Super Trouper (song)



"Super Trouper" is 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 and it replaced the track "Put On Your White Sombrero". The working title of this song was "Blinka Lilla Stjärna". "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 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. Parts of the music video were later reused in the Happy New Year video.

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), 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.

The track was the third biggest single of the UK 1980 year-end charts

Personnel

 * Anni-Frid Lyngstad - lead vocals
 * Agnetha Fältskog - vocals
 * Benny Andersson - keyboards, synthesizer, backing vocals
 * Björn Ulvaeus - guitar, backing vocals

Additional musicians

 * Janne Schaffer - lead guitar
 * Mike Watson - bass guitar
 * Per Lindvall - drums
 * Åke Sundqvist - percussion

A-Teens version
"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.

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.

Releases

 * European 2-Track CD Single
 * 1) "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] – 3:52
 * 2) "Super Trouper" [Super Radio Remix] – 4:04


 * European CD Maxi
 * 1) "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] – 3:52
 * 2) "Super Trouper" [Super Super Remix] – 8:58
 * 3) "Super Trouper" [Pinocchio Remix] – 5:08
 * 4) "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] – 6:05


 * German CD Maxi
 * 1) "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] – 3:52
 * 2) "Super Trouper" [Perre J's Remix] – 4:04
 * 3) "Happy New Year" – 4:23
 * 4) "Mamma Mia" [Radio Version] – 3:43
 * Video: "Mamma Mia"


 * U.K. CD1
 * 1) "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] – 3:52
 * 2) "A*Teens Medley" [Pierre J's Full UK Mix] – 7:27
 * 3) "Super Trouper" [Karaoke Version] – 3:52
 * Video: "Super Trouper"


 * U.K. CD2
 * 1) "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] – 6:05
 * 2) "Super Trouper" [W.I.P.] – 6:10
 * 3) "Super Trouper" [The Bold & The Glamour Mix] – 6:50


 * U.K. Cassette
 * 1) "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] – 3:52
 * 2) "Super Trouper" [Karaoke Version] – 3:52


 * Japan CD Maxi
 * 1) "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] – 3:52
 * 2) "Happy New Year" – 4:23
 * 3) "Super Trouper" [Super Super Remix] – 8:58
 * 4) "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] – 6:05


 * Sweden Promo CD
 * 1) "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] – 3:52


 * 12" Vinyl Promo (1 Track)
 * 1) A. "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] – 6:05

UK 12" Vinyl Promo (3 Track)
 * 1) A1. "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] – 6:05
 * 2) B1. "Super Trouper" [The Bold & The Glamour Mix] – 6:50
 * 3) B2. "Super Trouper" [W.I.P.] – 6:10

Appearances in other media

 * The song is performed in the Mamma Mia! stage musical. In the musical, Donna, Tanya and Rosie perform the song at Sophie's hen party dressed in the tight Lycra suits they used to wear when they were a girl band called "Donna and the Dynamos". In the context of the musical, it explains that even though Donna has a hard life sometimes, all she has to know is that Sophie is there and that makes Donna feel much better. When Niklas Strömstedt wrote lyrics for the Swedish staging of the musical, "Glasgow" was replaced by "Gränna" as the place from which the singer calls in the lyrics.