The Winner Takes It All
Encyclopedia
"The Winner Takes It All" is a 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 ballad in the key of F-sharp major, reflecting the end of a romance. The single's B-side
was the non-album track "Elaine".
& Benny Andersson
, with Agnetha Fältskog
singing the lead vocal. The lyrics to the song were thought to mirror the divorce between Ulvaeus and Fältskog in 1979, similar to the song "When All Is Said and Done
", which details the divorce between Anni-Frid Lyngstad
and Benny Andersson.
Ulvaeus denies this, saying the basis of the song "is the experience of a divorce, but it's fiction. 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". American critic Chuck Klosterman
, who says "The Winner Takes It All" is "[the only] pop song that examines the self-aware guilt one feels when talking to a person who has humanely obliterated your heart" finds Ulvaeus' denial hard to believe in light of the original title.
In a 1999 poll for Channel Five, "The Winner Takes It All" was voted Britain's favourite ABBA song. This feat was replicated in a 2010 poll for ITV
. In a 2006 poll for a Channel Five programme, "The Winner Takes It All" was voted "Britain's Favourite Break-Up Song."
chart, ABBA's fourth and last American Top 10 hit, and was also the group's second Billboard AC
#1 (after "Fernando
"). "The Winner Takes It All" was also a hit in Brazil: it was included on the soundtrack of a very famous soap opera in 1980 called "Coração Alado" ("Winged Heart") as the main theme.
"The Winner Takes It All" was also featured in the ABBA-based musical & film, Mamma Mia!.
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
. Released as the first single from the group's Super Trouper
Super Trouper (album)
Super Trouper is the seventh studio album by Swedish pop group ABBA, first released in 1980 .-Overview:Led by the international hit "The Winner Takes It All", Super Trouper was the group's sixth chart-topping album in the UK. It was also the best-selling album in Britain for 1980...
album on July 21, 1980, it is a ballad in the key of F-sharp major, reflecting the end of a romance. The single's B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
was the non-album track "Elaine".
History
"The Winner Takes It All", originally "The Story of My Life", was written by both Björn UlvaeusBjörn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
& Benny Andersson
Benny Andersson
Göran Bror "Benny" Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
, with Agnetha Fältskog
Agnetha Fältskog
Agnetha Åse Fältskog is a Swedish recording artist. She achieved success in Sweden after the release of her début album Agnetha Fältskog in 1968, and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA, which to date has sold over 375 million records worldwide, making it the fourth...
singing the lead vocal. The lyrics to the song were thought to mirror the divorce between Ulvaeus and Fältskog in 1979, similar to the song "When All Is Said and Done
When All Is Said and Done (song)
"When All Is Said and Done" is the name of a song recorded in 1981 by Swedish pop group ABBA. It is featured on the group's final studio album, The Visitors, and was released as a single in the United States on December 31, 1981 on Atlantic 3889. It debuted on the Billboard pop singles chart on...
", which details the divorce between Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
and Benny Andersson.
Ulvaeus denies this, saying the basis of the song "is the experience of a divorce, but it's fiction. 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". American critic Chuck Klosterman
Chuck Klosterman
Charles John "Chuck" Klosterman is an American author and essayist who has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Believer, and The Washington Post, and has written books focusing on American popular culture....
, who says "The Winner Takes It All" is "[the only] pop song that examines the self-aware guilt one feels when talking to a person who has humanely obliterated your heart" finds Ulvaeus' denial hard to believe in light of the original title.
In a 1999 poll for Channel Five, "The Winner Takes It All" was voted Britain's favourite ABBA song. This feat was replicated in a 2010 poll for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. In a 2006 poll for a Channel Five programme, "The Winner Takes It All" was voted "Britain's Favourite Break-Up Song."
Reception
"The Winner Takes It All" was yet another major success for ABBA. It hit #1 in Belgium (where it stayed on top for 2 months), United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, and South Africa, while reaching the Top 10 elsewhere throughout the world, including the United States. In the US, it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, ABBA's fourth and last American Top 10 hit, and was also the group's second Billboard AC
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
#1 (after "Fernando
Fernando (song)
"Fernando" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was the group's first non-album single and was released in November 1975 through Polar Music. Lead vocals were sung by Anni-Frid Lyngstad...
