Take a Chance on Me#Erasure version
{{Short description|Song by Swedish pop group ABBA}}
{{About|the ABBA song||}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Take a Chance on Me
| cover = Take a Chance on Me (Abba single) coverart.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = ABBA
| album = ABBA: The Album
| B-side = I'm a Marionette
| released = January 1978
| recorded = 15 August 1977
| studio = Marcus Music Studio
| genre =
| length = 4:05
| label =
| writer =
| producer =
- Benny Andersson
- Björn Ulvaeus
| prev_title = The Name of the Game
| prev_year = 1977
| next_title = Eagle/Thank You for the Music
| next_year = 1978
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|-crgQGdpZR0|"Take A Chance on Me"}} }}
}}
"Take a Chance on Me" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in January 1978 by Polar Music as the second single from their fifth studio album, ABBA: The Album (1977). Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad share the lead vocals on the verses and choruses, with Fältskog singing two bridge sections solo. The song reached the top ten in both the UK and US, and was notably covered by the British band Erasure in 1992.
Background and release
The working title of "Take a Chance on Me" was "Billy Boy".{{Cite book|last=Cole|first=Ian|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=20nSDwAAQBAJ&q=take+a+chance+on+me+billy+boy+abba&pg=PT97|title=ABBA: Song by Song|date=23 February 2020|publisher=Fonthill Media|pages=97|language=en}} (An excerpt of “Billy Boy” was released on the 1994 box set Thank You for the Music, as part of the track ABBA Undeleted, which consisted of demos, early and alternate versions of completed songs, and unfinished songs.) Written and recorded in 1977 by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, the song was one of ABBA's first singles in which their manager Stig Anderson did not assist with writing the lyrics, confirming Andersson and Ulvaeus as a songwriting partnership.{{Cite book|last=Palm|first=Carl Magnus|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/60589495|title=Abba : the complete guide to their music|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2005|isbn=1-84449-505-1|location=London|pages=44–50|oclc=60589495}}
The song's origins sprang from Ulvaeus, a keen runner, who would repeat a "tck-a-ch"-style rhythm to pace himself. This evolved into "take-a-chance" and the eventual lyrics.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjCNbX630T4 |title=Frida and Bjorn Interview - The Nation's Favourite ABBA Song - Part II |publisher=YouTube |date=12 December 2010 |access-date=28 March 2014}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}} Roger Palm, the drummer on the track, described the song as "ABBA at their most energetic and forceful".
The single's B-side was "I'm a Marionette", which, like "Thank You for the Music" and "I Wonder (Departure)" (the B-side to their previous single, "The Name of the Game"), was part of a mini-musical entitled The Girl With the Golden Hair performed during their 1977 concert tour.
Reception
Billboard described "Take a Chance on Me" as "one of [ABBA's] most busy, fast paced productions."{{cite news|newspaper=Billboard|access-date=10 July 2020|title=Top Single Picks|page=80|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1978/Billboard%201978-04-29.pdf|date=29 April 1978}} Cash Box said that the vocals "are intricately arranged to produce a wall of sound."{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=22 April 1978|page=52|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=1 January 2022|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1978/CB-1978-04-22.pdf}} Record World called it a "pleasing tune,
very well arranged" with "one of pop's most captivating acappella openings since Blue Swede tackled 'Hooked on a Feeling.'" {{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=29 April 1978|accessdate=15 February 2023|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/78/RW-1978-04-29.pdf}}
"Take a Chance on Me" proved to be one of ABBA's most successful chart hits, becoming the group's seventh UK number one (and third consecutive chart-topper in the country after "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and "The Name of the Game").Oldham, A, Calder, T & Irvin, C: "ABBA: The Name of the Game", page 122. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1995 It was also ABBA's final number one in the UK of the 1970s and gave the group the distinction of being the act with the most chart-topping singles of the 1970s in the UK. It sold and streamed over 600,000 units to receive a platinum disc. As of September 2021, it is the group's fourth-biggest song in the country with 950,000 chart sales (including 882,000 pure sales).UK Official Charts [https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/abbas-official-top-20-biggest-songs__26113/ ABBA's Official Top 20 biggest songs]
