Muriel's Wedding

Posted by Bruce Kahl on August 12, 2002

In Reply to: Muriel's Wedding posted by ESC on August 12, 2002

: : : Could anybody help me, a mere Russian female who wants to find out the strict meaning of the famous phrase "DIG IN the Dancing Queen" (by ABBA)?
: : : "See that girl, watch the scene, dig in the Dancing Queen"

: : : As I found out "to dig in" can mean "to start eating or eat heartily". I can not understand.

: : : Help me please!!

: : Excellent question. The thought that Agnetha and Annifrijd might be musically inciting their listeners to start chomping on disco divas makes me grin. I've not been able to prove this by finding an official and guaranteed website of ABBA lyrics, but my guess is that the song line actually reads "See that girl, watch that scene... diggin' the dancing queen". So, rather than "dig in" which you rightly point out can mean to start eating heartily, "diggin'" is a typically elided form of "digging" in the old-fashioned (jazz?) sense, meaning liking, appreciating or enjoying. Example:- "They really dig our music and, daddy, I dig swinging for them" (Louis Armstrong).

: : That's my guess, but your original interpretation is much more fun.

: On the subject of ABBA, I highly recommend the movie "Muriel's Wedding." Very quirky. ABBA songs are the sound track, sort of.

My 2 cents:

The song is about a teenager-- "You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen"---who attracts boys and then drops them----"You're a teaser, you turn 'em on ,Leave them burning and then you're gone".

ABBA is exhorting her to continue what she is doing--"You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life...Looking out for another, anyone will do"---and thereby defy the rules and regs of society which state she should find a boy, settle down and be nice and not tease.

One of the definitions of "dig in" is "to hold stubbornly to a position" which is what ABBA is exhorting her to do. So ABBA is saying enjoy yourself, don't give in to societal and parental pressures and live in the moment---"Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine, You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life".

Main Entry: dig in
Date: 1839
transitive senses
1 : to cover or incorporate by burying
2 : to establish in a dug defensive position
intransitive senses
1 : to establish a defensive position especially by digging trenches
2 a : to go resolutely to work b : to begin eating
3 : to hold stubbornly to a position
4 : to scuff the ground for better footing while batting (as in baseball)
- dig in one's heels : to take or persist in an uncompromising position
or attitude despite opposition

You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the Dancing Queen

Friday night and the lights are low
Looking out for the place to go
Where they play the right music, getting in the swing
You come in to look for a king
Anybody could be that guy
Night is young and the music's high
With a bit of rock music, everything is fine
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance...

You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen
Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the Dancing Queen

You're a teaser, you turn 'em on
Leave them burning and then you're gone
Looking out for another, anyone will do
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance...

You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen
Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the Dancing Queen

Dig in the Dancing Queen
Dig in the Dancing Queen
Dig in the Dancing Queen

• One more thought Word Camel 08/12/02
  • One more thought Heath 08/28/02
• Interesting point Word Camel 08/12/02
• Muriel's Wedding TheFallen 08/12/02