The older you get, the more ABBA's songs match your personal life experiences. They literally painted the human experience in music. There's songs for first love, songs for infatuation, song's for divorce, song's for children growing. Every meaningful stage of a person's journey has been laid bare by one of their songs.
Björn Ulvaeus, who was married to Agnetha, wrote the song as a reflection on their relationship and divorce. Benny was married to Anni-frid. It was on their last big album and is still a classic. No beating the harmonies and melodies of ABBA!
Yeah they were married before the start of ABBA and they had 2 children together. Benny & Frida were also a couple before the start of the band & they finally got married in 1978. No children though
@@DanCanReactIt's quite striking (and I don't know if it's on purpose) that, during the final chorus, it's Björn who sings "and the loser". Did he consider himself the loser in their separation?🤔
@@youtpfpm6097They have both stated that the breakup was amicable and that there was no winner or loser. Yet I understand that Björn had some drinking problems at the time, which may have contributed to the breakup, and if so it would not be odd if he felt he had screwed up and lost what was important to him.
Agnetha is one of the most perfectly emotive (vocal and visual) artists of all time. Sure, she's probably thinking of when to dig up the stinky lutefisk for midsommer at the time, bet she somehow manages to deliver some of the most emotionally resonant performances I have ever seen or heard.
@@DanCanReact You might want to react to “Waterloo” next…that was the song that brought ABBA to international stardom. The competed in an international music competition called Eurovision performing it, and they won.
While sad to lose a talented man, he wasn’t their main drummer. He didn’t play much with them. 4 songs total. 4 great songs mind you; Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Take a Chance on Me, and Thank You for the Music. Ola Brunkert was their main drummer who played on the majority of their songs and appeared on every AꓭBA album aside from Voyage. Per Lindvall is their Voyage drummer. He first played on 2 tracks on the Visitors album. He was only 21 at the time.
I'm an 18-year-old Gen Z. And I mainly listen to electronic music and the hard stuff along side it such as dubtsep etc. But I grew up listening to whatever my parents listened to, and no surprise; ABBA dominated my ears. I have a soft spot for this type of music and I absolutely cherish their style and always have. Even though I've slowed down listening to my parents music and started becoming more focused on my taste in music, I still thank my parents for playing this type of music for me growing up :)
Greatest Pop Song Ever! Agnetha is an Angel. Her husband Bjorn wrote this about their marriage breakup, and she recorded it as The Divorce Papers were being finalized. Agnetha said the divorce was devastating - thus the raw emotion.
@@DanCanReact - ABBA was so successful they were touring all the time, and Agnetha could not bear being away from their 2 children, so it led to the divorce - and within a year, the breakup of the band. Following the band's breakup - Benny and Frida divorced. It was devastating for us ABBA fans.
@@tomnoziglia8385No the divorces came first, THEN the breakup of the band. Agnetha & Bjorn divorced at the end of ‘79. Benny & Frida divorced in ‘81. The band officially broke up in ‘82.
ABBA always delivers strong and beautiful true emotions everyone can relate to❤🇸🇪 This is a slow and beautiful farewell to Agnetha's and Björn's marriage as you can tell, it was over and so was ABBA until they returned in 2021. Thank you for another excellent video reaction ❤🇸🇪
Agnetha said this song was tough to sing, but she could put all her emotions to it cos this was inspired by her divorce from the guitarrist Björn. He wrote it for her to sing it. It’t a therapy song for both of them.
This song is about the divorce from her husband who plays guitar in the same band, Bjorn. She said it was hard to sing, because of that, but was able to put everything into it, a song he wrote for her. This is such an intimate true to life song that's absolutely incredible!!!!!!
Thanks for reacting to this song, truly glad you like it. ABBA songs are sometimes somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster ride, imo, both within songs and when compared with other songs of theirs. I hope you'll enjoy your way through a fair number of them, at least. Perhaps one or the other of the following is amongst possible suggestions presented to you(?): "Kisses of Fire", "Angeleyes", "Waterloo", "When I Kissed the Teacher", "The Day Before You Came", "Voulez-Vous", "Summer Night City", "The Piper", "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)", "Dancing Queen", "Head Over Heels", "Does Your Mother Know", "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)",... Well, I could just go on... Hope you'll carry on! Thanks!
Some of these I've already heard (since my sister is an ABBA fan who used to play their MAIN songs all the time), this is one of them that I don't remember hearing. Voulez-vous, Dancing Queen and Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! are ones I've mainly heard already!
Sheer grief coming from her broken heart. How she managed to keeping singing without breaking down, I admire and respect most. I love ABBA and it's Dec 2024, and I am 73.
Same here, it's truly admirable how she was able to even entertain the idea of singing something so personal, let alone actually doing it. Big respect to Agnetha.
ABBA is acronim with initials of Their first names, two swedish couples: Agnetha (blonde singer) & Björn (guitarist songwriter) Benny (pianist songwriter) & Anni Frid 'Frida' (brunette singer) both couples separated before the break up of the group "The winner takes it all" (1980) is one of the Best Songs by ABBA and the Most sad and emotional too The best lyrics and the greatest performing with the amazing Interpretation of the lead singer The lyrics is a fiction, it is not about Their real life, although it is obviously influenced by Their own experiences and the realization of the legal divorce in the middle of 1980, even though They were no longer a couple or lived together more than a year and half ago, at the end of 1978 "The winner takes it all" was voted the Best ABBA song by British fans and Is the favourite ABBA song of the blonde singer Agnetha I suggest to see the next single in the same album "Super Trouper" (1980) with the brunette singer Frida in lead voice ABBA have more than 20 worldwide hits between 1972/1982: Waterloo, Fernando, Dancing Queen, Take a chance on me, Chiquitita All these songs are in your album recopilation GOLD (1992) that have much more than 1.100 weeks at Top 100 in UK Official Charts (first group singer or artist to do it) And return in 2021 (after almost 40 years) with a new album Voyage and new concerts in Londin UK since May 2022 (with ABBAtars of themselfes and a live band)
The video was shot ten days after the divorce of Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog was officially declared by the courts. Ulvaeus denies the song is about his and Fältskog's divorce, saying the basis of the song "is the experience of a divorce, but it's fiction. 'Cause one thing I can say is that there wasn't a winner or a loser in our case. A lot of people think it's straight out of reality, but it's not". However, Ulvaeus admitted that the heartache of their breakup inspired the song, but noted that the words in the song should not be taken literally. He said: "Neither Agnetha nor I were winners in our divorce."
