O'Connor was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England, to Irish parents and subsequently raised and trained in Sydney, Australia. She trained at the Royal Ballet School in London and worked full-time at the Australian Opera Ballet. She became an Australian Citizen in 2007 giving her dual citizenship.
O'Connor's film work includes the featured role of Nini Legs in the Air in Baz Luhrmann's film Moulin Rouge!, and as Ethel Merman in the Cole Porter biopic De-Lovely. She also featured on the De-Lovely soundtrack, singing Anything Goes.
In 2003 O'Connor made her Broadway debut as Velma Kelly in Chicago. Her West End theatre performances include Mabel in Mack & Mabel for which she received an Olivier nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. O'Connor was a member of the original 1986 revival cast of Me and My Girl at the Adelphi Theatre.
O'Connor's other UK theatre credits include A Chorus Line, Hold on Tight it's 60's Night, Chicago, Damn Yankees, West Side Story and as Ellie May in Showboat for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Opera North.
In 1998, O'Connor returned to Australia as Velma Kelly in Chicago for which she won a Green Room Award and the Mo Award for Female Musical Theatre Performer of the Year. Other Australian productions include the one woman play Bombshells written especially for Caroline O'Connor by playwright Joanna Murray-Smith, West Side Story, Man of La Mancha, Oklahoma! and concert productions of Funny Girl and Mack & Mabel. She has since filmed Bombshells for ABC Television. Her portrayal of Edith Piaf in Pam Gems's play Piaf gained her three Australian theatre awards.
Bombshells toured to sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Festival (where she won the coveted Fringe First Award), London's West End at the Arts Theatre (for which she received her second Laurence Olivier Award nomination), and at the World Stage Festival in Toronto, Canada. O'Connor starred as Judy Garland in the 2005 world premiere of Peter Quilter's play End of the Rainbow at the Sydney Opera House. Following its Sydney and Melbourne seasons, Caroline recorded the CD A Tribute to Judy Garland, and reprised her Helpmann Award winning role in Sydney at the Theatre Royal in 2006.
She starred in the premiere production of the musical The Hatpin, which opened in Sydney on 27 February 2008 to critical acclaim. In June 2008, she played the title role —a role specifically written for O'Connor— in the premiere of David Williamson's 2008 play Scarlett O'Hara at the Crimson Parrot at the Melbourne Theatre Company.
O'Connor has recorded four solo CDs (What I Did For Love, A Tribute To Piaf, From Stage to Screen, A Tribute to Garland), and has featured on numerous cast recordings and compilations.
In March 2009, O'Connor reprised her role as Velma Kelly in the 2009 Australian production of Chicago where she starred alongside Sharon Millerchip and Craig McLachlan.
In May 2010, she appeared as Mrs Cooper in the TV series, Lowdown.
Dancing Queen
Caroline O'Connor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen
Friday night and the lights are low
Where they play the right music
Getting in the swing
You come to look for a king
Anybody could be that guy
Night is young and the music's high
With a bit of rock music
Everything is fine
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance
You are the dancing queen
Young and sweet
Only seventeen
Dancing queen
Feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen
You're a teaser, you turn 'em on
Leave 'em burning and then you're gone
Looking out for another
Anyone will do
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance
You are the dancing queen
Young and sweet
Only seventeen
Dancing queen
Feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen
Caroline O'Connor's song Dancing Queen is a classic anthem about a young woman's love for dancing and the freedom it brings. The chorus proclaims, "You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen" which suggests that the singer in the song is a teenage girl. Despite this, the lyrics are not truly about age, but more about the feelings and experiences that one has when they are young and carefree.
The song sets the scene of a Friday night when the night is young and the singer is looking for a place to go where she can dance and have fun. The verses hint at the idea of her being on the prowl for a romantic partner, but it is clear that her main goal is to enjoy the music and dance her heart out. The lyrics, "With a bit of rock music, everything is fine, you're in the mood for a dance" show the transformative and uplifting power of music and how it can change one's mood and energy.
One could argue that Dancing Queen is a feminist anthem, as it emphasizes the singer's independence and ability to enjoy her own company. She is not waiting for a man to ask her to dance or give her permission to enjoy herself, but rather she is confident in her own skin and willing to take the lead. The song is surely a celebration of life and encourages us to let loose and have fun on the dance floor.
Line by Line Meaning
You can dance
You have the freedom to move your body rhythmically to the music
You can jive
You can dance energetically and happily
Having the time of your life
Enjoying every moment of this dancing experience
See that girl
Looking at that other woman on the dance floor
Watch that scene
Observing that pleasurable environment filled with music, laughter and dance
Dig in the dancing queen
Fully participating in the energetic vibe created by this woman who excels at dancing
Friday night and the lights are low
It's a Friday evening and the lighting is subdued
Looking out for a place to go
Seeking a suitable location for socialising
Where they play the right music
Going to a place that plays enjoyable music
Getting in the swing
Adapting to the current upbeat environment
You come to look for a king
You are ready to meet someone special
Anybody could be that guy
Any man could potentially be the one you've been looking for
Night is young and the music's high
It's still early in the night and the music is loud and lively
With a bit of rock music
A mix of rock music adds more excitement to the atmosphere
Everything is fine
You feel content and happy
You're in the mood for a dance
You feel like dancing
And when you get the chance
When the opportunity arises
You are the dancing queen
You are an excellent dancer who is the life of the party
Young and sweet
You are youthful and charming
Only seventeen
You are still very young
Feel the beat from the tambourine
Sensing the rhythm and percussion of the music
You're a teaser, you turn 'em on
You are a flirtatious person who arouses interest in others
Leave 'em burning and then you're gone
Once you've captured their attention, you quickly move on
Looking out for another
Searching for the next person to enchant
Anyone will do
Anyone could be your next dance partner or romantic interest
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Benny Goran Bror Andersson, Bjoern K. Ulvaeus, Stig Erik Leopold Anderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind