Music and the Fictive Dream – A Song’s Journey from Song Sheet, to Broadway and on to Movie Stardom!

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For this assignment I will be discussing Mamma Mia; the song, the musical and the movie. When I began looking into this topic, I wondered what came first? Come to find out, it was the song, so I will begin with that.

The song Mamma Mia was written and released in 1975 by the group ABBA; specifically by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The song is about the end of a relationship and being faced with the difficulty of having to let the person they can’t resist go. The phrase Mamma Mia is Italian for “my mother” and is mainly used as an interjection to express emotions.



A few instruments used in the song surprised me! The catchy instrument heard in the beginning of the song is a marimba. 

5.0 OCTAVE CONCERT BLACK PADAUK MARIMBA

Photo retrieved from http://majesticpercussion.com/us/products/mallet-instruments/marimbas/

They also used an oboe. Momma Mia is played in the key of D Major at 136 beats per minute. You can detect syncopation and trill throughout the song. The whole song’s melody, tone and harmony gives an impression of feeling fine then being indecisive. You can feel the excitement and fear of not being able to stay away from someone that has hurt them.

Next came the musical written by playwright Catherine Johnson. Producer Judy Craymer pitched the musical idea to ABBA star Björn Ulvaeus when she was giving him a ride home. The musical Mamma Mia! was about a young woman’s search for her birth father. Set on a Greek Island, the young woman invites the three men who could be her father to her wedding without her mother knowing. The band ABBA was involved in its production and even supported it financially. It debuted in London in 1999. The show also played on Broadway for 14 years and ended in 2015, making it the 9th longest running show in Broadway history. I wish I could have watched it while it was there! Here is a clip of the show:

And then came the movie with the same song but a different singer. Meryl Streep actually sang this version for the movie in 2008, playing the mother.

The song was recorded again for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again in 2018 and sang by Alexa Davies. Both songs were produced by Benny Andersson, member of ABBA.

The musical Mamma Mia! is something I’ve always wanted to see and I loved the movies. I had no idea that it was written around many ABBA songs, not just one. I also learned it was another song, The Winner Takes It All, that inspired the story. However, as singers and song writers, I bet ABBA never thought that one of their songs would take them from a song, to a musical, to two blockbuster movies. Not many bands can say that!

And here are some fun facts. Band member Ulvaeus and Andersson made cameos in both films, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were executive producers for both films and Cher turned down the part played by Meryl Steep.

 

 Sources:

“Mamma Mia (ABBA Song).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Nov. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamma_Mia_(ABBA_song)

“Mamma Mia! (Musical).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Nov. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamma_Mia!_(musical)

 “Meaning of ‘Mamma Mia’ by Abba.” Song Meanings and Facts, 21 Sept. 2017, https://www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/meaning-mamma-mia-abba/

Ross, Daniel. “A Detailed Musical Analysis of How ABBA's 'Mamma Mia' Is Literally a Perfect Pop Song.” Classic FM, Classic FM, 20 July 2018, https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/music-theory/abba-mamma-mia-analysis/

Trzcinski Published on October 14, Matthew. “'Mamma Mia' Wasn't the ABBA Hit That Inspired the Musical 'Mamma Mia!'.” Showbiz Cheat Sheet, 15 Oct. 2020, https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/mamma-mia-wasnt-the-abba-hit-that-inspired-the-musical-mamma-mia.html/

Comments

  1. Aimee ChicoNovember 17, 2021 at 11:45 PM

    First of all, your title of this blog is so catchy! I was very excited to read about Mamma Mia, as just like you I was aware of the song, musical, and few movies, but wasn't sure about anything more than that. I also had no idea that the stories were based off of the song as I just assumed they had used that song in the musical score and then decided to give the work the same title. I was absolutely mesmerized watching the broadway performers sing and dance in your second video, as I am so impressed by their ability to sing and move. When I think of Mamma Mia, I also think of the song Dancing Queen. This scene and performance is fun to watch.

    https://youtu.be/QRoWiTcO7dk

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