Abba was the soundtrack to much of my childhood - you will enjoy diving into their catalogue. The guys (Benny and Bjorn) tried their hand at musical theatre writing the show 'Chess', which had a couple of songs that broke into the pop charts ("One night in Bangkok" and "I know him so well"). For fun, a great listen is "Nobody's Side" from this show, as the chorus has the unmistakable ABBA signature sound, even without the girls singing it.
Interesting! I have been increasingly into chess as of late, so hearing that they made a musical out of that caught my attention. I'll definitely check that out, since the plot sounds intriguing (from my brief research). Thanks for the other recommendations as well!
It's one of ABBA's top 3 most popular break-up songs that are a "GOLD"-en treasure to Universal pop-music.'The Winner takes it all"/"Knowing Me Knowing You" and the prophetic "SOS".I personally can't really see many break-up ballads which are so impactful in later decades music scene.They are numbered.
People who says that they don´t love ABBA, are lying. Now, incredible voices. If you have heard this band, take no notice. Nightwish. A finnish symphonic metal band is something out of this world. If you feel like reacting to them, my suggestion to start with would be their official live video "Ghost Love Score" - live at Wacken open air, 2013. Their current singer, Floor Jansen (dutch, living in Sweden) has a voice that not many people can compare with.
Thanks for the suggestion! Right now, I'm strategically listening to the most popular songs, from humongous artists (so I can draw in attention), but once I have an established enough viewer base, I'd love to listen to new artists like them! Took a peak, the band seems great.
That was from a superb multi-platinum no1 album which gave 2 no1 singles in 1980.The other single was titled 'Super Trouper" same as the LP's name.Both majestic.
The song that got me into ABBA is "SOS" which I saw them perform on American Bandstand in late 1975. That clip is available here on TH-cam and I would suggest it over the official video, which isn't as good. Another favorite is "Knowing Me, Knowing You." Great reaction to this classic:))
Be sure to watch the official ABBA video "When all is said and done". Frida is the soloist in it. After the release of this song, she said that she put all the bitterness and pain of her divorce from Benny into the performance 👋
Appreciate it! At first it was to avoid any copyright issues (which it doesn't help that much), but I like it stylistically so I plan to keep framing my videos that way in the future. Glad you like it.
Great reaction. There are lots of other incredible ABBA songs to explore. Mamma Mia, Knowing Me Knowing You, The Name of the Game, etc. I’d also love to see your take on Blondies music from the same era (Heart of Glass, etc)
Mamma Mia is one of the few songs that I've already listened to before these reactions, but the rest I haven't heard, so I'll definitely do them in the future!
Great reaction. The song is about her and Björn's marriage coming to an end.... You should check them out singing The Way Old Friends Do (live) at Wembley, London. Thanks
thanks for that reaction. and now, some may throw stones on me, my recommendation for you ist the version sung by meryl streep from the first 'mamma mia'-movie. idk, if its possible, but for me is it the better one. more intense and darker in the voice... love it. ;)
I might consider watching the Mamma Mia movie on the channel, that way I can listen to all the renditions of the songs and enjoy a new film (for me) with great music!
Kaysee here ... a great ABBA song but I have to admit my two favourites are Fernando and I Do I Do I Do I Do (not sure how many I Do's are in the title hahaha). I'd love to see your reaction to these two songs 🙂
Unfortunately Kaysee, I have listened to Fernando many times already, but I Do I Do I Do I Do I believe I haven't listened to! Will consider that one for the future 😁
Band member Björn -(guitarist) was her husband and they split up in 1979 and the divorce came through in 1980 and he wrote the song two week after their divorce. This is the original film clip and the heavy blue eye-shadow around her eyes is because her eyes were really red through breaking down in tears when she got to the part "Tell me does she kiss like I used to kiss you" I believe it took them several attempts for Agnetha to get through singing the song. th-cam.com/video/5HJmW8EY8m0/w-d-xo.html
It's alright, I listen to the songs another time after so I can make some more informed commentary at the end, I never really miss anything that way! 😁
Ma top-5 fave Abba official video-clips 'Knowing Me Knowing You"/''The Winner..."/Money Money Money/"The Day before you came"their final one,it's like a French film noir cinematic piece in colour/"That's me"(an album track but the girls looks so beauuutiful,so seductive and the song sounds as well).Feels like perfumed springtime all over the nature ps...Runners up ';Gimme Gimme Gimme"1979/"I Still Have Fath In You"2021.
I recommend you a Spanish singer her name is Diana Navarro with the song "El perdón" she is a singer that transmits a lot when she sings and has incredible melismas. She is also very versatile when it comes to singing. She sings different musical styles. Best regards
'The day before You came' is even better also sad , but this is more famous. 'Super Trouper' title song from this same album is complete opposite, one of their best pop!
She was married to one guy in the group, the other couple were also married, she split up with him, he wrote the song based on what happened. Sung so real.(both couples split in the end)
I hope you listened to (or read) the lyrics. It was heartfelt for Agnetha (pronounced ag-NyET-uh) to sing about her divorce, when it is her ex-husband who wrote it about th em. ABBA is comprised of two couples (their name is an acronym): Agnetha, Benny, Björn and Anna-Frid (Frida).
I keep saying this, but I don't understand how she could still continue on with her ex partner after separating. Being in a band with them all the time after that would be so painful.
@@DanCanReact Just like Sonny & Cher did or Fleetwood Mac. When you're a supergroup making the big bucks there's a separate business component. Of course they all ended up breaking up soon after (and reuniting at times for brief tours).
