Introduction:
“Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)”, released in October 1979, stands as one of ABBA’s most unforgettable disco anthems. Written and produced by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and recorded at Stockholm’s Polar Music Studios, the song captures the aching solitude of a woman craving connection—her loneliness likened to the shadowy stillness of night. Agnetha Fältskog delivers the haunting lead vocal, her voice embodying a raw and poignant vulnerability that contrasts gracefully with the track’s propulsive disco beat.
Initially, ABBA had rehearsed a track titled “Rubber Ball Man”, but they ultimately chose “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” for its more urgent, synth-driven energy. Released specifically to promote their 1979 North American and European tour, the song appeared on Greatest Hits Vol. 2 as its sole new addition and quickly found international success. It soared to number one in countries such as Belgium, Finland, Ireland, and Switzerland, while charting prominently across Europe and Australia.
Yet, its path to ubiquity was not without hurdles: in the United States and Canada, the single’s release was cancelled amid rising anti-disco sentiment, despite promotional copies already in circulation. The song also found life in Spanish-speaking regions with “¡Dame! ¡Dame! ¡Dame!”, expanding its reach beyond language barriers.
Over the decades, the song’s iconic hook has inspired generations of artists. Madonna broke ABBA’s sampling embargo in 2005 with Hung Up, borrowing that unforgettable riff, while Rina Sawayama later received express permission to reference it in her 2022 track This Hell. These tributes underscore the song’s indelible mark on pop culture. “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” remains a melodic testament to longing and empowerment, its disco pulse still igniting dance floors and hearts around the globe.
Video:
Lyrics:
Half past 12 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 gloom
There’s not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer
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
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
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight