Top of the Pops was the longest running weekly, music chart show featuring videos and performances on BBC1, UK which ran for over 42 years from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006 and featured around 2,000 episodes in total. The show saw many changes through the decades, in style, design, fashion and taste. Due to the BBC's former policy of deleting old programmes, the vast majority of the episodes from the first ten years of the programme's history have been lost. Of the first 500 episodes (1964–73) only about 20 complete recordings remain in the BBC archives. That's why only four of the seven ABBA studio performances exist in their full-length episodes). The 1976 Mamma Mia performance exists only in a Christmas retrospective episode; So Long from 1974 has been found thanks to the help of ABBA fans c/o this ABBA on TV website but it is feared the performance of SOS from 1975 is wiped forever.

Episode Number 536.

ABBA's first UK TV appearance since winning the Eurovision Song Contest - a performance of Waterloo introduced by Noel Edmonds.  He would go on to appear on ABBA's last UK TV appearance as a group in 1982 on The Late, Late Breakfast Show.

ABBA performed LIVE. Agnetha had raging flu with a sore throat and a high temperature but the British Musician's Union rules stipulated that miming wasn't allowed so she had to sing live. You wouldn't have known she was unwell. At the end of the song, Noel Edmonds joked, "ABBA means in fact the initials of the names, this is Alan, Barry, Brian and Alexander!"

Other artistes on this edition:-

Limmie and the Family Cookin' - A Walkin' Miracle (sound only)
Mud - The Cat Crept In
Slade - Everyday
Mungo Jerry - Long-legged Woman Dressed In Black
Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye - You Are Everything (sound only)
The Wombles - Remember You're a Womble
The Chi-Lites - Homely Girl (Pans People performance - wearing dungarees, pigtails and freckles painted on their faces then transform into more sophisticated young women in baby doll lingerie edged with fur)
Bill Haley and the Comets - Rock Around the Clock
ABBA - Waterloo
Terry Jacks - Seasons in the Sun (Number one that week)
The Glitter Band - Angel Face (sound only ove closing credits).

This performance was also broadcast on Eins Festival on 18 June 2009 at 1am, 20 June at 1.05am, 23 July 2009 at 1am and 24 July at 5am, Germany.

Release information:
This clip has been released on the DVD ABBA - Number Ones 
This clip has been released on the CD/DVD ABBA - Waterloo Deluxe Edition on 6 April 2014.

Frida amused by the lively dancer in front of the stage in the striped jumper

Lyrics available on the Official ABBA site

Top of The Pops (Waterloo), 1974; 
Top of The Pops (Waterloo), 1974; 
Top of The Pops (So Long), 1974; 
Top of The Pops (Waterloo), 1974; 
Top of The Pops (SOS), 1975;
Top of The Pops (Mamma Mia), 1976; 
Top of The Pops (Fernando), 1976;
Top of The Pops (Christmas greeting), 1978;
Top of The Pops (Frida), 1982; 
Top of The Pops (Agnetha), 1983; 

Archive data from BBC’s public site:
Title: TOP OF THE POPS
Caption: Noel EDMONDS intros weekly pop prog:performances by Mud,Slade,Mungo Jerry,The Wombles,ABBA;Terry JACKS, The Chilites,Bill HALEY and his Comets,Pan's People VT,EX LIB,FILM
Guid: LLV1345H
Transmission date: 11 Apr 1974
Clip #: BBC_LLV1345H
Restrictions: Prior approval required for all uses, please contact your local Getty Images representative for screener requests and approval details. No use as a complete program, for sequential use with other BBC clips, for unofficial association with BBC, or in a manner that brings BBC into disrepute. Additional BBC Motion Gallery restrictions apply – see Section 10.6 of applicable Getty Images license agreement.
License type: Rights-ready
Filmmaker:
BBC Broadcast Archive
Collection:
BBC Broadcast Archive
Clip length: 00:34:07:00
Credit: BBC Broadcast Archive
Source: BBC Broadcast Archive
Final delivery options: Other digital and analog formats available. Please contact us for assistance.
Release information: Not released. More information
Aspect ratios: 4:3
Object name: BBC_LLV1345H
Subject: Arts, Culture and Entertainment
Keywords: People, Comet, Vermont, Bill Haley, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Noel Edmonds, ABBA, The Wombles, Mungo Jerry, Terry Jacks. Find similar clips 
Availability: Availability for this clip cannot be guaranteed until time of purchase.
Transcript:
Noel EDMONDS intros weekly pop prog:performances by Mud,Slade,Mungo Jerry,The Wombles,ABBA;Terry JACKS, The Chilites,Bill HALEY and his Comets,Pan's People VT,EX LIB,FILM
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STUDIO PERFS:MUD - 'The Cat Crept in'(3m56s) SLADE - 'Everyday'(3m04s) MUNGO JERRY - 'Long Legged woman dressed in Black'(2m46s) THE WOMBLES - 'Remember You're a Womble'(3m00s) ABBA - 'Waterloo'(2m30s) PRE REC VT PERFS:Terry JACKS - 'Seasons in The Sun'(3m17s) THE CHILITES - 'Homely Girl'(3m19s) BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS - 'Rock around the Clock'(2m10s) *** Pan's People dancers perf in studio to The Chilties - 'Home Girl'. They are dressed in plaid dungarees with pigtails, but as song progresses they change into white baby doll dresses. (Dur 03m27s)***
BBC Item Type: Programme
BBC SubCatalogue: LONPROG

Some info from Bright Lights, Dark Shadows by Carl Magnus Palm
Extra thanks to Philip Muytjens, Jozsef, Lendy and Sam Shervz.
YouTube clip c/o mozpiano2