@@DanCanReact Well what makes this song more poignant is that it was their last huge hit (and their biggest transitioning into the 1980's). They had a couple other around the same time, but this was the beginning of the end for the 1970s supergroup.
The song is about the divorce of Bjorn and wife Agnetha Faltskog on lead here, It had to be a very emotional song for her to sing. They divorced the prior year in 1979 the same year i graduated from High School.
I don't know if you're into metal, but might I suggest a cover of this song by Swede Tommy Johansson. He's done quite a few covers of ABBA's songs since 2011, all top-notch covers.
Great reaction, ABBA was fantastic and still are. Why not react to Tommy Johanssons metal cover of this one, he has another take on it and it works so well. By the way he is also fantastic ❤ You got a sub from me with hope of Tommy J.
That was Agnetha and Bjorn’s break up song, so now you have to react to Frida and Benny’s one - “When All is Said and Done”. Frida’s vocals are amazing, but it is equally sad as The Winner Takes it All.
There was never any 'corner' of ABBA music that was not filled with melody. The female voices were 'overdubbed' in many of their releases and contributed to their unique sound. Agnetha and Frida both had successful Music Careers before the band ABBA. Agnetha was married to Bjorn, who, were going through a divorce when this song was recorded. Frida and Benny were an item but later split. However, they continued to perform for quite a while after both couples seperated.
@@DanCanReact I think all of her Swedish albums are on YT, as well as Anni=Frid's. Here is one link I found th-cam.com/video/977v8CmsB6g/w-d-xo.html . Also Bjorn was a founding member of the 'Hootenanny Singers'. Every time anyone mentions this, he cringes, not because of their music but he marvels at the stupidity of the name.
If I understood rightly you haven't heard many ABBA's song. I'd recommend you to listen to almost any of their songs. But I really like "One of us". Again ABBA's (Björn to be more accurate) talking about heartbreak and breakups... their own ones. They always sang about their own love lives. You already know the band consisted on two married couples that got divorced along the way. So it was kind of speaking up about their problems.
I've always imagined this song being a moment in time in the courtroom after the judge finalized their divorce... and then he comes up to her to shake her hand... heartbreaking! He's even brought his new girfriend to the hearing (the b*** he is)... and looking over at her she wonders: Does she kiss like I used to kiss you?... Aaaaahhwww 😥😥😭😭
That's an interesting way to think about it. Regardless of what happened, this song must have really hurt to sing and put out, especially considering the timing.
Hi, very beautiful, the city in Canada, some places remind me of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, if you want to react to Brazilian songs, they are beautiful, they have good rhythms, the language is beautiful, we don't speak Spanish and we don't speak Portuguese
Great that you mention amazing background vocals especially Frida's part is very underrated. So solid and pure from start to end. And I agree Chiquitita is better Spanish. Same is Fernando.
Björn wrote the lyrics that Agnetha sang. I think she broke up with him. Artists can and will "just" create, it doesn't have to be exactly biographical. ABBA can both be biographical, but also just very creative and put stories together (well mostly Björm, since he usually wrote the lyrics). That's how art works. But that this song was intense for Agnetha to sing, that is true, even though it was somewhat reversed. Divorce/splits are hard. She did it magestically!
To have to sing that after the divorce and keep on with the banned must have been so painful. Props on her them for being able to do that, I wouldn't have been able to.
@@DanCanReact I think they were pretty professional, but sure it's never easy. They kept going a while after Benny and Fridas divorce too later on, so they could manage. But finally they went on a "break", for almost 40 years until the next album came out. Something to react to perhaps? (I don't think I could do it either to be honest, but they were very grown up about it, mostly.) Great people, everyone of them. ❤️
@@DanCanReact Rumour has it that Agnetha got very emotional and kinda wet eyed when she was presented the song and the lyrics.She was asked if it's ok to manage this if she can do it and of course she agreed cause even though it possibly pulled some strings subconsciously in her she was also fascinated and as she stated it was a big 'challenge' to even perform as a role such a great song..And that was the result.A breakup masterpiece that stood the test of time.Think tht this was recorded 44 years back yet it still sounds relevan if not unbeatable i could say.
Her former husband (Björn) writes this about their own divorce and make her sing it.. No surprise that ABBA split up after this, also Benny and Frida.. Still the best of our swedish music heritage, and a amazing hit of course, of all times! 😀
ABBA were together almost 2 years after this song was recorded in 1980. 🙂 They finished/released the following album The Visitors in 1981 and were even part way through recording the next album after that when they split up in December 1982. From those sessions you should check out the last song they recorded for 40 years, The Day Before You Came” - total masterpiece!
Could you try react to the Norwegian national treasure Sissel Kyrkjebø performing "Unchained Melody"? She is considered one of the world's top crossover sopranos and performed the vocals in the Titanic movie. Her voice is amazing, you will be amazed.
@@DanCanReact Yeah, painful for both of them. Yet perhaps cathartic too. She has said that she was a homebody, wanted to quit touring and raise their children. He disagreed. She chose a private life, but there was never any hate between them, and they still collaborate now.
Both are exceptional.Karen was for me the perfect crystal clear contralto while Agnetha is a great mettalic soprano vocalist.Both mainstream but different colours , both had a unique identity.Utopic i would say.Btw Karen did an unplugged Abba cover in a live tv show in 1978,Song was 'Thank you for the music".Decades later on Agnetha praised Karen's phenomenal voice in a 2013 radio interview choosing 'Yesterday once more" as one of her Carpenters faves and also expressed her admiration for Richard as an arranger.She also reffered to a brief meeting both bands had in a German tv show('Starparade") back in 1978.How nice!
Nobody gets it. ABBA are 2 sets of couples married. Piano guy with the brunette. The blonde girl with the guitarist. Winner takes it all starts with when they were happy. Then she starts singing telling her story about her ex husband the guitarist that left her for another. Yes she sings it when they are not together as a couple. Winner takes it all is about her loosing and the 3 others are winners. Then ABBA the group falls apart for ever.
