I wasn’t going to post again today but NewEpicAuthor’s Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie post inspired me to start typing again. Today, I read about a Tom Petty song commemorating the end of an affair.

It made me think about other music about relationships breaking up, and I immediately think of ABBA in this context, those very last albums. It must have been particularly difficult for one partner to perform songs written by the other partner. For both couples. Especially as the songs were usually about … relationships.

ABBA’s last album was The Visitors, released at the end on 1981. There was no great break-up, they just stopped recordeding new material and went their separate ways. The word reform has been uttered, but how could they ever be as good?

So I shall just quickly present a song today from this last album, called When All is Said and Done. In fact the album was just released at the right time, in terms of the available technology – it is one of the first where everything was digital, and one of the first to have videos accompanying at least those songs released as singles. This song charted in much of the world, so will hopefully spark a memory.

Here’s to us. One more toast, and then we’ll pay the bill
Deep inside, both of us can feel the autumn chill
Birds of passage, you and me
We fly instinctively
When the summer’s over and the dark clouds hide the sun
Neither You nor I’m to blame when all is said and done

In our lives, we have walked some strange and lonely treks
Slightly worn, but dignified, and not too old for sex
We’re still striving for the sky
No taste for humble pie
Thanks for all your generous love and thanks for all the fun
Neither you nor I’m to blame when all is said and done

It’s so strange, when you’re down, and lying on the floor
How you rise, shake your head, get up and ask for more
Clear-headed and open-eyed, with nothing left untried
Standing calmly at the crossroads, no desire to run
There’s no hurry anymore when all is said and done
Standing calmly at the crossroads, no desire to run
There’s no hurry anymore when all is said and done

Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus