“King Kong Song” (1974) – Abba * Written and produced by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson * LP: Waterloo * Label: Atlantic
Those who’ve invested emotionally in Abba as songcraft sophisticates likely wince at songs like this, in which they instruct listeners to “let your arms hang down and waddle all around.” Those who experienced the sugar high of the 1974 Abba invasion as kids, though, will regard it as novelty gold. On the Swedish foursome’s first US album, “King Kong Song” happened to follow a track called “Sitting in the Palmtree,” in which Björn Ulvaeus sings of living like “a monkey in the zoo.” The Beach Boy “bom bom” vocals locate it smack in the middle of the seventies nostalgia boom.