This week the world commemorates the 30th anniversary of the death of the king of rock ‘n’ roll, Elvis Presley.
There’s no real connection between Elvis and ABBA. Benny has said that his first rock/pop single was Elvis’s ‘Jailhouse Rock’, while ABBA engineer Michael B. Tretow is an avowed Elvis fan. But there’s no real aural evidence of Elvis’s influence in ABBA’s music. Still, Elvis influenced those who influenced ABBA, such as The Beatles, so an influence can be traced back.
It’s possible that Elvis’s 1970s Las Vegas-era spangly jumpsuits may have been one of the inspirations for some of ABBA’s mid-’70s costumes – some wouldn’t look out of place alongside ABBA’s 1977 tour costumes.
Conversely it seems that the ABBA Gold compilation may have been an influence on the 2002 Elvis 30 #1 Hits CD, with a similar gold/black/white scheme and similar simple style, with the title only in the centre of a plain background.
Elvis may have left the building, but he lives on in his fans’ hearts forever.
ABBA Omnibus blog 
10 April, 2008 at 12:02 |
Hey, Hey IAN………
Wait a minute, please!? Elvis may not have left the ‘ABBA building’ just as yet…There may be a connection between the music of Elvis Presley and ABBA after all.
Elvis Presley’s song “Shake That Tambourine” may have inspired ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”.
ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” did come to look for a King, and was it Elvis Frida and Agnetha were both referring to as the King in the song? (Samuel’s note: O.K. this sentence is just a little joke from me.)
In Elvis Presley’s nineteenth movie (Harum Scarum, aka Harem Holiday – MGM 1965) he performed/sang a song called “Shake That Tambourine”.
The lyrics to “Shake That Tambourine” may have inspired Stig Anderson to write the lyrics to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”. Both songs have the rhyming of (dancing) queen and tambourine as well as some other similarities as I’ve listed bellow.
Elvis Presley’s “Shake That Tambourine” = ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”
They keep the beat = Feel the beat from the tambourine
They make music, wherever they go = Where they play the right music / Looking out for a place to go
Kings may bow before them = You come to look for a king
Every night they’re dancin’, on those marble floors = Friday night and the lights are low
The full lyrics to the Elvis Presley song:
Elvis Presley – “SHAKE THAT TAMBOURINE” (Words & Music by Giant – Baum – Kaye)
Shake… the little tambourine
Shake a-ring a jing -jing a-ling
Shake, shake my little dancin’ queen
Shake that tambourine, that tambourine
I can hear them dancing, in the marketplace
Swishin’ and a-swirlin’, in their silks and lace
Bracelets keep a-clinking, on their tiny feet
And with their tambourines they keep the beat
Rings on their fingers, bells on their toes
They make music, wherever they go
Pound that little drum now, tap on it with your thumb
Shake, shake the little tambourine
Shake a-ring a-jing-a-ling-a-ling
Shake, shake my little dancin’’ queen
That tambourine, that tambourine
I heard their talent, open palace doors
Every night they’re dancin’, on those marble floors
Kings may bow before them, but they’ll be my own
Then they’ll shake their thing for me alone
Rings on their fingers, bells on their toes
They make music, wherever they go
Pound that little drum now, tap on it with your thumb
Shake, shake the little tambourine
Shake a-ring a-jing-a-ling-a-ling
Shake, shake my little dancin’ queen
That tambourine, that tambourine
For further information in regards to this particular Elvis Presley movie, its soundtrack and listen to “Shake That Tambourine” on Youtube etc. use the links bellow:
http://www.elvispresley.com.au/elvis/presley/harum_scarum.shtml
Kind Regards
Samuel Inglles
12 April, 2008 at 08:19 |
That’s a very interesting observation, Samuel. I’ve never heard that Elvis song before. The similarities in the lyrics – right down to “dancin’ queen” – are uncanny. Perhaps you’re right, it could well have been at least a partial inspiration for ‘Dancing Queen’.
24 January, 2009 at 09:51 |
Hi Ian
Did you know that Elvis Presley and Agnetha Fältskog has both sung/or recorded the song ‘What Now My Love’.
Here are links to Elvis Presley’s versions:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TJS1vLTV_MA
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=SgyytDH_YWo&feature=related
Kind Regards
Samuel Inglles
8 January, 2014 at 20:02 |
Did Elvis ever meet any of the members of ABBA?
10 January, 2014 at 11:45 |
Not as far as we know, Steve