Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Ex Abba members in rage over nationalist party

The Danish nationalistic party Dansk Folkeparti re-wrote the Abba-song Mamma Mia for their congress last weekend. The authors Benny Andersson och Björn Ulvaeus are not amused.
TT Spectra and Aftonbladet reports that Dansk Folkeparti's youth association changed the words in the chorus to "Mamma Pia" to honour Pia Kjaersgaard, the leader of the party.
However, nobody asked ex Abba members Benny Andersson och Björn Ulvaeus for permission to use the song.
"First of all: you are not free to rewrite songs just the way you want, and secondly: They must get that we are not interested in supporting their party", says Benny Andersson to news agency TT Spektra.

The case is now in the hands of lawyers of their publishing company Universal Music.

Will not sue Dansk Folkeparti
Update September 24, 2010: Universal Music Publishing will not sue Dansk Folkeparti. Olle Rönnbäck, head of film and tv on Universal Music Publishing tells TT Spektra that the song was performed at a meeting that was not open to the public:
"And they told us they will not perform it again, so that's it."

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