The Winner Takes It All - ABBA (Super Trouper, 1980)

Original key F#,  transpose -1 to match recording.




[Intro]

          
        
      
       

          
        
      
       


[Verse]
              
I don't wanna 

             
talk about thi

          
ngs we've gone

 through
              
Though it's hu

            
rting me, now 

          
it's history
              
I've played al

               
l my cards
              
And that's wha

             
t you've done 

        
too
              
Nothing more t

          
o say
              
No more ace to

           
 play


[Chorus]
              
The winner tak

                
es it all
            
The loser stan

                
ding small
            
Beside the vic

           
tory
              
That's her des

           
tiny


[Verse]
              
I was in your 

          
arms
             
Thinking I bel

                
onged there
              
I figured it m

            
ade sense
              
Building me a 

          
fence
              
Building me a 

         
home
              
Thinking I'd b

                  
e strong there
            
But I was a fo

        
ol
              
Playing by the

           
 rules


[Chorus]
              
The gods may t

                 
hrow a dice
            
Their minds as

                  
 cold as ice
            
And someone wa

                 
y down here
              
Loses someone 

           
dear

              
The winner tak

           
es it all  (ta

     
kes  it  a   -

  
  all)
            
The loser has 

        
to fall  (has 

     
  to  fa  -  a


ll)
            
It's simple an

            
d it's plain (

    
yes   it's pla

  
  - ain)
              
Why should I c

           
omplain?   (wo

     
n't  com-pla -

 
 ain)


[Verse]
           
But tell me do

es she kiss
              
Like I used to

 
 kiss you?
              
Does it feel t

   
he same
              
When she calls

                
 your name?
              
Somewhere deep


 inside
              
You must know 

              
I miss you
              
But what can I

      
 say
              
Rules must be 

            
obeyed


[Chorus]
              
The judges wil

               
l decide
            
The likes of m

             
e abide
         
Spectators of 

               
the show
              
Always staying

       
 low

              
The game is on

          
 again    (on 

      
    a - ga  - 


ain)
           
A lover or a f

          
riend     (or 

     
   a   frie - 


end)
         
A big thing or

          
 a small   (bi

    
g   or   sma -

  
  all)
              
The winner tak

            
es it all   (t

     
akes  it  a  -

 
  all)      [p

ause]


[Verse]
              
I don't wanna 


talk
              
If it makes yo

  
u feel sad
            
And I understa

nd
              
You've come to

                    
 shake my hand
             
I apologize

    

  
              
If it makes yo

             
u feel bad
             
Seeing me so t

          
ense
             
No self-confid

         
ence,        b

             
ut you see …


[Chorus]

              
The winner tak

         
es it all.....

       
..............

       
..............

    
..............

  
..
            
The winner tak

        
es it all ....

      
..............

      
..............

     
..............

[Outro]

      
  (So    the w

     
in - ner      

    
  takes it a  

 
-  all)
     
   (And    the

      
 lo -  ser    

    
 has   to fa  

 
- ll)
     
  (Throw a  di

      
 -  ice,      

   
 cold  as i  -

 
  ce)
     
   (Way    dow

      
n he  - re,   

      
  some- one de

 
  - ar)
      
  (Takes it  a

     
  -  all,     

    
  has   to fa 

 
 - ll)
     
   (It     see

       
ms pla - ain, 

      
   won't com-p

 
la - ain)

(fade)