The Day Before You Came
ABBA Lyrics
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My train, I'm certain, left the station just when it was due
I must have read the morning paper going into town
And having gotten through the editorial, no doubt I must have frowned
I must have made my desk around a quarter after nine
With letters to be read, and heaps of papers waiting to be signed
I must have gone to lunch at half past twelve or so
The usual place, the usual bunch
The day before you came
I must have lit my seventh cigarette at half past two
And at the time I never even noticed I was blue
I must have kept on dragging through the business of the day
Without really knowing anything, I hid a part of me away
At five I must have left, there's no exception to the rule
A matter of routine, I've done it ever since I finished school
The train back home again
Undoubtedly I must have read the evening paper then
Oh yes, I'm sure my life was well within it's usual frame
The day before you came
Must have opened my front door at eight o'clock or so
And stopped along the way to buy some Chinese food to go
I'm sure I had my dinner watching something on TV
There's not, I think, a single episode of Dallas that I didn't see
I must have gone to bed around a quarter after ten
I need a lot of sleep, and so I like to be in bed by then
I must have read a while
The latest one by Marilyn French or something in that style
It's funny, but I had no sense of living without aim
The day before you came
And turning out the light
I must have yawned and cuddled up for yet another night
And rattling on the roof I must have heard the sound of rain
The day before you came
ABBA's The Day Before You Came is a song about a person recalling the mundane events of their life, realizing how uneventful their life was before their supposed significant other entered it. The song starts off with the singer recollecting their typical routine - leaving their house, taking the train, reading the newspaper, and getting to work. However, the addition of the line 'no doubt I must have frowned' shows that even these mundane events weren't especially enjoyable for them.
The singer then continues to describe their day, talking about how they went for lunch with the 'usual bunch' of people they always went with, how it rained, and how they kept on dragging through the business of the day while hiding a part of themselves away. The second verse has a similar structure, with the singer recalling how they left work at five, took the train back home, and read the evening paper.
The final verse is where the tone of the song changes, and the singer acknowledges that their life was transformed the day before the person they love entered their life. They describe opening their front door, buying Chinese food, watching TV (specifically, Dallas), and going to bed. The line 'It's funny, but I had no sense of living without aim' shows how, for the singer, life was about going through the motions until they met the person they love. The song ends with the singer lying in bed, listening to the sound of rain on the roof - this time, with a sense of anticipation.
Line by Line Meaning
Must have left my house at eight, because I always do
I have a pretty steady routine in the mornings, and on the day before you arrived, I left my house at eight like I usually do.
My train, I'm certain, left the station just when it was due
I caught my train on time, and I remember being confident that it would leave at its scheduled time.
I must have read the morning paper going into town
I probably read the newspaper while I was on my way to work.
And having gotten through the editorial, no doubt I must have frowned
I remember reading the editorial in the morning paper, and I must have frowned at something I read.
I must have made my desk around a quarter after nine
I got to my desk at work around 9:15 AM.
With letters to be read, and heaps of papers waiting to be signed
I had a lot of work to do, with letters to read and papers to sign.
I must have gone to lunch at half past twelve or so
I took my lunch break at around 12:30 PM.
The usual place, the usual bunch
I went to my usual restaurant for lunch, and saw my usual group of colleagues.
And still on top of this I'm pretty sure it must have rained
I have a feeling that it rained that day, despite everything else being normal.
The day before you came
All of this happened on the day before you came into my life.
I must have lit my seventh cigarette at half past two
I smoked my seventh cigarette of the day at around 2:30 PM.
And at the time I never even noticed I was blue
I didn't realize that I was feeling down, even though I clearly was.
I must have kept on dragging through the business of the day
Despite feeling low, I continued working and going through my daily routine.
Without really knowing anything, I hid a part of me away
I didn't fully acknowledge my emotions or feelings, and pushed them aside.
At five I must have left, there's no exception to the rule
I always leave work at 5:00 PM sharp, and that day was no exception.
A matter of routine, I've done it ever since I finished school
Leaving work at 5:00 PM is something I've done since I finished school.
The train back home again
I took the train back home, like I always do.
Undoubtedly I must have read the evening paper then
I probably read the evening paper after getting home from work.
Oh yes, I'm sure my life was well within it's usual frame
Everything was normal and routine in my life before you came along.
Must have opened my front door at eight o'clock or so
I got back home at around 8:00 PM and opened my front door.
And stopped along the way to buy some Chinese food to go
On my way home, I stopped to buy some Chinese food to take home with me.
I'm sure I had my dinner watching something on TV
I ate my dinner while watching TV, like I usually do.
There's not, I think, a single episode of Dallas that I didn't see
I've seen every episode of the TV show Dallas, without fail.
I must have gone to bed around a quarter after ten
I usually go to bed at around 10:15 PM.
