I Know Him So Well

Infobox Single
Name = I Know Him So Well


Artist = Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson
from Album = Chess
Released = December 1984
Format = 7" single, 12" single
B-side = "Chess" (London Symphony Orchestra)
[Recorded =]
Genre = Pop
Length =
Label = RCA
Writer = Tim Rice, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson
Producer = Björn Ulveaus, Benny Andersson, Tim Rice
Certification = Gold
Chart position = 1
NoReviews = yes
Last single =
This single =
Next single =

I Know Him So Well is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical "Chess" by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. In this duet, two women – Svetlana, the Russian chess champion's estranged wife, and Florence, his mistress – express their bittersweet feelings for him and at seeing their relationships fall apart.

The duet was number one in the UK for four weeks in 1985 when released as a single by Elaine Paige (as Florence) and Barbara Dickson (as Svetlana), who – astonishingly, considering the close harmonies – laid down their vocals separately and never met during the recording of the song, only for the video and subsequent performances on "Top of the Pops". [ [http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=12171 Chartstats.com - Chart information] ] [ [http://www.barbaradickson.net/i_know_him_so_well.html Barbaradickson.net - Further song information] ] This recording remains in the "Guinness Book of Records" as the biggest selling UK Chart single ever by a female duo. Paige also appeared in the original London stage production of "Chess".

In the UK on 18 September 2004, the BBC's "All-Time Greatest Love Songs" (hosted by Lionel Richie) saw the duet performed live by Paige and Dickson, together for the first time in under 20 years, to a rapturous reception. The song had also been covered by Steps and released as a single on their "The Last Dance" album. Other covers were by Whitney Houston and her mother Cissy Houston on the album "Whitney", and by Barbra Streisand on her box-set "Just for the Record". A Cantonese version (男人心) was covered by Vivian Chow and Shirley Kwan. A Dutch version (Ik Ken Hem Te Goed) was made in 1989 by Willeke Alberti and Simone Kleinsma. A spoof of the song was also performed on TV by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.

On the Chess concert DVD live at the Royal Albert Hall, the song is sung by Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis.

References