Waterloo

recording by ABBA

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July 19, 2026

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The ABBA song "Waterloo" is a famous Europop hit that won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 for Sweden. The song likens the end of a romantic relationship to the historical defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo. While catchy, the lyrics are not historically accurate regarding Napoleon's surrender. This victory launched ABBA to international superstardom, making them one of the most commercially successful bands in pop music history.12

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Today in History—April 6
ABBA Makes History—and References It
…had a historical twist: “Waterloo,” which likened the end of a romantic relationship to the epic defeat of Emperor Napoleon. (Ouch.) That sent them to the “Olympics of song”—Eurovision, held that year in Brighton, England. Despite tough competition from British entrant Olivia Newton-John, ABBA’s spangly outfits and wild theatricality…
Read More
…had a historical twist: “Waterloo,” which likened the end of a romantic relationship to the epic defeat of Emperor Napoleon. (Ouch.) That sent them to the “Olympics of song”—Eurovision, held that year in Brighton, England. Despite tough competition from British entrant Olivia Newton-John, ABBA’s spangly outfits and wild theatricality…
Read More

ABBA
Origin and Eurovision success
…prize with the song “Waterloo.” The resulting single served as the anchor for the album of the same name, released that year.
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…prize with the song “Waterloo.” The resulting single served as the anchor for the album of the same name, released that year.
Read More