---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want people to remember ABBA as we…"
description: "\"I want people to remember ABBA as we were. I don't think that four geriatrics wheeled on stage is what we should leave as our legacy.\" — Bjorn Ulvaeus"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d2/bj-rn-ulvaeus-14167_abba_i-want-people-to-remember-abba-as-we-wer_1728581.png"
---

#  I want people to remember ABBA as we were. I don't think…

![“I want people to remember ABBA as we were. I don't think that four geriatrics wheeled on stage is what we should leave as our legacy.” quote by Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d2/bj-rn-ulvaeus-14167_abba_i-want-people-to-remember-abba-as-we-wer_1728581.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d2/bj-rn-ulvaeus-14167_abba_i-want-people-to-remember-abba-as-we-wer_1728581.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d2/bj-rn-ulvaeus-14167_abba_i-want-people-to-remember-abba-as-we-wer_1728581.png)

> “I want people to remember ABBA as we were. I don't think that four geriatrics wheeled on stage is what we should leave as our legacy.”

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Legacy should reflect artistic integrity, not novelty acts that distract from the music.

**In simple terms:** Leave a lasting, meaningful artistic legacy.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize substance over spectacle.

Themes

legacy authenticity artistic integrity

Mood

nostalgic critical

Type

musical cultural

When to use this quote

- music history
- branding decisions
- public perception

Key Concepts

cultural memory branding performance

Questions to Reflect On

- How can artists balance fun and lasting impact?
- What defines a meaningful legacy?

A Different Perspective

Fans may still cherish the novelty act.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legacy/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/)

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> [I want to leave my own legacy and write my own story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-garcia/i-want-to-leave-my-own-legacy-and-write-my-own-story/)

[Ryan Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-garcia/)

> [When ABBA broke up, I assumed our music would fall into oblivion so in the early 90's with BJRN AGAIN becoming popular and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/when-abba-broke-up-i-assumed-our-music-would-fall-into-oblivion-so-in/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [In a way, I'm kind of a bystander looking at this phenomenon that is ABBA, which is still around, and that I thought would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/in-a-way-i-m-kind-of-a-bystander-looking-at-this-phenomenon-that-is/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [Critics used to say that ABBA were formulaic or that our songs were rubbish. We never had time for those comments, though. We were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/critics-used-to-say-that-abba-were-formulaic-or-that-our-songs-were/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [In the beginning of my career, I wanted to be chased by girls more than anything - that's why I got the guitar. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/in-the-beginning-of-my-career-i-wanted-to-be-chased-by-girls-more/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [The music of ABBA is not that happy. It might sound happy, in some strange way, but deep within, it's not happy music. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/the-music-of-abba-is-not-that-happy-it-might-sound-happy-in-some/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [I promise you, ABBA will never reform - I couldn't bear the stress of disappointing everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/i-promise-you-abba-will-never-reform-i-couldn-t-bear-the-stress-of/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [Of course, we wore silly outfits, the pictures were corny, and some people still focus on that. But ABBA wasn't a big intellectual thing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/of-course-we-wore-silly-outfits-the-pictures-were-corny-and-some/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [I don't want to leave my kids an inheritance, I want to leave them a legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/i-don-t-want-to-leave-my-kids-an-inheritance-i-want-to-leave-them-a/)

[Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/)

> [I recorded songs with a great deal of meaning, songs of lasting material. That's the legacy I want to leave behind - a legacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/engelbert-humperdinck/i-recorded-songs-with-a-great-deal-of-meaning-songs-of-lasting/)

[Engelbert Humperdinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/engelbert-humperdinck/)

> [I can't just be the girl who sang 'I Kissed a Girl.' I have to leave a legacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-can-t-just-be-the-girl-who-sang-i-kissed-a-girl-i-have-to-leave-a/)

[Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/)

> [Influencers refuse to leave the world they way they found it. They leave a legacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/influencers-refuse-to-leave-the-world-they-way-they-found-it-they/)

[Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/)

> [If you're going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can't be erased.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-you-re-going-to-live-leave-a-legacy-make-a-mark-on-the-world-that/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