"). "The Winner Takes It All" was also a hit in Brazil: it was included on the soundtrack of a very famous soap opera in 1980 called "Coração Alado" ("Winged Heart") as the main theme.
"The Winner Takes It All" was also featured in the ABBA-based musical & film, Mamma Mia!.
Chart placings
| Charts (1980/1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia | 7 |
| Austria | 3 |
| Belgium | 1 |
| Ireland | 1 |
| Norway | 3 |
| New Zealand | 16 |
| South Africa | 1 |
| Sweden | 2 |
| Switzerland | 3 |
| The Netherlands | 1 |
| UK Singles | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 8 |
Cover versions
- FrenchFrench peopleThe French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
singer Mireille MathieuMireille MathieuMireille Mathieu is a French chanteuse, and pop singer. Hailed in the French press as the successor to Édith Piaf, she has achieved great commercial success, recording over 1200 songs in nine different languages, with more than 120 million records sold worldwide.-Childhood to early...
covered the song in French with lyrics by Alain BoublilAlain BoublilAlain Boublil is a musical theatre lyricist and librettist, best known for his collaborations with the composer Claude-Michel Schönberg for musicals on Broadway and London's West End...
(but on Mireille Mathieu's album "French Collection" it's Charles Level who is credited with these lyrics), called "Bravo, Tu As Gagné" (translated as "Bravo, You've Won"). The recording uses a slightly remixed version of the original ABBA backing track & the lead as well as backing vocals (by Mathieu, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus) were recorded in the Polar StudiosPolar StudiosPolar Studios is one of the most famous recording studios in Scandinavia. Originally located in a former movie theater from 1934 at Sankt Eriksgatan 58-60 on Kungsholmen in Stockholm, Sweden, Polar Studios was founded by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA in 1977 and had its grand opening on...
, StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, in December 1980. - In 1980, CzechCzech peopleCzechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
singer Helena VondráčkováHelena VondráckováHelena Vondráčková is a Czech singer whose career has spanned five decades.- Early life/career :Vondráčková spent her childhood years in the town of Slatinany. She took piano lessons from an early age...
released a cover called "A ty se ptáš co já" with Czech lyrics by Zdeněk Borovec. - In 1981, The ShadowsThe ShadowsThe Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
did an instrumental version on their album Hits Right Up Your StreetHits Right Up Your StreetHits Right Up Your Street is the fourteenth rock album by British instrumental group The Shadows, released in 1980 through Polydor Records and Pickwick Records. The majority of the album is in the form of covers by popular artists at the time.-Track listing:- Charts :...
. - In 1984, TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
singer Nilüfer YumluNilüfer YumluNilüfer Yumlu is a Turkish pop singer known as Nilüfer.In 1992, one of her biggest hits, Show Yapma, included in Yine Yeni Yeniden album...
covered the song in her native language as "Yalnızlığımla Başbaşa" on her album named Nilüfer 84. - In 1988, British singer Sandra Edwards released a Hi-NRG version on the Bolts label, available on 12" single only.
- In 1990, MexicanMexican peopleMexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
singer Pedro FernándezPedro FernándezJosé Martín Cuevas Cobos , known professionally as Pedro Fernández, is a Mexican recording artist and actor.-Discography:*1979: La De La Mochila Azul*1989: Vicio*1990: Por Un Amigo Más*1991: Muñecos De Papel...
recorded his Spanish version called "El Ganador" - The 1992 compilation ABBA: The Tribute (released through Polar Records) contained a cover by Swedish band Freda.
- In 1993, British singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Beverley CravenBeverley CravenBeverley Craven is a British singer-songwriter best known for her 1991 UK Top 5 hit single "Promise Me". Her most recent album, Close To Home, was released in 2009...
recorded her own light pop version for her album Love ScenesLove Scenes (Beverley Craven album)Love Scenes is Beverley Craven's second studio album, released in September 1993 through Epic Records.-Details:Craven started writing new songs for her second album while touring for the first one. Epic Records wanted to release a follow-up to her successful debut album Beverley Craven in 1992 to...