Unfortunately story to the song is kinda sad but chorus is jolly groovy.I personally love the 'Ultra Trax Special Dj mix" to the original mix..It's Super!A fine '80s synth dance flavoured intrumentation with adventurous playful vocal sections that took advantage of Agnetha's voice in a cute way.
The older you get, the more ABBA's songs match your personal life experiences. They literally painted the human experience in music. There's songs for first love, songs for infatuation, song's for divorce, song's for children growing. Every meaningful stage of a person's journey has been laid bare by one of their songs.
Yeah, and that's another reason why I love their music!!
Björn Ulvaeus, who was married to Agnetha, wrote the song as a reflection on their relationship and divorce. Benny was married to Anni-frid. It was on their last big album and is still a classic. No beating the harmonies and melodies of ABBA!
I'm still shocked upon learning that Agnetha and Björn were married, it must have been hard to perform this, considering they were separated.
Yeah they were married before the start of ABBA and they had 2 children together. Benny & Frida were also a couple before the start of the band & they finally got married in 1978. No children though
@@DanCanReactIt's quite striking (and I don't know if it's on purpose) that, during the final chorus, it's Björn who sings "and the loser". Did he consider himself the loser in their separation?🤔
@@DanCanReact She's said it's her favourite song of theirs. She was always great with the emotional songs
@@youtpfpm6097They have both stated that the breakup was amicable and that there was no winner or loser. Yet I understand that Björn had some drinking problems at the time, which may have contributed to the breakup, and if so it would not be odd if he felt he had screwed up and lost what was important to him.
Agnetha is one of the most perfectly emotive (vocal and visual) artists of all time.
Sure, she's probably thinking of when to dig up the stinky lutefisk for midsommer at the time, bet she somehow manages to deliver some of the most emotionally resonant performances I have ever seen or heard.
I love all of the members of ABBA, all so talented 🥰
Honestly, I couldn’t name a bad ABBA song. Their songs hold up nearly 50 years later.
I'm excited to hear that they don't have bad songs, it'll make my reactions that much better!
@@DanCanReact You might want to react to “Waterloo” next…that was the song that brought ABBA to international stardom. The competed in an international music competition called Eurovision performing it, and they won.
ABBA's drummer Roger Palm died today, 75 years old, suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Rest in Peace, Roger. Vila i frid!
Vila i frid 🥀
May he rest in peace, that's awful.
Very Sad :(
While sad to lose a talented man, he wasn’t their main drummer. He didn’t play much with them. 4 songs total. 4 great songs mind you; Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Take a Chance on Me, and Thank You for the Music.
Ola Brunkert was their main drummer who played on the majority of their songs and appeared on every AꓭBA album aside from Voyage. Per Lindvall is their Voyage drummer. He first played on 2 tracks on the Visitors album. He was only 21 at the time.
So sad. I lost my beloved dad to Alzheimer’s the dad after Father’s Day. ❤❤ 75 is young.
I'm an 18-year-old Gen Z. And I mainly listen to electronic music and the hard stuff along side it such as dubtsep etc. But I grew up listening to whatever my parents listened to, and no surprise; ABBA dominated my ears. I have a soft spot for this type of music and I absolutely cherish their style and always have. Even though I've slowed down listening to my parents music and started becoming more focused on my taste in music, I still thank my parents for playing this type of music for me growing up :)
Yeah, this type of music just has a level of quality that modern music doesn't have anymore. Good taste!
Greatest Pop Song Ever! Agnetha is an Angel. Her husband Bjorn wrote this about their marriage breakup, and she recorded it as The Divorce Papers were being finalized. Agnetha said the divorce was devastating - thus the raw emotion.
Yeah, you could see it in her face. I wonder why they divorced..
@@DanCanReact - ABBA was so successful they were touring all the time, and Agnetha could not bear being away from their 2 children, so it led to the divorce - and within a year, the breakup of the band. Following the band's breakup - Benny and Frida divorced. It was devastating for us ABBA fans.
@@DanCanReact - I also recommend the song "When All is Said and Done" sung by Frida, which is her and Benny's breaup song. It's incredible.
@@tomnoziglia8385No the divorces came first, THEN the breakup of the band. Agnetha & Bjorn divorced at the end of ‘79. Benny & Frida divorced in ‘81. The band officially broke up in ‘82.
@@sds6303 - still raw emotion.😇
"The judges will decide, the likes of me abide" is the line that is the most telling of what this song is about.
Interesting, thanks!
ABBA always delivers strong and beautiful true emotions everyone can relate to❤🇸🇪 This is a slow and beautiful farewell to Agnetha's and Björn's marriage as you can tell, it was over and so was ABBA until they returned in 2021.
Thank you for another excellent video reaction ❤🇸🇪
I appreciate you checking out more than one of my videos! ABBA does deliver on strong emotions in their songs 🥰
This is my all time favorite song and i really think in my opinion thats the best song ive ever heard
Yeah, it's a great song!! Also, you have good taste, nice Nana profile picture 😇
@DanCanReact tyy :D
Agnetha said this song was tough to sing, but she could put all her emotions to it cos this was inspired by her divorce from the guitarrist Björn. He wrote it for her to sing it. It’t a therapy song for both of them.
I could definitely feel those emotions!!!
This song is about the divorce from her husband who plays guitar in the same band, Bjorn. She said it was hard to sing, because of that, but was able to put everything into it, a song he wrote for her. This is such an intimate true to life song that's absolutely incredible!!!!!!
Love that! I really felt it honestly.
Chills, every time i hear this song.
It's such a great song!!!!
Thanks for reacting to this song, truly glad you like it. ABBA songs are sometimes somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster ride, imo, both within songs and when compared with other songs of theirs. I hope you'll enjoy your way through a fair number of them, at least. Perhaps one or the other of the following is amongst possible suggestions presented to you(?): "Kisses of Fire", "Angeleyes", "Waterloo", "When I Kissed the Teacher", "The Day Before You Came", "Voulez-Vous", "Summer Night City", "The Piper", "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)", "Dancing Queen", "Head Over Heels", "Does Your Mother Know", "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)",... Well, I could just go on... Hope you'll carry on! Thanks!
