Thank you, everyone, for helping to decipher the meaning of ABBA's most enigmatic song. You might also be interested in reading Devin Phillips's article on 'oldtimemusic.com.'
Below, I've summarized the key points from his article and some other comments I have read here.
Romance has often been at the heart of pop songs, including the hit records by ABBA, the iconic Swedish band that dominated the European charts in the 1970s and early 1980s.
This has led many ABBA fans to believe that the "you" in "The Day Before You Came" must have been a lover who changed the woman's life forever. However, others argue that since there is no mention of love or romance in the song, "you" could have been an influential friend or someone who might have inspired spiritual changes in her life.
Although the song’s enigmatic lyrics leave the ending open, many agree that the downbeat tone of the record gives it away.
“This song is so sad”, one fan comments. “If you had met the love of your life, why would you sing such a heartbreaking song about a dreary past?" Something must have gone wrong!
But then again, the lyrics themselves provide no clues as to what happened at the end. The man might have left her or even died. There is also a darker interpretation of the song that suggests that “you” could have been the “Death” as an end to a boring and meaningless life.
Apart from all these possibilities, we cannot ignore the fact that the song was recorded after the divorce of Agnetha and Björn, and shortly before the band's break-up. This event might have left an impact on the song's overall mood, making it distinctly different from the upbeat tone characterizing most ABBA songs.
Thank you, everyone, for helping to decipher the meaning of ABBA's most enigmatic song. You might also be interested in reading Devin Phillips's article on 'oldtimemusic.com.' Below, I've summarized the key points from his article and some other comments I have read here.
Romance has often been at the heart of pop songs, including the hit records by ABBA, the iconic Swedish band that dominated the European charts in the 1970s and early 1980s.
This has led many ABBA fans to believe that the "you" in "The Day Before You Came" must have been a lover who changed the woman's life forever. However, others argue that since there is no mention of love or romance in the song, "you" could have been an influential friend or someone who might have inspired spiritual changes in her life.
Although the song’s enigmatic lyrics leave the ending open, many agree that the downbeat tone of the record gives it away. “This song is so sad”, one fan comments. “If you had met the love of your life, why would you sing such a heartbreaking song about a dreary past?" Something must have gone wrong!
But then again, the lyrics themselves provide no clues as to what happened at the end. The man might have left her or even died. There is also a darker interpretation of the song that suggests that “you” could have been the “Death” as an end to a boring and meaningless life.
Apart from all these possibilities, we cannot ignore the fact that the song was recorded after the divorce of Agnetha and Björn, and shortly before the band's break-up. This event might have left an impact on the song's overall mood, making it distinctly different from the upbeat tone characterizing most ABBA songs.
[Edit: typo]