Knowing ABBA, Knowing Cher

By Glenn Dunks

This week is the opening weekend of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, almost exactly ten years to the date of the original 2008 adaptation of the ever-popular West End/Broadway musical that was the highest grossing live-action musical of all time until Beauty and the Beast came along. Coming on the heels of equally feel-good The Greatest Showman and ahead of Mary Poppins Returns, 2018 is proving to be a very cheesy good time at the movies if you’re a fan of these old fashioned singfests.

I adored the movie, writing in my review:

While it is very easy to dismiss, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again shifts from strange and award to daggy and deliriously dumb so easily that I didn’t even notice I had found myself smiling along to every goofy moment.

It will come as no surprise that the one and only Cher is a blast in her glorified cameo singing ABBA classic “Fernando” to Andy Garcia, which I think means he was a soldier in some war in Mexico? Who cares? It’s amazing! She shares an ability with ABBA themselves for wringing every ounce of drama and pathos out of lyrics that many would (incorrectly) label as frothy or silly or melodramatic. ABBA’s music can be all of these things, of course, but never without a wink to let us know they’re aware of it. Cher sounds natural singing these songs, her voice slotting in perfectly having gained plenty of experience with disco and pop at the same time that ABBA reigned over the music charts (fun fact: more Australians watched the group sing “Fernando” live on national television than they did the moon landing, how about that!).

And to top it all off, we just learnt that Cher will be releasing an entire album of ABBA covers! There’s been no word yet on when it will come out but, she has teased that her renditions have been done “in a different way”. Beginning now with Mamma Mia! – her first on-screen role since Burlesque and just her second film musical – Cher will be everywhere over the next twelve months with this new album, a new tour and her own jukebox musical, The Cher Show, on the way. Her "Fernando" has even charted with Billboard.

Which ABBA hits do you want Queen Cher to perform on her new album?

While it is very easy to dismiss, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again shifts from strange and awkward to daggy and deliriously dumb so easily that I didn’t even notice I had found myself smiling along to every goofy moment. There’s Lily James cartwheeling through an orchard for some reason, and wow suddenly there is a flotilla of Greeks sailing across the Mediterranean to the beat of Dancing Queen. Donna very inappropriately sings I Kissed the Teacher with a useless microphone at her Oxford College graduation. Seyfreid wears an ugly poncho for half the movie and Colin Firth wears satin pants so tight you can see what got him into this whole mystery pregnancy fiasco in the first place. Christine Baranski is still a lush and Julie Walters still can’t dance. It’s a hoot.

Comments

[markgordonuk]

So pleased Cher is getting the best notices for this film,a great talent on screen and on cd,can't wait for the album,fingers crossed for Gimme Gimme Gimme.

[John T]

I haven't seen the movie yet, but Cher is marvelous in that cover of "Fernando"-love her. Great actress, great singer, great star.

[Patagonia]

I went to the 10pm show of Mamma Mia last night and I have to say, I smiled like an idiot the entire time. Yes it might be a little light and corny, but just what I needed to escape all the shit going on in the country these days.

Cher was AWESOME in this!!! Diva showed up! She looked like she was having a blast doing it too. Best part of the film.

[Sonja]

I'd like a duet with Meryl obviously. Maybe SOS-as some kind of Silkwood-Reunion/Hommage.
Though anything would be great. Hopefully she cionsiders it. 8)

[Edward L.]

The film is great fun and Cher is the best of a wonderful cast.

She's my favourite female singer and ABBA are my favourite group, so to have Cher doing ABBA songs is dream-come-true territory for me! I'll vacuum up whatever she does. Request? I dunno...Yes, markgordonuk's suggestion of Gimme Gimme Gimme would be good. One Of Us? Hasta Mañana? All of them and more!

[Sawyer]

Chiquitita of course!

[rick gould]

A life-long fan here, starting when I was a kindergarten kid watching Sonny and Cher on Shindig, etc.

I've always thought 'The Winner Takes It All' would be right up Cher's alley, reminding me that Snuff Garrett once said that Cher doesn't just sing a song, but acts it. Right on.

And I could totally see Cher doing a power pop dance version of SOS!

Remember when Cher was supposed to play Christine Baranski's part? I guess this was worth the wait!

[Chris]

As I once said to a friend: It's Cher's world, we're just living in it.

[Jamie]

Seeing it tonight and am so excited just to escape in the ridiculousness of it all

[Steve G]

I hope 'a different way' doesn't mean auto-tune all the way through!

Saw the movie last night and loved it. I was a blubbering mess in one particular scene - those who've seen it will know what I'm talking about!

[forever1267]

The Winner Takes It All
The Winner Takes It All
The Winner Takes It All