The Winner Takes It All by ABBA is one of the band’s most emotionally charged and beautifully crafted songs, featuring a deeply personal narrative and a strikingly elegant drum arrangement. Released in 1980 as the lead single from their album Super Trouper, the song became a worldwide hit, resonating with listeners due to its poignant lyrics and soaring melody.
The song was primarily written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, with Agnetha Fältskog delivering a heartfelt vocal performance. While Ulvaeus has stated that the song is not directly autobiographical, it was written in the aftermath of his divorce from Agnetha, making its themes of heartbreak and loss feel incredibly real. The lyrics paint a picture of a painful breakup, where one person walks away victorious while the other is left to cope with the emotional devastation.
Musically, The Winner Takes It All begins with a delicate piano introduction, setting a melancholic tone that gradually builds into a sweeping ballad. The drumming, performed by Ola Brunkert, plays a crucial yet understated role in shaping the song’s dynamics. In the verses, the percussion is minimal, allowing Agnetha’s vocals and the piano to take center stage. As the song progresses, the drums subtly build, adding gentle cymbal swells and soft snare accents that heighten the emotional weight. By the time the chorus arrives, the drums contribute a steady yet unobtrusive pulse, reinforcing the grandeur of the melody without overpowering its raw vulnerability.
One of the most notable aspects of the drumming in The Winner Takes It All is its restraint. Unlike ABBA’s more rhythmically driven tracks, this song relies on a measured, almost orchestral approach. The fills are sparse but perfectly placed, particularly in the final chorus, where the gradual build of the percussion mirrors the song’s emotional climax.
ABBA performed The Winner Takes It All extensively during their final years as a touring act, and it remains one of their most iconic live songs. Even after the group disbanded, the song continued to be a staple in tribute performances and stage productions like Mamma Mia!. For fans of the drums in this track, it’s a masterclass in subtlety—showing how percussion can elevate a song’s emotional depth without dominating the arrangement.
The drumless version is an audio file of the song without the drum track, designed to let you play as if you were the drummer in the band.
It is an ideal tool for developing your sense of groove, consistency, rhythmic accuracy, and endurance. By playing along with real music, without the original drums already recorded, you learn to hold the song from start to finish, place your fills at the right moments, and follow the structure with greater independence.
When the drums start right at the beginning of the song, 2 bars of click are added before the track starts, allowing you to lock into the tempo and begin with precision.
This version is especially useful for practicing in conditions close to a real performance: you have to maintain the tempo, support the energy of the song, manage transitions, and blend naturally with the other instruments. It also helps you work on your listening, sound, dynamics, and ability to stay solid in the groove.
The drumless track is also an excellent tool for recording yourself, creating your own drum cover videos, preparing for a rehearsal, concert, audition, or exam. It helps you check your timing, musicality, and overall control of the song.
This file is created from the original track: the drum part is removed in order to provide a working version without drums. Depending on the original mix, the audio quality may therefore be slightly affected, and some drum elements may sometimes remain audible.
Ideal for: playing in real performance conditions, working on your groove, improving fill accuracy, building endurance, preparing for the stage, or creating your own drum recordings.
| Artist | Abba |
|---|---|
| Song | The Winner Takes It All |
| Album | Super Trouper |
| Année | 1980 |
| Tempo | 126 |
| Signature Rythmique | 4/4 |
| Longueur | 4:57 |
| Video URL | |
| Musician | Ola Brunkert |
| Page(s) | 2 |
| Version | Album |
| Transcription | Sebastien POITEVIN |
| Style | Disco |
| Niveau | Intermediaire |
| Product format | Drumless music |
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