I Know Him So Well - wikipedia I Know Him So Well `` I Know Him So Well '' Single by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson from the album Chess, Gold and Love Hurts B - side `` Chess '' ( London Symphony Orchestra ) Released December 1984 Format 7 '' single 12 '' single Recorded 1984 Genre Pop Length 4 : 15 Label RCA Songwriter ( s ) Benny Andersson Tim Rice Björn Ulvaeus Producer ( s ) Björn Ulvaeus Benny Andersson Tim Rice `` I Know Him So Well '' is a duet from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. It was originally sung by Elaine Paige ( as Florence ) and Barbara Dickson ( as Svetlana ). 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. Contents 1 Original version 1.1 Original recording credits 2 Cissy Houston and Whitney Houston version 2.1 Critical reception 2.2 Chart performance 2.3 Track listings and formats 2.4 Chart positions 3 Geraldine McQueen and Susan Boyle version 4 Melanie C version 4.1 Formats and track listings 4.2 Live performances 4.3 Charts 4.4 Release history 5 Other cover versions 6 References 7 External links Original version The duet was first released worldwide on the Chess double LP, often referred to as a concept album or album musical, in the autumn of 1984. Later it was released as a single by Paige and Dickson, the duet reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks in 1985. They 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 and the European tours. 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 West End stage production of Chess. In the United Kingdom 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 20 years, to a rapturous reception. Paige played her solo demo recording of the song on her BBC Radio 2 show, Elaine Paige on Sunday. In January 2011 the Official Charts Company released a list of the top 10 All Time Best Selling Duets in which `` I Know Him So Well '' was placed seventh in the chart. Paige and Dickson also recorded Spanish - language lyrics for release as `` Lo Creo Conocer ''. The single was never released though. Original recording credits Benny Andersson -- keyboards, synthesizers Barbara Dickson -- vocals Anders Eljas -- keyboards, synthesizers Rutger Gunnarsson -- bass Per Lindvall -- drums, percussion Elaine Paige -- vocals Lasse Wellander -- guitars Writers and producers -- Benny Andersson, Tim Rice, Björn Ulvaeus Arrangement -- Benny Andersson, Anders Eljas Engineer and mixer -- Michael B. Tretow Cissy Houston and Whitney Houston version `` I Know Him So Well '' Single by Cissy Houston and Whitney Houston from the album Whitney B - side `` Just The Lonely Talking Again '' `` You 're Still My Man '' Released November 30, 1988 Format CD Single, Maxi - Single, 7 '' single, 12 '' single Recorded 1986 -- 1987 Genre Soul gospel R&B Length 4 : 30 Label Arista Songwriter ( s ) Tim Rice, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson Producer ( s ) Narada Michael Walden Whitney Houston singles chronology `` Love Will Save the Day '' ( 1988 ) `` I Know Him So Well '' ( 1988 ) `` One Moment in Time '' ( 1988 ) `` Love Will Save the Day '' ( 1988 ) `` I Know Him So Well '' ( 1988 ) `` One Moment in Time '' ( 1988 ) Whitney track listing `` Where Do Broken Hearts Go '' ( 10 ) `` I Know Him So Well '' ( 11 ) In 1987, a studio version of `` I Know Him So Well '' was recorded as a duet by Cissy Houston and her daughter Whitney Houston for Whitney 's second album, Whitney. It was released as a final and 6th single from Whitney on November 30, 1988 in Australia, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain. There was no official music video produced for the Houston duet of song, however there are live performance video - recordings. The song version was included in the Whitney Houston North American leg of the Moment of Truth World Tour. The single was not promoted as heavily as previous singles from Whitney. Critical reception Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times praised the duet thus : `` The album ends on a graceful, intimate note as Houston is joined by her mother, singer Cissy Houston, on `` I Know Him So Well, '' a ballad from the musical Chess. Rolling Stone 's Vince Alleti criticized the song and production : `` Walden covers all these bases, out - schlocking Masser with `` I Know Him So Well '' -- a genuine if frankly derivative show tune ( from Tim Rice 's Chess ) treated here with deadly reverence... '' St. Petersburg