Rocky, 1978: The happiness that no one was supposed to see

October 7, 1978, 19.00 o'clock. A brightly lighted mansion in Stockholm's northern suburb Lidingö. The residents, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, welcome their guests at the entrance door, who are about to find out the reason for this intimate party. Because - apart from Benny and Anni-Frid - only Björn and Agnetha as well as manager Stig Anderson are in the know: a wedding is celebrated at this occasion!

Indeed, up till now no one has ever got married in Sweden as secretive as now. Under the exclusion of any publicity Benny and Anni-Frid sealed eight years of living together and seven years of engagement with a simple wedding vow in the small church of Lidingö. Even their relatives were unaware of this event that already took place the day before.

Benny: "The hype surrounding Björn and Agnetha's marriage had been enough for us. This is a private matter that we are entitled to."

The party - that reminded one more of a conspiracy and that didn't even have relatives under its 25 attendants - took the wider public by complete surprise. Everyone assumed that the four successful Swedes were fully occupied with the recording of their new album. Anyhow, a honeymoon is out of the question. Benny and Anni-Frid aren't particularly longing for that either.

"We are on the road often enough. In November, we're off to America and in January we will appear in Musikladen in Germany. That's why we are enjoying every single minute now between our four private walls."

Understandable. And belated best wishes!