MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH
Waterloo (Abba)
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2:47
Video page URL
https://multimedia-english.com/videos/music/waterloo-abba-6492
Description

Originally recorded in Swedish, it was ABBA's Swedish version that won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, giving the band a huge career boost.


 

Transcript

My, my!
At Waterloo Napoleon did surrender
oh yeah
And I have met my destiny in quite a similar way
The history book on the shelf
Is always repeating itself

Waterloo, I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo, promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo, couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo, knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo, finally facing my Waterloo

My, my...
I tried to hold you back but you were stronger
oh yeah
And now it seems my only chance
Is giving up the fight
And how could I ever refuse?
I feel like I win when I lose

Waterloo, I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo, promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo, couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo, knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo, finally facing my Waterloo

So how could I ever refuse
I feel like I win when I lose
Waterloo, couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo, knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo, finally facing my Waterloo

Waterloo, knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo, finally facing my Waterloo




Explanations

MY, MY!= Oh my God!


DID SURRENDER= Surrendered


MET MY DESTINY= If you meet your destiny, something happened to you which was impossible to avoid.


IN QUITE A SIMILAR WAY= In exactly the same way


DEFEATED= If you are defeated in a war, game or competition, they win and you lose.


PROMISE= (I) promise.


FOREVER MORE= Fore ever and ever.


IF I WANTED TO= Even if I wanted to. The particle TO can be used instead an infinitive which we don't want to repeat, so this sentence is: Couldn't escape if I wanted to escape.


FATE= Destiny.


FACING= Confronting or meeting a difficult situation.


HOLD YOU BACK= Stop you.


CHANCE= Oportunity.


GIVING UP= If you give up, you stop trying.


 


 


 

Meaning

Waterloo is the place where Napoleon Bonaparte met his defeat at an epic battle in 1815. This song uses the battle as a metaphor for a woman who gives in and falls in love with a man - he's her "Waterloo."