About The Song
“Happy New Year” is a song by the Swedish group ABBA, featured on their 1980 album “Super Trouper,” with lead vocals by Agnetha Fältskog. Initially, it had a limited release as a single in December of the same year. The working title of the song was “Daddy Don’t Get Drunk on Christmas Day.”
The Spanish-language version, titled “Felicidad,” was released in 1980 in Spanish-speaking territories. This version reportedly charted in the top 5 in Argentina and was included on the South American editions of the “Super Trouper” album. It was later released on CD as part of the 1994 Polydor US compilation “Más ABBA Oro” and in 1999 on the expanded re-release of “ABBA Oro: Grandes Éxitos.”
In 1999, the English version of the song was re-released for the new millennium, reaching number 27 in Sweden, number 15 in the Netherlands, and number 75 in Germany. In 2008, the song was released again in several countries, charting at number 4 in Sweden, number 11 in Norway, and number 25 in Denmark. The song has become a New Year’s tradition, regularly charting in some countries upon the turn of the year and played at specific times, including in Vietnam.
In December 2011, a limited edition silver glitter vinyl single was released, featuring “Happy New Year” and “The Way Old Friends Do.” It sold out within a day of the announcement.
The A-Teens, a pop group, covered the song and released it as a single in 1999 to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium. The last line in the third verse was altered to “in the end of ninety-nine.” The cover reached number 4 on the Swedish charts and earned a Gold certification. The A-Teens’ version was only released in selected countries, including Chile, and a music video was created to support its release.
Video
Lyrics
No more champagneAnd the fireworks are throughHere we are, me and youFeeling lost and feeling blueIt’s the end of the partyAnd the morning seems so greySo unlike yesterdayNow’s the time for us to sayHappy New YearHappy New YearMay we all have a vision now and thenOf a world where every neighbor is a friendHappy New YearHappy New YearMay we all have our hopes, our will to tryIf we don’t we might as well lay down and dieYou and ISometimes I seeHow the brave new world arrivesAnd I see how it thrivesIn the ashes of our livesOh yes, man is a foolAnd he thinks he’ll be okayDragging on, feet of clayNever knowing he’s astrayKeeps on going anywayHappy New YearHappy New YearMay we all have a vision now and thenOf a world where every neighbor is a friendHappy New YearHappy New YearMay we all have our hopes, our will to tryIf we don’t we might as well lay down and dieYou and ISeems to me nowThat the dreams we had beforeAre all dead, nothing moreThan confetti on the floorIt’s the end of a decadeIn another ten years timeWho can say what we’ll findWhat lies waiting down the lineIn the end of eighty-nineHappy New YearHappy New YearMay we all have a vision now and thenOf a world where every neighbor is a friendHappy New YearHappy New YearMay we all have our hopes, our will to tryIf we don’t we might as well lay down and dieYou and I