Some of these I've already heard (since my sister is an ABBA fan who used to play their MAIN songs all the time), this is one of them that I don't remember hearing. Voulez-vous, Dancing Queen and Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! are ones I've mainly heard already!
To me they were the Carpenters' equal...they actually met at Germany's STAR PARADE in 1978 and were delighted to meet each other....
Yeah I heard about that. Karen went on to cover one of ABBA's songs, since she love their music. At least that's what a commenter told me 😊
Sheer grief coming from her broken heart. How she managed to keeping singing without breaking down, I admire and respect most.
I love ABBA and it's Dec 2024, and I am 73.
Same here, it's truly admirable how she was able to even entertain the idea of singing something so personal, let alone actually doing it. Big respect to Agnetha.
@@HVM555 When you are on the "stage", you put your personal problems/emotions aside.
My favorite of theirs! So emotional!
Yeah, it's a heavy song, considering the divorce they were going through at the time.
ABBA is acronim with initials of Their first names,
two swedish couples:
Agnetha (blonde singer) &
Björn (guitarist songwriter)
Benny (pianist songwriter) &
Anni Frid 'Frida' (brunette singer)
both couples separated before the break up of the group
"The winner takes it all" (1980)
is one of the Best Songs by ABBA
and the Most sad and emotional too
The best lyrics and the greatest performing with the amazing Interpretation of the lead singer
The lyrics is a fiction, it is not about Their real life,
although it is obviously influenced by Their own experiences
and the realization of the legal divorce in the middle of 1980,
even though They were no longer a couple or lived together
more than a year and half ago, at the end of 1978
"The winner takes it all"
was voted the Best ABBA song by British fans
and Is the favourite ABBA song of the blonde singer Agnetha
I suggest to see the next single in the same album
"Super Trouper" (1980)
with the brunette singer Frida in lead voice
ABBA have more than 20 worldwide hits between 1972/1982:
Waterloo, Fernando, Dancing Queen,
Take a chance on me, Chiquitita
All these songs are in your album recopilation GOLD (1992) that have much more than 1.100 weeks at Top 100 in UK Official Charts (first group singer or artist to do it)
And return in 2021 (after almost 40 years)
with a new album Voyage
and new concerts in Londin UK since May 2022
(with ABBAtars of themselfes and a live band)
Wow, thanks for filling me in on these facts! Appreciate it 😁
The video was shot ten days after the divorce of Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog was officially declared by the courts. Ulvaeus denies the song is about his and Fältskog's divorce, saying the basis of the song "is the experience of a divorce, but it's fiction. 'Cause one thing I can say is that there wasn't a winner or a loser in our case. A lot of people think it's straight out of reality, but it's not". However, Ulvaeus admitted that the heartache of their breakup inspired the song, but noted that the words in the song should not be taken literally. He said: "Neither Agnetha nor I were winners in our divorce."
I see, I appreciate you filling me in on that!
Abba was the soundtrack to much of my childhood - you will enjoy diving into their catalogue. The guys (Benny and Bjorn) tried their hand at musical theatre writing the show 'Chess', which had a couple of songs that broke into the pop charts ("One night in Bangkok" and "I know him so well"). For fun, a great listen is "Nobody's Side" from this show, as the chorus has the unmistakable ABBA signature sound, even without the girls singing it.
Interesting! I have been increasingly into chess as of late, so hearing that they made a musical out of that caught my attention. I'll definitely check that out, since the plot sounds intriguing (from my brief research). Thanks for the other recommendations as well!
Love ABBA but this is my favorite song of theirs it's amazing
It's a great song, I don't blame you 😁
It's one of ABBA's top 3 most popular break-up songs that are a "GOLD"-en treasure to Universal pop-music.'The Winner takes it all"/"Knowing Me Knowing You" and the prophetic "SOS".I personally can't really see many break-up ballads which are so impactful in later decades music scene.They are numbered.
People who says that they don´t love ABBA, are lying.
Now, incredible voices. If you have heard this band, take no notice.
Nightwish. A finnish symphonic metal band is something out of this world. If you feel like reacting to them, my suggestion to start with would be their official live video "Ghost Love Score" - live at Wacken open air, 2013. Their current singer, Floor Jansen (dutch, living in Sweden) has a voice that not many people can compare with.
Thanks for the suggestion! Right now, I'm strategically listening to the most popular songs, from humongous artists (so I can draw in attention), but once I have an established enough viewer base, I'd love to listen to new artists like them! Took a peak, the band seems great.
I've seen them live in the late 7ties I was 15 and a fan now I'm 60 and still a fan
That's awesome!
When I need a good cry, I listen to this song. ❤
As a grownass Swede in his 40's.. I agree..
That was from a superb multi-platinum no1 album which gave 2 no1 singles in 1980.The other single was titled 'Super Trouper" same as the LP's name.Both majestic.
Interesting, thanks for filling me in on that!
Nice analysis, Dan. This is 1 of my 2 favorites from ABBA. The other is a completely different vibe- Dancing Queen.
Thanks for watching Lawrence! Dancing Queen is a great pick, and one that I've actually listened to before these reactions!!
The song that got me into ABBA is "SOS" which I saw them perform on American Bandstand in late 1975. That clip is available here on TH-cam and I would suggest it over the official video, which isn't as good. Another favorite is "Knowing Me, Knowing You." Great reaction to this classic:))
Thanks for watching Danny, I like your name 😝
@@DanCanReact Thank you. I like yours too 😉
Their greatest song.
Loved this song, so much raw emotion. I can imagine how hard it was for Agnetha to sing.
@@DanCanReact it wasnt exactly easy for Bjorn to write the lyrics - as he was her soon to be exhusband.
