Eén van de acht = One of the Eight

This family entertainment programme was hosted by Mies Bouwman (the same person that interviewed Agnetha and Frida in 1981 and who interviewed Frida in 1982). The show broke viewing figures in The Netherlands and was broadcast once a month around 20:00 or 20:30 from 1970.  The format of the show was four family pairs of different generations competing in various games with eventually one couple in the finale and the winner sitting behind a conveyer belt where objects passed in front for one minute. The winner (ie. "The One of the Eight" original contestants) would then have to remember as many of those objects as possible.

The German version of this game show Am Laufenden Band was hosted by Dutchman Rudi Carrell. Apparently Rudi and Mies Bouwman (creator of the Dutch and original programme) clashed over the rights of the programme because Rudi allegedly didn't pay her enough for the programme. There was also an English version, known as The Generation Game hosted by Bruce Forsyth, and then Larry Grayson in the 1970s. (It was the Larry Grayson version that Mike Yarwood sent up in his 1978 The Mike Yarwood Christmas Show and ABBA joined in the spoof).

ABBA were introduced at the start of the show in normal clothes (and they may or may not have been given an award). Apparently, Mies introduced them along the lines of, "Are they really here - yes they are!".  Their performance was between the second part and the final part of the show and for this they wore their kimono stage outfits.

In October 2015, some fantastic news emerged that Money, Money, Money had turned up on a VCR Philips VC-60 N1500 tape and then uploaded to YouTube.  It seems that this was the last of any performances because they are presented with flowers by Mies before leaving the stage.

On 20 May 2019, the YouTube channel of the Dutch TV archives, TelevisieArchief, uploaded the performance of When I Kissed The Teacher, unseen since 1976 but in perfect condition.  Finally, on 29 May 2021, the YouTube channel Toppop released the performance of Why Did It Have To Be Me but, as the original audio was not good enough, the song was dubbed onto the video.

There has long been a great deal of confusion about which (and how many) songs were actually performed and broadcast.  Depending on which book, magazine, website or fan memory you refer to, ABBA performed two or more of the following songs:

1. Dancing Queen
2. When I Kissed The Teacher
3. Money, Money, Money
4. Why Did It Have To Be Me.
5. Knowing Me, Knowing You
6. Dum Dum Diddle

However, after the Money, Money, Money clip emerged in October 2015 on YouTube, the Televisiearchief confirmed in the comments section underneath the YouTube clip what the THREE songs were.  They were:

1. Why Did It Have To Be Me
2. When I Kissed The Teacher
3. Money, Money, Money

Click here for a TV listing from Leidsch Dagblad - 19 November 1976, p.5
Click here for a TV listing from Leidse Courant - 19 November 1976 p.2 
Click here for a feature from Leidse Courant - 19 November 1976, p.2

Click here for a rehearsal picture.

Mies Bouwman died 26 February 2018.

1. Björn's guitar strap - these still pictures show a break or change mid-performance - unless these photos are from a dress rehearsal?
2. Money, Money, Money - Frida's dancing at 2:44.

Eén van de acht, 1976;
Mies, 1981;
Mies (Frida), 1982;

Thanks to ABBAtalk and specifically Edward Veldman, Paul Neilson, Henk en Remko, Robert Verbeek (RIP), Henk Jansen, Gerard Hesen, Donn Spanninga Steenkist, Jan Prygoda, Philip Muytjens, Monique Hoevens, Linda Veerhuis‎, Hans Deenen, Lex Corbach, Karin van Oevelen, Henk Jansen, Filip Baeck, Bart Klarenbeek-Rip, Marc Bijlsma, Diego Quaio, Кирилл Егоров, Rick Vasen, Rik Eijer, Melinda and Jozsef. Special thanks to Karin Angeleyes and all the contributors, especially "twinkling star" at the ABBA4Ever Forum (no longer online).  Extra thanks to ABBA - The Articles, ABBA in Holland (no longer online) and Maggott's ABBA Gallery.
YouTube links c/o TopPop