ABBA - KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU

Publicació: 14 de febrer de 1977

Llistes: EUA: #14  Regne Unit: 1 (5 setmanes)

"Knowing Me, Knowing You" és el tercer senzill del quart àlbum del grup "Arrival". Va ser escrit per Benny, Bjorn i Stig, amb Frida cantant la veu principal.

Des que es va convertir en un senzill d'èxit mundial, "Knowing Me, Knowing You" ha ocupat una posició com a una de les cançons més estimades i admirades d'ABBA, sovint aclamada com un dels seus primers signes d'autèntica maduresa. Com gran part del millor treball del grup, això es deu en part al fet que toca un tema com és els intents i posterior fracàs per fer que una relació funcioni. Bjorn va idear aquesta cançó en un moment en què les relacions dins del grup estaven tenses, i la seva lletra ho reflecteix. Ulvaeus va dir: "Crec que vaig escriure "Knowing Me Knowing You" abans del divorci. En molts aspectes, el divorci amb l'Agnetha va ser amistós, ens vam distanciar i vam decidir separar-nos. El de Benny i Frida va ser una mica més difícil. No va ser un moment feliç, però va ser molt creatiu".

"Knowing Me, Knowing You" sembla tractar sobre una ruptura dolorosa. El narrador, que està travessant la ruptura, expressa una profunda tristesa i penediment pel que ha passat. La lletra suggereix que hi va haver moments bons i moments dolents en la relació, i els records d'ambdós sempre quedaran amb ell. La frase "Breaking up is never easy, I know, but I have to go (Trencar mai és fàcil, ho sé, però me'n he d'anar)" emfatitza que de vegades l'amor no és suficient i la relació ha d'acabar. La repetició de la tornada de "Knowing me, knowing you" suggereix una mena de comprensió mútua entre el narrador i l'altra persona en la relació. Tots dos saben que lo seu no funciona i, malgrat els seus sentiments, han d'acceptar que aquest és el final. La línia "there is nothing we can do (no hi ha res que puguem fer)" reconeix que de vegades les relacions són irreparables i no hi ha res a fer per salvar-les.

En general, les emocions que transmet la cançó són de tristesa, penediment i acceptació. Tot i que la idea de trencar és difícil, el narrador sap que és la millor decisió que pot prendre. La cançó és un reflex de les complexitats de l'amor i de com a vegades les coses no surten malgrat les millors intencions.

Aquesta és una cançó seriosa d'ABBA, probablement un punt d'inflexió en la seva carrera. Aquí podeu veure una transició definitiva en el so d'ABBA, ja que comencen a deixar enrere el Bubblegum i comencen a tocar temes seriosos, com ara el divorci. Un no pot evitar preguntar-se si va ser un presagi dels divorcis que acabarien dividint el grup pocs anys després. Igual que Carole King a Tapestry o Fleetwood Mac a Rumors, ABBA superposen les seves exuberants harmonies dels anys 70 per dir adeu a un matrimoni trencat. L'Agnetha i l'Anni-Frid passegen per una casa buida plena de records, acomiadant-se de les habitacions on jugaven els seus fills.

En retrospectiva, el tema "fet consumat" de la lletra i el drama fosc de la cançó la van convertir en una peça ideal per a Frida com a vocalista principal. Va fer una interpretació valenta, adaptan-la a la seva pròpia experiència i determinació per superar la crisi. És destacable també l’aportació d'Agnetha en els cors amb la frase "memories, good days, bad days (memòries de bons dies i dies dolents") que afegeixen un to dramàtic a la cançó.

"Knowing Me, Knowing You" és un mig tempo amb canvis de ritme i un títol pragmàtic, considerada per molts com un dels millors enregistraments pop dels anys setanta.

ABBA - KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU

Released: February 14, 1977

Charted:  US: #14  UK: 1 (5 wks)

"Knowing Me, Knowing You" is the third single from the group's fourth album “Arrival”. It was written by Benny, Bjorn & Stig, with Frida singing the lead vocals. 

Ever since first becoming a worldwide hit single, “Knowing Me, Knowing You” has held a position as one of ABBA’s most loved and admired songs, often hailed as one of their first signs of true maturity. Like much of the group’s best work, this is partly because it strikes a chord with everyone who’s ever tried and failed at making a relationship work. Bjorn came up with this song at a time when the relationships within the group were strained, and his lyric reflect that. Said Ulvaeus: "I think I wrote “Knowing Me Knowing You” before the divorce. In many ways, Agnetha and my divorce was an amicable one, we just grew apart and decided let's split up. Benny and Frida's was a little more difficult. It was not a happy time but still very creative."

Let's see what exactly the song is about. “Knowing Me, Knowing You” seems to be about a painful breakup. The narrator, who is going through the breakup, expresses deep sadness and regret about what has happened. The lyrics suggest that there were good times and bad times in the relationship, and memories of both will always be with the narrator. The line "Breaking up is never easy, I know, but I have to go" emphasizes that sometimes love just isn't enough and the relationship has to end.

The chorus's repetition of "Knowing me, knowing you, aha" suggests a sort of mutual understanding between the narrator and the other person in the relationship. They both know that the relationship isn't working, and despite their feelings for each other, they have to accept that this is the end. The line "there is nothing we can do" acknowledges that sometimes relationships are beyond repair, and there is nothing to be done to salvage them.

Overall, the emotions conveyed in the song are of sadness, regret, and acceptance. Although the idea of breaking up is difficult, the narrator knows that it is the best decision they can make. The song is a reflection of the complexities of love and how sometimes things don't work out despite the best intentions.

This is a serious song by ABBA, probably a turning point in their career. You can see a definite transition in ABBA's sound here as they are beginning to leave the Bubblegum behind and start touching on serious issues, such as divorce. One can't help but wonder if there was a foreshadowing of the divorces that would end up splitting the group up just a short few years later. Like Carole King on Tapestry or Fleetwood Mac on Rumours, ABBA layer their lush 1970s harmonies to kiss off a broken marriage. Agnetha and Anni-Frid walk through an empty house full of memories, saying goodbye to the rooms where their kids used to play.

In hindsight, the “fait accompli” theme of the lyrics and the dark drama of the song made it a natural song for Frida to handle as lead vocalist. She turned in a bravura performance, colouring her tones with her very own brand of restrained regret and resolved determination to see the crisis through. Full marks also to Agnetha’s supporting role, where her ghost-like echoes of “memories, good days, bad days” certainly add an eerie overtone to the song.

The recording’s mid-tempo pace and slightly unsettling shifts between major and minor chords, combined with the pragmatic title. But above all, with “Knowing Me, Knowing You” ABBA created one of the finest pop recordings of the 1970s.