“So Long” by ABBA
“So long” is a colloquial expression which basically means ‘goodbye’. And in this track, that is what the female singers of ABBA are saying to a man that is trying to start a romantic relationship with them.
At the beginning of the song, the man tries to tempt their acquaintance using a “fancy car”. Indeed money is the major tool at his disposal when kicking it to women. And he uses it to buy flowers and other items to impress them. However the ABBA girls are not falling for it. They remember “Tracey, Daisy” and other women who have given in to his seductions. And ultimately, they do not want to end up apparently as those ladies have. And how did those women end? Apparently with their hearts broken by the addressee of this song.
Facts about “So Long”
- Björn Ulvaeus wrote and produced this song along with his bandmate Benny Andersson.
- “So Long” appears on the band’s 3rd album, titled after themselves (ABBA).
- ABBA recorded this song in August 1975 and released it in November that year.
- Gabba (an ABBA tribute band) recorded a cover version of this classic in the late 90s.
Performance of “So Long” on the Charts
In 1974, this single made it to the No. 3 position on the Australian Singles Chart. It reached No. 7 on the Swedish Singles Chart, and No. 11 on the Singles Chart in German.
Was “So Long” released as a single?
Yes. It was actually the first of the seven singles released from the album ABBA. The songs “Mamma Mia” and “SOS” were also released as singles from this album.
