If It Wasn't for the Nights

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"If It Wasn't for the Nights"
This is the label to "If It Wasn't for the Nights" by ABBA, featured as a B-side to the Japanese release of "Super Trouper". The label featured is from Discomate Records, the group's Japanese distributor.
Song by ABBA
from the album Voulez-Vous
Recorded8 November 1978
StudioPolar Studios (Stockholm, Sweden)
GenreDisco[1]
Length5:11
LabelPolar
Songwriters
Producers
  • Benny Andersson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
Voulez-Vous track listing
10 tracks
  1. "As Good as New"
  2. "Voulez-Vous"
  3. "I Have a Dream"
  4. "Angeleyes"
  5. "The King Has Lost His Crown"
  6. "Does Your Mother Know"
  7. "If It Wasn't for the Nights"
  8. "Chiquitita"
  9. "Lovers (Live a Little Longer)"
  10. "Kisses of Fire"
Audio video
"If It Wasn't for the Nights" on YouTube

"If It Wasn't for the Nights" is a song by the Swedish recording group ABBA. The track was recorded for and included on their sixth studio album Voulez-Vous (1979). Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad both share lead vocals on the track,[2] which was written and produced by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The working title for the track was "Pandemonium". The song was initially planned as the lead single to Voulez-Vous.[3] However, "Chiquitita" wound up being the lead single, and "If It Wasn't for the Nights" was scrapped as a single altogether, although it was later included as a B-side to "Super Trouper" in Japan.

Background

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The song was a reflection of Björn Ulvaeus's state of mind during his divorce from Agnetha Fältskog, an uptempo song with despairing lyrics where the narrator dreads the end of the working day, when they will be all alone to deal with their own thoughts. Ulvaeus later stated: "There were times that last autumn I was with Agnetha that I had those nights myself. My lyrics were often based around fiction, but that must have been where that one came from."[4]

Live performances and intended release

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"If It Wasn't for the Nights" was considered by the band members to be one of the strongest songs recorded during the Voulez-Vous sessions, and was originally intended to be the lead single from the album. ABBA performed the song in Japan in November 1978, upon their promotional visit to the country (known as ABBA in Japan). Although ABBA did not film an official video for "If It Wasn't for the Nights", their filmed performance on the Mike Yarwood Christmas Show in December 1978 serves as an "unofficial" music video. These filmed performances of the song differ from the original 5:11 version (lasting 3:42 and 3:50).[5][6]

In December 1978, a new song entitled "Chiquitita" was recorded, and it was ultimately decided that this would be released as the lead single from the Voulez-Vous album instead. As a result of this decision, "If It Wasn't for the Nights" remained an album track. "If It Wasn't for the Nights" was also planned to be the song ABBA would donate to The Music for UNICEF Concert.[7]

Critical reception

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Rob Joseph of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette described the song as an "irresistible dance number."[8] Steve Harnell of Classic Pop said the song "returns to the easygoing groove of 'Dancing Queen'", albeit the chorus not "quite scale[ing] those giddy heights."[9]

Track listings and formats

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Japanese 7-inch single[10]

  1. "Super Trouper" – 4:12
  2. "If It Wasn't for the Nights" – 5:10

Record Store Day 12-inch single / 2019 7-inch single[11][12]

  1. "Voulez-Vous" (Extended Dance Remix) – 6:07
  2. "If It Wasn't for the Nights" – 5:09

References

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  1. ^ Stroude, Will (July 16, 2018). "The 10 best ABBA songs not to make the 'Mamma Mia!' films". Attitude. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  2. ^ "Who sings which song?". ABBA Omnibus. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  3. ^ Sheridan, Simon (27 April 2012). "'Voulez-Vous' (Album)". The Complete ABBA (40th Anniversary ed.). Titan Publishing Group. ISBN 9781781164983.
  4. ^ Jonze, Tim (2014-04-10). "Abba on drugs, Eminem and why writing great pop is a job for young people". theguardian.com. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  5. ^ [1] ABBA - If It Wasn't for the Nights: The Mike Yarwood Christmas Show 1978. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  6. ^ [2] ABBA - If It Wasn't for the Nights (Japan). Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  7. ^ "In Focus: Voulez-Vous – an album of magical hooks". ABBA Site. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  8. ^ Joseph, Rob (13 July 1979). "Records". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Vol. 52, no. 298. Pittsburgh, PA: P. G. Publishing Co. p. 19.
  9. ^ Harnell, Steve (22 April 2021). "ABBA Albums: The Complete Guide". Classic Pop. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  10. ^ Super Trouper (Japanese 7-inch single sleeve). ABBA. Discomate Records. 1981. DSP-212.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Voulez-Vous (Extended Dance Remix) (European 12-inch single sleeve). ABBA. Polar Music. 2012. 00602527957302.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Voulez-Vous (Extended Dance Remix) (European 7-inch single sleeve). ABBA. Polar Music. 2019. 00602577245909.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)