Here I am exploring my back garden jungle, its amazing what you can find in there!
I came across this old explorer guy, who said he was tired of searching for the source of the Nile. I told him "Dr. Livingstone, I presume,,,,,,,you know Abba made a song about you!". He had one listen to this song and that was it - he was inspired again and off he went at lightning speed singing this at the top of his voice! Abba's classic songs continue to inspire people all over the world today!
We compared explorer's logs before he went, and he muttered something in Scottish at this lot.
My explorer's log to date:
Poland x2, Hungary x3, Czech Republic x3, France x2, Holland, Belgium, Germany x3, Switzerland x2, Austria x3, Spain x2, Gibraltar, Italy x4, Greece, Sicily, Malta x2, Cyprus, Wales, Scotland, Isle Of Man, Jersey, Thailand, Egypt, Morrocco, Kenya, USA x3, Canada....to be continued.
The text in each picture is listed below.
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0:00 Me in my back garden jungle
0:13 David Livingstone (1813-73) Scottish missionary who explored tropical Africa and inspired Abba to do this song 100 years later
0:25 Livingstone became the first European to cross the width of Southern Africa, freeing natives from slavery on his travels
0:37 Livingstone is attacked by a lion in the jungle and "shaken as a terrier does a rat" - its jaws broke his arm in 2 places
0:50 Livingstone was saved by Mebalwe a local teacher who was also badly injured in this attack, but they carried on!
1:01 They could have been lunch!
1:14 Luckily that hungry lion had gone when I followed in Livingstone's footsteps!
1:27 Livingstone travelled down the Zambezi River to discover spectacular Victoria Falls which the natives call "smoke that thunders"
1:38 When Livingstone first saw the Victoria Falls he said "Scenes so lovely must be gazed upon by angels in their flight"
1:50 Livingstone continues his explorations and anti slavery and searches for the source of the River Nile
2:02 After nothing was heard from Livingstone for many months explorer and journalist Henry Stanley was sent out to find him
2:15 They meet in 1871 and Stanley utters the famous phrase: 'Dr Livingstone I presume ...you know Abba will write a song about you!"
2:26 Livingstone continued his efforts to find the source of the Nile, but he caught malaria and had to be carried out of the jungle
2:39 Livingstone died while kneeling in prayer His body was carried 1000 miles & sent back to England and buried at Westminster Abbey
2:49 Livingstone's heart was buried under a Mvula tree near the spot where he died. The local tribe said "You can have his body, but his heart belongs in Africa!"
There is a town named after Livingstone near the Victoria Falls in Zambia. Its the only town that did not get its name changed after independence, because the president's father was educated by the Scottish missionaries who followed Livingstone.
What About Livingstone was recorded on October 17 1973 at the Metronome Studios Stockhom for Abba's 2nd album "Waterloo". Perhaps inspired by the cetenary of the death of famous explorer David Livingstone (1813-73) this song is unique and original, like many of Abba's songs have been. Their new name Abba was used for the first time on the recording session sheet. This was first written as "Björn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida", but was subsequently crossed out with "ABBA" written in large letters on top. Waterloo was the first album released under their new group name Abba. It was released on March 4 1974 with this song as track 9
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What About Livingstone
Working Title: Baby I Won't Come Back
Music / Lyrics: Benny Andersson / Bjorn Ulvaeus
Lead vocals: Agnetha & Frida
Went to buy me a paper
At the local news-stand
And then I heard them laugh and say
"Look they're gonna go flyin'
Way up to the moon now
Hey what's it good for anyway?"
So I said, "Fellers
Like to ask you a thing if I may
What about Livingstone?
What about all those men
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me wasn't it worth the while
Travellin' up the Nile?
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
What about Livingstone?"
And all of those fellers
At the local news-stand
Didn't know what to answer or what to say,
So I told about him
That he was just like
One of those spacemen in his way
And if you laugh at them
Then there's only a thing I can say
"What about Livingstone?
What about all those men
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me wasn't it worth the while
Travellin' up the Nile?
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
What about Livingstone
"What about Livingstone?
What about all those men
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me wasn't it worth the while
Travellin' up the Nile?
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
What about Livingstone?"
