Released: March 4, 1974
Songwriter: Björn Ulvaeus Benny Andersson
Producer: Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus
[Verse 1]
Went to buy me a paper at the local newsstand
And then I heard them laugh and say
"Look, they're gonna go flying way up to the moon now
Hey, what's it good for anyway?"
[Pre-Chorus]
So I said, "Fellas, like to ask you a thing if I may"
[Chorus]
What about Livingstone?
What about all those men
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while
Travelling up the Nile
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
What about Livingstone?
[Verse 2]
And all of those fellas at the local newsstand
Didn't know what to answer or what to say
So I told them about him, that he was just like
One of those spacemen in his way
[Pre-Chorus]
And if you laugh at them, then there's only a thing I can say
[Chorus]
What about Livingstone?
What about all those men
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while
Travelling up the Nile
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
[Chorus]
What about Livingstone? (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
What about all those men (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Travelling up the Nile (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest? (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Wasn't it worth it then?
[Outro]
What about Livingstone? (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
What about all those men (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Went to buy me a paper at the local newsstand
And then I heard them laugh and say
"Look, they're gonna go flying way up to the moon now
Hey, what's it good for anyway?"
[Pre-Chorus]
So I said, "Fellas, like to ask you a thing if I may"
[Chorus]
What about Livingstone?
What about all those men
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while
Travelling up the Nile
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
What about Livingstone?
[Verse 2]
And all of those fellas at the local newsstand
Didn't know what to answer or what to say
So I told them about him, that he was just like
One of those spacemen in his way
[Pre-Chorus]
And if you laugh at them, then there's only a thing I can say
[Chorus]
What about Livingstone?
What about all those men
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while
Travelling up the Nile
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
[Chorus]
What about Livingstone? (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
What about all those men (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Travelling up the Nile (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest? (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Wasn't it worth it then?
[Outro]
What about Livingstone? (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
What about all those men (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
more tracks from the album
From the albums
- Waterloo (1974)
- Waterloo (The Complete Studio Recordings Edition) (2005)
- Waterloo (Deluxe Edition) (2014)
ABBA popular songs
- Mamma Mia
- Dancing Queen
- The Winner Takes It All
- Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
- Super Trouper
- Fernando
- One of Us
- Waterloo
- Lay All Your Love on Me
- Chiquitita
- Andante, Andante
- Don’t Shut Me Down
- Slipping Through My Fingers
- Money, Money, Money
- Voulez-Vous
- When I Kissed the Teacher
- Happy New Year
- Thank You for the Music
- Why Did It Have to Be Me?
- My Love, My Life
- Chiquitita (Spanish Version)
- S.O.S.
- The Name of the Game
- Does Your Mother Know