De 16 de Setembro a 23 de Dezembro de 1979, estagiei na Divisão TVA da Direcção-Geral XV da Comissão das Comunidades Europeias, em Bruxelas. Embora os chamados estágios administrativos para recém-licenciados fossem limitados a pessoas com menos de 30 anos, a esperada adesão de Portugal às Comunidades permitiu que fosse aberta uma excepção para mim, que tinha já na altura 36 anos feitos. Naturalmente os meus colegas de estágio andavam todos na casa dos 25.

Fiz por lá boas amizades, que perduraram ao longo do tempo. Mas, nos meus ouvidos, os sons daquela época estão todos sintonizados nas canções dos ABBA, que naquela altura tinham um enorme sucesso por todo o mundo. Para a posteridade aqui deixo algumas canções deles que ainda hoje andam nos ouvidos de toda a gente.

Em 1996, fui a Macau visitar o Xando e, quando uma bela noite fomos ao Karaóke, cantámos juntos a canção “Chiquitita” e até fomos aplaudidos pela malta (quase todos chinocas) que estavam lá sala.

Chiquitita

Written by:
Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus

Recording began 13th December 1978 at Polar Music Studios

Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong
You're enchained by your own sorrow
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow
How I hate to see you like this
There is no way you can deny it
I can see that you're oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
I'm a shoulder you can cry on
Your best friend, I'm the one you must rely on
You were always sure of yourself
Now I see you've broken a feather
I hope we can patch it up together

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leavin'
You'll be dancin' once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grievin'
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

So the walls came tumblin' down
And your love's a blown out candle
All is gone and it seems too hard to handle
Chiquitita, tell me the truth
There is no way you can deny it
I see that you're oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leavin'
You'll be dancin' once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grievin'
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

Does Your Mother Know

Written by:
Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus

Recording began 6th February 1979 at Polar Music Studios.

You're so hot, teasing me
So you're blue but I can't take a chance on a chick like you
It's something I couldn't do
There's that look in your eyes
I can read in your face that your feelings are driving you wild
Ah, but girl you're only a child

Well I can dance with you honey
If you think it's funny
Does your mother know that you're out
And I can chat with you baby
Flirt a little maybe
Does your mother know that you're out

Take it easy (take it easy)
Better slow down girl
That's no way to go
Does your mother know
Take it easy (take it easy)
Try to cool it girl
Take it nice and slow
Does your mother know

I can see what you want
But you seem pretty young to be searching for that kind of fun
So maybe I'm not the one
Now you're so cute, I like your style
And I know what you mean when you give me a flash of that smile
But girl you're only a child

Well I can dance with you honey
If you think it's funny
Does your mother know that you're out
And I can chat with you baby
Flirt a little maybe
Does your mother know that you're out
Take it easy (take it easy)
Better slow down girl
That's no way to go
Does your mother know
Take it easy (take it easy)
Try to cool it girl
Take it nice and slow
Does your mother know
Well I can dance with you honey
If you think it's funny
Does your mother know that you're out
And I can chat with you baby
Flirt a little maybe
Does your mother know that you're out

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

Written by:
Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus

Recording began 9th August 1979 at Polar Music Studios.

Half past twelve
And I'm watching the late show in my flat all alone
How I hate to spend the evening on my own
Autumn winds
Blowing outside the window as I look around the room
And it makes me so depressed to see the gloom
There's not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer

Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

Movie stars
Find the end of the rainbow, with a fortune to win
It's so different from the world I'm living in
Tired of TV
I open the window and I gaze into the night
But there's nothing there to see, no one in sight
There's not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer

Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight

There's not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer

Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

Mamma Mia

Written by:
Benny Andersson, Stig Anderson, Björn Ulvaeus

Recording began 12th March 1975 at Glen Studio.

I've been cheated by you since I don't know when
So I made up my mind, it must come to an end
Look at me now, will I ever learn
I don't know how but I suddenly lose control
There's a fire within my soul
Just one look and I can hear a bell ring
One more look and I forget everything

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you
Mamma mia, does it show again
My my, just how much I've missed you
Yes, I've been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go
Mamma mia, now I really know
My my, I could never let you go

I've been angry and sad about things that you do
I can't count all the times that I've told you we're through
And when you go, when you slam the door
I think you know that you won't be away too long
You know that I'm not that strong
Just one look and I can hear a bell ring
One more look and I forget everything

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you
Mamma mia, does it show again
My my, just how much I've missed you
Yes, I've been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go
Mamma mia, even if I say
Bye bye, leave me now or never
Mamma mia, it's a game we play
Bye bye doesn't mean forever

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you
Mamma mia, does it show again
My my, just how much I've missed you
Yes, I've been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go
Mamma mia, now I really know
My my, I could never let you go