Bjorn Ulvaeus Reveals He Was Drunk When He Wrote ABBA’s Hit “The Winner Takes It All”

Björn Ulvaeus Discusses Songwriting Under Influence

Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA revealed that he penned the lyrics to “The winner takes all this” while intoxicated on whiskey.

• READ MORE: Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA on the future of the living show “Voyage” and their potential performance at Glastonbury

The Story Behind “The Winner Takes It All”

The iconic 1980 track is one of the most memorable pieces from the Swedish group, exploring the painful ramifications of separation. In a recent interview with Time, Ulvaeus shared that while he typically struggled to produce quality work while drinking, this particular instance was a notable exception.

The musician, who has been abstaining from alcohol since 2007, remarked, “I wrote this song very quickly when I drank whiskey during my drinking days. I seldom wrote anything worthwhile when under the influence, as you tend to look back at those lyrics the next day and find them to be garbage.”

“However, most of ‘The winner takes it all’ actually turned out well. Though it’s not a personal narrative, I aimed to capture the essence of genuine human suffering.”

Despite Ulvaeus’s insistence that the song was not autobiographical, rumors have circulated for years suggesting that it was inspired by his real-life breakup with Agneta Fältskog, which was publicized at the end of 1979, coinciding with their divorce in the same year the song was released. Given that Fältskog leads the vocals in Ulvaeus’s melodies, the true circumstances lend an added intensity to its meaning.

In another portion of the interview, Ulvaeus expressed that he was “concerned” about “serious issues” related to aging with his current wife Christina Sas, who is 28 years old.

In other news, it was announced last month that the set for the Virtual Voyage Concert at the ABBA residence will undergo a “small” renovation in May to mark its third anniversary in London.

ABBA Voyage debuted in May 2022 and was initially slated to conclude in November of the previous year, but due to overwhelming demand, it has now been extended until January 2026 – get your tickets here.

Upcoming changes to the setlist are anticipated following Ulvaeus’s suggestion that more songs may be integrated into future iterations of the show. Speaking with NME in April 2023, Ulvaeus stated, “We have proposed adding more songs to this concert.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvz3spkwobo

“The development includes songs that could potentially be animated for ABBA-Trand in the future. Who knows? New songs might emerge from time to time, but I can’t provide any details at this moment.”

Once the London show concludes, the group plans to take the experience on the road globally, including stops in Asia, Australia, and North America, although specific plans remain to be announced.

Reviewing the first night of the show on May 27, 2022, NME awarded it five stars, describing it as an “epic mega-mix of avatars from a bold new world.” They noted, “Aging rockers and pop stars will surely strive to replicate this idea, but it will be a challenge to come close to the experience of ABBA Voyage.

“For instance, we welcome our new ABBATAR overlords, merely for the joy of rediscovering these songs in a completely new light.”