New Music Classic Hits

Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson - I Know Him So Well

Classic Song Of The Day

Reuben Raj
Music video by Elaine Paige, Barbara Dickson performing I Know Him So Well.

I Know Him So Well was a song written by Benny Andersson  and Björn Ulvaeus from pop group Abba  and Tim Rice for the concept album and musical Chess. The original song was sung as a duet by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson. 

chessposter

The musical revolves around a chess tournament between an American and Soviet grandmaster and the struggles of being in love. Chess was a theatre production that was politically charged for its time because of metaphorical references to the 1980s Cold War as a manipulative game. 

The duet was released as a single which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks in 1985. This recording remains in the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest selling UK Chart single ever by a female duo.

Later versions of I Know Him So Well was covered by Whitney Houston and her mother Cissy Houston, Geraldine McQueen and Susan Boyle for Comic Relief 2011, Melanic C and Emma Bunton from the Spice Girls and many more. 

 

Written By: Reuben Raj Reuben is a film and digital photographer who is driven by music in his head. Often seen lurking behind a camera inside the pit of a concert or wandering the streets of China with a blond, Reuben harbours intimate feelings for vinyl records and his Hasselblad SW/C from 1965. He is also the founder of Radio 13.