In the United States it reached number three and was certified gold for one million sales.{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/|title=Gold & Platinum|website=RIAA}} The song peaked at number three in Canada and West Germany as well.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.4602a&URLjpg=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f4/nlc008388.4602a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.4602a|title=Image : RPM Weekly|first=Library and Archives|last=Canada|date=17 July 2013|website=www.bac-lac.gc.ca}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artistId=ABBA|title=Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts|website=www.offiziellecharts.de}}
"Take a Chance on Me" has been widely regarded as one of ABBA's finest songs. In 2017, Billboard ranked the song number two on their list of the 15 greatest ABBA songs,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/abba-songs-best-hits-list-7882107/|title=ABBA's 15 Best Songs: Critic's Picks|first=Jeff|last=Benjamin|magazine=Billboard|date=14 August 2017|accessdate=28 March 2022}} and in 2021, Rolling Stone ranked the song number nine on their list of the 25 greatest ABBA songs.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-25-best-abba-songs-ranked-707709/|title=The 25 Best ABBA Songs, Ranked|first=Rob|last=Sheffield|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=2 September 2021|accessdate=28 March 2022}}
Personnel
- Agnetha Fältskog – vocals
- Anni-Frid Lyngstad – vocals
- Björn Ulvaeus – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals
- Benny Andersson – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
=Additional musicians=
- Rutger Gunnarsson – bass
- Roger Palm – drums
- Malando Gassama – percussion
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1978)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|first= David |last= Kent |author-link= David Kent (historian) |title= Australian Chart Book 1970-1992 |publisher= Australian Chart Book |location= St Ives, N.S.W. |year= 1993 |isbn= 0-646-11917-6}}
| 12 |
| {{single chart|Austria|1|artist=ABBA|song=Take A Chance On Me|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders|1|artist=ABBA|song=Take A Chance On Me|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|3|chartid=4602a|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|7|chartid=4590|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=8|first=Timo|last=Pennanen|year=2021|title=Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021|section=ABBA|page=8|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|access-date=21 June 2022|language=Finnish}}
| 18 |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|1|artist=ABBA|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|2|artist=ABBA|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|2|artist=ABBA|song=Take A Chance On Me|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|14|artist=ABBA|song=Take A Chance On Me|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Norway|8|artist=ABBA|song=Take A Chance On Me|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| scope="row"|Rhodesia (Rhodesian Singles Chart)http://home.zipworld.com.au/~callisto/zimbabwe.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308101842/http://home.zipworld.com.au/~callisto/zimbabwe.html |date=8 March 2016 }}. {{Retrieved|access-date=3 November 2020}}
| 2 |
| scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok){{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(A).html|access-date=4 November 2020}}
| 6 |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|3|artist=ABBA|song=Take A Chance On Me|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|1|artist=ABBA|song=Take A Chance On Me|artistid=8604|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|3|artist=ABBA|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|9|artist=ABBA|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
| scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite book|title=Cash Box pop singles charts, 1950–1993|year=1994|publisher=Libraries Unlimited|last1=Downey|first1=Pat|last2=Albert|first2=George|last3=Hoffmann|first3=Frank W|page=[https://archive.org/details/cashboxpopsingle00down/page/1 1]|isbn=978-1-56308-316-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/cashboxpopsingle00down/page/1}}
| 5 |
| {{single chart|West Germany|3|artist=ABBA|song=Take A Chance On Me|songid=493|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2021}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications and sales
