A Glimmer Of Hope

Violent vandalism and partisan threats after the vote on health care reform...The growing priest abuse scandal...Korean ships sinking...terrible auto collisions in Kentucky.

My non-canine companion and I were talking about the current dismal state of affairs in our world. She alerted me that there is a glimmer of hope. In fact, she read about it in an online article. There just may be a reunion of the former members of ABBA in the works after all!

The millions of readers of the blog are well aware of my fondness for the four musical Swedes. However, reunions are successful only if they provide answers to the following questions: Do you remember when we did (fill in the blank)? What are you doing now?

If a reunion were to take place (I am not holding my breath), the event won't be what many people expect. Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid cannot put on jumpsuits featuring cats, jump up on a stage and sing/play. Things were different 35 years ago. The stars aligned for a few brief years. Even if they could still do now what they were able to do then, the environment has changed. However, it would be nice to see them perform together. I recall watching a fairly recent documentary that featured Anni-Frid (the brunette) seeing a practice for a stage performance of "Mamma Mia". For many years, she refused to listen to any ABBA music and she rarely sang. There was a scene in the documentary where she is alone in a room watching the cast sing "Dancing Queen" through a window. When she began to sing one of the alto lines, there was a brief spark of magic - a second when the stars were aligned.

Much has happened in the lives of each of the former members of ABBA in the past 35 years. Bjorn and Benny have remained very active in the music business. They have collaborated on several musical projects, including Chess, Mamma Mia and others. Benny still performs with an orchestra. Annifrid is active in environmental causes and Agnetha remains somewhat of a recluse. They are no longer ABBA. Were they to perform again, it should not be as ABBA, but as who they now are. Of course, they should sing some songs from the ABBA days. They should also consider singing other songs, including some that Bjorn and Benny might compose for a reunion event.

No matter how depressing things may seem, there is always hope!