“Super Trouper” was a hit single for Swedish pop group ABBA, and was the title track from their 1980 studio album Super Trouper, written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The song, with lead vocals by Anni-Frid Lyngstad, was the last to be written and recorded for this album. “Super Trouper” is included on the Gold: Greatest Hits compilation, as well as in the Mamma Mia! musical.
The name “Super Trouper” referred to the spotlights used in stadium concerts.
Music video
In October 1980, the music video for “Super Trouper” used the largest number of artists that ABBA have ever used in a music video. The spotlight featured throughout the music video is, in fact, a CCT Silhouette follow spot, as opposed to a real Super Trouper. The city of Glasgow mentioned in the lyric was suggested by Howard Huntridge who worked with their then-UK publishers Bocu Music. The music video was directed by Lasse Hallström.
Reception
“Super Trouper” was a successful single for ABBA. It topped the charts in Belgium, West Germany, the UK (their ninth and final No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart),[1][2] Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands. It reached the Top 5 in Austria, France, Norway, Switzerland and Mexico, while peaking in the Top 10 in Finland and Spain. In the United States, where ABBA never quite managed to achieve the same sort of popularity experienced elsewhere, the single reached No. 45. However, combined with “Lay All Your Love on Me” and “On and On and On”, it topped the US Hot Dance Club Play chart.
“Super Trouper” was A-Teens' second single from their 1st album The ABBA Generation, a cover of ABBA’s song. When the single came out in the fall of 1999, it became a hit around the globe, just as its predecessor “Mamma Mia”, also an ABBA cover. “Super Trouper” debuted at No. 2 in Sweden and was later certified platinum .[5]
It also became their only Top 5 hit in Germany peaking at #4. The single also reached No. 21 in the United Kingdom, No. 18 in Switzerland, No. 15 in Norway, No. 11 in Austria and No. 12 in Netherlands.
Music video
The music video was directed by Sebastian Reed and was filmed in Sweden. The video shows a girl so obsessed with the band that she owns posters, magazines, mugs, clothing, and even a key chain. She also copies the band’s choreography that is shown on TV. Some of the articles that feature pictures of the band come to life in the video.
In the first few seconds of the video, before the actual song starts, Mamma Mia can be faintly heard in the background.
The video was a hit in most TV stations charting inside the Top 10 countdowns in late 1999 and early 2000.
American alto pop singer Debbie Sims covered this song from her 1998 album, “Songs of Andersson & Ulvaeus”, produced by disco producer Ed O'Loughlin (who produced for American girl-group disco/soul singer Carol Douglas) in an American disco style with a lot of rhythmic, percussive disco beats that sound like “Do You Love What You Feel” by R&B star Chaka Kahn and her band Rufus.
Personnel
Acoustic Guitar – Björn Ulvaeus
Bass – Mike Watson
Drums – Per Lindvall
Guitar – Janne Schaffer
Keyboards, Synthesizer – Benny Andersson
Percussion – Åke Sundqvist
Debbie Sims 1998 cover
Lead Vocals – Debbie Sims
Backing Vocals – Christine Burnett, Dennis Englewood, Helen Taylor, Joyce Berry, Laurie Maitland, Liz McKay, Lupe MacKenzie, Matthew Foster, Tricia Copperfield
Bass – Vince Fay
Drums & Congas – Daryl Burgee
Electric Piano – Joel Bryant, Greg Phillinganes
Grand Piano – Laurie Maitland
Guitars – Paul Jackson Jr.
Horns Arranged by Lou Del Gatto
Percussion – Alan Estes
Producer – Ed O'Loughlin
Strings Arranged & Conducted by Don Renaldo
