Great Pop Songs #1: 'Waterloo', Abba (1974)

So, here's the first in a new series.

Setting the context of a song in one of the most decisive battles in the history of the world, using a jazz structure based on a song by Wizzard, and entering it in the Eurovision Song contest, is hardly what you'd call the most obvious background for one of the most fundamentally excellent pop songs of the last century.

But then 'Waterloo' isn't any old pop song, it is probably one of the best songs ever written.

Before 'Waterloo', ABBA were just a cheesy boy/girl group singing songs about how they love someone, or how amazing roses are, or something like that. Then Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus had a brainstorm and came up with the story of a girl giving in to her beau, all counterpointed against the victory of Wellington and Blucher against modern history's greatest general.

The piano drives the song like a car down the speeding down the motorway, there are more hooks than in a fishing tackle shop and the general feeling of euphoria is all pervading.

It is impossible not to like this record. Is it is the benchmark against which all pop songs since 1974 should be judged against, and will be for ever more.

Oh, and as a postscript, Napoleon didn't surrender at Waterloo, but at Rochefort, a few days later.

The Other Way On Sport

Well, I've covered my music, so here's my sport.

I am a season ticket holder for Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. I play for a local Sunday Football Team, the Harley Horseshoe, trying to be a centre-forward but more likely a bench-warmer!

I follow cricket, being and England and Yorkshire CCC fan. I can't bat or bowl very well, though I can often get a decent rip from some of my left-arm spin.

I used to play rugby, until a freak accident in a scrum ruined my back. I was a tighthead prop, though my build probably determined I should have been at least middle row!!!

Most of the time, this blog will probably take up my opinions on Sheffield Wednesday and England, mostly in a moaning fashion. However with some FA Coaching and years of football experience, I can't be a complete idiot on the subject, eh?

The Other Way On Music

So, let's get this thing started.

Music has long been a passion of mine - I can't play to save my life - but I love listening to music and if I could ever play a note properly I'd be a very happy man.

My Musical Tastes (AKA Mr A's essential selection)

Basically, you could condense my taste in music down to the following albums:

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground

Basically, the third album. It meshes the band's early avant-garde madness with the latter rock purity.

Joy Division - Closer

Cold, dark and totally uncompromising.

De La Soul - Three Feet High And Rising/Jay-Z - The Black Album

The two greatest hip-hop albums of all time.

2ManyDJs - As Heard On Radio Soulwax Part 2

Mash-ups and bastard pop. The new rock and roll.

Oasis - Definitely Maybe

The album that defined my attitude.

Johnny Cash - American Recordings IV

The greatest voice of all covering some of the greatest tracks of all.

Sam Cooke - Portrait Of A Legend

The Soul Stirrer's essential selection.

Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited

No collection should be without any Dylan, and this is his Magnum Opus.

Gang Of Four! - Entertainment

The pre-cursor to all this angular indie-rock plaguing (in a good way) the nation these days.

Belle And Sebastian - Tigermilk

Perfect independent pop-rock from Scotland's greatest songwriters.

Bob Marley - African Herbsman

Reggae god in his dub phase, working with Lee 'Scratch' Perry to define a genre. Epoch making.

LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver

Best album of the 2000's. Fact.

The Strokes - Is This It?

I would give my right leg to see this band live.

The White Stripes - Elephant

And the other leg would be given to see these.

Take all those, fill in the gaps, and you've got my taste in music.

NEXT!

The Other Way - An Introduction

Right, so here goes. I've tried this blogging thing more than once but it's time to kick start this thing.

Here's the ethos of The Other Way:

1. To be an outlet for my thoughts, ideas and plans.
2. To be a communication of my opinions on music, sport, culture and education - my 4 great passions.
3. To have a balance of the sublime and the ridiculous.
4. To be my own document of my life.
5. To be of some interest to some people, in some place, at some time.

OK, got it? Good.