Be sure to watch the official ABBA video "When all is said and done". Frida is the soloist in it. After the release of this song, she said that she put all the bitterness and pain of her divorce from Benny into the performance 👋
I bet that one is going to be even more tear inducing!
@@DanCanReact This composition is written in a completely different rhythm and is very emotional 🙂
@@DanCanReact and their Spanish version video shows a very heartbroken Frida with her "f**k you" Benny haircut.
Hey Dan, I like the visual screening of the clip.Kinda 'dreamy-framed'.Very nice.
Appreciate it! At first it was to avoid any copyright issues (which it doesn't help that much), but I like it stylistically so I plan to keep framing my videos that way in the future. Glad you like it.
"Spectators of the show, always laying low". How true.
Isn't it "Spectators of the show, always stay in love!" ?
@@dsludge8217 We both missed it a little bit, it's "always staying low".
ABBA is fantastic four...
Nothing compare to this day ❤🎉
You're right 🤝
Great reaction. There are lots of other incredible ABBA songs to explore. Mamma Mia, Knowing Me Knowing You, The Name of the Game, etc. I’d also love to see your take on Blondies music from the same era (Heart of Glass, etc)
Mamma Mia is one of the few songs that I've already listened to before these reactions, but the rest I haven't heard, so I'll definitely do them in the future!
Yours becoming my favorite channel!
Thanks Neal, that makes me really happy to hear that!!
Listen to "Knowing me, knowing you." Also a great ABBA song.
Thanks for the recommendation!
The Winner Takes It All and My Love My Life are fire.
My Love My Life I haven't heard yet. It'll definitely be on the list!
Great reaction. The song is about her and Björn's marriage coming to an end.... You should check them out singing The Way Old Friends Do (live) at Wembley, London.
Thanks
It was a really emotional song, really glad I listened to this one. And thanks for the recommendation!
@@DanCanReact You're welcome Dan. And best wishes, from Belfast N.I. ☘️
TWOFD is an hymn to friendship and forgiveness.Whole Super Trouper album is fantastic.Honey for the ears and balsam for the soul.
This is one of the best song for me.
Good choice!
@@DanCanReact I can be that woman is another one
Imagine having to sing a song about your own divorce whilst the man that divorced you records and produces the song you're currently singing.
Yeah, that would be impossible for me to do if I were in their shoes...
The lyrics are in her real life, expresses the pain and difficulty of a couple going their separate way.
Yeah, you're right!
OMG!
thanks for that reaction.
and now, some may throw stones on me, my recommendation for you ist the version sung by meryl streep from the first 'mamma mia'-movie. idk, if its possible, but for me is it the better one. more intense and darker in the voice... love it. ;)
I might consider watching the Mamma Mia movie on the channel, that way I can listen to all the renditions of the songs and enjoy a new film (for me) with great music!
Kaysee here ... a great ABBA song but I have to admit my two favourites are Fernando and I Do I Do I Do I Do (not sure how many I Do's are in the title hahaha). I'd love to see your reaction to these two songs 🙂
Unfortunately Kaysee, I have listened to Fernando many times already, but I Do I Do I Do I Do I believe I haven't listened to! Will consider that one for the future 😁
" I do I do I do I do I do " (1975)
I believe there is a funny perfomance in Germany TV
Love you song abba
They were two couples, ABBA, Annefrid, Björn, Benny Agneta, this song is Agnetas song of her breakup with Benny, her heartbreak.
Yeah! Thanks for filling me in.
Not Benny, but Bjorn was her husband
Gostei do seu react! Abraços aqui do Brasil.
Obrigado 🙏
To my ears their "The day before you came" is more sad song. At least musically.
Band member Björn -(guitarist) was her husband and they split up in 1979 and the divorce came through in 1980 and he wrote the song two week after their divorce. This is the original film clip and the heavy blue eye-shadow around her eyes is because her eyes were really red through breaking down in tears when she got to the part "Tell me does she kiss like I used to kiss you" I believe it took them several attempts for Agnetha to get through singing the song.
th-cam.com/video/5HJmW8EY8m0/w-d-xo.html
Wow, it's interesting how she made a video on how to pronounce her name! Thanks for sharing that.
Yes, it was part of one of their concert songs "Summer Night City"
Imagine writing a break up song & then asking your ex if she will sing it for you!
One of the worse possible things to have to do during such a time... She's a champ for singing this.
one of the best sad love songs ever made! dbl ♥
Might wanna *rewind a bit* when you pause. Might miss somethings otherwise
It's alright, I listen to the songs another time after so I can make some more informed commentary at the end, I never really miss anything that way! 😁
good choice ❤
Yeah, really enjoyed this one!! ❤
I could see that ❤@@DanCanReact
Awesome Song ❤
You're so right!!
Ma top-5 fave Abba official video-clips 'Knowing Me Knowing You"/''The Winner..."/Money Money Money/"The Day before you came"their final one,it's like a French film noir cinematic piece in colour/"That's me"(an album track but the girls looks so beauuutiful,so seductive and the song sounds as well).Feels like perfumed springtime all over the nature
ps...Runners up ';Gimme Gimme Gimme"1979/"I Still Have Fath In You"2021.
Haven't heard some of these, definitely will react to them in the future!!
Hubby’s fav is Knowing Me Knowing You.
Beautiful ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I agree!
I recommend you a Spanish singer her name is Diana Navarro with the song "El perdón" she is a singer that transmits a lot when she sings and has incredible melismas. She is also very versatile when it comes to singing. She sings different musical styles. Best regards
Thanks for the recommendation Ronda!
My favorite band ever. 😊
I've been loving them too 🥰
Masterpiece ❤
You're so right!!
Spot on. It is.
'The day before You came' is even better also sad , but this is more famous. 'Super Trouper' title song from this same album is complete opposite, one of their best pop!
Can't wait to check these out 😇
She was married to one guy in the group, the other couple were also married, she split up with him, he wrote the song based on what happened. Sung so real.(both couples split in the end)
That sucks. But they always say, it's a better idea not to involve loved ones in business ventures, since it can cause a lot of issues...
