Quiz: Only True ABBA Fans Can Complete These Lyrics Without Hesitation

ABBA danced onto the scene in 1974, in cat shirts and platform boots, clinching the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden with “Waterloo” and instantly capturing the world’s attention with their irresistibly catchy Europop tracks.

The group, then comprised of two couples, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus, and Frida Lyngstad and Benny Andersson, released a string of hits throughout the ‘70s and into the early ‘80s before parting ways in 1982.

Their music reached a new generation with the debut of Mamma Mia! in 2008, perfectly incorporating their top tracks into an iconic storyline that remains beloved among fans. 

You can hum the tunes; maybe you’ve even seen both Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, admittedly on repeat (you’re only human, after all), but do you know the lyrics by heart? Let's find out if you can complete these lines without hesitation!

How quickly were you able to guess the lyric in these ABBA classics? Depending on how many times you’ve replayed their catalog, some may have been harder to guess than others. Regardless of your score, share this quiz with the ABBA super fan in your life and see how they do!

ABBA: THE BAND

ABBA’s breakup as a band followed their breakups as couples: Agnetha and Björn ended their marriage in 1980, while Frida and Benny split in 1981. The pressures of fame and constant touring certainly took their toll, leading both couples, and ultimately the band, to go their separate ways.

Benny and Björn wrote many of ABBA’s most cherished songs and devoted their creative talents to the Mamma Mia! films as musical supervisors of sorts. Some members found success with solo careers, while others put their skills toward musical theatre.

Let’s drop the needle on a few of ABBA's greatest hits, timeless tracks that have kept dancing queens dancing for nearly half a century.

ABBA: THE SONGS

"Super Trouper"

“Super Trouper,” released in 1980 on the album of the same name, opens with the subject of the song feeling “sick and tired” of life on the road, confessing that all she does is “eat and sleep and sing.” But during a performance, she spots her loved one in the crowd, and suddenly, she doesn’t feel so empty and lonely anymore. Despite its upbeat sound, the song, their ninth and final No. 1 in the UK, describes the not-so-luxurious side of superstardom as isolating and exhausting.

Other favorites from the album include “The Winner Takes It All,” “Lay All Your Love On Me,” “Andante, Andante,” and “Our Last Summer.”

"Take A Chance on Me"

“Take a Chance on Me,” from their fifth studio album ABBA: The Album (1977), is a playful anthem in which the singer begs for a chance at love, promising to be there through trials and tribulations if only their crush “let them try.”

The spirited tune topped the charts in the UK, their seventh No. 1 hit, and also found success across the globe, peaking at No. 1 in Austria, Mexico, and more. 

“The Name of the Game,” also featured in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, appears on this album as well.

"The Winner Takes It All"

ABBA’s catalog isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, and how could it be, when the band was going through so much on a personal level? While many of their tracks are uplifting, others confront deeper emotions, like “The Winner Takes It All,” featured on 1980's Super Trouper.

This song explores the pain of divorce and speaks to a love that isn’t always fair, drawing from the real-life separation of Agnetha and Björn, which was announced before the album’s release. The lyrics capture the sting of a love that’s fading, and the struggle to talk about difficult times.

Reflecting on the personal side of songwriting in ABBA: AGAINST THE ODDS, released in 2024, Björn shared:

“One thing we learned was that everything starts with a song. I think great music is created from the human experience. Deep emotions...Going through divorce is difficult as anyone would know who’s done it. That was, of course, taking up my thoughts.”

Agnetha also commented on the track, revealing she "tried to put my life experience and my feelings, everything, in this song." Since she and Benny had recently divorced, the emotions were very raw, made evident by her masterful delivery. 

“The Winner Takes It All” became another No. 1 hit in the UK, and exists as one of ABBA’s most moving songs to date. 

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