Super Trouper (song)
Encyclopedia
A-Teens version
"Super Trouper" was A-Teens' second single from their 1st album The ABBA Generation, a cover of ABBAABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
's song. When the single came out in the fall of 1999, it became a hit around the globe, just as its predecessor "Mamma Mia", also an ABBA cover. "Super Trouper" debuted at #2 in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and was later certified platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
It also became their only Top 5 hit in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
peaking at #4. The single also reached #21 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, #18 in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, #15 in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, #11 in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and #12 in Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Music video
The music video was directed by Sebastian Reed and was filmed in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The video shows a girl obsessed with the band, she owns posters, magazines, mugs and clothing. She also copies the band's choreography that is shown on TV. Some of the articles that feature pictures of the band come to life in the video.
The video was a hit in most TV stations charting inside the Top 10 countdowns in late 1999 and early 2000.
Releases
European 2-Track CD Single- "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] - 3:52
- "Super Trouper" [Super Radio Remix] - 4:04
European CD Maxi
- "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] - 3:52
- "Super Trouper" [Super Super Remix] - 8:58
- "Super Trouper" [Pinocchio Remix] - 5:08
- "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] - 6:05
German CD Maxi
- "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] - 3:52
- "Super Trouper" [Perre J's Remix] - 4:04
- "Happy New Year" - 4:23
- "Mamma Mia" [Radio Version] - 3:43
- Video: "Mamma Mia"
U.K. CD1
- "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] - 3:52
- "A*Teens Medley" [Pierre J's Full UK Mix] - 7:27
- "Super Trouper" [Karaoke Version] - 3:52
- Video: "Super Trouper"
U.K. CD2
- "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] - 6:05
- "Super Trouper" [W.I.P.] - 6:10
- "Super Trouper" [The Bold & The Glamour Mix] - 6:50
U.K. Cassette
- "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] - 3:52
- "Super Trouper" [Karaoke Version] - 3:52
Japan CD Maxi
- "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] - 3:52
- "Happy New Year" - 4:23
- "Super Trouper" [Super Super Remix] - 8:58
- "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] - 6:05
Sweden Promo CD
- "Super Trouper" [Radio Version] - 3:52
12" Vinyl Promo (1 Track)
- A. "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] - 6:05
UK 12" Vinyl Promo (3 Track)
- A1. "Super Trouper" [Extended Version] - 6:05
- B1. "Super Trouper" [The Bold & The Glamour Mix] - 6:50
- B2. "Super Trouper" [W.I.P.] - 6:10
Other cover versions
- Another cover slightly similar to the A*Teens version was included on the tribute album ABBAdance by AngeleyesAngeleyes"Angeleyes" is a song written and recorded in 1979 by Swedish pop group ABBA. The lyrics and music were composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, with the lyrics sung by both Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, typical of most ABBA compositions...
from 1999. - A hi-NRG/techno dance version and various remixes by ABBA tribute group Abbacadabra were released through the English label Almighty RecordsAlmighty RecordsAlmighty Records is a British recording label and remix production team founded in 1989, releasing their first single in the same year. Producing mainly Dance-Pop and Hi-NRG music, the label is best known for releasing remakes and remixes of mainstream pop songs...
in the late 1990s. It was included on the 2008 compilation We Love ABBA: The Mamma Mia Dance Compilation. An audio sample can be heard on the official Almighty Records website. - Another dance version by Jaybee is on the compilation Lay All Your Love On ABBA.
- The ABBAMetal compilation (also released as A Tribute to ABBAA Tribute to ABBA-External links:* on Nuclear Blast...
) featured a cover by German heavy metal band Custard. - The song was covered live by The Three Terrors (Stephin MerrittStephin MerrittStephin Merritt is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles , best known as the principal singer and songwriter in the band The Magnetic Fields...
, LD BeghtolLD BeghtolLD Beghtol is an American musician, art director and writer. Beghtol participated in The Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs recordings and live shows. Beghtol is a founding member of the band Flare—aka Flare Acoustic Arts League—and the death-pop outfit LD & the New Criticism, and was also in the...
, and Dudley KluteDudley KluteDudley Klute is an American vocalist and songwriter noted for his work with the Belgian New Wave band Kid Montana in the 1980s, and his subsequent collaborations with Stephin Merritt's The Magnetic Fields , LD Beghtol, and other musicians...
at their 2001 extravganza, The Saddest Songs We Know at The Knitting Factory, New York, in 2003; Klute sang lead. Author Daniel HandlerDaniel HandlerDaniel Handler is an American author, screenwriter and accordionist. He is best known for his work under the pen name Lemony Snicket.-Personal life:...
, aka Lemony Snickett, played accordion. - The song was covered in a 1920s style by German singer Max RaabeMax RaabeMax Raabe is a German singer. He is particularly noted as the founder and leader of the Palast Orchester....
and the Palast Orchester. - On the 1995 New Zealand ABBA tribute album AbbasalutelyAbbasalutelyAbbasalutely is a compilation album released in 1995 by New Zealand recording label Flying Nun Records as a tribute album to ABBA.-Track listing:-External links:*...
