ABBA - THE WINNER TAKES ALL REACTION 

Always makes me cry. The “but you see” spoken part. Every damn time. I love this song.

Not only is this a musical and vocal masterpeice, but the emotional impact is incredible. She was married to the guitarist Björn and they have a child together. But they had just divorced. He wrote the lyrics that she later had to sing, standing right next to him on stage. The tremble on her voice and the sadness in her eyes are all true. Singing out their broken hearts and being totally honest infront of the whole world to see. That is true artistry and strenght few people can muster. They said the song was not specific to their marrige but marrige in general, but obviously its hitting close to home. They also proclaimed that in a divorce, there are no real winners, only losers. And even more so when there is children involved. I also recommend ´Knowing me, knowing you´.

one of the best female singers of all time a fantastic vocal

Im a big guy, now older, in my youth I was known as a street fighter....this song allways brings me to tears though....ABBA one of the greatest ever!

Agnetha sings this from the heart, it's personal. She has a beautiful voice. My fave ABBA song.

I love her voice, she seems to sing so effortlessly despite the emotion.

This song was deeply personal as their marriage was failing as it happened. Jayy you are very perceptive.

That's real hurt there. She's singing about her own divorce from guitarist Björn. Great reaction and analysis as usual 👍

You are right - her ex husband wrote this song for her to sing

This about her marriage and divorce to Bjorn the guitarist in ABBA. He wrote the song. The guy without the beard.

Agnetha Faltskog has one of the best voices. She put out 11 solo albums, some while she was still in Abba. Her last solo album was put out in 2013, and it’s amazing. She was 63 and sounded exactly like she did in the 70’s.

When Bjorn showed Agnetha this song after writing it about their divorce, he asked her "is it too early to sing this one?" She burst into tears when she read the lyrics for the first time and said that she wanted to sing it.

The Greatest Pop Band of all time. They even make a sad song fantastic.

I'm really impressed how you captured her personal story straight away. Yes, looks hurt. And she was when she sang that song.

Both couples went thru a divorce, this was the time when she went thru her divorce, written by her husband! Imagine having to sing that with him at every concert! A while after the other couple also divorced but the group still continued on for a few years after the brake ups. Also check out ABBA - Does your Mother Know - Gimme Gimme Gimme - Knowing me Knowing you - Take a chance on me - Fernando - Angel Eyes - Waterloo - SOS.....and many others!

remember that ABBA is an acrostic with initials of your first names, and was two couples from 1969: Agnetha (blonde singer) & Björn (guitarist songwriter) Benny (pianist songwriter) & Anni Frid (brunette singer) both couples was separated Agnetha & Björn at end 1978 Anni Frid & Benny at begin 1981 but still recording together until the end of the group at end 1982 "The winner takes it all" (1980) is the most sad song of ABBA, combine the contrast in sad lyrics with catchy melodies for your fantastic lead singers "The winner takes it all" is for me the best interpretation of a song that I heard in my life by any singer or band It is interpretation, because it is more than just singing, it is also acting and transmitting, and Agnetha does all that and on a superlative level Beyond the morbid that the story of this song produces (the lyrics about a divorce, written by the guitarist Björn, and sung by his ex-wife, the blonde Agnetha), the structure reflects a change: it is the first time in all ABBA songs that whoever has the leading voice has been alone from beginning to end, She goes one way and the choirs go the other (they do not add up, they remain in the background) and in the end She is left alone passive and exposed, while the chorus and the music finish so up That is why I feel that Agnetha does an extraordinary performance (extraordinary: out of the ordinary) Her face is very expressive and accompanies the various tones and nuances of her majestic vocalization The official video is a Masterpiece too, it's try to show a history of a relationship broken, the center is the blonde Agnetha, and the others members looks happy and together, while She is sad and alone "The winner takes it all" is a great song, it's in my ABBA Top 5 It is the favorite of British fans, but fundamentally is the one chose by Björn and Agnetha and Their own words is the one that is worth more

It’s her trembling voice when she sings ‘You’ve come to shake my hand..’ for me.

Classic, this is about her divorce from the guitar player he wrote it but changed it to her perspective for the recording

Agnetha is the storyteller in ABBA, her performances touch hearts. This is just after she was divorced from Benny in ABBA, soon after that Frida and Björn were also divorced. They kept on making music together for a couple of years before moving on. Thank you for another great video reaction, Sweetness❤

To sing like that, that woman experienced horrible pain, no lie.