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|title=Take A Chance on Me|artist=ABBA|award=Gold|relyear=1978|certyear=1978|certref={{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6CMEAAAAMBAJ&q=abba+canada|title=ABBA the World - Canada|issn=0006-2510|magazine=Billboard|page=ABBA-8|date=8 September 1979|access-date=3 November 2020}}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|title=Take A Chance on Me|artist=ABBA|award=Gold|id=12048|certyear=2023|access-date=28 January 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Kenya|type=single|title=Take A Chance on Me|artist=ABBA|nocert=yes|relyear=1978|salesamount=10,000|salesref={{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6CMEAAAAMBAJ&q=portugal|title=ABBA the World - Kenya|issn=0006-2510|magazine=Billboard|page=ABBA-18|date=8 November 1979 |access-date=3 November 2020}}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Portugal|type=single|title=Take A Chance Nn Me|artist=ABBA|nocert=yes|relyear=1978|salesamount=20,000|salesref={{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6CMEAAAAMBAJ&q=portugal|title=ABBA the World - Portugal|issn=0006-2510|last=Fernando|first=Tenente|magazine=Billboard|page=ABBA-30|date=8 November 1979|access-date=3 November 2020}}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|title=Take A Chance on Me|artist=ABBA|award=Platinum|relyear=2014|id=6438-1693-1|certyear=2023|access-date=28 July 2023|refname="bpi"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|title=Take A Chance on Me|artist=ABBA|award=Gold|relyear=1978|certyear=1978|access-date=3 November 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Abba|type=single|relyear=2005|salesref={{cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/thisday/ask-billboard-mariah-carey-abba-oasis-the-1003934063.story | title=Ask Billboard: Mariah Carey, Abba, Oasis, The Verve | magazine=Billboard | date=23 January 2009 | access-date=12 April 2013 | author=Trust, Gary | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207065222/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/thisday/ask-billboard-mariah-carey-abba-oasis-the-1003934063.story | archive-date=7 February 2009}}|salesamount=234,000|nocert=true|note=Digital}}
{{Certification Table Summary}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|type=album|title=Take A Chance on Me|artist=ABBA|nocert=true|note=physical sales|relyear=1978|salesamount=2,000,000|salesref={{cite book|title=Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL120558W/Million_selling_records_from_the_1900s_to_the_1980s|first=Joseph|last=Murrells|year=1985|publisher=Arco Pub.|quote=It sold over 500,000 in Britain, over 1,000,000 in the U.S.A. and with sales elsewhere an estimated tally of over two million|isbn=0668064595|page=451}}}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}
Erasure version
{{Infobox song
| name = Take a Chance on Me
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Erasure
| album = Abba-esque
| released = {{start date|1992|6|1|df=y}}{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=21|date=30 May 1992}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
- Synth-pop
- hi-NRG{{cite web|first= Nic |last= Oliver |url= http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/erasure-total-pop-the-first-40-hits |title= Erasure – Total Pop! The First 40 Hits |website= musicOMH |date= 23 February 2009 |access-date= 31 March 2015}}{{cite web|first= Darren |last= Lee |title= Erasure – Total Pop! Erasure's First 40 Hits |url= http://thequietus.com/articles/01217-erasure-total-pop-erasure-s-first-40-hits-album-review |work= The Quietus |date= 27 February 2009 |access-date= 31 March 2015}}
| length =
- 3:45
- 3:26 (radio edit)
| label = Mute
| writer =
| producer = Dave Bascombe
| prev_title = Breath of Life
| prev_year = 1992
| next_title = Who Needs Love Like That
| next_year = 1992
| next_version = Hamburg Mix
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|L-d4J3YUQmU|"Take a Chance on Me"}}}}
}}
The track was covered by English synth-pop duo Erasure in June 1992 by Mute Records as part of their Abba-esque EP Mute with an additional ragga-style toast performed by MC Kinky added to the song. In a few countries, the cover was credited to "Erasure featuring Special K", due to MC Kinky referring to herself as "Special K" during the ragga rap. In the United States, it reached number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/301794/erasure/chart?f=350 |title=Erasure - Chart history |magazine=Billboard |access-date=28 April 2015}} Although it had earned enough charting points to reach the publication's main Hot 100 chart, it was not eligible to enter as it had not been released commercially as a single.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1992/Billboard-1992-09-19.pdf#page=118|title=Hot 100 Singles Spotlight|last=Ellis|first=Michael|magazine=Billboard|publisher=BPI Communications|date=19 September 1992|access-date=28 April 2015|page=69|issn=0006-2510|volume=104|number=38}} The radio edit omits the ragga rap. The music video for the song was directed by Philippe Gautier, featuring the duo in drag as Fältskog and Lyngstad.
