With the League landing Australia’s unofficial national anthem for use through 2012, thoughts turn to ABBA, specifically its old music clip “Chiquitita", in which Agnetha Fältskog can be seen belting out the hit sporting the famous CFC across her front.
McKenzie, who turns 90 in April, vividly recalled the chain of events which led to Anna and her fellow ABBA songstress Frida Lyngstad getting decked out in dark Navy Blue 35 years ago this month.
“When we knew they were about to land at Tullamarine I told our marketing bloke Michael Whitewood, ‘Grab a couple of guernseys, get up to the airport and take them out to ABBA’,” said McKenzie of one of the all-time great club marketing triumphs.
“The band later headed out to Western Australia to play for shows wearing the jumpers. I don’t know what guernsey numbers they got, but it was a real coup.”
McKenzie remembered meeting with the members of ABBA, then in town for three shows at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. At that time they were holed up at the Old Melbourne Motor Inn on nearby Flemington Road, during which time they were also accorded a civic reception at the Melbourne Town Hall.
The Carlton Football Club was the least of ABBA’s concerns, on what was an exhilarating if hazardous ’77 tour. Agnetha, in a later interview with Brita Ahman, described the tour as “the most incredible of all the things that I experienced with ABBA . . . there was fever, there was hysteria, there were ovations (and) there were sweaty, obsessed crowds”.
“Sometimes it was awful,” she conceded. “I felt as if they would get hold of me and I’d never get away again. It was as if I was going to be crushed. On occasions they would grab hold of us in the most unpleasant ways and there were times when we cried once we were inside the car.
“No one who has experienced facing a screaming, boiling, hysterical crowd could avoid feeling shivers up and down their spine. It’s a thin line between ecstatic celebration and menace. It can turn around in a flash.
“I don’t think anyone could stay the same after such an encounter. It affects your personality. It remoulds you and can be the source of phobias. Naturally, it depends on how sensitive you are. Nonetheless I never felt that my life was in danger in Australia. Enthusiasm and warmth were always present too.”
Frida and Agnetha are seen sporting their Carlton guernseys in ABBA - The Movie, which takes in the ’77 tour. Clearly, the top agreed with Agnetha, who two years later donned it again for the Chiquitita clip, which was apparently filmed in the lobby of the Central Hotel in Leysin, Switzerland, on February 15 in the Carlton premiership year of 1979.
On December 22, 1979, ABBA’s Chiquitita opened BBC2 UK’s "Christmas Snowtime Special", which also featured the likes of Bonnie Tyler (“It's a Heartache”), Leo Sayer (“When I Need You “), The Raes (“Gonna Burn my Boogie Shoes”) and The Jacksons (“Destiny”).
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The clip later appeared on Australia television on a program hosted by Dame Edna Everage, who this Wednesday participates in “An evening’s intercourse” at the Carlton Football Club’s season launch at Club 23. In introducing the clip, the Dame, with typical humility, refers to ABBA as “a little group I prophesised would go a very long way indeed - a little cluster of scrumptious Swedes . . . I could really eat them up”.
At the time of publication, Carlton was unable to contact Michael Whitewood, although it is hoped he may see this article and make contact with the club.
The club is also endeavouring to contact Agnetha to determine whether she still has the Carlton guernsey in her safe keeping.
Click here to watch the "Chiquitita" video clip.
