Saturday Night Live (abbreviated as SNL), as it is now known, is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on 11 October 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest (who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast) and features performances by a musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", properly beginning the show.

Season 1, Episode 5

ABBA performed SOS (a beautiful live vocal over the existing backing track) and Waterloo on a set that was supposed to represent the inside of the Titanic. During Waterloo, more and more water was joked to be coming through the port-hole and the boat started to sink.

This appearance was filmed on Frida's 30th birthday.

Programme running order:

1. Robert Klein's monologue
2. ABBA - SOS
3. Pong (ancient computer game)
4. A bee (Garrett Morris)
5. Loudon Wainwright III - Bicentennial
6. Greg Allman's Love Life
7. Comedy sketches
8. The Muppets
9. Loudon Wainwright III - Unrequited to the Nth Degree
10. Robert Klein & The SNL Band - I Can't Stop My Leg
11. ABBA - Waterloo
12. Closing scene

ABBA was the only musical act to ever lip-sync on this show - as pointed out during the Waterloo performance! (Apparently that's changed now as Ashley Simpson did it in 2005). To clarify, Lorne Michaels, creator and executive producer of Saturday Night Live, and network middleman Dick Ebersol clashed over ABBA's usage of backing vocals; Lorne wanted live acts performing live, and Ebersol thought they were fine as they were. In the end, Ebersol won the battle but lost the war; his input in the show was greatly diminished after this episode. Since then, all musical guests have been required to perform live on stage (apart, presumably from Ashley Simpson in 2005).

In this interview with Paul Schaffer (who was part of the original Saturday Night Live Band from 1975 to 1980) explains that the tilted screen and furniture moving was a trick played on ABBA by writer Michael O'Donoghue (was the first head writer of Saturday Night Live and the first performer to deliver a line on the series). ABBA were unaware of this.

Click here for TV listing.

You won't find clips from these performances on YouTube as they are always immediately blocked by NBC Universal.  

The programme was broadcast LIVE on NBC, USA and 12pm and again on Saturday 7 May 2005 on NBC (was Sunday 8 May 2005 the further east you go in the US).

Both performances have been officially released on The Complete First Season 1975 - 1976 of Saturday Night Live.

See below for some rehearsal pictures - all from SOS:

1. Rehearsal picture 1
2. Rehearsal picture 2
3. Rehearsal picture 3
4. Rehearsal picture 4

1. During Waterloo, the camera angle tilts to give the impression that the 'ship' is sinking.
2. During Waterloo, Benny and Björn cannot hide their amusement as the 'ship sinks' - while Agnetha and Frida maintain their cool professionalism!

Lyrics available on the Official ABBA site: SOS and Waterloo

Information about this episode of NBC's Saturday Night; 

Thanks to Yuri, Gjelt de Graaf, Rod Kirkman & Ian Cole. Extra thanks to Pepe Sharman, Bill Paganucci, Edward Viveiros, Jr, Jozsef, Melinda, Ken Griffin, Sam Shervz, Steve Layton and Scarlett Ray c/o ABBAMAIL (no longer online).  Extra thanks to Paul Scutti c/o ABBAtalk.
Huge thanks to Rina for the cutting.