The Winner Takes It All
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| “The Winner Takes It All” | |||||
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| Single by ABBA from the album Super Trouper |
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| Released | July 21, 1980 | ||||
| Format | Single | ||||
| Genre | Pop | ||||
| Length | 4:54 | ||||
| Label | Polar Music | ||||
| Writer(s) | Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus |
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| Producer | Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus |
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| Certification | Gold (Netherlands) | ||||
| ABBA singles chronology | |||||
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"The Winner Takes It All", originally titled "The Story of My Life", is a legendary song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. Released as the first single from the group's Super Trouper album on July 21, 1980, it is a bittersweet ballad, reflecting the end of a romance, and is assumed to mirror the divorce of group-members Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog. Sometimes, however, the track is used as a sports song. The single's B-side was called "Elaine" and is considered by many to be one of ABBA's better B-sides.
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[edit] History
"The Winner Takes It All" was written by both Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, with Fältskog singing the lead vocal. The lyrics to the song were often rumoured to be inspired by the divorce between Ulvaeus and Fältskog in 1979. However, Ulvaeus himself denies this, saying that "there were no winners" in his and Fältskog's divorce.
"The Winner Takes It All" was something of a deviation from ABBA's previous singles. Earlier ABBA songs focusing on break-ups and relationship problems (e.g. "Knowing Me, Knowing You") tended to have a very happy and upbeat quality to (at least) the music. "The Winner Takes It All", however, was a more sorrowful & poignant song, very much unlike anything that ABBA had done before. The lyrics are one of ABBA's most dramatic and are said to accurately describe the heartbreak and pain of a marriage that has ended. The song consists of several subdued sections in the verse, contrasted with a hugely dramatic build-up to the powerful chorus. In 1981, when the marriage between Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad had come to an end, the group wrote and recorded a song with a similar theme, "When All Is Said And Done".
In a 1999 poll for Channel Five, "The Winner Takes It All" was voted Britain's favorite ABBA song. In a 2006 poll for a Channel Five program, "The Winner Takes It All" was voted "Britain's Favorite Break-Up Song".
[edit] Reception
"The Winner Takes It All" was ABBA's eighth UK chart-topper; their first No.1 in Britain since 1978. It remained at the top for two weeks. An attempt to keep the single at No.1 for a third week by releasing it in 12-inch single form failed, when David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" took over pole position. "The Winner Takes It All" also hit No.1 in Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and South Africa, and reached the Top 10 elsewhere throughout the world, including the United States, where it peaked at No.8 on the Billboard Hot 100, ABBA's fourth and last American Top 10 hit. The song was also the group's second Billboard Adult Contemporary chart-topper (after "Fernando"). "The Winner Takes It All" was also a smash hit in Brazil: it was included on soundtrack of a very famous soap opera in 1980 called "Coração Alado" ("Winged Heart") as the main theme.
"The Winner Takes It All" is also one of the showstopper moments in the ABBA-based musical, Mamma Mia!.
[edit] Chart positions
| Chart (1980) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Singles Chart | 18 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 16 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 13 |
| South African Singles Chart | 12 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 12 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
| German Singles Chart | 4 |
| Zimbabwean Singles Chart | 4 |
| Mexican Singles Chart | 5 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 7 |
| French Singles Chart | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 8 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 10 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 10 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 16 |
| Japanese Singles Chart | 33 |
[edit] Cover versions
- French singer Mireille Mathieu covered the song in French with lyrics by Alain Boublil, called "Bravo, Tu As Gagné" (Translated "Bravo, You've Won"). The recording uses a slightly remixed version of the original ABBA backing track & the lead and backing vocals (by Mathieu, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus) were recorded in the Polar Studios, Stockholm, in December 1980.
- British singer/songwriter Beverly Craven recorded her own light pop version for her 1993 album Love Scenes. It was also released as a single.
- In 1993, Argentine duo Pimpinela recorded a Spanish version of "The Winner Takes It All" titled "Solo Hay Un Ganador" for their album Hay Amores Que Matan.
- Irish pop/rock band The Corrs recorded a version of the song for the Abbamania compilation from 1999. For the 2004 ABBAMania 2 album, the song was covered by TV actress Bernie Nolan.
- Singer Laura Branigan recorded several dance remix covers of the song.
- British singer Samantha Fox recorded a cover for the German ABBA Mania compilation, as well as performing it on the coinciding TV special.
- Over the years, several dance covers of the song have been recorded by artists such as Abbacadabra (released through Almighty Records), German eurodance group E-Rotic on their Thank You For The Music album, Angeleyes on their 1999 ABBAdance album, Crown Twister on the Lay All Your Love On ABBA compilation, Euphorica on their 2003 ABBA Dance album, DJ Ensamble for the ABBA tribute album Trancing Queen, DJ Tom Del Sar, and Frodo Project.
- Singer Hazell Dean released a dance-oriented cover of the song as a single. It was also available on her own ABBA tribute album and on the compilation ABBA: A Tribute - The 25th Anniversary Celebration.
- An electronica cover of the song by Mitchell Sigman can be found on The Electronic Tribute To ABBA compilation.
- American musician/songwriter Pamela McNeill covered the song on her Tribute To ABBA album, which was produced by her husband Dugan McNeill.
- Swedish studio musicians The Black Sweden recorded two versions for their ABBA tribute album Gold, one soft rock, the other acoustic.
- On the compilation ABBAlicious, performed by various U.S. drag queens, the song is covered by Cashetta.
- German singer Janette Biederman has recorded a cover of this song.
- German power metal band At Vance on their 2001 album Dragonchaser.
- American indie singer/songwriter Hannah Fury included a cover of the song on her 2001 EP Meathook.
- Belgian singer Dana Winner covered the song in English for her 2001 album Unforgettable.
- Stage musical singer Michael Ball recorded a version for his 2001 album Centre Stage.
- Synthpop group Queen of Japan covered the song on their 2002 album Headrush.
- German singer Uwe Kröger included a cover of the song on his 2003 solo album From Broadway to Hollywood.
- Swedish opera singer Anne Sofie von Otter covered the song on her ABBA tribute album I Let The Music Speak.
- American actress/singer Jan Gelberman recorded a cover of the song for her album With Love To Share.
- Swedish singer/musician Tommy Körberg recorded a cover of this song.
- A cover of the song by Asian pop band Sweetbox featuring Jade Villalon can be found as a hidden track on the European edition of their 2006 album Addicted. The song was played for the FIFA World Cup of that year.
- Polish singer Lidia Kopania recorded an English cover of this song for her 2006 album Intuicja.
- Italian singer Moony recorded an English cover for her 2006 album Whispering Of The Moon.
- 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.
- A lounge style cover of the song by Trombo Combo was included on their album Trombo Combo: Swedish Sound Deluxe.
[edit] Live performances, appearances in other media, etc.
- Australian singer-songwriter Tina Arena performed the song live during the Night of the Proms tour in 2006.
- American singer Faith Hill covered the song during her Soul2Soul 2007 Tour.
- The song is performed in second act of the Mamma Mia! musical by the character of Donna.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by "Use It Up And Wear It Out" by Odyssey |
UK number one single August 9, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Ashes To Ashes" by David Bowie |
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