. It was also released as a single. - In 1993, Argentine duo PimpinelaPimpinelaJoaquín and Lucía Galán, better known as Pimpinela are an Argentine duet famous for singing romantic relationship musical pieces and for their original style of singing...
recorded a Spanish version of "The Winner Takes It All" titled "Solo Hay Un Ganador" for their album Hay Amores Que Matan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsLdDh0Z8fk - In 1993, the K&K Studio Singers released the song as "Nie Chcę Mówić Już".
- In 1996, singer Hazell DeanHazell DeanHazell Dean is a British dance-pop singer, who achieved her biggest success in the 1980s as a leading Hi-NRG artist. She is best known for the top ten hits "Searchin' ", "Whatever I Do " and "Who's Leaving Who"...
released a dance-oriented cover of the song as a single. It was also available on her album The Winner Takes It All: Hazell Dean Sings ABBA released that same year & later on the 1999 compilation ABBA: A Tribute - The 25th Anniversary Celebration. - RussianRussiansThe Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
black metalBlack metalBlack metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Trizna recorded a cover of the song for their 1996 album Need for Speed. The track was also later included on the double album Pesni Dlya Radio (translated as "Songs for the Radio"), which was recorded with band Black ObeliskBlack Obelisk (band)Black Obelisk is a Russian heavy metal band founded in 1986 by bassist Anatoly Krupnov, who died in 1997. Different works and eras of band waved its style between hard rock and thrash metal.-History:...
and released in 2000. - In 1997, the song was used as the theme tune on the short lived ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
comedy programme Blind Men. - Swiss/German eurodance group E-RoticE-RoticE-Rotic is a German Eurodance project. They are mostly known for their use of sexual topics and innuendo in their music. Some of the female vocalists who fronted E-Rotic over the years also fronted Missing Heart vocals.-History:...
included a cover of the song on their 1997 ABBA tribute album Thank You for the Music. - In 1999, IrishIrish peopleThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
pop/rock band The CorrsThe CorrsThe Corrs are an Irish band which combine pop rock with traditional Celtic folk music. The brother and sisters are from Dundalk, Ireland. The group consists of the Corr siblings: Andrea ; Sharon ; Caroline ; and Jim .The Corrs came to international prominence with their performance at the...
recorded a version of the song for the AbbamaniaABBAmaniaABBAmania is a tribute album to Swedish pop band ABBA, released in 1999. It followed an ITV programme of the same name and featured various British and Irish artists covering ABBA songs.-Track listing:# "Money, Money, Money" – Madness...
compilation. For the 2004 followup compilation ABBAMania 2, the song was covered by TV actress Bernie Nolan. - The late American pop singer Laura BraniganLaura BraniganLaura Ann Branigan was an American singer-songwriter and actress of Italian and Irish ancestry. She is best known in the United States for her 1982 Platinum-certified hit "Gloria" and in Europe for the number-one single "Self Control"...
recorded several dance remix covers of the song. Audio samples can be heard on her official website. - An electronicaElectronicaElectronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
cover of the song by Mitchell Sigman can be found on The Electronic Tribute to ABBA compilation, with vocals by Deena Noroian. - American singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Pamela McNeillPamela McNeillPamela NcNeill is an American singer-songwriter. She grew up in Winona, Minnesota. She studied classical music for 16 years and formed her first rock and roll band playing throughout the Midwest at the age of 16...
covered the song on her Tribute to ABBA album, which was produced by her husband Dugan McNeillDugan McNeillDugan McNeill, is an American musician and record producer who most notably worked with the 1980s Minnesota rock band Chameleon with members: Charlie Adams, Yanni, Mark Anthony, and Johnny Donaldson. The band recorded four albums together. Other recording credits include bass on the 1984 album...
