As Jodi ponted out in response to yesterday's post, ABBA had a big hit with "Waterloo" in 1974, applying the battle's outcome to a romantic disaster. As Mark (Walking Man) noted, the battle's name has become synonymous with defeat. Waterloo connects to so many things it may equal the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
Here's a shot of Waterloo Station taken by my Dad in 1992, not too far from the Belgian battlefield. There's a much bigger Waterloo Station -- named after Wellington's victory -- in London; it's heralded in the 1967 Kinks song "Waterloo Sunset," which has been covered by all sorts of artists and bands ranging from David Bowie (2003) to Def Leppard (2004).
Waterloo keeps on giving, spilling even into contemporary American politics. Last summer, Jim DeMint of South Carolina -- one of the most right wing senators in the USA -- declared about Health Care reform: "If we're able to stop Obama on this it will be his Waterloo. It will break him." Above fish-eye shot of the battlefield taken by my Dad in 1992.
Finally, here's ABBA rolling out "Waterloo" at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974. ABBA plus (Iggy Pop and) The Stooges will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 15, 2010, along with Jimmy Cliff, The Hollies and Genesis. Crazy, huh?
Today's Rune: Signals.
6 comments:
I'll take the Kinks (and that very dark movie that they made based on Waterloo Sunset...I think...anyway, not the best thing to watch when on psychedelic drugs...just sayin') over Abba, personally...
The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon thing's never had much appeal to me, particularly since he lived around the corner from me when I was a little kid (I don't remember him, but my mom does), so it's not too interesting....
Napoleon was said to have blanched when he Heard he was up against Wellington.
I don't get the need to break the president.
I THINK DE MINT WOULD BLANCH IF HE WAS IN A ONE TO ONE DEBATE WITH OBAMA, A TRUE DEBATE, NOT THOSE THAT ARE MODERATED ON TV.
WATERLOO WAS A BLOOD BATH FOR BOTH SIDES. THE NEARBY HUGE (SOUNDS LIKE HUJAY)FARM WAS THE SITE OF UNBELIEVABLE CARNAGE. WHEN WILL MANKIND EVER LEARN?
Erik, cool pics! I think Kevin Bacon had the ABBA lp with 'Waterloo' on it!
Hey y'all, thanks for the comments, much appreciated. Yogafor Cynics, I love the Kinks and Return to Waterloo, but I do also like Abba (hey, I'm part Swedish and even Joe Strummer liked 'em). Funny on KB . . . Ivan, no doubt. Charles, agreed. Anon, thanks Mom ;-> Agreed also. Jodi -- lol . . .
Post a Comment