"The Winner Takes It All" is a critically acclaimed pop ballad by the Swedish group ABBA, released in July 1980 as the lead single from their seventh studio album, Super Trouper.
Musical Composition
Writers: Penned by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.
Vocals: Features Agnetha Fältskog on lead vocals.
Structure: Originally titled "The Story of My Life," it is a ballad in the key of G-flat major known for its deceptive simplicity and recurring descending piano line.
Context and Meaning
Inspiration: The song was written following the divorce of Björn and Agnetha. While Björn has stated the lyrics are a fictionalized composite of many breakups and not a literal account of their split, he acknowledges they were born from the "experience of a divorce".
Theme: It uses a gambling/card game analogy (e.g., "I've played all my cards," "no more ace to play") to describe the painful finality of a relationship where one person seemingly "wins" by moving on, while the other is left with regret.
Emotional Weight: Agnetha has often cited it as her favorite ABBA song because of the deep feeling she could put into the performance.
