[Verse 1]
No more carefree laughter
Silence ever after
Walking through an empty house, tears in my eyes
Here is where the story ends, this is goodbye
[Chorus]
Knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa)
There is nothing we can do, knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa)
We just have to face it, this time we’re through This time we’re through, this time we’re really through, this time we’re through, we’re really through
Breaking up is never easy, I know, but I have to go I have to go, this time I have to go, this time I know
Knowing me, knowing you, it’s the best I can do…
[Verse 2]
Memories (memories), good days (good days), bad days (bad days)
They’ll be (they’ll be), with me (with me) always (always)
In these old familiar rooms children would play
Now there’s only emptiness, nothing to say
[Chorus]
Knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa)
There is nothing we can do, knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa)
We just have to face it, this time we’re through This time we’re through, this time we’re really through, this time we’re through, we’re really through
Breaking up is never easy, I know, but I have to go I have to go, this time I have to go, this time I know
Knowing me, knowing you, it’s the best I can do…
[Chorus]
Knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa)
There is nothing we can do, knowing me, knowing you (ah-haa)
We just have to face it, this time we’re through This time we’re through, this time we’re really through, this time we’re through, we’re really through
Breaking up is never easy, I know, but I have to go I have to go, this time I have to go, this time I know
Knowing me, knowing you, it’s the best I can do…
“Knowing Me, Knowing You” is a hit single recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. The song was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, with Anni-Frid Lyngstad singing the lead vocals. During recording sessions, it had the working titles of “Ring It In” and “Number 1, Number 1”. The song is featured on the group’s album Arrival, and also on the compilation Gold: Greatest Hits.
History
“Knowing Me, Knowing You” was recorded in 1976 at the Metronome studio in Stockholm and was released as a single in February 1977, becoming one of the group’s most successful hits. The B-side was “Happy Hawaii“, an arrangement of another ABBA song, “Why Did It Have to Be Me?”, but with a different lead vocalist and lyrics. “Knowing Me, Knowing You” was one of the first ABBA songs to deal with the break-up of a relationship. It predates the divorces of the ABBA members, as well as further break-up songs to come: “The Winner Takes It All“, “One of Us” and “When All Is Said and Done“. Group member Benny Andersson named “Knowing Me, Knowing You” as one of ABBA’s best recordings in a 2004 interview, along with “Dancing Queen“, “The Winner Takes It All” and “When I Kissed the Teacher“. “Conociéndome, Conociéndote” is the Spanish-language version of the song. It was included in the compilation Oro: Grandes Éxitos released in 1993.
Music video
The music video depicts the band against various colored backdrops singing while facing each other, turning away as a new line is sung. At the end of the video, the band’s female members are seen walking away through thick snow. The video was directed by future Academy Award nominee Lasse Hallström and is a landmark in his career alongside most other videos of the band which were directed by him.[2]
Reception
“Knowing Me, Knowing You” proved to be one of ABBA’s most successful singles, hitting #1 in West Germany (ABBA’s sixth consecutive chart-topper there), the United Kingdom,[3] Ireland, Mexico and South Africa,[4] while reaching the Top 3 in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland. It was also a Top 10 hit in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and Norway. In the United States, it became ABBA’s sixth Top 20 single, peaking at #14 on the Hot 100, and also reached #7 on Billboard’s AC chart.
In the UK, “Knowing Me, Knowing You” was the biggest single of 1977.[5] It also began a second run of three consecutive #1 singles for ABBA (followed by “The Name of the Game” and “Take a Chance on Me“), the group having already had three consecutive #1 hit singles in 1976.
The French conductor Franck Pourcel recorded an instrumental version for his 1978 album Pourcel meets Abba.
British singer Cilla Black recorded a cover for her 1980 album Especially For You.
Swedish pop group A-Teens included the song as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their debut album The ABBA Generation.
Danish singer Sanne Salomonsen recorded her own cover of the song for the 1992 Swedish tribute album ABBA – The Tribute, released on the Polar Music label.
American power pop band Wondermints included a cover of the song on their 1996 album Wonderful World Of The Wondermints.
Evan Dando, former lead singer of The Lemonheads, recorded an acoustic version of the song which was included on the album ABBA: A Tribute – The 25th Anniversary Celebration released in 1999.
Right Said Fred covered the song on the German album ABBA Mania which was a tie-in to a TV special in Germany.
Swedish musician Nils Landgren included a rendition of the song on his 2004 tribute album Funky ABBA.
Live cover performances and appearances in other media
Brief clips from the original ABBA recording features in the film ABBA: The Movie (1977), whilst Ashley is stuck in a traffic jam; it is presumably coming from the radio of another car.
The song is also performed in the musical Mamma Mia! by the character of Sam. In the context of the musical, the song is used as Sam’s description of his failed marriage.
