Slipping Through My Fingers by ABBA

Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson wrote 'Slipping Through My Fingers' in 1981, it was recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA for their album The Visitors with Agnetha Fältskog singing the lead vocal.

The lyrics tell of a mothers acknowledgement of how quickly her daughter has grown up and the lack of time they spent together (Wikipedia, 2022).

The song was used in the film 'Mamma Mia!' which was released in 2008 by Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried (open.spotify.com, 2008).

Björn Ulvaeus' first language is Swedish. this incredibly talented lyricist wrote these poignant lyrics in his second language (Song, 2021). The song was inspired by Bjorn's daughter starting school as he felt the surge of emotion that happens time and time again. The lyrics encapsulate the feelings of parents everywhere as they wave their babies, now children, off to school, college and then university.

Schoolbag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning

Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile

I watch her go with a surge of that well-known sadness

And I have to sit down for a while

For extra poignancy, the lead vocal is sung by Agnetha Faltskog, the mother of that 7 year-old daughter who inspired Bjorn Ulvaeus to write this most beautiful of Abba songs (Abba on Spotify, 1981).

Coca-Cola used the track in a series of promotion red seven inch vinyl singles in Japan (www.abbaomnibus.net, n.d.) with a picture of the band on the B side. This single retails, at time of typing, at £48.00 (RareVinyl.com, n.d.).

The lyrics and chords for this song can be downloaded from Ultimate Guitar. (tabs.ultimate-guitar.com, n.d.)

Learn to play the guitar to this song

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Official Video

Bibliography

Abba on Spotify. (1981). Slipping Through My Fingers. [online] Available at: https://open.spotify.com/track/6TvxPS4fj4LUdjw2es4g21?si=1cfa502570be41cc [Accessed 26 Jan. 2023].
 

open.spotify.com. (2008). Slipping Through My Fingers - From ‘Mamma Mia!’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. [online] Available at: https://open.spotify.com/track/1QRKeAlaLqJUeCWMBRP20A?si=1654c858074a46f5 [Accessed 26 Jan. 2023].

RareVinyl.com. (n.d.). Abba Slipping Through My Fingers Japanese Promo 7" picture disc. [online] Available at: https://uk.rarevinyl.com/products/abba-slipping-through-my-fingers-japanese-promo-7-inch-vinyl-picture-disc-single-pd-105-96253 [Accessed 26 Jan. 2023].

 Song, N.W., No (2021). ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’ — ABBA. [online] Medium. Available at: https://nowordsnosong.medium.com/slipping-through-my-fingers-abba-4f6091d1c3e6 [Accessed 26 Jan. 2023].

tabs.ultimate-guitar.com. (n.d.). Abba - Slipping Through My Fingers (Chords). [online] Available at: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/abba/slipping-through-my-fingers-chords-3566765 [Accessed 26 Jan. 2023].

 Wikipedia. (2022). Slipping Through My Fingers. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slipping_Through_My_Fingers [Accessed 26 Jan. 2023].

 www.abbaomnibus.net. (n.d.). Slipping Through My Fingers | The Coca-Cola giveaway records. [online] Available at: http://www.abbaomnibus.net/show/cocacola81.htm [Accessed 26 Jan. 2023].