FIFTY YEARS AGO we were humming along to the hits of 1976. Some have magnificently stood the test of time; others have not. Join us on Memory Lane as we review them on their golden anniversaries.

Which band knocked Brotherhood of Man’s Eurovision winner off the top of the charts after their six week stay at number one? It was a band born in Eurovision: Abba, who hit the top spot with Fernando.

Fernando had a long gestation. It was written by the two men in Abba – Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus – and their manager Stikkan Anderson. The first version appeared on a solo album which ABBA member Anni-Frid Lyngstad put out in 1975. In 1976 ABBA released the song – with new lyrics written by Bjorn. That was the Midas touch that sent the single to number one on 4th May, where it stayed for four weeks. It sold six million copies in 1976 along – and over ten million physical singles worldwide.

It makes you wonder whether anyone actually listened to the lyrics. Superficially, the first verse, sung by Anni-Frid alone, and the official video makes it sound like a woman remembering a past love. The lyrics, though, show that it is a song about two Mexican revolutionaries remembering their young lives as freedom fighters – and vowing that they would fight for freedom again, if they had to. Perhaps the Mexican revolution (in the second decade of the century) was so far away that it was safe to be sung about in the 1970s.  There was plenty of global conflict going on in the 1970s for parallels to be drawn, but no one accused Abba of supporting them, so the song was safe enough to go out on the open market.

If they didn’t draw the parallels back then, let’s draw them today. If you catch yourself humming the song – and if you listen to it, you will – think of Palestine, of Ukraine. And go do something to support them – sign a petition, write a letter, or join a solidarity group. That is the true spirit of this song – whether Abba likes it or not. Venceremos!

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