Agnetha, aged 23 in 1973 "Sometimes I get scared"

"Sometimes I get scared"
It really is like fairytale. The fairy mother held her magical wand over the girl - and suddenly all the dreams came true. Six years ago I was a shy switchboard operator in the darkest of Småland. Now I am working as a singer, I am married to Björn Ulvaeus and the mother of the most lovely little girl. I have a villa, a summerhouse, car and a boat. All of it just appeared at once. That is why I sometimes stop in my step and feel petrified. It just can't go on like this. What if I'm not appreciative enough, until it's too late? I am being spoiled. You see happyness as something normal. Now, something REALLY big has to happen for you to even react and to be able to develop and change. In that area Linda has of course already changed my life. Now I am able to see a lot of the world through her eyes. Having a baby was something so fantastic. We had waited and waited for such a long time. And then suddenly, the test results were positive! All through my pregnancy I felt fine. But of course, towards the end it was a little heavy. Especially since she decided to be a couple of weeks late. But when the midwife put her on my belly - then I experienced my happiest moment in my life. Especially since I had wanted a baby girl all along and everyone else around me were rooting for a boy.
     Agnetha took a breather in between two recordingsessions. At the same time she had time to admire Linda's wobbly one-year-old walk. And she had time to tell us about her life..The Wedding to Björn Ulvaeus was as romantic as schlager lyric. But what happened then?
     - I have never had any specific ideas on how to be a mother. That's a good thing, but because of that I can never be disappointed. Our marriage is just like any other couple's. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down. To both live and work together has it sides. Positive things are the strength and understanding. We know each other. But that can also be the opposite. Imagine the long summer tours. You are tired and annoyed. I don't have to be very social towards Björn. With him I can be almost overnatural. At the same time we are starting to get on each other's nerves we also feel very connected. You know exactly how the other person will react. To be married to a non-artist must be very different and bring completely different problems. This business is special, even if you're not looking for the luxurious and party kind of life you get drawn into it.
     - I, myself, prefer to be at home. But don't think I'm the ideal housekeeper. Decorating and renovating gets boring very quickly. Cooking is much more fun. Right now are we eating a lot of Chinese food. But that is never as good as hommade cabbage pudding with lingonberries! Linda prefers her formula best of course. After two bottles she is asleep. Then she will sleep for 12 hours.
     - Our method for upbringing has no rules or regulations. We are only using common sense. What's important is that Linda feels secure so that we can both laugh and cry together. You can't 'act' in front of your child. If you are upset, you must be allowed to show the child that you are. Kids understand so much more than you think.
     - It's only natural to make comparisons to your own upbringing. You don't want to repeate the mistakes your own parents made with you. But I mostly have very fond memories of my childhood. And I am still very close to my parents. When something's wrong - I will call my mother. Especially when Linda was a new, tiny baby it was very comforting for me to be able to call my mother and get her advice. I was so scared back then. The first couple of days I hardly dared to touch her. She felt so small and fragile. Now I'm longing to have more children. But not too soon. I want to spend some time with each child before the next one comes along. A few years inbetween is probably good. My own little sister, Mona, is five years younger than I am. We have gotten along fine. Now this fall she has been living here helping us taking care of Linda. That has been wonderful. Because now it's time to record again. In November my new single "En Sång Om Sorg Och Glädje" will be released. That one have I even produced myself. And soon the winters second record will be released, a full album. On that one i have written the songs myself. Of course it's difficult when you have a husband who is a professional. But I never ask him for any help with that. Just the same way he never asks me to help him with his music. We need to be able to separate our work. It's important to me to be able to bring out my own material. It helps my sefesteem. When I'm around here at home it's nice to be able to sit down by the piano and find a new melody. Linda likes to help me. She seems to like music allready. But then again, she should, both of her parents being musicians.
     Agnetha is working on many levels. After Christmas it's time for the second ABBA album. Mr and Mrs Ulvaeus has reconnected with their neighbours Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson.
     - ABBA mainly came to buy an accident. That "Ring Ring" should become such a big hit was a real joy. Now it's available in both, Swedish, English, German and Spanish. The last language was like Hebrew to us. We had to sing with a phonetically written lyric. But the Spanish people seem to understand it, because the recordsales there are very good. Germany has also become a huge market. Just before Christmas we went down there and did a TV-show. Another recording is also planned. It's in the recording studio where I feel I'm the best. In front of an audience I feel inhibited.
     When mamma Agnetha has been talking a long time with me Linda pops up and joins the conversation. A few hugs later she returns back to Auntie Mona.
     - Imagine! I can't believe that this little bundle of joy is mine! Sometimes I think it's not true. Every morning when I see her I get so happy. She is growing so quickly, you can almost see her grow. I have several times tried to write songs about Linda. The results have ended up in the wastepaper bin. They have been really bad. And I find it more difficult to compose nowadays, the demand is increasing. Years back, I just wrote a song, just like that. Now I constructe them in a completely different way. I always start with the music first. Then the lyrics in English comes. That language is the easiest to work with. The trick is to get together a really good Swedish lyric. So I try and stay away from the most obvious rhymes like 'hjärta - smärta'.
     Agnetha has big plans for 1974. There are 2 LPs to hope for and for the summer it's tempting to go on a folk park tour.
     - Of course, the job means a lot. But what is most important is that Linda shall be allowed to grow up to a harmonic, playfull child. Right now she is the spitting image of her father. And she has a big voice enough for both of us. It will definitely be enough to be a telephonist - or an artist.

ARTICLE FROM HEMMETS VECKOTIDNING 1973