ABBA (2)

In 1974 ABBA represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo which came 1st. The writers of the song, Björn & Benny, wrote two songs for the Swedish pre-selection: Waterloo and Hasta Mañana.

Initially thinking Waterloo was too risky, their second choice of song was the ballad Hasta Mañana, as they thought it was more in style with the previous Eurovision Song Contest winners. They decided on Waterloo, primarily because it had Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad sharing lead vocals, whereas Hasta Mañana had Agnetha as the sole lead vocalist, and the group believed that this would give the wrong impression of the group to the world.

While the song was being recorded, they decided to give up on it at one point because none of them could sing it properly. Agnetha alone was in the studio and decided to play around with it. She felt if she could sing it in a Connie Francis style it would work - and it did.

In Australia, Hasta Mañana was later used as a B-side on the So Long single (which never charted). After being featured in the immensely popular The Best of ABBA TV Special, broadcast in March 1976, the song became a Top 20 hit in Australia and Top 10 hit in New Zealand.