. - Swedish studio musicians The Black Sweden recorded two versions for their ABBA tribute album Gold; one in soft rockSoft rockSoft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
style, the other acoustic. - In 2000, German pop singer Jeanette BiedermannJeanette BiedermannJeanette Biedermann , also known by her stage name Jeanette, is a German recording artist, actress and television personality. Born and raised in Berlin, Biedermann began performing as a member of a troupe of acrobats in a children's circus at the age of six...
recorded a cover of the song. - German power metalPower metalPower metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band At VanceAt VanceAt Vance is a German power metal/Neo-classical metal band. They were formed by vocalist Oliver Hartmann and guitarist Olaf Lenk in 1998.-Biography:...
on their 2001 album Dragonchaser. - In 2001, American indie singer/songwriter Hannah FuryHannah FuryHannah Fury is an American singer-songwriter with a following based on her independently-produced melancholic recordings inspired by Gregory Maguire's revisionist Oz novel Wicked.-Career details:...
included a cover of the song on her EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Meathook. - Belgian singer Dana Winner covered the song in English for her 2001 album Unforgettable.
- Stage musical singer Michael BallMichael Ball (singer)Michael Ashley Ball, born 27 June 1962) is a British actor, singer, and radio and TV presenter who is best known for the song "Love Changes Everything" and musical theatre roles such as Marius in Les Misérables, Alex in Aspects of Love, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Edna Turnblad...
recorded a version for his 2001 album Centre Stage. - In 2001, Brazilian ska-core band Randal Grave covered the song on their album Like to Do Girlie Stuff Sometimes.
- SynthpopSynthpopSynthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
group Queen of JapanQueen of JapanQueen of Japan is a music trio from Europe, known for its synthpop sound and cover versions of hits from the 1970s and 1980s.-Career:Queen of Japan's 1999 debut EP Mercury Rising features New Wave-sounding versions of Queen songs and is probably the basis for the group's name.The trio's versions...
covered the song on their 2002 album Headrush. - In 2002, British singer Martine McCutcheonMartine McCutcheonMartine McCutcheon is an English singer, television personality and Laurence Olivier Award-winning actress. McCutcheon had minor success as one third of the pop group Milan in the early 1990s; however, it was her role as Tiffany Mitchell in BBC's EastEnders that made her a household name in the UK...
covered the song on her album Musicality. - In 2003, GermanGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
singer Uwe KrögerUwe KrögerUwe Kröger is a famous musical star in the German-speaking countries of the world. Besides starring on stage, Kröger has taken part in numerous galas and concerts, as well as making a few television and film appearances...
included a cover of the song on his solo album From Broadway to Hollywood. - In 2004, British singer Samantha FoxSamantha FoxSamantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
recorded a cover for the German ABBA Mania compilation, as well as performing it on the coinciding TV special. - On the 2004 compilation Abbalicious performed by various American drag queens, the song is covered by Cashetta.
- A dance version by Japanese dance act GTS (featuring Robbie Danzie on vocals) was included on their 2004 compilation Cruising.
- Swedish opera singer Anne Sofie von Otter covered the song on her 2006 ABBA tribute album I Let the Music Speak.
- American stage actress/singer Jan Gelberman recorded a cover of the song for her album With Love to Share.
- A cover of the song by Asian pop band SweetboxSweetboxSweetbox is a Los Angeles based pop music project formed in 1995 by executive producer Heiko Schmidt and music producer Roberto "Geo" Rosan.Throughout the years Sweetbox has had several leading women including Kimberly Kearney, Dacia Bridges, Tina Harris, Jade Villalon and most recently and...
featuring Jade VillalonJade VillalonJade Valerie Villalon , also known by her project and stage name Jade Valerie, is an American and European pop singer, songwriter, and actress...
can be found as a hidden track on the European edition of their 2006 album Addicted. The song was played for the FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
of that year. - PolishPolesthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
singer Lidia Kopania recorded an English cover of this song for her 2006 album Intuicja. - GermanGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
AC/DCAC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
tribute band Riff Raff recorded a cover in AC/DC style for their 2006 album Rock 'N' Roll Mutation Vol. 1: Riff Raff Performs ABBA. - KoreanKorean peopleThe Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
singer Moony (not to be confused with the Italian artist of the same name) recorded an English cover for her 2006 album Whispering Of The Moon. - A cover of the song by FinnishFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
a cappellaA cappellaA cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
choral ensemble RajatonRajatonRajaton is a Finnish a cappella ensemble, founded in Helsinki in 1997. The Finnish word rajaton means "boundless", to indicate the breadth of their repertoire, from sacred classical to near Europop...
