Last night I was watching the second part of a documentary about consumerism. The first had spent time in Russia, looking at post-Soviet spending and shopping and the second looked at Sweden. Most of it focused on H&M and Ikea, but they had a bit about ABBA!I have a love/hate relationship with ABBA's music.
Perhaps the hate element stems from a talent show years ago in which some friends and I did what was quite possibly the worst ABBA impersonation in the entire history of ABBA impersonations. And I wore flares that I'd bought at an op-shop and were so garish they almost took your eyes out at 50 paces. Bad memories. Bad, bad memories. I still shudder every single time I hear Gimme, Gimme, Gimme. But Nida as Benny with a fake mascara beard was definitely the most fantastic bit of it.
I think the love is because their songs are so infectiously good and generally frighteningly cheerful. You can't listen to ABBA and not sing and dance along, even if you're in a vile mood. Plus it reminds me of Jules, who adores ABBA, and how much fun it was hanging out with her when I lived back in SA.
It's just that I have to have a long break between ABBA music periods in life, or the memories of no-talent night come flooding back. I burned the flares years ago, but I think the image is still burned on my brain. God, why did someone have to video that night!?
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