Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson : I Know Him So Well ( Rare Video German TV)HQ

Wonderful song from the musical Chess
written by ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson along with Tim Rice.
"I Know Him So Well" is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess. In this duet, two women -- Svetlana, the Russian chess champion's estranged wife, and Florence, his mistress -- express their bittersweet feelings for him and at seeing their relationships fall apart.

The duet was number one in the UK for four weeks in 1985 when released as a single by Elaine Paige (as Florence) and Barbara Dickson (as Svetlana), who laid down their vocals separately and never met during the recording of the song, only for the video and subsequent performances on Top of the Pops and the European tours.] This recording remains in the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest selling UK Chart single ever by a female duo. Paige also appeared in the original London stage production of Chess.- wikipedia


I KNOW HIM SO WELL
(Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Tim Rice)



Duet with Elaine Paige - from the Musical 'Chess'



Nothing is so good it lasts eternally

Perfect situations must go wrong

But this has never yet prevented me

Wanting far too much for far too long



Looking back I could have played it differently

Won a few more moments, who can tell

But it took time to understand the man

Now at least I know I know him well



Wasn't it good,

Oh so good

Wasn't he fine

Oh so fine

Isn't it madness

He can't be mine

But in the end he needs a little bit more than me

More security

He needs his fantasy and freedom

I know him so well



No one in your life is with you constantly

No one is completely on your side

And though I move my world to be with him

Still the gap between us is too wide



Looking back I could have played it differently

(Looking back I could have played things some other way)

Learned about the man before I fell

(I was just a little careless maybe)

But I was ever so much younger then

(Much younger then)

Now at least I know him well

Now at least I know I know him well



Wasn't it good

Oh so good

Wasn't he fine

Oh so fine

Isn't it madness

He won't be mine

Didn't I know how it would go

If I knew from the start

Why am I falling apart



Wasn't it good, wasn't he fine

Isn't it madness

He won't be mine

But in the end he needs a little bit more than me

More security

He needs his fantasy and freedom

I know him so well

It took time to understand

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Elaine
• Paige
• Barbara
• Dickson
• Know
• Him
• So
• Well
• german
• tv
• (Benny/
• Bjorn
• ABBA)

[soloABBA2]

Great upload Shay, this must be the first time this video is showed here in YOUTUBE, this is a real treasure. Thumbs way up.

[2Shaymcn]

@soloABBA2 Cheers mate ! Glad to upload it

Just going thru some old dvds and found it !

[abbafan09]

This is a good version Shay I taking tthe sound to use in an video clip that I'm using for an new clip to post on my as I have now found some very rare chess stuff. Like the very rare complete cast recording . I'm in the process of having a new Channel for my ABBA live Rareites.

[2Shaymcn]

@abbafan09 No problem , ill keep an eye out for those rare songs !

[meadeser]

i think at the time B&B were trying to find a good duo to somewhat match Agnetha & Frida's similiar voives. Barbara & Elaine did a good job. I think they should've done a complete album on thier own.

[dncareflex]

oh..Barbara is so beautiful at there

[overthemoo]

@MalaTemporaCurrunt I'm not too certain, but they have sung it live and precisely the same way. Musical theatre performers do this all the time, 8 times a week, and never have any issues. I mean, sure, your voice can betray you out of nowhere, but for the most part performers like these two can handle performing live easily.

[MalaTemporaCurrunt]

@toriboy25 pity

[toriboy25]

@MalaTemporaCurrunt it was .lipped

[TinorialPeredhil]

@jimmyd05 "Sir" Webber is rivaled by many children's tunes.

But I agree with everything you said about Chess.

[polly10022]

I like the face she makes when she sings "Wasn't it good" LOL.

[jimmyd05]

@Triggy24 The book for Chess is very weak and quickly outdated by the end of the Cold War. Attempts to rewrite the book and re-imagine the songs have largely failed (although Someone Else's Story is a lovely addition). However, the music is stellar. It ain't Sondheim but it certainly rivals Sir Weber. As simple a song as "Anthem" is an incredible showstopper along with Nobody's Side, Pity the Child and You and I. 27 years after buying the album and I still often play it end to end.

[anicriz]

barbara dickson looks like bonnie tyler =)

[kevitime23]

omg...angels r singing..best womens voices ive ever heard and dats comin 4m a 35 yr old guy..unbeliveable..and still as good as ever..listened too elaine singing wit susan boyle and i was blown away by her..amazing..i cud listen 2 elaine and babara all day 24.

7

[hlarios1991]

Best singers of all times