30 November, 1981.

Who knew, way back in 1981, that a song I used to listen to on my parents record player as a child would become a song that is so very, very, true to life for me as an adult. It made me laugh way back then and it makes me laugh even more today.

Written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, this was an album track from the 1981 album The Visitors, the last studio album recorded by the group. It’s the story of a lonely guy searching for love who answers a lonely hearts ad. The story follows his excitement as he calls the number, only to find out that the ‘two for the price of one’ is actually in reference to the woman’s mother:

“I’m sure we must be perfect for each other
And if you doubt it you’ll be certain when you meet my mother” 

Oh how that used to make me laugh, I mean, how often do you meet your future mother-in-law on the first date? Well, let me tell you, it happens. Not only that but it happened to me. I did indeed get two for the price of one that day – both of them priceless!

Whilst the track was never released as a single, the album itself made it to number one in five countries across Europe, including the UK where it spent three weeks at the top of the album chart.