I first heard this mysterious and haunting song in the cover version by Blancmange. I was going to include that, but a quick check of Martin C. Strong’s Great Rock Discography assured me that the original didn’t come out until 1982. That meant that Abba’s stunning version qualified for this project. Job done!
Abba are probably associated in most people’s minds with uptempo disco stompers from their height in the late 1970s. This song dates from the tail-end of their time as a band, when their marriages were breaking up and their days together were numbered. It’s a stunning meditation on the banality of everyday life, and how it only takes one random stranger to turn everything upside down. Personally, I think it’s the pinnacle of their career. Heartbreaking stuff.
Agnetha Fältskog – lead vocals; Anni-Frid Lyngstad – backing vocals; Benny Andersson – all instruments
100 Songs in 100 Days 