While I acknowledge that this movie was released in 2008, and there are other things I should be concerned with, I still feel as though Mama Mia! Original Motion Picture Soundtrack did not receive adequate praise. So I'm here to provide a ranking of the entire soundtrack of this 2000s jukebox romantic comedy musical whether you asked for it or not. I will be considering both the music and the scene to choose each song's rank. If you haven't seen this movie yet, first of all: you're dead to me, and second: please watch Mama Mia! immediately and revisit this. I'm going to play the soundtrack and rank the songs as I listen; I recommend you do the same!
1. Lay All Your Love On Me
The connection between Sophie and her fiancé in this song and steamy beach scene is overpowering. The young love and sexual energy between them is so apparent in their lusting body language and the lyrics of this ABBA masterpiece. Amanda Seyfried's beautiful voice laced with an ensemble of female background singers is absolutely angelic. The gorgeous male backup singers running out on the dock with choreography, flippers, and tiny swim trunks.... muah chef's kiss.
2. Dancing Queen
Who hasn't thrown their arms up and left it all on the dance floor to this iconic tune? We all want to be the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen again. Parading through the streets of a Greek island in costume with the entire town singing and dancing behind you? Don't tell me that's not your ultimate dream in life. Even if you don't fantasize about Greek flash mobs, Dancing Queen is an absolute classic, an amazing party song, and a timeless tune that will be enjoyed for all of eternity.
3. Voulez-Vous
This song adorns the bachelor party's infiltration of the bachelorette party, and is impeccable in its chaotic and animal nature. The scene begins with the masked men climbing up the side of the mountain to meet the calling women. The men swing into the party on ropes and after a mad rush to find dance partners, the fiery rotating dance sequence begins around the soon-to-be-weds. The high energy and wild choreography puts this song at number three on my ranking list.
4. Mama Mia
ABBA, you really outdid yourself on this one. I can't even help myself from belting out the lyrics to this song with explosive emotion and aggressive jazz hands. Whenever I hear that little piano riff at the beginning, I get ready for my performance of a lifetime. Donna's (Meryl Streep) sudden discovery of her three ex-lovers and her dramatic display across the island will always be iconic.
5. Money, Money, Money
Rhythmic piano beats, fantasy yacht scenes, and Meryl Streep wailing out in despair… What more could you ask for? Donna fantasizes about her dream life while she's stuck running the old hotel and has a choreographed entourage of islanders enhance her performance, of course. This song is so undeniably catchy, there's no way you'll be able to resist joining in on the locals' chimes of, "Ain't it sad?" and "That's too bad!"
6. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
The initial rugged electric guitar riffs and the rather aggressive violin sequence that swoops in really lets the audience know what they're in for on this one: chaos. A cultish vibe is set for the bachelorette party scene; complete with spinning camera shots, dancing in the tiki-torch night, and an underlying note of human sacrifice. The hungry women scour the island for male companionship, and when they find men (two of Sophia's possible fathers) the girls drag them onto the dance floor. The beautiful women tie the men up and run their hands all over them while this amazing song blares at the party. Obviously, I love this scene.
7. Take a Chance on Me
After every other character has found love in the movie, Rosie gets up on the tables at the wedding reception and pursues Bill very aggressively and publicly… amazing stuff. Bill's horror combined with the crowd's support of Rosie's unapologetic flirting and man-chasing is a crowd pleaser. To top things off, the song ends nicely with a happily-ever-after feeling.
8. Does Your Mother Know?
When a MUCH younger man tries his chances with an experienced woman like Tanya (Christine Baranski), she reminds him that "Little boys who play with fire get their fingers burned." It's perfect to watch this beautiful, powerful, older woman be swooned over by a bunch of young men with her response being, "Does your mother know that you're out?" This song is such a flirtatious and comical moment to break up the dramatics of the film.
9. Super Trouper
I love this song, the choreography, the costumes, and the badass energy that these three older women serve in this performance. Donna and the Dynamos have really done it again. This amazing performance shows you that these ladies will never lose their youthful glow and their infinite bond with each other. And the baritone shoop-ba-ba… you just can't beat it.
10. Honey, Honey
Sophie reads her mother's diary of old loves during this song and reenacts some of the readings with her friends who double as backup singers. The playful nature of this song along with the naughty stories of her mother's youth always puts a smile on my face. Honey, Honey is a cheery sing-along and an amazing start to the film that sets the stage for the entire movie.
11. Our Last Summer
Although this is a slower, more heartfelt song compared to the other timeless bops, I still love this song. It's a feel good tune that creates sweet nostalgia and sets up the relationship between Sophie and her three possible dads. Old men reminiscing on their glory days is always interesting, I guess.
12. SOS
This is definitely near the bottom end of the ranking list but I enjoy this song nonetheless. While Sam and Donna play cat and mouse with their emotional past, they sing to one another but the other person never seems to hear their lover's desperate calls. It's no Dancing Queen of course, but it's a song to reconcile old love, and I can appreciate that.
13. Slipping Through My Fingers
I'll admit, this one is a tear-jerker, but it paints a beautiful picture of eternal motherly love. As Sophie gets ready for her wedding, her mother sings the ultimate anthem of growing up too fast as they share beautiful moments together in this emotionally charged song. But I'm pretty sad at this point so this song is getting bumped down a few ranks.
14. The Winner Takes It All
Meryl, please, take mercy on my heart; I can't stand this sadness. I purposefully listen to Mama Mia! to boost my mood and I literally just started crying. Although this is not what I came here for, the dramatics of this scene are on point as Sam yells streetcar-style, "Donna!" up the mountainside by the end of the song.
