This track is one of the most-popular ABBA songs, It was recorded in August 1979 in order to help promote their North American and European tour of that year, and was released on ABBA’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2 album as the brand new track. Polar released the single in Norway, Denmark, and Finland, but didn’t make it available in the Swedish record stores. The stores imported copies of the United Kingdom version on Epic Records.
About The Song
Arguably ABBA’s most influential track, it held a significant place in the post-disco era, resonating particularly with techno musicians due to its electronic emphasis.
Originally, the band intended to release “Rubber Ball Man” with classical strings and the usual vocal parts of Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstadas as a single instead of “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).” They even rehearsed it for their 1977 tour under the title “Under My Sun.” However, they later opted for “Gimme…” due to its better fit with the disco sound. Consequently, “Rubber Ball Man” was never officially released.
Madonna’s song “Hung Up” contains samples from this track, a rare instance where Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson granted permission. The only previous case was in 1996 when Fugees sampled “The Name Of The Game” for their hit “Rumble in the Jungle.”
This song served as the first single from the soundtrack of the film “Mamma Mia!” (2008) and was performed by Amanda Seyfried. Seyfried also featured in a music video promoting the single and the movie.
Video
Lyric
Half past twelve
And I’m watching the late show in my flat all alone
How I hate to spend the evening on my own
Autumn winds
Blowing outside the window as I look around the room
And it makes me so depressed to see the gloomThere’s not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayerGimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Won’t somebody help me chase the shadows away?
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the dayMovie stars
Find the end of the rainbow, with a fortune to win
It’s so different from the world I’m living in
Tired of T.V.
I open the window and I gaze into the night
But there’s nothing there to see, no one in sightThere’s not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayerGimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Won’t somebody help me chase the shadows away?
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the dayGimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight…
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight…There’s not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayerGimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Won’t somebody help me chase the shadows away?
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Won’t somebody help me chase the shadows away?
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day
Guitar chord
INTRO: Dm Gm7 C Dm...Gm7 C Gm7 Dm..Dm Gm7 C Dm..Gm7 C Gm7 Dm.. Dm F Am Dm (x2) #1. Dm Gm Half past twelve, and I'm watching Gm the late show in my flat all alone. Bb Dm How I hate to spend the evening on my own. Gm Autumn winds...Blowing outside the window as Gm Bb I look around the room, and it makes me so Dm depressed to see the phone. Bb Gm Dm A A7 There's not a soul out there, no one to hear my prayer. CHORUS: Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight, Dm Bb C Dm won't somebody help me chase these shadows away? Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight. Dm Bb C Dm Take me through the darkness to the break of the day. Dm F Am Dm (x2) #2. Dm Gm Movie stars..Find the end of the rainbow, Bb Gm with that fortune to win. Bb Dm It's so different from the world I'm living in.. Gm Dm Tired of T.V... Gm I open the window and I gaze into the night, Dm But there's nothing there to see, no one in sight. Bb Gm Dm A A7 There's not a soul out there, no one to hear my prayer. CHORUS: Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight, Dm Bb C Dm won't somebody help me chase these shadows away? Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight. Dm Bb C Dm Take me through the darkness to the break of the day. CHORUS: Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight.. Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight.. (INTERLUDE:) Dm Bb Gm Dm A A7 There's not a soul out there, no one to hear my prayer. CHORUS: Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight, Dm Bb C Dm won't somebody help me chase these shadows away? Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight. Dm Bb C Dm Take me through the darkness to the break of the day. OUTRO: Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight, Dm Bb C Dm won't somebody help me chase these shadows away? Dm Bb C Dm Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight. Dm Bb C Dm Take me through the darkness to the break of the day.