# \#%&\*@ abba!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abba/585981 "2011-06-18T23:07:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abba/585981/1 "2011-06-18T23:07:20Z")
Damn you, ABBA! Turns out that “Fernando” is about completely different things in the original Swedish, and in the English version that was a big hit here in the states. The Swedish version is about how 'tis better to have loved and lost, etc. The English version is about the deep bond and pride of two who have fought together for their freedom in a revolutionary war. …And they\*\*\* both\*\*\* make me cry! Oooh, there goes the big tough punk rocker, uh huh! ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abba/585981/2 "2011-06-19T04:30:13Z")
I did not know that about the Swedish version. I always wondered what war the song was talking about. The Mexican War? But if they lost as the song says, they weren’t fighting for freedom, they were fighting to expell the invading Americans, and hold on to California et al. Crossing the Rio Grande? Sounds like the Texas Revolution with the Alamo and all. But they didn’t lose that one. I don’t know, Pancho Villa’s raids maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abba/585981/3 "2011-06-19T04:53:25Z")
I always thought in terms of conquistadores, dunno why. But [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_(song)) says: “The English version, with completely different lyrics by [Bjorn] Ulvaeus [who co-wrote the English lyrics], presents a vision of nostalgia for two veterans reminiscing in old age about a lost battle that they participated in during their younger days fighting under Emiliano Zapata in a battle of the Mexican revolution of 1910. This was confirmed by Bjorn Ulvaeus in an Abba special interview screened on December 31, 2008 in Australia.” ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abba/585981/4 "2011-06-21T01:23:00Z")
i’ll be surprised if “super trooper” is a direct swedish translation. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abba/585981/5 "2011-06-21T01:40:58Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > i’ll be surprised if “super trooper” is a direct swedish translation. [Super Trouper](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Trouper_(spotlight)). ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abba/585981/6 "2011-06-21T02:48:01Z")
Nena’s German 99 Luftballons is better lyrically than the English 99 Red Balloons. I’m split between [It’s all in the Game](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emI9vZUcjlw)and [Haus der Drei Sonnen](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq4YBojg1DE&feature=related). Not a bad translation to equivocate the basic just, but there’s no House of the Three Suns and exploding spaceships in the English version. One seems more profound, one seems more practical. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abba/585981/7 "2011-06-21T15:29:21Z")
[Video with Swedish overdub and English translation of Swedish lyrics](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys4lyJiqG8E) ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abba/585981/8 "2011-06-21T16:35:59Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > D > …And they\*\*\* both\*\*\* make me cry! Oooh, there goes the big tough punk rocker, uh huh! Guess, there was just something in the air that night.