I need a lot of sleep, and so I like to be in bed by then
I require a lot of sleep, which is why I prefer to be in bed by that time.
I must have read a while
I probably read for a bit before going to sleep.
The latest one by Marilyn French or something in that style
I may have read a book by Marilyn French or something similar.
It's funny, but I had no sense of living without aim
Before you came along, my life felt aimless and unfulfilling.
The day before you came
All of this happened on the day before you came into my life.
And turning out the light
I turned off the light before going to sleep.
I must have yawned and cuddled up for yet another night
I must have yawned and snuggled up in bed for another night of sleep.
And rattling on the roof I must have heard the sound of rain
I heard the sound of rain on the roof as I was going to sleep.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Benny Goran Bror Andersson, Bjoern K Ulvaeus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Quak3cry
The Day Before You Came" is a song that has always resonated with me, for a long time, as it beautifully captures the monotony of daily life and the profound impact a significant person can have on our lives. The lyrics, written from the perspective of the protagonist, meticulously recount the mundane details of their day-to-day existence, or at least, how it once was, and indeed returned to. This highlights the lack of passion and direction in their life, before the arrival of a special someone.
The protagonist explaining their morning routine, such as leaving their house at eight and catching the train. This meticulous description of their daily life emphasizes the sense of obligation and the lack of excitement or spontaneity before the arrival of their lover. As the song progresses, the protagonist describes their workday, lunch break, and the commute back home, illustrating a rigid and predictable routine. The lyrics "I must have kept on dragging through the business of the day, without really knowing anything, I hid a part of me away" suggest a disconnection from their emotions and a sense of being only partially present in their own life, just going by, and by.
The music video is also a departure from ABBA's previous work, which often featured the band members dressed in glamorous outfits and upbeat, energetic visuals. In contrast, the video for "The Day Before You Came" features Agnetha Fältskog as the protagonist, dressed in somber attire, riding the train, interacting with her lover, and driving home in the rain. To somber tunes. The individual shots of the band members sitting alone in an empty, theatre-like setting which indeed could before have been used to play a concert in, full of people, and now, empty, further contribute to the overall melancholic atmosphere of the video. As well as the shots of the train going by, and a sense of separation at it's core.
In my opinion, "The Day Before You Came" is possibly the greatest love song ever made, or at least one of them. The song's emotional depth & versatility, coupled with its introspective lyrics and poignant tone, showcased ABBA's ability to craft songs that resonated with listeners on multiple levels. The song serves as a powerful reminder of how the arrival of someone special can bring newfound meaning and purpose to one's existence.
Moreover, the song is particularly significant as it was the last one recorded by ABBA together before they split. The themes of longing, introspection, and the eventual realization of the impact this person has had on their life could be interpreted as a metaphor for the band's journey, with the members moving on from their time together and returning to their individual lives. When you also realize that they all were couples, it adds a deeper meaning to it as well. This added layer of meaning makes the song even more poignant and powerful, reflecting on both personal relationships and the group's journey as a whole. These different approaches help make it a lot more profound.
This is a song that has deeply touched me, and i can listen to it again and again, as it captures the essence of love, longing, and the transformative power of human connection. It stands out not only as one of ABBA's most moving songs but also as one of the greatest love songs ever made. The song's themes and the music video's visual representation of the protagonist's life create a powerful and poignant experience that remains unforgettable. At it's core, the lyrics just describe a normal day most of us can recognize, but when you add the melody to it, it tells you that something more is going on here. This song remains one of ABBA's more less known songs compared to dancing queen, or the winner takes it all, but whereas those were part of their journey, i think the day before you came can be seen as the end.
@JasGould-sh3fh
One of ABBA's greatest and most underrated singles. Agnetha's vocal is simply stunning and the video is just brilliant.
@diba4645
I want this song to be played on my funeral
@papamiro
ABBA 2022 r https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OrfD-cQO08jhjkoikkjhuiokjkioujihiuhij
@desplatt842
At her most beautiful too
@simongrant1237
So clever to describe a love affair from the emptiness of life before. I've never heard any song do that before or since. Heart-rending and genius.
@Dionysos640
It is not 'one of the best', it's their very best
@oliverkeating4894
People don't realise it but this is truly one of the greatest masterpieces in modern pop music. No chorus, a double-beat that comes at intervals that feel right but you cannot put your finger on, an extremely mundane story that actually is so powerful from what it doesn't say. The feeling of sadness in the song, a contradiction given the implication it is about finding a new lover. There is so much it leaves you thinking about - just wonderful!
@opicatchu2164
so true.....
@schuweyjm1722
merci merci
@Parallelepiped2
Yes, this song is so meaningful. I discovered it right before starting a new romance and felt it was saying exactly what I was feeling. Then when that romance failed, it still said exactly what I was feeling on the other side.