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"Head over Heels" is the title of a 1981 song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, released as a single the following year. It was extracted from their final studio album, The Visitors, and coupled with the title track of that album as the B-side.
[edit] History
"Head over Heels" was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The lead vocal was sung by Agnetha Fältskog, singing about her "very good friend," played in the music video by Anni-Frid Lyngstad, an overactive high-society woman who rushes through the shops, with her hapless and exhausted husband (played by Andersson) following behind. The song begins with a catchy fairground-style rhythm, with Ulvaeus on piano, and is a very upbeat tune, considering that by this time, ABBA's single and album releases had become more and more sombre and depressing in the wake of the breakup of both marriages in the group.
As with the previous single "One of Us," Epic Records in the UK used a different picture sleeve from the standard one used in most countries. Again, an out-of-date photo of Frida was used on the UK artwork, with Frida still being depicted with her old frizzy perm hairstyle.
[edit] Reception
"Head over Heels" was not by any means a successful chart hit by ABBA's standards. The release came as the group's popularity was declining, and only managed to chart as high as No.25 in the UK, breaking a run of eighteen consecutive Top 10 hits (from "SOS" in October 1975 to "One of Us" in December 1981). This eighteen-hit run had equalled that of The Beatles, who had consecutive Top 10 hits from 1964 (with "A Hard Day's Night") to 1976 (with "Yesterday"), broken by "Back in the U.S.S.R.". Although "Head over Heels" did experience Top 10 success in Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and France, by this time, ABBA's chart domination was all but over, and the group effectively disbanded a year later.
[edit] Chart positions
| Chart (1982) |
Position |
| Belgian Singles Chart |
2 |
| Dutch Singles Chart |
4 |
| Austrian Singles Chart |
8 |
| French Singles Chart |
10 |
| Swiss Singles Chart |
18 |
| UK Singles Chart |
25 |
| Mexican Singles Chart |
45 |
[edit] Cover versions
- A cover of the song by Finnish a cappella choral ensemble Rajaton can be found on their 2006 ABBA tribute album Rajaton Sings ABBA With Lahti Symphony Orchestra.
