Abba, “Happy New Year” What makes New Year’s Eve a special holiday is that it can be so depressing — and it’s perfectly fine to celebrate this sad part of the night.

Though “Happy New Year” only received a very limited release as a single in Sweden at the end of 1980, it would go on to have second, third, and fourth lives around the globe.

ABBA: (Singing) Happy New Year. Happy New Year. May we all have a vision now and then. POWERS: And then, on the other hand, there are songs that people have adapted to fit the holiday.

For New Year's Eve, play these songs to get your guests singing, dancing, and having fun. ... "Happy New Year," ABBA. 88. "Good Feeling," Flo Rida. 89. "Welcome to the Future," Brad Paisley.

Mitch Therieau reviews “The Story of ABBA: Melancholy Undercover,” by Jan Gradvall, a book that traces how ABBA brought a new form of Swedish pop to the world.