ABBA – “One of Us”: A Quiet Farewell Wrapped in Melancholy
By the early 1980s, ABBA stood at the end of a dazzling journey that had made them one of the most successful pop groups in history. Behind the sequins and the smiles, however, the lives of the four members — Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida), Björn Ulvaeus, and Benny Andersson — had become marked by personal upheaval. The divorces of both couples within the group had already colored their later music with a tone of maturity and sorrow, and nowhere is this more evident than in “One of Us,” released in 1981 on the album The Visitors.
The year 1981 was a turning point, not just for ABBA but for pop itself. New wave, synth-driven sounds, and edgier aesthetics were beginning to dominate the charts. The Visitors found ABBA responding with some of their most complex and somber material. While the title track embraced darker electronic textures, “One of Us” delivered a more traditional pop ballad — yet one infused with regret and emotional honesty that made it strikingly different from their earlier, more carefree singles.
Lyrically, “One of Us” is a confession of heartbreak told with painful clarity. The song’s narrator, reflecting on the end of a relationship, admits to wanting reconciliation but knowing it may be too late: “One of us is crying, one of us is lying in her lonely bed.” These lines are unflinchingly direct, capturing the sense of pride and regret that often accompanies a breakup. Unlike earlier ABBA songs that masked melancholy with upbeat arrangements — such as “SOS” or “Knowing Me, Knowing You” — “One of Us” presents sorrow without disguise.
Musically, the track is deceptively simple, carried by Benny’s elegant keyboard line and a steady rhythm that underlines its contemplative tone. Agnetha’s lead vocal is a masterclass in emotional restraint; her delivery is tender yet heavy with unspoken pain. Frida’s harmonies, layered with precision, add depth, creating the sense of a voice echoing in solitude. The song avoids grand gestures, instead letting its intimacy and lyrical candor carry the weight. This restraint only makes its impact stronger.
When released as a single, “One of Us” quickly became a hit across Europe, reaching the Top 5 in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In some ways, it was a bittersweet success — a reminder that even as the group’s days together were drawing to a close, they still had the ability to craft hits that connected deeply with audiences. In the United States, where ABBA’s popularity had waned somewhat by the early 1980s, the song made only a modest chart impact, yet it has since been recognized as one of their most significant late-era recordings.
In the broader context of ABBA’s career, “One of Us” feels like a farewell disguised as a single. Its themes of regret, separation, and resignation mirrored the group’s real-life circumstances and the inevitability of their impending hiatus. While not announced at the time, ABBA would not release another studio album for nearly four decades. For many fans, this song became one of the last direct windows into the group’s inner world during their original run.
Over the years, “One of Us” has gained stature as one of ABBA’s most emotionally resonant songs. Unlike the effervescent joy of “Dancing Queen” or the defiant drama of “The Winner Takes It All,” it offers something quieter but equally powerful: honesty. It reveals a band no longer concerned with chart dominance but with expressing truths drawn from personal experience.
Today, listening to “One of Us” feels like reading the final chapter of a novel you don’t want to end. It carries the bittersweet weight of closure, reminding us that even the brightest journeys must eventually conclude. Yet in that honesty lies ABBA’s enduring brilliance — the ability to turn even heartbreak and endings into melodies that live on. In the story of ABBA, “One of Us” remains not just a late-era hit, but a poignant farewell etched in song.