"Happy New Year" is a song by Swedish group ABBA from their 1980 album Super Trouper, with lead vocals by Agnetha Fltskog. It originally had a very limited release as a single in December of that year. The song's working title was "Daddy Don't Get Drunk on Christmas Day".[2]
The Spanish-language version of the song, "Felicidad",[3] was released in 1980 in Spanish-speaking territories.[4] The single reportedly charted in the top 5 in Argentina and was included on the South American versions of the Super Trouper album.[5] It was first released on CD as part of the 1994 Polydor US compilation Ms ABBA Oro, and in 1999 on the expanded re-release of ABBA Oro: Grandes xitos.
In 1999, the English version of the song was re-released for the new millennium, and charted at number 27 in Sweden, number 15 in the Netherlands and number 75 in Germany.[1][6][7] In 2008, it was released again in several countries, and charted at number 4 in Sweden, number 6 in Norway and number 25 in Denmark.[1][8][9] It re-entered the Swedish and Norwegian charts in 2009 at number 5 in both charts and number 8 in the Netherlands in 2011.[1][8][6] It has since gone on to regularly chart in some countries upon the turn of the new year[1][6][7] and is regularly played at the same time such as Vietnam.[10]
In December 2011, a silver glitter vinyl single limited to 500 copies was released, including the songs "Happy New Year" and "The Way Old Friends Do". The edition was available exclusively from the official ABBA site and the ABBA fan site. It was sold out within a day of the release being announced.[11]
Upon the release of ABBA: The 40th Anniversary Singles Box Set on 5 May 2014, an alternate mix of "Andante, Andante" was revealed to have been used on the B-side of the single in the box set instead of the original album version. In 2022, it was the 32nd top best selling vinyl single in the UK behind Open the Floodgates by the Smile.[12]
The song was covered by the A-Teens, and released as a single in 1999. The single was released to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium: thus, the last line in the song's third verse is altered to "in the end of ninety-nine", as opposed to the original's "in the end of eighty-nine". It reached number 4 on the Swedish charts, becoming the band's fourth consecutive top ten in the country and earning a Gold certification weeks after its release.[14] The single was only released in selected countries, including Chile, after their visit there in February 2000. A music video was made to support the single's release.
May the Year of the Dragon bring us all opportunities for growth, success, and fulfillment. Let's celebrate this occasion with joy, unity, and hope for a bright future. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and prosperous Lunar New Year!
Wherever you may be, we wish you and those close to you the very best Year of the Rabbit. Please accept our annual gift of lunar new year stamps from around the world. We hope you'll take a moment to tell us via email, Facebook or Instagram which of these stamps is your favorite.
David Zweig examines China's talent recruitment efforts, particularly towards those scientists and engineers who left China for further study. U.S. universities, labs and companies have long brought in talent from China. Are such people still welcome?
As a result of ongoing input from City Council, the City will be able to dedicate more than $150 million this year to reduce gun violence through an array of strategies focused on community empowerment, employment and careers, healing, prevention, and safe havens for children and youth.
Between existing, new, and expanded programs proposed by the Administration in its initial FY22 Budget proposed on April 15, as well as additional resources added after discussions with City Council, $155.7 million will be invested to reduce and prevent violence. These investments include $13 million for 911-Triage/Corresponder and Mobile Crisis Units to better address mental health emergencies and $20 million for Community Partnership Grants so that people closest to the challenges have resources to bring about solutions.
The Five Year Plan also calls for a quarter of a billion dollars in the Community College of Philadelphia, with $54 million dedicated to the Octavius Catto Scholarship. This initiative will enable 5,000 first-time, full-time, students to attend college tuition-free, as well as receive food, book and transportation stipends.
The Five Year Plan envisions a return of teachers and students to classrooms, with $1.38 billion in funding for the School District of Philadelphia. This is on top of the $1.3 billion that the District will receive through the American Rescue Plan.
The budget includes a wage tax reduction for residents to the lowest level in 50 years. We will enact the largest wage tax rate cut in more than a decade which will provide critical relief to workers and help attract and grow business.