, the song was covered by the band Headless ChickensHeadless ChickensThe Headless Chickens were a New Zealand band. Going against the grain of the Dunedin sound that dominated the Flying Nun Records roster at the time, the Headless Chickens made extensive use of electronic instruments in their music.-History:The Headless Chickens recorded three albums, Stunt Clown...
. - American musician/songwriter Pamela McNeillPamela McNeillPamela NcNeill is an American singer-songwriter. She grew up in Winona, Minnesota. She studied classical music for 16 years and formed her first rock and roll band playing throughout the Midwest at the age of 16...
covered the song on her Tribute To ABBA album. Her husband, Dugan McNeillDugan McNeillDugan McNeill, is an American musician and record producer who most notably worked with the 1980s Minnesota rock band Chameleon with members: Charlie Adams, Yanni, Mark Anthony, and Johnny Donaldson. The band recorded four albums together. Other recording credits include bass on the 1984 album...
, helped produce the album. - An electronicaElectronicaElectronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
version of the song by Mitchell Sigman can be found on the compilation The Electronic Tribute To ABBA, with Roger Gisborne on vocals. - A slower, ambient dance version is included on the tribute album ABBA Dance by Euphorica in 2003.
- The 2004 British ABBAMania 2 album includes a version sung by British TV actors Lucy BenjaminLucy Benjamin-Career:Born Lucy Jane Baker in Reading, Berkshire, England, she took the stage name of Benjamin after her brother. Benjamin trained at the Redroofs Theatre School in Maidenhead. Her first acting role was as a child actor in Doctor Who in 1983 playing a young version of the character Nyssa...
of EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
fame, and James GaddasJames GaddasJames Gaddas is an English actor probably best known for playing Governing Governor Neil Grayling in ITV's Bad Girls between 2002 and 2006. Prior to this he played Vinnie Sorrell in Coronation Street between 1999–2000, and had a supporting role in ITV's Medics...
. - Swedish musician Nils Landgren included a rendition of the song on his 2004 tribute album Funky ABBA.
- On the 2004 tribute album Abbalicious performed by various drag queens from the U.S., the song was covered by Betzy.
- A cover of the song by C.C. Miles can be found on the 2006 chill out musicChill out musicChill out music is an umbrella term for several styles of electronic music characterized by their mellow style and mid-tempo beats — "chill" being derived from a slang injunction to "relax."Chill out music emerged in the early and mid-1990s in "chill rooms" at dance clubs, where relaxing music...
compilation ABBA Chill Out. - GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
indie pop band Camera ObscuraCamera Obscura (band)Camera Obscura are an indie pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band formed in 1996 and have released four albums to date.-History:Camera Obscura were formed in 1996 by Tracyanne Campbell, John Henderson, and Gavin Dunbar. Several other members performed with the band before David Skirving joined...
covered the song on the b-side of their 7" vinyl release Tears For Affairs single in 2007. A version also appeared on the compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary ShowThe Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary ShowThe Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show is a 2-disc compilation album of BBC Radio 2 popular music recordings, released in the United Kingdom in July 2007...
(2007, EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
). - The song was covered in a jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
/lounge musicLounge musicLounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
style by American group BNB on their 2008 album Bossa Mia: Songs of ABBA. - A cover of the song with slightly reworked lyrics was included on the 2008 album The Velvet Hour by indie group Somegirl. An audio sample can be heard here.
- The song was translated into Taiwanese and covered by Taiwanese musician Harlem YuHarlem YuHarlem Yu was born 28 July 1961. He is a Taiwanese Golden Melody Award singer-songwriter. He was the first artist to experiment with the style of R&B and rap in Chinese music. He has released 14 studio albums. He contribution to the Asian music industry has earned him the reputation of 'God of...
. - German band Bella VistaBella VistaBella Vista is the name of several places in the world: Argentina:*Bella Vista, Buenos Aires*Bella Vista, Corrientes*Bella Vista, Tucumán Australia:*Bella Vista, New South Wales Canada:...
released a German version of the song as a single in 2008.
Appearances in other media
- The song is performed in the Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
stage musical. In the musical, Donna, Tanya and Rosie perform the song at Sophie's hen party dressed in the tight Lycra suits they used to wear when they were a girl band called "Donna and the Dynamos". In the context of the musical, it explains that even though Donna has a hard life sometimes, all she has to know is that Sophie is there and that makes Donna feel much better. When Niklas Strömstedt wrote lyrics for the Swedish staging of the musical, "GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
" was replaced by "GrännaGrännaGränna is a locality situated in Jönköping Municipality, Jönköping County, Sweden with 2,578 inhabitants in 2005. It is situated in Småland on the eastern shores of the lake Vättern, about 35 km north of Jönköping....
" as the place from which the singer callsTelephoneThe telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
in the lyrics.