## More by Bjorn Ulvaeus

> [“You seem so far away though you are standing near. You made me feel alive, but something died I fear. I really tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/you-seem-so-far-away-though-you-are-standing-near-you-made-me-feel/)

[Björn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [I do think that it's better for a musical to live its life first because if you see it on the screen, would you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/i-do-think-that-it-s-better-for-a-musical-to-live-its-life-first/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [Look at all the misery in the Middle East, for example. All these countries have Islam in common, and far too few dare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/look-at-all-the-misery-in-the-middle-east-for-example-all-these/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [I promise you, ABBA will never reform - I couldn't bear the stress of disappointing everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/i-promise-you-abba-will-never-reform-i-couldn-t-bear-the-stress-of/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [Freedom from indoctrination ought to be a basic human right for all children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/freedom-from-indoctrination-ought-to-be-a-basic-human-right-for-all/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [There are days when I walk through the center of Stockholm when I get this sudden feeling of happiness - a sense of belonging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/there-are-days-when-i-walk-through-the-center-of-stockholm-when-i-get/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [I used to look so immature, like a young man without self-confidence. There was one particular light blue, shiny cape outfit I wore that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/i-used-to-look-so-immature-like-a-young-man-without-self-confidence/)

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[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [If you were to ask me what I couldn't do without, it would be sashimi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/if-you-were-to-ask-me-what-i-couldn-t-do-without-it-would-be-sashimi/)

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[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [Some values must be universal, like human rights and the equal worth of every human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/some-values-must-be-universal-like-human-rights-and-the-equal-worth/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [The music of ABBA is not that happy. It might sound happy, in some strange way, but deep within, it's not happy music. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/the-music-of-abba-is-not-that-happy-it-might-sound-happy-in-some/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

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[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [There is a very vibrant cultural scene in Stockholm. There are lots of places where there are concerts, and there are loads of museums…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/there-is-a-very-vibrant-cultural-scene-in-stockholm-there-are-lots-of/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

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[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

[Explore all 47 Bjorn Ulvaeus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

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> [Someone once bought me loads of clothes from a charity shop - and sent them to me in a black bin liner. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-shaw/someone-once-bought-me-loads-of-clothes-from-a-charity-shop-and-sent/)

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[Ol Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ol-parker/)

> [The cumulative weight of all mortal sins--past, present, and future--pressed upon that perfect, sinless, and sensitive Soul! All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/the-cumulative-weight-of-all-mortal-sins-past-present-and-future/)

[Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/)

> [ There's no reason - not yet, anyway - to believe \[Bob\] Dylan himself endorses such an attitude; or that he would think of himself… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bennun/there-s-no-reason-not-yet-anyway-to-believe-bob-dylan-himself/)

[David Bennun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bennun/)

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[Björn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

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[Vidya Vox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidya-vox/)

> [Abba and me, we were the 70s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demis-roussos/abba-and-me-we-were-the-70s/)

[Demis Roussos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demis-roussos/)

> [I believe in God - not in a Catholic God; there is no Catholic God. There is God, and I believe in Jesus Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-believe-in-god-not-in-a-catholic-god-there-is-no-catholic-god-there/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [It's important in our talks with Abbas to hear how women are represented in peace negotiations, how Palestine views the position of women and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-wallstrom/it-s-important-in-our-talks-with-abbas-to-hear-how-women-are/)

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> [I promise you, ABBA will never reform - I couldn't bear the stress of disappointing everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/i-promise-you-abba-will-never-reform-i-couldn-t-bear-the-stress-of/)

[Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/)

> [The most important thing is that you honor that musical integrity, whether you make music that sounds like ABBA or you make music that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/the-most-important-thing-is-that-you-honor-that-musical-integrity/)

[Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/)

> [Abba's last tour was a success but awful for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnetha-faltskog/abba-s-last-tour-was-a-success-but-awful-for-me/)

[Agnetha Faltskog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnetha-faltskog/)

> [ABBA was a direct influence on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/abba-was-a-direct-influence-on-me/)

[Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/)

Browse all 75 Abba quotes

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