a wish for some good luck.

The Nobel Prize Museum is touristy but also worth a visit too, as included in the entry ticket is a guided tour around the displays so it’s a great way to get a glimpse into ideas that have transformed the way we live. 

Cheap eats and drink

The Swedes love a coffee break, which loosely translates to ‘fika’ – and there are some insanely delicious places to go.

One of my favourites which I went to every week was Stora Bageriet in the district of Östermalm.

Built into a former military bakery that supplied soldiers with bread rations, now you can watch the bakers at work.

Don’t expect to get a table inside as it’s pretty small, but the huge courtyard is where to go instead, especially in the summer months.

As well as the traditional sweet treats up for grabs, I would suggest opting for their other pastries because I can guarantee you that you will not find anything like it elsewhere. I loved the danish buns with rhubarb, which cost just £3.89.

Lots of the city’s bars and restaurants are on floating platforms on the river, and one of my favourites is Mälarpaviljongen.

You might expect the garden-restaurant to be on a single platform but actually there are several platforms that are joined through footpaths and bridges.

Take your time to wander through before picking up a tray and working through the window displays. 

Otherwise find beers for under a fiver at the much loved Ölstugan Kungsholmen.

As a student, you’d often find me in the local McDonald’s after a late night out, but Stockholm also has its own take on Maccy D’s called MAX Burgers. 

No matter where you are, I guarantee you’ll find a MAX close to you and the best thing is that the quality of food is better with the same cheap prices. 

My go-tos were a box of cheese fries (£3.42), crunchy chicken wings (£2.64) or a bacon cheeseburger (£6.76). If you love cheese or want to splurge, try the ‘Original Cheese Can’ (£6.92) which is a burger served with a side of melted cheese dip. 

Otherwise when in Sweden – have the IKEA meatballs?

For under a fiver, you can get a plate of 8-piece meatballs with the traditional sides of cream sauce, lingonberry jam, peas and a choice of boiled or mashed potatoes. 

Comedian Alan Carr has announced that he will be joining Davina McCall, Maya Jama, Jonathan Ross and Mo Gilligan as a judge on the next series of The Masked Singer

Alan Carr is joining The Masked Singer as a judge. Bosses of the hit ITV competition, which sees celebrities dress up in elaborate costumes in an attempt to conceal their identity as they perform pop songs, had teased that a famous face was set to join the panel for the next series.

Since its inception in 2020, Jonathan Ross and Davina McCall have been part of the programme, whilst Mo Gilligan joined in the second series and Love Island host Maya Jama replaced Maya Jama just under two years ago. Joel Dommett has served as the presenter since the beginning as well and now, Celebrity Traitors winner Alan, 50, has announced that he is joining the panel.

Speaking on ITV’s This Morning on Friday, he said: “Yes, it’s me, Alan. I’m sick and tired of watching that panel make terrible guesses. I’ve been Red Panda, I’ve been Teeth. Dunno why they thought of me!

“So yes, I’m bringing the panel something they desperately need – intelligence. Watch out, Jonathan, Maya, Davina and Mo because I’m bringing my own detectives to rival yours! Oh yes, and we’re not here to play, we are here to win!”

Hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary were thrilled with the news, and Alison said: “Oh my gosh, that has made my day. It’s gonna be brilliant! It’s gonna be great, well done, Alan, we can’t wait to see you joining the panel.”

Alan has previously served as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent and was also part of the panel for ITV’s Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream, which sought to find two unknown performers to play the leads in the ABBA jukebox musical.

In the build-up to the reveal, the social media account for The Masked Singer had teased that someone new was on the way and laid out a series of clues in the video. Fans instantly started to speculate as to who the mystery celeb could be as the video claimed that “something big” was about to happen.

Initially, followers thought that a singer was joining the panel, with one writing: “We do need a singer panellist ngl,” and another said: “we need someone on the panel that knows singing like the back of their hand that does singing full time like [former panellist] Rita [Ora]”

One fan thought that, if a singer was indeed joining the panel, it could be West End star Mazz Murray. They wrote: “Mazz Murray because of the Greece postcard and it says missing you and Mazz left Mamma Mia! and Donna Sheridan is one of her most well known roles.”

Another thought it could be McFly stars Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher, but another simply said: “Whatever it is, if it’s being teased early it’ll be big.”

The Masked Singer normally airs in January, and earlier this year, Sugababes singer Keisha Buchanan won the series after no one managed to guess that she had been secretly performing as Moth.

Other winners over the years include pop stars Nicola Roberts and Natalie Imbruglia as well as West End actress Samantha Barks, who is best known for her roles in Les Miserables and Frozen.

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OASIS have officially landed the UK’s biggest selling studio album of all time.

New lists revealed today have shown how the band’s epic reunion last year has prompted their iconic studio album, (What’s The Story?) Morning Glory, to become Britain’s biggest seller.

The 1995 record has seen brothers Noel and Liam leapfrog The Beatles‘ 1967 album Sgt. Pepper – previously the long-standing biggest studio album.

Oasis now sit at number three overall – with ABBA and Queen’s compilation records in first and second position.

A source told The Sun of the epic achievement: “This milestone cements Oasis as the UK’s most influential and successful band.

“After their Oasis Live ‘25 shows last year, that album sold like hot cakes.

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“With their 2027 dates due to be announced next month, the sales are only going to skyrocket.

“Noel and Liam should be cracking out the champagne.”

The Official Charts Company confirmed the rankings today as they marked 70 years of compiling Britain’s music.

