ABBA's secret political agenda

ABBA's art director Rune Söderqvist, together with Agnetha, Björn and Frida at the photo session for The Visitors.

ABBA is probably the last band anyone would think of when speaking about political messages. But when Björn of ABBA appeared in the Swedish radio show 'Pop & Politics' last Saturday, he revealed that ABBA had a hidden political agenda.

- I am convinced that there were many who did not even understad what it was all about, because it was ABBA, and everybody would think that there were no political agenda there. It might have been our curse, our music was always considered as simple and joyfully and no way it would have any political messages, Björn said in a press release befor the radio show.

For example the song 'The Visitors' was inspired by the thought of being different and not being allowed to have your own opinions in a dictatorship like the Soviet Union.
- I thought about what it would be like to live in a dictatorship. That was the inspiration of the song 'The Visitors'. I pictured myself in an apartment somewhere in Moscow, where one might held secret meetings talking about and planning for freedom and what it would feel like. And also the threat, terror and fright what would happen if someone would find out about these meetings - when someone tries the door knob, Björn tells.

There was quite a risk by writing this song. Being from Sweden ABBA was allowed to sell records in the Soviet Union at that time. Sweden was a neutral country and therefore allowed to export goods like music albums to the Soviet Union. ABBA was allowed a specified quote of records into Soviet each year, a quote not even close to the demand for ABBA music at that time (therefore ABBA was highly sought after in the black market). But the song 'The Visitors' was however hardly never noticed for it’s hidden political message.

However, ABBA was more noticed for their political engagement when U.S. President Ronald Reagan arranged a television music gala to support the development of democracy in Poland through Lech Walesa. He was a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. ABBA performed, but Bjorn and Benny also choose to say a few words about the lack of freedom of speech in Poland. They specifically pointed out that there was no freedom of speech, not only in Poland, but also in El Salvador, Chile, Afghanistan and Iraq. This speech by Björn and Benny got a wide spread even though it was immediately cut-out from the TV show since the U.S. government was supporting some of the states Björn and Benny mentioned. After this the Soviet Union forbid all sales of ABBA music for a while, since ABBA stated that they were on the enemy's side.

Just a few years later, 1984, when Björn, Benny and Tim Rice arrived in Moscow to promote the musical 'Chess' they were welcomed with open arms, and no one ever mentioned the ban of ABBA music. They were greeted like superstars with magnificent VIP treatment.

Listen to the whole show 'Pop och Politik' here.

SVEDENLAND, YOUR SWEDISH VOICE IN THE WORLD http://svedenland.blogspot.com/