Mar 31, 2005 10:46
20 yrs ago
9 viewers *
English term
William Ploeg (X)
super trouper
Non-PRO
English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Surely, you know the song "Super Trouper" by Abba. But what does it mean? Is "trouper" a metaphor for something?
Responses
| 5 +6 | See explanation |
Nick Somers (X)
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| 4 -1 | a reliable member of a team |
Kevin Kelly
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| 2 | spotlight |
hirselina
|
| 2 -1 | performing artist |
Michael Bailey
|
Responses
+6
5 mins
Selected
See explanation
Unbelievably, it's a spotlight
Now can we get on with some serious stuff?
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Note added at 5 mins (2005-03-31 10:52:33 GMT)
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http://www.strongint.com/products/Strong_Follow_Spots/STShor...
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Note added at 7 mins (2005-03-31 10:53:57 GMT)
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If you don\'t believe me, check out the lyrics
http://www.musicsonglyrics.com/A/ABBA/ABBA - Super Trouper l...
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Note added at 20 mins (2005-03-31 11:07:28 GMT)
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Or check this site http://www.abbamail.com/ask_ian/askian_29jan2002.htm
which says the following:
I was taking an online ABBA quiz and doing quite well until I got to a question about the song ‘Super Trouper’. I got the album when I was 15 years old and immediately looked up Trouper in the dictionary. It was defined as dedicated performer etc. While I was recently taking this quiz, the question was \"What does ‘Super Trouper’ refer to in the song?\" The answer choices were a) the performer b) the spotlight and some other c) and d). I answered a) the performer and finished the quiz. It was the only question that I got wrong and the answer was supposed to have been b) the spotlight. I though that the person who had written the quiz was mistaken until I read ‘Bright Lights, Dark Shadows’ and Bjorn was quoted as saying that writing ‘Super Trouper’ was hard because it was hard to come up with lyrics about a spotlight. Since \"Trouper\" actually does refer to the performer, at least in the dictionary, is there a brand of spotlight called Trouper or is the song actually written about the lights? Any thoughts? Gretchen Kaehler
As the ABBA Magazine described it in their December 1980 issue, “’Super Trouper’ is the name given by lighting crews to the biggest spotlight in the theatre or circus”. I don’t know the origin of this nickname, but I don’t think it actually comes from a brand name “Trouper”.
Now can we get on with some serious stuff?
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Note added at 5 mins (2005-03-31 10:52:33 GMT)
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http://www.strongint.com/products/Strong_Follow_Spots/STShor...
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Note added at 7 mins (2005-03-31 10:53:57 GMT)
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If you don\'t believe me, check out the lyrics
http://www.musicsonglyrics.com/A/ABBA/ABBA - Super Trouper l...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2005-03-31 11:07:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or check this site http://www.abbamail.com/ask_ian/askian_29jan2002.htm
which says the following:
I was taking an online ABBA quiz and doing quite well until I got to a question about the song ‘Super Trouper’. I got the album when I was 15 years old and immediately looked up Trouper in the dictionary. It was defined as dedicated performer etc. While I was recently taking this quiz, the question was \"What does ‘Super Trouper’ refer to in the song?\" The answer choices were a) the performer b) the spotlight and some other c) and d). I answered a) the performer and finished the quiz. It was the only question that I got wrong and the answer was supposed to have been b) the spotlight. I though that the person who had written the quiz was mistaken until I read ‘Bright Lights, Dark Shadows’ and Bjorn was quoted as saying that writing ‘Super Trouper’ was hard because it was hard to come up with lyrics about a spotlight. Since \"Trouper\" actually does refer to the performer, at least in the dictionary, is there a brand of spotlight called Trouper or is the song actually written about the lights? Any thoughts? Gretchen Kaehler
As the ABBA Magazine described it in their December 1980 issue, “’Super Trouper’ is the name given by lighting crews to the biggest spotlight in the theatre or circus”. I don’t know the origin of this nickname, but I don’t think it actually comes from a brand name “Trouper”.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Charlie Bavington
: Absolutely. For some reason, I remember hearing this explanation on the radio at the time. "Super trooper beams are gonna find me" or something like that :-)
1 min
|
| agree |
Ian M-H (X)
: Want one cheap? http://www.usedintelligentlighting.com/item---search_query--...
2 mins
|
| agree |
Iman Khaireddine
: It's about a singer who's going to be blinded by the giant spotlights on the stage http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A2P49WD75WHAG5/1...
5 mins
|
| neutral |
Will Matter
: A "super trooper" is a policeman & s.t. beams refers to the lights on a police car. Trust me, guys, this is American slang.
6 mins
|
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Nope
|
|
| agree |
Philip Taylor
13 mins
|
| agree |
hirselina
: Had same idea, but slower computer :-)
1 day 4 hrs
|
| agree |
Alfa Trans (X)
1 day 19 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-1
3 mins
Michael Bailey
Austria
Austria
Native in English
&
English
Austria
in-house translator
Native in: English (Variants: British, Scottish, Irish, UK) 
Works in: German to English, English to German, English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
performing artist
Isn't it a song about stagefright? I think that a trouper might be the leader of a performing troupe.
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Charlie Bavington
: in the song, it's a reference to the spotlight, as you can tell from the lyric site you posted, if you care to read them :-) [like, as if you got nothing better to do :-)) ]
7 mins
|
|
one lives and learns... Evidently my student days were not as wisely spent as I thought... :-)
|
-1
4 mins
Kevin Kelly
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Impeccable quality, on-time delivery.
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, English
a reliable member of a team
A "trouper" is someone who can always be counted on, someone who can handle any situation without complaint, someone with endurance and commitment to shared goals.
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Note added at 5 mins (2005-03-31 10:52:33 GMT)
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I believe it comes from the concept of a performing \"troupe\" and the need to be able to endure long hours, challenging performance situations, a lot of travel, etc.
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Note added at 5 mins (2005-03-31 10:52:33 GMT)
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I believe it comes from the concept of a performing \"troupe\" and the need to be able to endure long hours, challenging performance situations, a lot of travel, etc.
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Charlie Bavington
: all true enough, but not for the Abba song.... :-) // 'Fraid not. Let's face it, the question specified the Abba song. In the same way that I avoid Qs about brain surgery, perhaps you should have refrained from answering :-)
7 mins
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Thanks for pointing that out. I'm proud to say that I cannot name two ABBA songs, much less the lyrics. I suppose enlightening William about the much more common meaning of the term "trouper" does not warrant a 'neutral.'
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|
| neutral |
Maria Federica Gaeta
: Even though it was not related to the ABBA song, this reply helped me understand a segment of a thing I'm translating right now, so thank you for not having refrained from answering 18 years ago!
6779 days
|
8 mins
hirselina
Works in field
spotlight
A "super trooper" is a big spotlight :-)
Thus "Like a super trooper beams are gonna find me"
http://www.catkb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/cat-anecdotes/849/OT-Hol...
A super trouper is one of the huge lights used to illuminate a theatre
stage as in:
Thus "Like a super trooper beams are gonna find me"
http://www.catkb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/cat-anecdotes/849/OT-Hol...
A super trouper is one of the huge lights used to illuminate a theatre
stage as in:
Discussion