Abba are Pop Royalty. Unrivalled, timeless, ethereal, perfect.

Abba is one awesome band. Love their music!

There are several ABBA songs about the divorce , it was a long story but both women were married to the two men and both couples were together for years with children . Yes knowing me knowing you is another song on this subject

One of the biggest hits in the last 40 years and ever... Portugal here. Thanks for reacting to this masterpiece and legendary song. Salutes

I know, I'm a guy, and I probably shouldn't admit it, but I have always loved ABBA, and this is one of my favorite songs. And yes my wife teases me every time I say that. LOl, but this, as well as all of their songs are so beautiful.

Agnetha was classically trained and it shows. Both the female singers had superb voices of course

When two people love each other ~ and it doesn't work out..the pain is both ways to me..and there is no winner..this is a true song..a different spin from the upbeat Abba that you've listened to Sunshine...its a sad/beautiful song..love your reaction..love Abba..

Probably the next most obvious choice for an Abba song in a similar vein would be, 'Knowing You, Knowing Me', if you haven't already reacted to it. You won't regret it.

This was before autotune... Really before post produktion. This is as raw as it gets... And she is divine.

This song was written when Agnetha and Bjorn split up their 8 yr marriage in 1979 so you are absolutely right this is written based on personal feellings?

I still have no idea how she was able to sing the whole song so clear. Just another level of perfection and talent. The amount of emotions is incredible in the lyrics and the voice levels itself. And her vibrato is just angelic! 🥰

Loved your reaction. Both perceptive and emotional. That line: "Does she kiss the way I use to kiss you?" always kills me.

The winner took it all.. Including her confidence..

Bjorn - her ex-husband - wrote the lyrics from his own point of view. In fact, Agnetha (the blond girl) felt very relieved by then and maybe Bjorn wanted to let her know how he felt when he brought the lyrics to the studio. Even before ABBA was formed Agnetha had a solo career and she was known as a dramatic singer in Sweden. Doing "The Winner Takes It All" was a great challenge for her and she ended up doing what is maybe her best performance ever. What a professional!

Without giving teasers, their later songs get WAY more emotional!

The genius of ABBA is that they had a broad range of musical styles. They upbeat really disco beats like Dancing Queen, or sweet ballads like Last Summer and then can have Funky groove to almost techno which you find in their later albums. What is consistent is the strength of the female vocalists and the powerful lyrics. By now you must have scrolled through the comments and learned that the lead singer Agnetha was singing a song written by her band mate and recently divorced husband Bjorn. Agnetha poured passion into that song, because it was the story of her life as written and witnessed by her now ex husband. What led up to the split is a little murky. Whatever you can say about Bjorn's role and behavior leading up to the divorce, his lyrics reveal a profound ability to tell a story that makes perfect sense. The lyrics capture the desolation and lonliness of someone who's life has been upturned. Agnetha performed this song the year they got divorced. Within two years the other couple Benny and Anni Frid would also end their 12 year relationship. Imagine they group managed to perform and create music in the midst of terrible pain. If you watch the videos of ABBA you will see the a start contrast in their body language. Before the split the couples are always positioned together as couples. By 1980 you never see Agnetha standing next to Bjorn. I have now watched a half dozen or so reactions to this particular song Winner Takes it All. People, reactors, seem genuinely moved by the performance, but they all seem to have a hard time understanding the song. Maybe it's because the younger generation is no longer used to complex emotions expressed in music. I dunno. When you read the back story of what happened to the couple, Agnetha's performace makes sense. But even without the backstory, there's a richness to the lyrics that seems to be overlooked. Other songs that have powerful lyrics in terms of portraying the complexity of human emotion are "Name of The Game" "Knowing You" "Slipping Away" and I could go on.

Probably you may know by now that they have a buncho of songs like this... singing about their own relationships. Their marriage, their divorces, etc... One of Us, The Winner Takes it All are just two of my favorite ones.

Those ABBA girls could really sing. Pure power! No auto tune on those voices!