can be found on their 2006 ABBA tribute album Rajaton Sings ABBA With Lahti Symphony Orchestra. - In 2006, a lounge musicLounge musicLounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
style cover of the song by Trombo Combo was included on their album Trombo Combo: Swedish Sound Deluxe. - A cover of the song by Swedish performers Gladys del Pilar and Dave Nerge from a stage show entitled "ABBA: The True Story" was recorded and released as a single.
- The song was covered in a jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
/lounge musicLounge musicLounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
style by American group BNB on their 2008 album Bossa Mia: Songs of ABBA. - A cover was recorded by the group Eden, and is featured on two 2008 compilations: Euro Football Party Hits and Olympic Dreams: China.
- Australian singers Kylie MinogueKylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
and Dannii MinogueDannii MinogueDanielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, radio personality, fashion designer and model...
recorded the song for the soundtrack of a UK comedy series, Beautiful PeopleBeautiful People (UK TV series)Beautiful People is a British comedy drama television series based on the memoirs of Barneys creative director Simon Doonan. The series takes place in Reading, Berkshire in 1997, where thirteen-year-old Simon Doonan and his best friend Kylie dream of escaping their dreary suburban surroundings and...
with the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
orchestra. The soundtrack was released on October 20, 2008. - The song is performed by Meryl StreepMeryl StreepMary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
in the 2008 film adaptation of Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! (film)Mamma Mia! is a 2008 musical/romantic comedy film adapted from the 1999 West End/2001 Broadway musical of the same name, based on the songs of successful pop group ABBA, with additional music composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson...
, and is included on the soundtrack album. - In 2008, New Found GloryNew Found GloryNew Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
on their album From the Screen to Your Stereo Part IIFrom the Screen to Your Stereo Part II-Release history:-Credits:Band* Jordan Pundik – Vocals* Chad Gilbert – Guitar* Steve Klein – Guitar* Ian Grushka – Bass* Cyrus Bolooki – Drums / PercussionAdditional Musicians* Michael Bethancourt – KeyboardsGuest Appearances...
. - A Spanish languageSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
cover version is on Il DivoIl DivoIl Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...
's 2008 album The PromiseThe Promise (Il Divo album)The Promise is the fifth studio album by the operatic pop group, Il Divo. The Promise was released globally on November 10, except in the US and Canada, where it was released November 18, Ireland where it was released on November 7, and Japan, on 26 November. The album reached the No.1 spot in the...
, as The Winner Takes It All (Va Todo Al Ganador). - ScottishScottish peopleThe Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
popstar Steven McLachlan released his version on November 10, 2008, to raise money for eating disorder charity Beat. It reached #2 on the UK independent music charts. - British pop punkPop punkPop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band McFlyMcFlyMcFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records...
performed "The Winner Takes It All" and recorded an acoustic version of the song, which was featured on their "Lies" single in 2008. - Several hi-NRGHi-NRGHi-NRG describes a form of high-tempo disco music as well as a genre of electronic dance music originating in the United States during the late 1970s...
/eurodanceEurodanceEurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
cover remixes by Abbacadabra were released in the late 1990s through Almighty RecordsAlmighty RecordsAlmighty Records is a British recording label and remix production team founded in 1989, releasing their first single in the same year. Producing mainly Dance-Pop and Hi-NRG music, the label is best known for releasing remakes and remixes of mainstream pop songs...
. It was most recently included on the 2008 compilation We Love ABBA: The Mamma Mia Dance Collection. - Over the years, several dance covers of the song have been recorded by various artists including: Angeleyes on their 1999 ABBAdance album, Crown Twister on the Lay All Your Love On ABBA compilation, Euphorica on their 2003 ABBA Dance album, Frodo Project, Wildside (in 2002), DJ Ensamble for the ABBA tribute album Trancing Queen in 2006, and Tom Del Sar (in 2006).
