here's to the losers

have you ever felt like a loser? not just a loser, but a loser standing small?

if so, this song's for you:

"the winner takes it all" -- abba

i've always thought this a rather sad song, but watching this music video and seeing the seemingly real pain in beautiful agnetha's eyes makes me feel even more strongly the pangs of woe that she sings about. this song was written after her marriage to björn (the blonde dude in abba) fell apart. it is just a beautiful song, and she has such a beautiful voice.

and i seriously am digging her eyeshadow in the video -- it looks awesome!

i just can't get over how amazing this song is. i never tire of listening to it. because despite the hurt, agnetha is trying to be strong and sensible about her relationship coming to an end, and the lyrics show her matter-of-fact attempt to reason away her pain: the winner takes it all, and the loser has to fall. it's simple, and it's plain -- so why should she complain?

not to be all cheesy, but when i listen to this song -- like really listen to the words and her voice -- i get caught up in it. and i have to pull a kleenex out to dab unobtrusively at my eyes.

what i like most of all about the song, though, is the fact that, as much as she sings about being a loser, agnetha is anything but. you hear the lyrics, and you just want to kick the guy who threw her to the curb right in the nards. she sings about the winner taking it all, and you see how resigned she is to having lost her man. in the video, when you see her looking all vulnerable, sad, and alone, you just want to reach out and hug her.

but at the same time, a loser wouldn't be saying these kinds of things and finding ways to remain strong.

so i feel ya, agnetha. as losers standing small, we will let the judges decide -- and the likes of us will abide. but in a way, we're winners, too.

(seriously. no one can be more abba-solutely abbagirl than moi.)