The Relevance of ABBA

When the new version of Mamma Mia came out, Ed got totally hooked on it. My dad is a pretty big ABBA fan too so he was really into it. So when I finally watched the new version (already able to sing most of the songs without the handy sing along captions) I realized that I’m kind of weird. In a good way! I like being this kind of weird.

So... reasons why I think I’m weird. Because these statements need to be substantiated by evidence. (These reasons relate back to Mamma Mia and ABBA and should not be taken out of context.)

Reason 1:

I knew who ABBA was before watching or hearing about this movie or even the stage musical. Actually, that’s something really fun that I gained from my Rock and Roll musical upbringing. When I’m watching movies set in the 40s, 50s, and 60s I often find myself singing along. It’s hysterical to see the blank faces of my ignorant 21st century friends when I start singing along to ‘At the Hop’. It scares my dad that I know the words to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Also, I was thinking, wouldn’t it have totally sucked if the members of ABBA’s names had started with a Q,Z,W and K? QWZK? ABBA’s much better.

For those who aren’t weird
(Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wiVkdVPGoY
(At the Hop) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwCGW58DTE4


Reason 2:

When they sing songs like... Dancing Queen in the movie, I get this indescribable urge to also walk down a street and burst into song and dance. I think it’s one of my stranger fantasies given that it’s not likely to occur and I can’t sing or dance very well. Minor details! One day, I too shall walk down the middle of a crowded street belting out a song with twenty skilled backup dancers following me! And it will sound good! Oddly enough, I’ve had this fantasy for years. I was also raised on musicals.

To illustrate my point. PS: How much energy does it take to be Meryl Streep! I would look more like the friend who crotches herself on the banister...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_uXcxKoqYQ

Reason 3:

ABBA enabled me to secure a wedding photographer. Am I getting married in the near or even middle-distant future? No... But I have a photographer! Ed happens to be a professional and very talented as well as renowned photographer. So, when he was doing a friend’s wedding (after watching Mamma Mia and becoming obsessed) he wanted to do a shot of the wedding party on the dock jumping up, like in the movie. He thought it would be cool. At the last minute, everyone changed their minds and his idea went kaput. He was really excited about it so I told him he could do it at my wedding.

Ed: Sure, I’ll take pictures at your wedding.

Lauren: There you go. I think it was a good idea! And there’d be a cool story behind it.

Ed: Of course... I’ll probably be dead by then.

Haha! I don’t care. I’m holding him to it. If he’s not dead and if I ever get married... he’s taking pictures. Dammit. Now that I reread it, the ‘dammit’ doesn’t seem very convincing.


All this goes to show that I am not your average girl. But was there ever really any doubt?


Lauren.