Released: 1974
ABBA’s ‘Waterloo’ is about love and surrender, using the famous Battle of Waterloo as a metaphor. Napoleon’s defeat symbolizes giving in to love, and realizing that resisting is futile.
In the first verse, they sing, ‘My my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender,’ comparing the surrender to their own acceptance of love. They feel their destiny is sealed, much like historical events that seem to repeat themselves.
The chorus, ‘Waterloo, I was defeated, you won the war,’ highlights the idea of losing a battle but finding something valuable. Here, it’s about losing the fight against love but gaining a lifelong commitment.
The second verse shows the struggle against this overpowering love. ‘My my, I tried to hold you back but you were stronger.’ The realization that giving up the fight is the only chance they have leads to acceptance.
By the end, ‘Waterloo, finally facing my Waterloo,’ indicates acceptance of fate. They acknowledge that trying to escape love is pointless and embrace it instead. It’s a powerful metaphor for surrendering to emotions.