This really is a good song x

ABBA , never heard a bad song from them

The human superpower of "theory of mind" being hugely elevated here by Abba's genius. And Agnetha ha the courage to sing it.....respect of the highest order to her.

ya, this song is very personal for her & Bjorn (the guitar player). Bjorn wrote this song during their divorce, and didnt think Agnetha would sing it. She read it, cred, and then said there's no way she could NOT sing it. It ended up being their biggest hit. Another song that Bjorn wrote during their divorce, that's a LOT more upbeat, is "If It Wasn't For The Nights", off of Voulez-Vous album (aka their Disco album). Very funky song :)

Agnethaa was very shy had stage performance nerves and missed her children badly while on massive world tours. When Abba split up she gradually became a recluse on an island near Stokholm eventually.with normally her horses for company

this is a Masterpiece of ABBA a deep lyrics about divorce by the guitarist Björn And a fantasic interpretation by the lead singer Agnetha Fältskog (his ex wife) with her emotional and powerful voice in the same album of 1980, the opening track was "Super trouper" with the lead voice by the other singer, the brunette Frida Lyngstad You could check it to react and see the different voices of ABBA both songs was #1 in UK Official Charts

Agnetha has one of the best (and most underrated) voices in music. ♥ Maybe ABBA's best song I suggest the following ABBA songs: Knowing Me Knowing You, Summer Nite City, Chiquitita & When All Is Said and Done

언제 들어도 명곡 입니다 이곡을 그녀와 들으며 걷던 그곳이 생각 나네요 20대 청춘의 꿈을 꾸게 만들었던 그노래 너무 좋네요

Beautiful song, sung beautifully

Thanks for the ABBA. Agnetha (singer) and Bjorn (guitarist & lyric writer) had just divorced. He wrote these lyrics and asked if she'd sing them. She says she teared up when she read them but wanted to sing it. Both of them say it was a healing thing for them both. You've only heard their pop hits up to now. But they did just about every genre of music. That's one of the things that make them so special. Both girls sang songs about their divorces/breakups. My favorite one by Frid (dark hair) is "When All Is Said And Done". It's on the last ABBA album (Visitors). There's other ones by them both but thats my favorite one by her. Anyway thanks again for the ABBA. Do more, you've just scratched the surface of a truly great band,

THE JAYY SHOW yes this song was about her divorce from Bjorn he wrote it, she sang it. Definitely an emotional performance. He also co-wrote with Benny When All Is Said And Done which was about the marriage break up of Frida and Benny with Frida on lead vocals, you should check it out. Great reaction yet again.

They are the masters of melancholy! Even with a lot of the happy songs. Sad songs: knowing me knowing you, the day before you came, one of us, my live my life (there are a whole lot more) . More happy: does your mother know, thats me, take a Chance on me. Summer night city. So much more briliant songs to discover

Very Good observation. To make it worse it is about her marriage to the guitarist sitting next to her who WROTE the song though for years he denied it was about THEIR relationship but, as you can see, it, clearly, was....

Love to hear abba sing

ABBA! The soundtrack of my Jr. High dances.

One of the very finest, most natural voices in all modern music!

Yup the pain is real...🇨🇦😢💔

It's sad that they looked so complete but were really so far apart. I've loved them since their Eurovision win in 74, and respected them for whatever happens.

Björn actually wrote the lyrics, and Agneta is said to have cried when she read it for the first time. But he denies that it is about them - "in our case, there were no winners", Björn said. But some parts were, of course.

You need to see the video of when they performed this song at show back in early 80's,, her voice is awesome,, her facial expressions,,, its a deep song.

If you like this, check out ABBA "Knowing Me Knowing You"

Yes she is singing about her divorce and her broken heart. "Loses someone dear" was referring to her access to her child which she no longer has every day. So her pain with this divorce has many levels, not just losing her spouse but also her child and her own self confidence.

Those vocals! The long notes with the last chorus, without auto tune remember. Please react to One of us. Just as awesome 👌❤️

Yup the person she was divorcing wrote the song & all the pain went into this masterpiece. A lot of Abba, a lot of Disco has melancholy, but this one is raw heartbreak x

Luka- Suzanne Vega, is another tug at your heartstrings emotional song bringing light on a very tough and real topic. Love to see you react to that powerful classic banger!

So beautiful. Angelic voice. A heart of gold and her husband cheated on her. Then she sings the song while standing right next to the cheater. Very strong and powerful lady. Her husband was an idiot.

My marriage was also falling apart at this time so it was so relevant at the time! Please play'one of us" by ABBA again where she's moved out and tried to start a new life! Marvelous!!!

