ABBA – Waterloo

• 0
  General Comment:When you're in the process of putting together a song you need a hook (melodic) and you need a few standout words that flow attractively and are memorable. You're at your instrument searching for effective chord changes and imagining the sound of everything at the same time. The word Waterloo is catchy, I doubt that they're history buffs, but they knew of the battle and the conflict idea fit for the women to sing about. If the final product is a little mysterious or has hidden meanings or is controversial so much the better, but while you're inventing it it's not obvious how it will turn out at all.
  
  They were criticized by some critics for referring to a battle for a pop song -- during which many men had died

  Flag song-girlon August 26, 2012   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• +1
  Memory:Glimmerings of ABBA
  
  Emerging global fantasies turned blonde for me in ‘seventy-six.
  Bjorn, Benny and the flikas sailed the radio waves from East to West.
  Santa Lucia’s crowning princess never shone so blessed
  on midnight fjords as she did in my own Eurovision-mix.
  
  Perfect pop intensifies the longing for that feminine fix.
  Cassette wheels whirred - first branding, finally impressing
  deep grooves upon the brain; my pre-pubescent thrall confessing
  helpless love for Nordic light (in thumping Disco metrics).
  
  The names (still humming) strike flames, and kindle bright renown:
  “Bang a Boomerang”, “SOS”, “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do” – and will forevermore.
  Those Viking visages sacked and razed a quiet little harbor town.
  
  Frida Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog – your longships linger
  where syllables flicker, portaging hope to every shipwrecked singer
  Revealing smiles in evergreens and helping us reach our further shore.

  Flag NomadMonadon June 28, 2012   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• +1
  Song Meaning:The song "Waterloo" is ambiguous enough that you can apply it to several situations, but I think it's clear that it was NOT intended to refer to domestic violence in any way (in the early 70's? No chance) OR to surrendering oneself to Jesus (nice thought, but ABBA's not a religious group). Nor is it about Napoleon (it's just using Napoleon's legendary defeat as a metaphor).
  
  I think it's clearly just a song about a girl letting herself fall for someone else - for one reason or another, she resisted having a relationship with them, but they hung in there, and now she gives up and admits she likes them. It reminds me of countless "Will They, Won't They?" romantic subplots in the movies and other media, where the couple starts out antagonistic towards each other, but have obvious Unresolved Sexual Tension, and finally end up together.

  Flag ShinyAeonon January 16, 2011   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:It does actually sound very much like a song about domestic violence.

  Flag bearhugon July 28, 2010   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:I think this song's about someone who was suddenly pursued by a person that she didn't want to give in to, whether because she wasn't looking for a relationship, didn't like him, or whatever. Like a in a battles in a war, she put up a fight and tried to resist and get away from him, but in the end, gives in and "loses", ("...I tried to hold you back but you were stronger") proclaiming her "Waterloo", just like Napoleon finally lost at Waterloo. And along with proclaiming her defeat, she also proclaims her loyalty and love for the guy, who earned it by "winning" the war ("...I was defeated, you won the war... Promise to love you for ever more").

  Flag iridescentsongon January 10, 2010   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:I believe this song is about surrendering herself to Jesus. She says she met her destiny in a similar way to Napoleon. The song isn't about Napoleon. If you are a bible believing Christian, you know what it was like to resist Jesus before He opened your heart to receive him. Then, when He does, it's like a waterloo of emotions and love. When the lyrics say "I was defeated then..." most people come to Jesus when they are broken down and searching. Then Jesus opens your heart and you can't believe that you resisted him all those years. "Knowing my fate is to be with you" -in the bible it says that if you have faith, you were chosen before the foundation of the world was created (thus the fate to be with Him). The history book on the shelf is the Bible. The Bible is always repeating itself. I could be wrong, but I think ABBA is a Christian band.

  Flagged bjrbluepainton January 05, 2010   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:I think it is only about love...that's it
  
  She's just admitting her faith that she really for that person.
  

  Flag bear_hug20on June 02, 2009   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• +1
  General Comment:this song is about someone (person A) who is seeing someone else(Person B). Person B wants to be closer and perhaps courting Person A, after a while Person A gives in to Person B's advances and they fall in love at Waterloo on a trip or something. I can see where you get the domestic violence aspect from, but just read a little deeper. good song.

  Flag adamramoneon December 27, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:this song is about someone (person A) who is seeing someone else(Person B). Person B wants to be closer and perhaps courting Person A, after a while Person A gives in to Person B's advances and they fall in love at Waterloo on a trip or something. I can see where you get the domestic violence aspect from, but just read a little deeper. good song.

  Flag adamramoneon December 27, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:AWESOME AWESOME SONG. Meaning is obvious and has been mentioned.

  Flag ShakerMaker1994on December 24, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!