ABBA reunites - - or do they?

It makes perfect sense. ABBA, Europop's answer to the Beatles, reunited on July 4, 2008, for the Swedish premiere of the film version of Mamma Mia!, their song-studded musical tribute. This marks the first time the complete foursome, who were the world's most popular group in the Seventies with hits like "Dancing Queen," "SOS," and "Fernando," have appeared in public since they struggled to a protracted breakup 22 years ago. Walking down the red carpet and appearing on a balcony, the group -- comprised of two divorced couples, Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, and Agnetha Faltskog -- appeared happy to be reunited, with the ladies doing an impromptu dance with Mamma movie star Meryl Streep.

Just don't expect it to last, or to translate into studio time: Bjorn told the London Sunday Telegraph a few days later that the group would never record or tour together again, despite offers that have reportedly reached a record $1 billion. "We will never appear on stage again," he said. "We will never appear on stage again. there is simply no motivation to re-group. Money is not a factor and we would like people to remember us as we were, young, exuberant, full of energy and ambition. I remember Robert Plant saying Led Zeppelin were a cover band now because they cover all their own stuff. I think that hit the nail on the head." In the same interview, Andersson praised the film, saying, "You don't just give songs away to anyone to do with what they want. It could have been a disaster. But we did have the power of veto which meant we could have stopped it at any time." Bjorn was particularly taken with the film's star: "Meryl Streep is a goddess. And at first we couldn't believe that she wanted to do it... to hear her delivering the songs with all the emotion we put in the lyrics is more than we could have dreamed of."