And when Frida (redhead) divorced, they recorded "When All Is Said and Done"

Great reaction! This was the very first music video I ever saw, before MTV existed. I was fascinated, like a mini movie. Please check out ABBA’s Move On 🎶

Please react to ABBA Slipping thru my Fingers Live version., and Name of the Game and Thank you for the Music.

This hits hard for anyone who's gone through a serious breakup, even if it ended on friendly terms you feel like no one really wins, and if its a divorce then a court judgement just adds another level of hurt to an already painful process. But yes its a beautiful song about a painful subject, which is the great thing about music.

There is a whole world of life and music; that exists between happy and sad. I'd never designate any song on either extreme.

Yes Jayy, she was talking about herself.

Jayy, have you seen the movie Muriel's Wedding? I think you'd like it. I LOVED it. That seems random, but Muriel is an ABBA freak.

You hit the nail on the head about her splitting from the guy in video

Abba and Donna Summer... everybody loved them, rockers, punkers, hipsters and everyone in between. people that hated disco still loved both Abba and Donna Summer

It makes me cry. I think it's because of the movie and the emotional scene.

Her husband was the guitar player, he wrote this for her and she cried when he gave it to her.

The pain is there.Beautiful performance.

It was always strange to me how they'd sing about splitting up, having affairs etc while still being in the band together and playing the roles in their own videos with each other!. I always thought it was very weird, but also funny.

ABBA had a knack for helping you face devastating emotion.

According to Björn, Agnetha's voice is best heard in "my love, my life, also a song about the same theme as "the winner takes it all".

Bjorn was quoted that during the split or shortly after the divorce, he got drunk one night & wrote this song. He then asked Agnetha (ex or soon to be ex) to sing it. Talk about awkward, huh? Sheesh! It 's been reported that when she read the lyrics, she burst into tears. Apparently, Bjorn had moved on with a new GF within weeks of the divorce, while Agnetha took it much harder & sought the help of a therapist afterward. Awhile later, Benny ended up with some side chick while still married to Anni-Frid (aka Frida); who happens to be a royal now, after she met & married a Prince in Switzerland. Her official title is Princess Anne-Frid Synni of Reuss, Countess of Plauen. I'd say that was one hell of an upgrade from the former two timin' Benny - LOL. :-)

When her ex husband Bjorn showed her the lyrics to this, their next song she broke down in tears, it hit close to home which explains the genuine emotion in Agnetha's face when singing.

This song pulles your heartstrings every time 💔💧

"The Day Before You Came"...even more sad...about finding your love and having it lost again while you sing about the time before the first meeting in hindsight...now being in the same situation again.after the loss and remembering....(sry...my grammar...^^)

This tune guts me every time 🥺

Bjorn wrote the lyrics in the female perspective of divorce, she was struck by the lyrics and found it hard to sing because of their situation,even so they continued to work together...even now all these years later. I am waiting on the new songs

So many great songs over the years but this was has a different sentiment so sad. But the song that people like the most!

Listen to "Fernando "

This band its ,best Melody in the world 🌸❤️🌸🌷🌸❤️🌸🌷🌸❤️

They are from Stockholm Sweden. They were played in every Discotheque I went to. Yes I'm a Dinosaur 🦖🦕. But in the 70s that was the thing. Even now in European version's of a Rave. But Abba was so popular back in the day. But I had the platform zip boots and bell bottoms. I just couldn't pull it off as good as John Travolta did in Saturday Night 🤒 Fever. Today I have gotten rid of that fever " Thank God"

I really think it's one of, if not the most iconic song of the 80s. I defy anyone to claim they don't relate to or feel or have felt the emotion in or the emotional aspect of this song.

Try 'Slipping through my fingers' another brilliant ABBA track

...beautiful reaction... many thanks x

💖You have such caring heart, Jayy. Love your extreme empathy 💖

Still makes me cry at 69 years old.

If you truly want more of this from ABBA you need to react to "The Day Before You Came", not a sad song but a serious thought provoking one, their last song I think

I just love your reactions, that you wear your emotions on your sleeve. I think you would love the tracks on the Visitors Album, including The Visitors and Slipping Through My Fingers.

Bjorn and Benny wrote the song. Bjorn wrote the lyrics about his experience of the divorce and then gave the song to Agnetha to sing. Her performance is so emotional because she is singing about how he felt during the divorce. It is sung from his point of view. The ultimate irony.

She said that when she read the Lyrics for the first time, she broke down and cried.

Both Agnetha and Bjorn have said there are no winners in a divorce. They had two children too.