ABBA Snowtime

Filmed: Thursday 15 February 1979

Location: Lobby of Central Hotel, Leysin, Switzerland

Broadcast: See below for detailed info

Release status: See below

Duration: 50 minutes

Shown in: Germany & UK

Additional information

This programme has been known by various titles including: Christmas Snowtime, Snowtime Special and Christmas Snowtime Special.

The BBC owned this programme which was one of the four TV specials made around this time. Some of the clips, introductions and even guests mixed and matched in the various programmes:

  1. ABBA in Switzerland
  2. Boney M in Switzerland
  3. Disco in the Snow and Disco in the Snow Part II
  4. ABBA Snowtime/Christmas Snowtime/Snowtime Special/Christmas Snowtime Special.

ABBA opened the show with Chiquitita (filmed during the same visit to Leysin as for ABBA in Switzerland). The programme was hosted by Dame Edna Everage.

Agnetha was wearing the same black Australian VFL (Victorian Football League) jersey-top for Carlton Football Club she was seen wearing during ABBA - The Movie. VFL is now known as AFL (Australian Football League) and both girls, and probably Benny and Björn too, received these shirts in 1977. She may have been wearing it during the Switzerland filming as Channel 10 Australia was one of the many TV stations co-funding the whole project.


Songs performed in this show (including those by other guests):
Those marked *** appeared on the Christmas broadcast in the UK on the BBC. The number in brackets is the order in which they were broadcast on that edition.

  1. ABBA - Chiquitita ***(1)
  2. Bonnie Tyler - It's a Heartache ***(5)
  3. ABBA - Mamma Mia (from ABBA in Switzerland)
  4. Leo Sayer - When I Need You ***(3)
  5. Kate Bush - December Will Be Magic Again ***(6)
  6. The Raes - Boogie Shoes (with Geoff Richer's First Edition dance troupe)
  7. ABBA - Kisses of Fire (from ABBA in Switzerland)
  8. ABBA - Lovers (Live a Little Longer) (from ABBA in Switzerland)
  9. Rosalind Keane - Go Tell it On the Mountain (with Geoff Richer's First Edition dance troupe)
  10. Wolfgang Danne and Jillian Denise Biellmann skate to I Wonder (Departure) ***(7)
  11. The Jacksons - Destiny ***(4) filmed at the restaurant Le Leysin in Leysin.
  12. ABBA - Mamma Mia (from ABBA in Switzerland again!)
  13. Wolfgang Danne and Gillian skate again (to an unknown musical piece)
  14. Boney M - Mary's Boy Child ***(2)

(There is also 3-second footage around of Agnetha in an outtake which was never actually transmitted, but included in an annual compilation of outtakes and skits from a BBC technicians' Christmas Party tape from 1979).

Broadcast information:
Germany - Christmas 1979 
22 December 1979, BBC2, UK as Christmas Snowtime Special starting at 18:35pm and featuring (***) these artistes (above).

This performance  was released on the CD/DVD Voulez Vous Deluxe Edition on 31 May 2010.

Lyrics available on the Official ABBA site

Archive data from BBC’s public site.
Title: SNOWTIME SPECIAL - CHRISTMAS SNOWTIME SPECIAL
Caption: Featuring Abba, Boney M, Leo SAYER, The Jacksons, Kate BUSH, Bonnie TYLER, Wolfang DANNE, Denis RIELMANN and Barry HUMPHRIES. Vt Featuring Abba, Boney M, Leo SAYER, The JACKSONS, Kate BUSH, Bonnie TYLER, Wolfgang DANNE, Denis BIELLMANN and Barry HUMPHRIES. Vt
Guid: LLVA127N
Transmission date: 22 Dec 1979
Clip #: BBC_LLVA127N
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: 00:46:50:00
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_LLVA127N
Subject: Arts, Culture and Entertainment
Keywords: Boney M, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Leo Sayer, Bonnie Tyler, ABBA, Kate Bush. Find similar clips
Availability: Availability for this clip cannot be guaranteed until time of purchase.
Transcript:
Featuring Abba, Boney M, Leo SAYER, The Jacksons, Kate BUSH, Bonnie TYLER, Wolfang DANNE, Denis RIELMANN and Barry HUMPHRIES. Vt
Featuring Abba, Boney M, Leo SAYER, The JACKSONS, Kate BUSH, Bonnie TYLER, Wolfgang DANNE, Denis BIELLMANN and Barry HUMPHRIES. Vt
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SONGS PERFORMED I wish it could be christmas every day (dur 01m05s) Santa claus is coming to town (dur 01m15s) When I need you (dur 03m34s) Living next door to Alice (dur 03m17s) December will be magic again (dur 03m34s) Chiouitida (dur 05m05s) Blame it on the boogie (dur 03m10s) Train (dur 03m42s) Hole in my heart (dur 02m25s) It's a heartache (dur 03m05s)
SONGS PERFORMED Follow you follow me (dur 03m22s) Mary's boychild (Oh my Lord) (dur 05m41s)
BBC Item Type: Programme
BBC SubCatalogue: LONPROG

Thanks to Guido, Jozsef, Ken Griffin, Jon Axelrod, Michael Dudley, Philip Muytjens and Philippe Dupont and Darren Lloyd, Graeme Read and Matti Crocker c/o ABBAMAIL (no longer online). Extra thanks to Richard Knight, Brice Duffour and Jun Seo. Most recent thanks to Alex Jones and Chris Parker c/o the ABBAtalk Facebook group. 
YouTube link c/o Luc Caes

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