- Andrew BainAndrew Bain (singer)-External links:*****...
(who rose to fame in the British media as the "singing dentist" from London, England) recorded an operatic style cover of the song for his 2009 debut album Andrew Bain Presents Modern Classics. - Pianist and composer, Avi Amon, recorded a jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
cover of the song with vocalist Allie Myers in 2010 as a part of the CIRCLE collaborative art project. The cover appears as a bonus track on their first album, "Winter of Creativity". - Liverpudlian singer Tor James Faulkner has featured the track on his 2010 album "The Reflection" to raise money and awareness for eating disorder charity Beat.
- John BarrowmanJohn BarrowmanJohn Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...
covered the song on his 2010 self-titled third studio album, John BarrowmanJohn Barrowman (album)John Barrowman is the self-titled third studio album by musician and actor, John Barrowman. Released on March 1, 2010, the album debuted at #11 on the UK Top 40 Albums Chart. This was the highest chart rating of any of Barrowman's albums to date....
. - Comedy duo Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon cover the song several times in their hit BBC2 series The Trip (2010)
- Norwegian jazz singer Solveig SlettahjellSolveig SlettahjellSolveig Slettahjell, born 2 April 1971, is a Norwegian jazz singer, known for her soulful, seductive voice. Her debut album 'Slow Motion Orchestra' was released in 2003, and contains jazz standards like "All the Way" and "My Heart Belongs to Daddy". For her second album, Silver , 'Silver', her band...
covers the song on her 2011 album Antologie
Live performances, appearances in other media, etc.
- Swedish singer/musician Tommy KörbergTommy KörbergBert Gustav Tommy Körberg is a Swedish singer, actor, and musician. In 1969, he won Swedish Recording Industry Award Grammis in a category Best Debut Performance. English-speaking audiences know him best for his role in the Benny Andersson–Björn Ulvaeus–Tim Rice musical Chess...
has performed the song in various live performances. - Australian singer-songwriter Tina ArenaTina ArenaFilippina Lydia "Tina" Arena is an Australian singer, songwriter and musical theatre actress. She has won several awards, most notably 6 ARIA Awards and in both 1996 and 2000 she received the World Music Award for the world's best selling Australian artist...
performed the song live during the Night of the PromsNight of the PromsNight of the Proms is a series of concerts held yearly in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Poland. Regularly there are also shows in France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg...
tour in 2006. - American singer Faith HillFaith HillFaith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
covered the song during her Soul2Soul 2007 Tour. - The song is performed in second act of the Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
musical by the character of Donna. In the context of the musical, the song is used when Donna professes how much she loves Sam, but she cannot forgive entirely for what he did. She also, believing him still married, says "the rules must be obeyed" meaning she couldn't be with a married man. - The song was sung on Australian IdolAustralian IdolAustralian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
season 6 by Thanh Bui during Abba week. - McFlyMcFlyMcFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records...
performed the song at the VISA London 2012 Olympic Visa Party in front of Buckingham PalaceBuckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
in London on 24 August 2008. - Arianna AfsarArianna AfsarArianna Ayesha Afsar was born 1991 to a German American mother and a Bangladeshi father. She is a pageant titleholder from San Diego, California who was a semi-finalist on American Idol 8 and placed in the Top 10 at the Miss America 2011 pageant....
sang this song on American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
season 8 in the third group of the Top 36 - CBS SportsCBS SportsCBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
' close of Super Bowl XVISuper Bowl XVISuper Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
coverage used the song over the end credits. - The Icelandic singer YohannaJóhanna Guðrún JónsdóttirJóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir , widely known outside of Iceland as Yohanna, is an Icelandic singer who was chosen to represent her nation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia, with the song "Is It True?", earning 2nd place.- Background and career:Jóhanna was raised in Hafnarfjörður,...
sung the song as an interval act for Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins 2010Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010Iceland will select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 through the Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins contest, with the 2010 contest set to be held over January and February 2010, organised by Icelandic broadcaster Ríkisútvarpið .... - Australian singer Laura Clark performed the song live in Strathfield Musical Society's "Songs From Stage To Screen"