The Annotated Transcript
[background musak: The Winner Takes It All]
Receptionist: I’ve been cheated by you since, I don’t know when. So, I made up my mind. This must come to an end. (Mamma Mia)
Record company boss (off screen): You better watch out! Ooh, I said you better watch out. (Watch Out)
Receptionist: Sir, there’s a band here to see you.
Boss (off screen, over intercom): Well, send them in.
Boss: What do you want?
Manager: I have a dream. I mean, they, they have a s-s-song to sing, yes. (I Have A Dream)
Doll Agentha: Hey hey.
Doll Björn: Hello.
Doll Frida: Hi.
Doll Benny: Hi.
Boss: Well, rock me. Give me that kick now.
Assistant: Yeah, Rock him. (Rock Me)
Manager. Yes. Well. Come on Björn.
Doll Björn: Ett, två, tre, fyra
Take A Chance On Me: If you change your mind/I’m the first in line/honey I’m still free/take a chance on me/if you need me/let me know/gonna be around/if you got no place to go/when you’re feeling down (Doll Björn: <cough cough>) if you’re all alone/when the pretty birds have flown/honey I’m still free/take a chance on me/gonna do my very best/and it ain’t no lie/if you put me to the test/if you let me try/take a chance on me/that’s all I ask of you honey/(take a chance on me)
Receptionist: I do, I do, I do. I do. But it’s true, I do, I do. (I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do)
Man in purple suit: I work all night, I work all day to pay the bills I have to pay.
Couple in blue and yellow: Ain’t it sad? (Money, Money, Money)
Dancing Queen: Friday night and the lights are low/looking out for the place to go/where they play the right music/getting in the swing/you come to look for a king/and when you get the chance/You are the Dancing Queen/young and sweet only seventeen/Dancing Queen/feel the beat from the tambourine, oh yeah/you can dance, you can jive/having the time of your life/see that girl, watch that scene/dig in the Dan(cing Queen)
Receptionist: Ring Ring. (Ring Ring)
Woman in blue & yellow: If you’re looking for someone who might be right for you.
Man in blue & yellow: Call us, Get two for the price of one. (Two For The Price Of One)
Boss: I’m not charmed, you’re not groovy. (Doll ABBA: <sigh>) But, I will give you one more chance. (Doll ABBA: <Ah!>) (Dream World)
Assistant: Are you sure you wanna hear more? I mean, it’s not the style we’ve been looking for. (That’s Me)
Manager: Okay, here we go again. You know the start, and you know the end. (Voulez-Vous)
<crunch>
Assistant: Thank you sir [it’s not really clear what is being said here]
Boss: Shut up!
Waterloo: My, my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender/oh yeah, and I have met my destiny/in quite a similar way/the history book on the shelf/is always repeating itself/(Waterloo – I was defeated, you won the war)/ …
Man in blue & yellow: What’s that noise?
Woman in blue & yellow: What’s the dreadful rumble? (Soldiers)
… Waterloo – finally facing my Waterloo/So how could I ever refuse/I feel like I win when I lose –/Waterloo – couldn’t escape if I wanted to/Waterloo – knowing my fate is to be with you/Wa, wa, wa, wa, Waterloo – finally facing my Waterloo/ooooh/Waterloo
Boss: Oh, thank you for the music. For the songs you’re singing.
Assistant: Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing.
Boss: So, thank you for the music. But no thank you. <laughs> I don’t think they’ll ever be big enough <laughs> (Thank You For The Music)
Assistant: <laughs>
The Winner Takes It All: I don’t wanna talk/about the things we’ve gone through/(though it’s hurting me)/ …
Receptionist: Hasta mañana till we meet again. Don’t know where, don’t know when. (Hasta Mañana)
… Now it’s history/The winner takes it all (Doll Björn: Eh! Doll Benny: Oh) /the loser standing small/ …
Receptionist: Why don’t you give me a call? (Ring Ring)
… (beside the) victory/ …
Doll ABBA: Good luck!
… that’s her (destiny) …
Doll Benny: Not a chance.
… The winner takes it all
The winner takes it all
Film credits
Cast
Rik Mayall – Record Company boss
Robert Gustafson – Assistant
Loa Falkman – Manager
Sissela Kyhle – Receptionist
Per Svensson – Man in purple suit
Micke Nyqvist – Man in blue & yellow
Cecilia Frode – Woman in blue & yellow
Benny Andersson
Agnetha Fältskog
Björn Ulvaeus
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Cher
Eddie
Film crew
Executive Producer – Luke Beauchamp
Producer – Jeanette Albertsson
Writer & Director – Calle Åstrand
D.O.P. – Göran Hallberg
Produced by Radical Media UK.
ABBA dolls by Henson Creature Shop Ltd.
Music
‘Take A Chance On Me’ and ‘The Winner Takes It All’ written by Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus
‘Waterloo’ and ‘Dancing Queen’ written by Benny Andersson/Stig Anderson/Björn Ulvaeus
All songs published by Universal/Union Songs AB
Broadcast
During the Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Istanbul, Turkey 12 May 2004
Transcript and annotation by Ian Cole. Please do not reproduce without permission. Copyright is not claimed on the text.
Images: Many thanks to Sara Russell, ABBA on TV for permission to use her screen grabs, Robin Andersson for identifying the actors.
Thanks to Erik Menkens & ABBAMAIL for the credits list.
More information @ ABBA – The Site:
In Focus – Our Last Video Ever
News – World premiere broadcast! ABBA – Our Last Video Ever!
News – The Last Video released on DVD in July
Watch Abba – The Last Video (Official Video)
The Last Video DVD
Released 19 July 2004 (Europe – Sweden & Germany), Netherlands July, UK 26 July, Mexico 22 August, Canada 24 August, Australia 30 August, USA 31 August, Spain 6 September, New Zealand 13 September
Catalogue number (PAL): 0602498671542 (986 715-4)
Catalogue number (NTSC): B0003262-09 (9867155)
ABBA Omnibus 