I hope you listened to (or read) the lyrics. It was heartfelt for Agnetha (pronounced ag-NyET-uh) to sing about her divorce, when it is her ex-husband who wrote it about th em. ABBA is comprised of two couples (their name is an acronym): Agnetha, Benny, Björn and Anna-Frid (Frida).
I keep saying this, but I don't understand how she could still continue on with her ex partner after separating. Being in a band with them all the time after that would be so painful.
@@DanCanReact Just like Sonny & Cher did or Fleetwood Mac. When you're a supergroup making the big bucks there's a separate business component. Of course they all ended up breaking up soon after (and reuniting at times for brief tours).
@@SWLinPHX That's expected, I'd be more surprised if they went the long haul and pushed on (despite the divorce).
@@DanCanReact Well what makes this song more poignant is that it was their last huge hit (and their biggest transitioning into the 1980's). They had a couple other around the same time, but this was the beginning of the end for the 1970s supergroup.
The song is about the divorce of Bjorn and wife Agnetha Faltskog on lead here, It had to be a very emotional song for her to sing. They divorced the prior year in 1979 the same year i graduated from High School.
Thanks for filling me in on that Gary, interesting.
Greatest breakup song of all time. You should do the greatest dance song of all time - Dancing Queen.
I've heard that one already unfortunately, it is a great song!
I don't know if you're into metal, but might I suggest a cover of this song by Swede Tommy Johansson. He's done quite a few covers of ABBA's songs since 2011, all top-notch covers.
Thanks for recommending it regardless! Maybe in the future.
So you like sad songs... Listen to "Knowing me, knowing you", still an Abba heartbreaker!
Yes, big fan of emotional songs, some of my favorite songs are sad AHA! Thanks for the recommendation.
"Dancing Queen" is REALLY good.
I agree, it's the first ABBA song that I've listened to (I have listened to some of their songs in the past)
ABBA is ABBA and one of my favorite group! 🇸🇪
A tips is to listen to Tommy Johansson. He has done ABBA covers
and many more!
Cool! He does metal-like covers, interesting.
Great reaction, ABBA was fantastic and still are. Why not react to Tommy Johanssons metal cover of this one, he has another take on it and it works so well. By the way he is also fantastic ❤ You got a sub from me with hope of Tommy J.
Thanks so much Anita, glad you subscribed, and hope to see more of you!
Quel courage je n’aurais pas pu ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
That was Agnetha and Bjorn’s break up song, so now you have to react to Frida and Benny’s one - “When All is Said and Done”. Frida’s vocals are amazing, but it is equally sad as The Winner Takes it All.
Yeah, must have been so painful!
Agnetha gold. That must have been so hard to sing and act, given the circumstances of the song.
"Waterloo", "Fernando", "Does Your Mother Know"
Thanks for the recommendations!
There was never any 'corner' of ABBA music that was not filled with melody. The female voices were 'overdubbed' in many of their releases and contributed to their unique sound. Agnetha and Frida both had successful Music Careers before the band ABBA. Agnetha was married to Bjorn, who, were going through a divorce when this song was recorded. Frida and Benny were an item but later split. However, they continued to perform for quite a while after both couples seperated.
I didn't know that Agnetha and Frida had careers before ABBA! What have they done, I'm really curious.
@@DanCanReact I think all of her Swedish albums are on YT, as well as Anni=Frid's. Here is one link I found th-cam.com/video/977v8CmsB6g/w-d-xo.html . Also Bjorn was a founding member of the 'Hootenanny Singers'. Every time anyone mentions this, he cringes, not because of their music but he marvels at the stupidity of the name.
If u like them so much,I suggest you react to their Concert ,live 1979..
Yes indeed and also 1977!Marvelous performances-Electric interaction with the fans.Pure hysteria.
Appreciate the suggestion!!
The lyrics tell you all you need to know about what the song is about The Winner Takes It All
Fair enough, but I love hearing the interpretation of my viewers, it makes sharing these videos fun 😁
If I understood rightly you haven't heard many ABBA's song. I'd recommend you to listen to almost any of their songs. But I really like "One of us". Again ABBA's (Björn to be more accurate) talking about heartbreak and breakups... their own ones. They always sang about their own love lives. You already know the band consisted on two married couples that got divorced along the way. So it was kind of speaking up about their problems.
Haven't heard one of us, thanks for the recommendation!
@@DanCanReact I think you will love it. It's pure ABBA.
I've always imagined this song being a moment in time in the courtroom after the judge
finalized their divorce... and then he comes up to her to shake her hand... heartbreaking!
He's even brought his new girfriend to the hearing (the b*** he is)... and looking over at her
she wonders: Does she kiss like I used to kiss you?... Aaaaahhwww 😥😥😭😭
That's an interesting way to think about it. Regardless of what happened, this song must have really hurt to sing and put out, especially considering the timing.
abba's fleetwood mac version of their breakup song.
The gn in Agnetha is pronounced like the gn in lasagna or gnocchi. So its ahn-YAY-tuh.
Gotcha, thanks!
Hi, very beautiful, the city in Canada, some places remind me of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, if you want to react to Brazilian songs, they are beautiful, they have good rhythms, the language is beautiful, we don't speak Spanish and we don't speak Portuguese
Thanks for watching Fabiane, do you have any Brazilian songs that you'd recommend?
@@DanCanReact yees
I recommend you reacting to Tommy Johansson's cover of this song. It's amazing! It gives a different vibe ❤
Cool, will take note of that, thanks for the recommendation!
(New Sub)
Masterpiece 👌!
Please, try 'Knowing me knowing you'
Greetings ❤ from Chile 🇨🇱🤗👍
Thank you Alejandro! Happy independence btw (Sept 18)
@@DanCanReact Thanks a lot!
❤️🇨🇱🤗👍
Great that you mention amazing background vocals especially Frida's part is very underrated. So solid and pure from start to end. And I agree Chiquitita is better Spanish. Same is Fernando.
