Song Analysis - Take A Chance On Me

 This song is honestly yet another happy ABBA song, very much inspiring me of some of their early hits like Mamma Mia and the like.  It's extremely cheerful, exciting, and about someone's deep desire to get with a person.  I'm honestly not too sure what this sound could be about.  Is it a a song about someone who like has a major crush or attachment or even obsession to another person and she's pining for his attention?  Is it about someone trying to get a person to have a secret affair with her despite the fact that he's already in a relationship or something like that?  I don't actually know, and I guess it's up to us to interpret it how we like.

Recorded in August, 1977, the song begins with the amazing acapella of just Agnetha and Frida singing "if you change your mind, I'm the first in line..." with Bjorn and Benny's epic "Take-a-chance-take-a-chance-take-a-take-a-chance-chance" repeating throughout.  We all know the story by know, but Bjorn was inspired to write the lyrics when he was out jogging and the beat/rhythm that he'd hear while out running was the inspiration for the phrase "Take a chance."

The song begins with the narrator, played by Agnetha and Frida, telling this guy that if he's ever interested in having an affair with her, which I'm assuming he initially said no to because she's asking him if he ever changes his mind, that she'll always be here no matter what.  If he's ever alone, she's still free and available for whatever his heart desires.  In the first verse, the narrator suggests that they could just go dancing or walking, listen to music together or you know, just get to know each other better.  But she also is a bit obsessed, as she also spends a lot of time dreaming about this guy and admits that she just "can't let go." In the second verse, she appears to be a little more deranged haha, stating that he can take his time, but she knows she's going to get him.  She's in no hurry, she will get him. 

Honestly the line "You don't wanna hurt me, Baby don't worry, I ain't gonna let you," makes me think maybe this guy is an emotionally unavailable guy and he's like "No, I don't want to be with you." and she's like "You sure??  You sure about that???  ARE YOU SURE?" and doesn't want to take no for an
answer because she really likes this guy. Like a lot. Especially the line "Let me tell you now, my love is strong enough to last when things are rough.  It’s magic!  You say that I waste my time, but I can’t get you off my mind.  No I can’t let go, ’cause I love you so." He doesn't want to start any romantic affair with her because he's afraid that if things get rough, he'll hurt her somehow, but she's like "NO!  I can take it, my love for you is so strong!"  (Unrelated note - my interpretation of this song is definitely starting to sound like my own fiction story that I've been writing for the last decade hahaha, and is starting to give me a greater appreciation for the song hehe.)

The song is mostly sang by Agnetha and Frida together with lots of harmonies upon harmonies throughout the choruses and backing vocals from Bjorn and Benny throughout, but Agnetha gets a lot of solo spots.  She has some spoke word lines, "That's all I ask of you honey" and "c'mon, give me a break will you" during the post-choruses, and sings the pre-chorus alone as well.  Everybody sounds amazing in this song, but Agnetha's vocals are exceptionally amazing in this song.  

While Frida doesn't get any solo spots in the studio recording, while performing the song live during the 1979 tour, in the post-chorus where they sing "Take a chance on me, (insert spoken word line from Agnetha), take a chance on me," Frida sings the "Take a chance on me"s alone.  

Now, prior to the song becoming Take A Chance On Me, the song had the working title "Billy Boy", and an instrumental version of it is heard in ABBA Undeleted at around the 1:44 mark, and lasts until 3:30.  Though according to ABBA on Record by Carl Magnus Palm, there were actual lyrics to the song as well that included the intro line "Here comes Billy Boy!" or something along those lines.  So Billy Boy isn't just a random title that has no connection to the song.  

Speaking of live performances, we have two official live recordings, one from ABBA's live album from 1986, and another from the 2014 live album.  When ABBA performed the song live, they added this really fun outro, "You say that I waste my time, but I can't get you off my miiiind!  It's magic!" but in 1978 when performing the song on a couple of TV shows, they have a different ending, where the song ends with all four members singing acapella, "Take a chance take a chance take-a take-a chance-chance, take a chance take a chance, take-a take-a chance."  

Anyways, ABBA performed this song on TV a good number of times throughout 1978 and early 1979.  (They even performed the song live on the Olivia! show.)  As usual, here is a compilation of all their officially recorded performances.