=Critical reception=
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Track maintains the cool kitsch of the original, while giving it electro-hip instrumentation and a jolting-but-pleasing toast interlude by MC Kinky. A must for adventurous popsters, while remixes have considerable club potential."{{cite magazine|first=Larry|last=Flick|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1992/Billboard-1992-09-05.pdf|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Billboard|date=5 September 1992|access-date=25 January 2018|author-link=Larry Flick}} Amy Linden from Entertainment Weekly found that Erasure "reverently tarts up" the song "as keyboard whiz Vince Clarke pumps the '70s gems full of '92 club aggression." She also stated that the duo "pay respect with a frothy testimonial that has its tongue in the right place."{{cite magazine|first=Amy|last=Linden|url=https://ew.com/article/1992/09/11/abba-esque/|title=Abba-esque|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=11 September 1992|access-date=25 February 2020}} In a 2011 retrospective review, Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger noted that the whole project "roars to life exactly once, when MC Kinky takes over for thirty delightful, crass seconds in the middle of "Take a Chance on Me" and shows the song a little creative disrespect at last."{{cite web|first=Tom|last=Ewing|url=http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2011/08/erasure-abba-esque-ep/#more-21871|title=Erasure – ABBA-Esque EP|publisher=Freaky Trigger|date=24 August 2011|access-date=6 March 2020}} Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report asked, "ABBA goes techno?", and concluded that this updated version "retains much of the flavor in the original with hip production elements added."{{cite magazine|first= Dave |last= Sholin |title= Gavin Picks: Singles |magazine= Gavin Report |date= 21 August 1992 |page= 56 |access-date= 17 October 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/92/Gavin-1992-08-21.pdf}} Howard Cohen from Knight-Ridder Newspapers named it a "bouncy remake".Cohen, Howard (6 August 1995). "Can't duck disco". p. 4E. Wisconsin State Journal. Everett True from Melody Maker felt their cover of the song "bleeds. Seriously."{{cite magazine|first=Everett|last=True|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/52749245720/|title=Retroactive|magazine=Melody Maker|date=28 November 1992|page=31|accessdate=29 March 2023|author-link=Everett True}} David Quantick from NME noted its "sheer Swedishness".{{cite magazine|first=David|last=Quantick|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/52740369967/|title=Long Play|magazine=NME|date=14 November 1992|page=32|access-date=13 March 2023|author-link=David Quantick}}
=Music video=
Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell played dual roles – as themselves and in drag (Clarke as Fältskog and Bell as Lyngstad) – in a music video heavily influenced by ABBA's original. It was directed by Philippe Gautier.{{cite web|title= Erasure: Take a Chance on Me |publisher= IMDb |date= |accessdate= 15 October 2021 |url= https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9208046/}} MC Kinky (aka. Caron Geary), who sings the reggae/dancehall rap part, also appears in an interlude in the video.{{cite web|title= Erasure - Take a Chance on Me (Official HD Music Video) |publisher= YouTube |date= 26 February 2009 |accessdate= 15 October 2021 |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-d4J3YUQmU}} Danny Scott from Select described the video as "uproarious".{{cite magazine|first=Danny|last=Scott|url=https://selectmagazinescans.monkeon.co.uk/showpage.php?file=wp-content/uploads/2018/02/videos.jpg|title=Reviews: New Videos|work=Select|date=January 1993|page=82|access-date=17 February 2025}}
=Charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1992) !Peak |
| scope="row"|Europe (European Dance Radio){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-09-19.pdf|title=European Dance Radio|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=38|date=19 September 1992|page=24|access-date=29 January 2022}}
| 11 |
|---|
| scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2600989#page/n5/mode/2up|title=Vinsældalisti Íslands|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=22|date=24 July 1992|access-date=29 January 2022}}
| 14 |
| {{single chart|Billboardradiosongs|51|artist=Erasure|rowheader=true|access-date=29 January 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|10|artist=Erasure|rowheader=true|access-date=29 January 2022}} |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{YouTube|72r32bceDzg|ABBA - Take a Chance on Me}}
{{ABBA}}
{{ABBA songs}}
{{MC Kinky}}
{{Erasure}}
{{A-Teens}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Take A Chance On Me}}
Category:UK singles chart number-one singles
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Austria
Category:Number-one singles in Belgium
Category:Number-one singles in Mexico
Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
Category:Songs written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus
Category:Music videos directed by Lasse Hallström