Oooo, I haven't listened to Fernando in Spanish, I should make a video reacting to that.
Do you like the 80s songs? Maybe alone by heart is a good one
Yeah, I've been enjoying these older songs a lot! Thanks for the suggestion.
Pausing is not annoying.. just rewind a bit when you do.. 😃
Gotcha, thanks for the feeback!
I love ABBA...But if you want drums... listen to Dire Straits... Sultans of Swing.(Alchemy version)..
Thanks for the recommendation!!
Its fantastic, and if you dont feel this, you are probably a bit dead ;-)
Yeah, it's hard not to feel the passion in Art's voice and tear up 😅
Benny Andersson of ABBA considers this to be the only perfect song ABBA ever made.
I really love it!
React to Steps’ Scared of the dark
Thanks for the recommendation!!
Björn wrote the lyrics that Agnetha sang. I think she broke up with him. Artists can and will "just" create, it doesn't have to be exactly biographical. ABBA can both be biographical, but also just very creative and put stories together (well mostly Björm, since he usually wrote the lyrics). That's how art works. But that this song was intense for Agnetha to sing, that is true, even though it was somewhat reversed. Divorce/splits are hard. She did it magestically!
To have to sing that after the divorce and keep on with the banned must have been so painful. Props on her them for being able to do that, I wouldn't have been able to.
@@DanCanReact I think they were pretty professional, but sure it's never easy. They kept going a while after Benny and Fridas divorce too later on, so they could manage. But finally they went on a "break", for almost 40 years until the next album came out. Something to react to perhaps? (I don't think I could do it either to be honest, but they were very grown up about it, mostly.) Great people, everyone of them. ❤️
@@DanCanReact Rumour has it that Agnetha got very emotional and kinda wet eyed when she was presented the song and the lyrics.She was asked if it's ok to manage this if she can do it and of course she agreed cause even though it possibly pulled some strings subconsciously in her she was also fascinated and as she stated it was a big 'challenge' to even perform as a role such a great song..And that was the result.A breakup masterpiece that stood the test of time.Think tht this was recorded 44 years back yet it still sounds relevan if not unbeatable i could say.
Seeing you enjoying the music so much on one of the saddest songs ever is super weird. I listened to this song 50 times and each time is a bit sadder.
I didn't know enjoying something is weird 😂 But yeah, it got to me more towards the end.
Her former husband (Björn) writes this about their own divorce and make her sing it.. No surprise that ABBA split up after this, also Benny and Frida.. Still the best of our swedish music heritage, and a amazing hit of course, of all times! 😀
I wouldn't blame them for splitting up soon after this song either, must have been so painful.
ABBA were together almost 2 years after this song was recorded in 1980. 🙂
They finished/released the following album The Visitors in 1981 and were even part way through recording the next album after that when they split up in December 1982. From those sessions you should check out the last song they recorded for 40 years, The Day Before You Came” - total masterpiece!
ever listened to the piper by Abba? A special one.
Nope! Might have to then.
Could you try react to the Norwegian national treasure Sissel Kyrkjebø performing "Unchained Melody"? She is considered one of the world's top crossover sopranos and performed the vocals in the Titanic movie. Her voice is amazing, you will be amazed.
Agnetha and her husband got divorced. The feelings are authentic.
It's crazy how he wrote this for her to sing, must have been an extremely painful thing to sing.
@@DanCanReact Yeah, painful for both of them. Yet perhaps cathartic too. She has said that she was a homebody, wanted to quit touring and raise their children. He disagreed. She chose a private life, but there was never any hate between them, and they still collaborate now.
I believe Agnetha had a beautiful voice. No one can compare to Karen, but this is my favorite ABBA song.
Both are exceptional.Karen was for me the perfect crystal clear contralto while Agnetha is a great mettalic soprano vocalist.Both mainstream but different colours , both had a unique identity.Utopic i would say.Btw Karen did an unplugged Abba cover in a live tv show in 1978,Song was 'Thank you for the music".Decades later on Agnetha praised Karen's phenomenal voice in a 2013 radio interview choosing 'Yesterday once more" as one of her Carpenters faves and also expressed her admiration for Richard as an arranger.She also reffered to a brief meeting both bands had in a German tv show('Starparade") back in 1978.How nice!
Karen as in Karen Carpenter?
@@DanCanReactYES. The one and only!lol.
@@christianoazzuro6711 Just making sure, since you said this on an Abba video, was just clarifying 😝
@@DanCanReact Definitely KC. For me, she has the greatest female voice ever recorded.
Nobody gets it. ABBA are 2 sets of couples married. Piano guy with the brunette. The blonde girl with the guitarist. Winner takes it all starts with when they were happy. Then she starts singing telling her story about her ex husband the guitarist that left her for another. Yes she sings it when they are not together as a couple. Winner takes it all is about her loosing and the 3 others are winners. Then ABBA the group falls apart for ever.
I only recently got into ABBA, so I don't know everything about them yet 😝 Each comment educates me more and more, so I appreciate you filling me in.
Agnetha = "Ung-neh-tuh"
I learned in recent videos how to pronounce it, but thank you this is a good breakdown of the pronunciation!
You’ve come to shake my hand… ouch…
🧐Keep An Eye On Dan.........♫♫♫♫♪♪♪♪♪♪
That should be my theme song 😂
@@DanCanReact 😆When I saw your channel name: "DanCanReact".......I thought of that song from Voyage. It is actually quite catchy. ♫♫♫♫♫♪♪♪♪♪♪
Unfortunately story to the song is kinda sad but chorus is jolly groovy.I personally love the 'Ultra Trax Special Dj mix" to the original mix..It's Super!A fine '80s synth dance flavoured intrumentation with adventurous playful vocal sections that took advantage of Agnetha's voice in a cute way.
@@christianoazzuro6711 🙂Well said. And it happens to be my favourite track from "Voyage", with "Ode To Freedom" as my nº2 pick.
@@AzoreanZionist OTF the perfect ABBA closer for their waving 'goodbye" to us.I always get teary to this.