Melodifestivalen 1973

Part 4

"Tyst och död är telefon, står där nästan som ett hån. Inte ringer du och säger "Älskling" nu som du gjorde. Allting är så tyst mot förr, ingen knackar på min dörr. Det som lockat mig frestar inte, nej, som det borde. Inget roar mig just nu, ingen annan bara du! Ohh! Ring, ring! Bara du slog en signal. Ring, ring! Tystnaden är så total. Ring, ring! Skingra den oron som mal. Om jag fick en signal, tog jag ett språng. Hjärat gjorde en volt, ding-dong bing-bong. Om du ring-ring-ringde en endaste gång. Om du ring-ring-ringde en endaste gång. Att en telefon kan va, lika tyst varenda dag. Om det vore så, det var nåt fel ändå, men desvärre... Om den bara sa ett knyst, om den inte blott var tyst. Om jag fick nån lön för nån enda bön av vår Herre. Inget roar mig just nu, ingen annan bara du! Ohh! Ring, ring...."

The audience applauded, and Frida, Benny, Agnetha and Björn bowed before they walked down from the stage. Backstage they were happy and hugged each other. "That was so awesome!" Frida shouted. "We gonna win!" Björn said. "Yeah, actually I think so" Agnetha agreed with a smile.

The hours until they would uncover the winning entry was a pain in the neck. All four sat in greenroom with the other artists and just waited. "I think I'm gonna throw up the dinner... I don't feel well" Frida cried. "You're just nevous..." Benny comforted. "How are you Agnetha?" Björn wondered. "I'm okay... But I feel a bit dizzy and sick too..."

"Do you think it's the baby?"

"No... I'm just nevous. But it makes it worse I think..."

A man with a camera came walking towards them with some more people in tow. The woman with pad and pen stood in front of Agnetha, Benny, Frida and Björn. "May I ask some questions for an article we gonna have in the newspapers tomorrow?"

"Sure" Benny said. "What are you feeling right now? It's nervous right?"

"Yeah, VERY nervous" Frida answered. "Just said that it feels like I'm about to throw up..."

"Oh... That wasn't a good feeling" the woman said and laid one hand on her shoulder. "Hope you feel better when the results come."

"Thank you" Frida said with a smile.

"And Mr. and Mrs. Ulvaeus then? How is it?"

"Nervous of course. But I think I talk for everyone in this room when I say it's worth the nervousness" Björn said. Agnetha nodded. "And how is it with the little one?"

Agnetha laughed. "Just fine, thank you. I think he or she liked the song..."

The woman laughed. "Of course the baby liked the song! Who didn't by the way? I just loved it. It's stuck in my head... I'm lost forever..."

All four lauged. "Goodbye! And good luck!"

"Thank you!"

Suddenly they heard the host in the speaker backstage. "So, we've now got the results from our expert jury." He started to tell the artist with the smallest score and then went up to the ones with higher.

"In fourth place, we have three contributions with seven points..." Björn, Benny, Frida and Agnetha held their breath. They had not been exclaimed yet. Maybe they would win? Hope he didn't say their names... "Lill-Babs with 'Avsked från en vän'" he said. "Glenmarks with 'En liten sång (sång som alla andra).' And...."

It was just quiet in greenroom. And suddenly Agnetha started to cry silent. She wanted them to win so much... Björn, Benny and Frida hugged her, and then they continued to sit like that. "...Ted Gärdestad with 'Oh, vilken härlig dag.'" All four breath out... "In third place we have... 'Ring ring' with Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid'"

"No..." Frida whispered and maked a sadface. Agnetha who was so nervous, felt how the stress ran away and she started to cry even more. "Fuck..." Benny said. "Couldn't say it better myself..." Björn said with a sigh. "And Stikkan who really thought that we would win and did a lot of work to make people know who we are..."

The host presented the winners. The public applauded, but they heard what some people were screaming. "Ring ring should have won!"

"Ring ring was the best song!!"

"Something went wrong with the the votes!"

"Malta is not the winner!!"

All four got very surprised and people backstage looked at them. A guy passed them.

"I can't believe that you didn't won! You was definitely the best..." he said. All four started to look at each other and smiled. "But many people liked us anyway" Agnetha said with a big smile that can shine up even the darkest things. When Stikkan, Janna Schaffer, Micke Tretow and Rutger Gunnarsson came to see them they maked a group hug.
(They are the people who have worked with ABBA in the Ring Ring project)

When they came out from the arena there were a lot of people. Some were there to meet the winners, but most of the persons wanted to meet Frida, Agnetha, Benny and Björn. And some people demonstrated. They demonstrated for Agnetha, Björn, Frida and Benny. "They should have won!" people shouted. "Agnetha and Frida was the best!" "Something's wrong with this fucking competition!"

They didn't know if they should have been happy or afraid. Some of the persons were very angry.  It was the same thing when they came to the hotel.

Next morning they could read in the newspaper about the competition. And the main things were Agnetha's stomach and the fact that most of the Swedish population wanted them to win.

"Maybe, we become world famous sometime" Björn said. "Yeah maybe..."