Sitting behind Oasis at number four is Adele’s 2011 record, 21, which has managed to push The Beatles’ 1967 effort into fifth place overall – with those three records making up Britain’s biggest studio albums of all time.

The 1970s take over sixth and seventh position with Fleetwood Mac‘s ’73 album, Rumours, in sixth followed by Pink Floyd’s 1973 effort, The Dark Side of the Moon.

Michael Jackson sits in eighth with 1982’s Thriller followed by Bob Marley’ ’84 record Legend in ninth and Dire Straits’ 1985 release, Brothers in Arms, rounding out the top ten.

Here we go again: Twenty-five years after “Mamma Mia!” premiered on Broadway, the national tour returns to Los Angeles at the Ahmanson Theatre with show-stopping set pieces and a crew that knows the show inside and out.

The beloved jukebox musical, which chronicles a Greek wedding with three potential fathers of the bride, has taken over the Ahmanson through July 19 as part of its 25th anniversary tour, and audience members should expect a full-on ABBA sing-along dance party.

“People come dressed up,” said associate choreographer Janet Rothermel. “There’s a lot of boas, and there’s a lot of spandex, and platform shoes.”

Rothermel is one of many people on the creative team who have worked on the show since its original Broadway run in 2001. Associate director Martha Banta and associate music supervisor David Holcenberg have also seen the musical through its nearly 14-year original Broadway run, national tours and numerous international iterations (Holcenberg was its original music director).

“When we were all back together again in rehearsal, it was an extraordinary feeling,” Banta said. “Not with the same cast, but Janet, David and I and others that have done it for years. With everything that’s been going on in the world in the last three years, it was just a soothing thing to do.”

“We’ve just been embraced beyond what we were used to, which was pretty great,” she added.

Everyone involved in the production echoed a similar sentiment: that the “ultimate feel-good musical” is exactly what audiences want to see during painful or overwhelming times. The show’s traveling costume supervisor and associate designer Eva Maciek put it most bluntly: “I love working on it because nobody dies.”

Rehearsals for the original Broadway run coincided with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Holcenberg explained, and he was struck by audience members’ emotional responses to the first shows.

“I’d have people coming down to the pit after the show with tears streaming down their faces saying, ‘Thank you for letting us forget the world for a couple hours and just have joy,’” he said. “Because this show is joy. It’s full of joy.”

Beyond the absurdly catchy music and the rom-com story, part of the show’s joyfulness comes from its colorful costumes and beachy aesthetic. The onstage set is relatively sparse, consisting only of a pair of rotating “taverna” walls, but backstage, hundreds of moving parts, including stage mechanics, hand props and costume changes, propel the story forward and keep the production looking effortlessly glamorous.

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Blingy microphones backstage for the “Mamma Mia!” production at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Eva Maciek, the travel costume supervisor of the show, shares some wardrobe pieces backstage.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Ryan Sander, assistant choreographer, left, and Eva Maciek, travel costume supervisor of the show, show off Sander’s “Voulez-Vous” costume.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Life jackets backstage for a musical number.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Shelves full of hats are seen during a backstage tour.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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The show‘s stage is seen during a backstage tour of the “Mamma Mia!” theater production at the Ahmanson Theatre.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

The obvious choice for coolest costumes, according to Maciek, are the bejeweled jumpsuits worn by titular mamma Donna Sheridan (played by Jessica Crouch) and her Dynamos, Tanya (Jalynn Steele) and Rosie (Carly Sakolove). Each one has hundreds of glittering silver stars attached.

“I’m glad I’m not the one who had to sew them on originally!” Maciek joked. The costumes all originated in London or New York, but they’ve been traveling from city to city in storage “gondolas” since the current tour started in 2023, requiring constant repairs and touch-ups from local stitchers.

Thematically, Maciek said, the costumes’ evolving colors tell their own story throughout the show.

“When everybody arrives at the island, they’re all in beige with a little hint of blue,” she explained. More blue gets added by “Voulez Vous,” and then they transition into jewel tones. “When you get into the wedding scene, everybody is in pinks, soft reds, oranges and yellows,” Maciek said. “So there’s a real color story that goes throughout.”

Ryan Sander, the show’s assistant choreographer, dance captain and current “swing” (an actor covering multiple ensemble roles), has a special relationship to his “Voulez-Vous” costume. He originally wore it as a performer on the national tour more than 20 years ago, and when he was called to come back onstage, he found that it still fit like a glove. The costume, a denim vest and pants set with extremely Y2K lace-up details, is representative of the show’s approach to fashion trends.

“There is something timeless about these pieces that’s just so interesting,” he said. “It is a period piece and we stick to that, but there is something timeless about the costumes.”

Besides the costume racks, another crucial backstage element are the vocal booths, where the ensemble contributes to the musical soundscape from behind the curtain.

“One of the main things about the ‘ABBA sound’ is how they layered the vocals, and we do that all live in our show,” Holcenberg said. “The ensemble works really, really hard, because when they’re not on stage, they don’t get any time off. They’re just singing their little faces off.”

Even though the show has been running for decades, the creative team said each cast brings a new energy and tone.

“Our new Donna, Jess, brings a real rock chick energy to it,” Holcenberg said. “Even though the notes on the page stay the same, the casting and the way they perform it still changes from person to person and night to night.”

According to stage manager Andrew Volzer, the most “unique” aspects of the show are its long history with a tight crew and its multigenerational appeal — “Not only from the audience perspective, but also for the people working on the show. People are always coming and going,” he said.

“We always say, you never leave the island.”