Does Your Mother Know

"Does Your Mother Know" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA and was the second single taken from their sixth album, Voulez-Vous. The B-side was "Kisses of Fire", which was also taken from the album. The song is notable for its emphasis on male vocals, performed by Björn Ulvaeus, with female backing vocals.[1]

"Does Your Mother Know"
Single by ABBA
from the album Voulez-Vous
B-side"Kisses of Fire"
Released27 April 1979
Recorded6 February 1979
StudioPolar Music Studios
Genre
Length3:15
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Benny Andersson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA singles chronology
"Chiquitita"
(1979)		 "Does Your Mother Know"
(1979)		 "Voulez-Vous"
(1979)
Music video
"Does Your Mother Know" on YouTube

"Does Your Mother Know" was recorded in February 1979 and released as a single in April of that year. Written by Benny Andersson and Ulvaeus, the demo for "Does Your Mother Know" featured Ulvaeus on guide vocal and it was decided to keep this during the recording process.[1] The track was debuted on the Eurovision networked BBC TV Special ABBA In Switzerland broadcast across the continent in April 1979[2] when the group performed a slightly different version of the track partially live during the show, with a much longer instrumental introduction from the recorded version.[3]

In 2019, the single was re-released on picture disc.[4]

Reception

"Does Your Mother Know" was another sizeable ABBA hit, hitting No. 1 in Belgium and reaching the top 5 in Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Finland. It was also a top 10 hit in Australia, Canada, West Germany, Rhodesia and Switzerland. As of September 2021, it is ABBA's 14th-biggest song in the UK, including both pure sales and digital streams.[5]

Billboard felt the song sounds like those from the musical Grease, saying that "the sweet, airy vocals contrast effectively with the rocking instrumentation."[6] Cash Box said that it is a "rocking departure for the group, although the overall sound is still Europop."[7] Record World said that "this buoyant pop-rocker is destined to become a classic."[8] AllMusic reviewer Donald A. Guarisco said in a retrospective review of the song that "ABBA's recording balances the song's rock elements with dance music touches to create an intriguing dance/rock hybrid" and that its "macho feel is enhanced by a rockabilly-styled melody that flowers into a swinging chorus".[9]

The song was featured heavily in the 2003 film Johnny English, starring Rowan Atkinson.

Charts

Certifications and sales

ABBA version
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
France — 80,000[31]
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Mamma Mia! version
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Elliott, Mark (27 April 2019). "'Does Your Mother Know': The Story Behind The ABBA Song". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  2. "Broadcast - BBC Programme Index". 16 April 1979.
  3. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "ABBA: "Does Your Mother Know?" (Switzerland, 1979)". YouTube.
  4. "ABBA - Does Your Mother Know / Kisses of Fire". discogs. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  5. UK Official Charts ABBA's Official Top 20 biggest songs
  6. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 19 May 1979. p. 99. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  7. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 19 May 1979. p. 22. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  8. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 19 May 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  9. Donald A. Guarisco. "Does Your Mother Know". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  10. David Kent (2006). Australian Charts Book 1993—2005. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-646-45889-2.
  11. "Kent Music Report No 288 – 31 December 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 10 January 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  12. "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  13. "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  14. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Does Your Mother Know". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  17. "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  18. "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  19. "ABBA – Does Your Mother Know". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  21. "ABBA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  22. "ABBA Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  23. Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffmann, Frank W (1994). Cash Box pop singles charts, 1950–1993. Libraries Unlimited. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-56308-316-7.
  24. "Offiziellecharts.de – ABBA – Does Your Mother Know" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  25. "Jaaroverzichten 1979". Ultratop. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  26. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  27. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  28. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1979". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  29. "Top Singles 1979". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 22 December 1979. p. 27.
  30. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
  31. Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). Fabrice Ferment (ed.). "TOP 45 Tours – 1979". 40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles (in French). OCLC 469523661. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2022 – via Top-France.fr.
  32. "British single certifications – ABBA – Does Your Mother Know". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  33. "British single certifications – Original Cast Recording – Does Your Mother Know". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
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