After stunning most of the world with their performance at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, ABBA won over countless fans with their catchy pop tunes.
Even though they were a mega-success across the globe, there are probably more than a few things folks never knew about the Swedish hit-makers. Most of us know that the group that dominated the airwaves in the 1970s was comprised of two real-life couples, Benny Andersson with wife Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Björn Ulvaeus married to Agnetha Fältskog.
However, even as a huge fan of them myself, I had no idea just how those relationships impacted their careers. Sure, I've heard plenty of rumors over the years, but this was the first time I'd found solid facts about their lives, both on and off the stage.
Take a look below to see what Agnetha and Anni-Frid really thought about each other, and to see which member of the group has ties to royalty.
Let us know in the comments if we left out your favorite fact about ABBA, and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
1. Their Outlandish Outfits Were Tax Deductible
As long as they didn't wear the super-flashy ensembles they became famous for donning onstage while they weren't performing, they were considered deductible by Swedish law. Clearly, this inspired the group to get as creative as they wanted, but Björn would later admit to things getting a bit carried away.
“Nobody can have been as badly dressed on stage as we were," he explained in Abba: The Official Photo Book. "In my honest opinion we looked like nuts in those years.”
2. Benny And Björn Are Stingy With Their Tunes
The songwriting duo went as far as to sue a British band called The KLF when they discovered they were poaching lyrics from "Dancing Queen" in 1987, but a couple of acts have managed to get their blessings to sample a song.
First, the Fugees' used a sample of "The Name Of The Game" for their 1996 song, "Rumble in the Jungle," then Madonna admitted to begging Benny and Björn for their permission to use a bit of "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight)" in her 2005 hit "Hung Up."
As of now, those are the only two times they've allowed their songs to be used by other artists despite numerous requests.
3. Benny Came Up With Their Iconic Logo
After finally deciding on the name ABBA, an acronym of the first letters of each members' name, Benny flipped his "B" horizontally during a photo shoot and inspired their official logo, later given a proper design by Rune Soderqvist.
They also had to get permission for rights from a popular Swedish fish canning company of the same name.
4. They Recorded Together Before Becoming A Band
Both Benny and Björn had been successful in Sweden throughout the 1960s with two separate groups, Benny in The Hep Stars (known as "the Swedish Beatles") and Björn with a folk group known as the Hootenanny Singers.
Their paths crossed while touring their home country, and the pair eventually began writing tunes together, recording an album together in 1970 called Lycka (which means "happiness" in Swedish). They brought their girlfriends, Anni-Frid and Agnetha, along in the studio and the foursome made their first single, "Hej, gamle man" ("Hello, old Man") with the girls singing backup.
5. Agnetha Was Replaced In 1973
Only briefly, though, after giving birth to hers and Björn's first child, their daughter Linda. A local singer and friend of Anni-Frid, Inger Brundin, joined the others for a short period for performances in Germany.
6. Anni-Frid Isn't Actually Swedish
The brunette's mother was Norwegian and became involved with a German soldier during World War II. They left Norway shortly after Anni-Frid's birth in 1945, fearing harsh criticism and bullying from their neighbors if they found out about her father.
Anni-Frid spent most of her life believing he died in the war, but a half-sibling discovered their connection at the height of ABBA's fame when a pop magazine printed in-depth biographies for each member. She met her father, but never formed a real relationship after so many years apart.
7. Their Video Director Has Been Nominated For Academy Awards
Most of their promotional videos and their 1977 documentary, ABBA: The Movie, were directed by acclaimed Swedish filmmaker Lasse Hallström. He was nominated for Oscars in 1988 with his film My Life as a Dog and again in 2000 for The Cider House Rules.
8. Russia Paid Them With Oil To Perform
The group was in such high demand that, according to the BBC, they made the unique arrangement while touring the Soviet Union during the Cold War when rubles had been embargoed.
9. They Didn't Have A #1 Album In The US Until 2008
They only ever made it as high as #14 on American charts back in their heyday, but finally made it to the top spot thanks to the soundtrack for Mamma Mia!, the Meryl Streep film adaptation of Benny and Björn's Broadway musical.
The band is shown with the film's cast above, reuniting all four members for the first time in 22 years since they went their separate ways.
10. Anni-Frid And Agnetha Weren't At Each Other's Throats
Ever since the band began, rumors have persisted that the ladies never really got along.
In 2009, Anni-Frid squashed all of the gossip by saying, "A lot has been written about how Agnetha and I fought and quarreled with each other. There is absolutely no truth in that," adding, "Of course we competed, but to good effect."
11. Agnetha And Björn's Daughter Was A Baby Model
The proud parents were happy to smile for the camera as the band used their music to promote Semper baby food back in the early '70s.
Their advertising career was short-lived, though, after their manager sold another song to an electronics store. Benny put his foot down and refused to allow their music to be used in any further commercials.
12. Anni-Frid Is A Princess
After she and Benny split up in 1981, Anni-Frid began a relationship with Heinrich Ruzzo, Prince Reuss of Plauen, in 1986 and the two were married in 1992 — making her a princess — until his unexpected death in 1999.
Did we miss any of your favorite things about ABBA? Let us know below and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
