8 October Update
Week 5 of 6 (Autumn Term H1)
In this week's bulletin, we have:
Coffee Notices
A rehearsal recap
Song facts - Super Trouper
☕ Coffee Notices
West Norwood Feast
We had some superb feedback from our Performance at West Norwood Feast on Sunday 4th. The event organisers sent their thanks and said they really enjoyed our set. You can see films and photos from the day in the COTH WhatsApp Community group: 'The Photo Album'. You can request to join that group if you haven't already done so. Dates for the diary
Thursday 22 Oct - COTH social - We have one more rehearsal before our half-term break. During our week off, there will be a social at the Faber Fox in Crystal Palace (25 Westow Hill, Crystal Palace, London, SE19 1TQ) from 7.30pm (see more details on the WhatsApp chat). All members are welcome.
Thursday 19 November - Performance at The Westow in Crystal Palace as part of the Christmas Light Switch On event (more details will be shared on the Performing page).
Saturday 5 December - COTH Xmas Party - drinks, singing and Secret Santa - all the usual COTH fun for Christmas. More details will be shared soon.
Friday 18 December - Stanley Arts Christmas Concert - a return visit to this popular Christmas event. Again, more details will be shared soon.
🎤 Rehearsal Recap
Song Notes
This week we revised What Happens When a Woman and Super Trouper. Recordings of all the different parts can be found in the Music Library.
Song facts - Super Trouper
Released in 1980, Super Trouper was written by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and became the title track of the group's seventh studio album. It was another huge success for ABBA, reaching No. 1 in the UK and becoming one of their best-loved songs.
But what exactly is a Super Trouper? It's actually the name of a powerful spotlight used in theatres and concert venues to follow performers around the stage. So, despite sounding like a rather enthusiastic description of someone doing a brilliant job, the title is referring to a piece of lighting equipment!
The song itself is about the loneliness and exhaustion of life on tour. Behind the bright lights, cheering crowds and seemingly glamorous lifestyle is someone who has grown tired of performing night after night. The one thing keeping her going is knowing that someone she loves will be waiting for her.
There's an interesting contrast between the lyrics and the music. The song sounds wonderfully upbeat, with its bright harmonies and infectious chorus, but underneath it all is a rather melancholy story. Agnetha sings the lead vocal, with Frida's voice helping to create those unmistakable ABBA harmonies.
And speaking of harmonies, our COTH arrangement gives us plenty to think about! As with so many ABBA songs, what sounds effortlessly cheerful when you listen to the original takes a fair bit of concentration when you're trying to sing all the different parts together.
One final bit of trivia: ABBA apparently struggled to find a suitable title for the song until Björn came across the name 'Super Trouper'. Not the most obvious inspiration for a pop classic, but it certainly worked!