The Plan sets aside $50 million for COVID-19 containment, as part of a $75 million Reopening and Recession Reserve. To eliminate health disparities and safeguard residents from threats that cause disease and injury, the City will invest $250,000 to develop a citywide strategy to improve racial equity in health outcomes.
I went to Mexico City (and Guadalajara) just a couple of years ago and I never felt afraid for my safety. I was down there to check out Mexico`s best zoos, but I also visited some great tourist sites, such as the Teotihuacn pyramids, Chapultepec Castle (fascinating!), and of course just the central Zocalo area. Zocalo includes the world`s second-largest urban square (after Moscow`s Red Square), the historic Metropolitan Cathedral, some national museums, and lots of fun people-watching and outdoor shopping. I stayed in a nearby budget hotel (Hotel Catedral) that would definitely be featured in a Rick Steves book, if he were writing about Mexico City.
By golly, this looks like a really fun place. I`ve been toying with the idea and now you`ve inspired me to travel to Mexico City next Christmas. We must seek adventure while we can still move, is my motto.
Don`t suppose any apologists for visits to Mexico read about the multiple decapitations found in Acapulco January 8? But of course the reports are always tempered (the victims were found where most tourists don`t go). Of course we have violence right here (6 killed in AZ plus a congresswoman severely wounded). But run right out and buy a ticket to the latest place with a rampage. You can be assured you will be reassured by those whose business might be impacted by your absence.
Fifteen bodies, all but one of them decapitated, were found early on Saturday in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco as drug violence in Mexico intensified. Think I will stick with your tours instead
As with all countries, it depends on where one goes. Mexico is a large country; Yucatan is safe. I feel safer in Yucantan than in Florida, Texas, or Arizona. Chiapas is safer than Arizona, but this is damning with faint praise.
Rick, looks like you had a wonderful holiday, look forward to what all you did in those three countries, I still hold my position on not traveling to Mexico, don`t want to support a government that is very corrupt and dangerouse. By the way Happy New Year, and I hope you find a happy year a head. Judy
It was interesting to read the comments so far for this blog entry. I don`t agree with many of them, but respect the opinions of those who wrote them. I did notice several entries referring to apologists and the corrupt Mexican government. I would be curious if the authors were referring to the federal government, state governments, both, or something else. My take on this is that the current Calderon administration is doing a tremendous job of moving the country in the right direction. He isn`t perfect, but he is fighting hard against corruption and the drug cartels. I have been living and working in Mexico off and on since 1995 and can honestly say that the country is advancing by leaps and bounds. US media focuses on the illegal immigration and drug violence issues. While this are admitedly huge issues, there is a lot more going on in Mexico and much positive to consider. Traveling to Mexico surely isn`t for everyone, but can be richly rewarding for the right traveler.
Speaking of Mexico and holidays, I received a great book for Christmas. Madre: Perilous Journeys with a Spanish Noun by Liza Bakewell recounts a single woman`s adventures in Mexico as she tries to figure out the meaning of one word. Great for those learning Spanish and for inspiring those concerned about traveling there. I`m ready to go meet the people and see the butterflies!
I will not spend my hard earned travel dollars in a country with such a corrupt government and legal/police system. Another US citizen killed today. It is easy to blame the mass killings on drug lords, but they own cities, police forces and government officials. Clean up your country Mexico.
The Dragon is known to represent good luck, strength, and health, and is commonly regarded as the most auspicious animal of the zodiac signs. 2024 is the year of the Wood Dragon and is believed to nurture growth, progress, and abundance.
The consensus on 2016 seems to be the same everywhere you look. After a year of campaigns, Zika, Brexit, exploding batteries, the loss of greats like Muhammad Ali, Prince, David Bowie, Harambe and more; many people (so many people) have said 2016 sucked. Negativity has become rampant across society, but in my opinion; Sic Vita Est (Thus is life).
Life is what you make of it and since we all only have a limited number of years to live, I refuse to declare one of them as having sucked. So with that I wanted to shed the negative and reflect on the wins of 2016!
The biggest win of the year is that I had the most incredible woman in the world say YES when I asked her to marry me in July! We recently set the wedding date in 2017 and I couldn't be more excited.
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