The song has a “catchy bass synth riff” in the chorus. An “innovative vocal countermelody” in these choruses marks the start of a “steady rise in complexity when it came to vocal arrangements”
[Verse 1]
Went to buy me a paper at the local newsstand
And then I heard them laugh and say
"Look, they're gonna go flying way up to the moon now
Hey, what's it good for anyway?"
[Pre-Chorus]
So I said, "Fellas, like to ask you a thing if I may"
[Chorus]
What about Livingstone?
What about all those men
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while
Travelling up the Nile
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
What about Livingstone?
[Verse 2]
And all of those fellas at the local newsstand
Didn't know what to answer or what to say
So I told them about him, that he was just like
One of those spacemen in his way
[Pre-Chorus]
And if you laugh at them, then there's only a thing I can say
[Chorus]
What about Livingstone?
What about all those men
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while
Travelling up the Nile
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest?
Wasn't it worth it then?
[Chorus]
What about Livingstone? (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
What about all those men (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
Tell me, wasn't it worth the while (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Travelling up the Nile (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Putting themselves on test
Didn't that help the rest? (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Wasn't it worth it then?
[Outro]
What about Livingstone? (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
What about all those men (Didn't he do it, well didn't he?)
Who have sacrificed their lives to lead the way?
What About Livingstone? was written by Björn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson.
What About Livingstone? was produced by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus.
ABBA released What About Livingstone? on Mon Mar 04 1974.