Meaning of “Super Trouper” by ABBA

“Super Trouper” is the title of a 1980 hit song by the noted Swedish musical group ABBA. The song’s narrator (Anni-Frid Lyngstad), who is apparently a performing artist, begins the song by talking about how she won’t feel blue despite the beams from the Super Trouper blinding her as she performs on stage.

Why? Because in the audience, there’s someone very special to her who puts a smile on her face. From the song’s intro above, it is abundantly apparent the narrator doesn’t really enjoy always being on stage.

In the song’s first verse (above), it is made even clearer that constantly performing shows to audiences depresses the narrator greatly. However, when she hears that that special person in her life would be attending her show later in the night, she becomes very happy and looks forward to the show.

The song’s chorus finds her singing happily about her upcoming show later in the night. She really can’t wait to perform the show because she knows things are going to be different. The Super Trouper lights are going to find her happy, “shinning like the sun” and “feeling like a number one” simply because that special person in her life is going to be among the crowd she’d be performing to.

What is a Super Trouper?

The Super Trouper is the trademark for a special type of spotlight (followspot) for lighting venues such as concert venues and stadiums. This spotlight is designed to cast a bright ray of light onto the stage. It is also designed to follow the performer wherever he/she goes on the stage.

Facts about the song “Super Trouper”

• ABBA’s primary songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus co-wrote and co-produced this song.
• “Blinka Lilla Stjärna” was the original title of this song. “Blinka Lilla Stjärna” is Swedish for the English phrase “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”.
• On November 3, 1980, “Super Trouper” was officially released to the world. It was the second single ABBA released from their seventh studio album also titled Super Trouper. This album went on to become the most successful album in the United Kingdom in 1980.
• Ironically, the spotlight that ABBA used in the song’s music video wasn’t an actual Super Trouper.
• “Super Trouper” falls into the musical genres of pop and disco.
• ABBA member Anni-Frid Lyngstad handled the lead vocals. The rest of her colleagues (Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus) sang the backing vocals.
• The song was a great chart success. It peaked at number 1 in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It also topped the charts in numerous other countries, including Belgium, Canada, Ireland and Spain.
• The Swedish pop group A-Teens released a cover version of “Super Trouper” in 1999. Just like the original, that version was also successful.