Times called the duet lifting and praised the mother 's role : `` Mom adds a brief, welcome moment of grainy soulfulness to the album. '' Chart performance This single peaked at number 46 in Germany and in the Netherlands it peaked at number 14. The single did not appear in the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, unlike the 4 previous singles which all reached the Top 10. Track listings and formats CD single ( Germany ) `` I Know Him So Well '' -- 4 : 26 `` Just The Lonely Talking Again '' -- 5 : 30 `` You 're Still My Man '' -- 4 : 15 7 '' Single ( Germany ) A `` I Know Him So Well '' -- 4 : 26 B `` Just The Lonely Talking Again '' -- 5 : 30 12 '' Single ( Germany ) A1 `` I Know Him So Well '' -- 4 : 26 B1 `` Just The Lonely Talking Again '' -- 5 : 30 B2 `` You 're Still My Man '' -- 4 : 15 Chart positions Chart ( 1988 ) Peak position Germany ( Official German Charts ) 46 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 14 Geraldine McQueen and Susan Boyle version `` I Know Him So Well '' Single by Geraldine McQueen ( Peter Kay ) and Susan Boyle Released March 21, 2011 Format CD single, digital download Recorded 2011 Genre Pop Songwriter ( s ) Tim Rice, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson Peter Kay singles chronology `` The Official BBC Children in Need Medley '' ( 2009 ) `` I Know Him So Well '' ( 2011 ) `` The Official BBC Children in Need Medley '' ( 2009 ) `` I Know Him So Well '' ( 2011 ) Susan Boyle singles chronology `` Perfect Day '' ( 2010 ) Perfect Day 2010 `` I Know Him So Well '' ( 2011 ) I Know Him So Well2011 `` You Have to Be There '' ( 2011 ) You Have to Be There2011 `` I Know Him So Well '' was recorded by Peter Kay and Susan Boyle for Comic Relief 2011, with Kay appearing as his alter ego Geraldine McQueen. Their version reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. A spoof music video was also created. Melanie C version `` I Know Him So Well '' Single by Melanie C featuring Emma Bunton from the album Stages B - side `` You 'll Never Walk Alone '' Released 11 November 2012 ( 2012 - 11 - 11 ) Format CD single digital download Recorded Spring 2012 Genre Pop pop rock Length 4 : 24 ( album version ) 3 : 27 ( radio edit ) Label Red Girl Songwriter ( s ) Benny Andersson, Tim Rice, Björn Ulvaeus Producer ( s ) Peter - John Vettese Melanie C singles chronology `` Let There Be Love '' ( 2011 ) `` I Know Him So Well '' ( 2012 ) `` Loving You '' ( 2013 ) `` Let There Be Love '' ( 2011 ) `` I Know Him So Well '' ( 2012 ) `` Loving You '' ( 2013 ) Emma Bunton singles chronology `` All I Need to Know '' ( 2007 ) All I Need to Know 2007 `` I Know Him So Well '' ( 2012 ) I Know Him So Well2012 Music video `` I Know Him So Well '' on YouTube `` I Know Him So Well '' was also covered by English recording artist Melanie C. The song was the first single to be taken from Melanie C 's musical theatre - inspired and sixth studio album Stages. The song is a duet with Chisholm 's fellow Spice Girls group member Emma Bunton. The song was released as a single on 11 November 2012. The b - side of the single is a cover of `` You 'll Never Walk Alone '' from the musical Carousel. The music video for the song premiered on YouTube on 12 November 2012. Formats and track listings These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of `` I Know Him So Well ''. Digital download `` I Know Him So Well '' `` You 'll Never Walk Alone '' Limited CD single `` I Know Him So Well '' `` You 'll Never Walk Alone '' Digital download `` I Know Him So Well '' ( radio edit ) Live performances Melanie C and Bunton performed the song on This Morning BBC Children in Need Live at Shepherd 's Bush Empire The Alan Titchmarsh Show Loose Women Charts Chart ( 2012 ) Peak position UK Singles Charts 153 UK Indie Chart 14 Release history Country Date Format Worldwide 11 November 2012 Digital download, CD single Other cover versions This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2018 ) The song has been covered by other music artists including : Cilla Black covered the song for her 1985 album Surprisingly Cilla Barbra Streisand for her 1985 album The Broadway Album ; the track was later included on her 1991 box - set Just for the Record The Shadows on their 1986 album Moonlight Shadows ( instrumental version ) Richard Clayderman recorded the song for his 1987 album Songs of Love Willeke Alberti and Simone Kleinsma in 1989 as a Dutch version renamed `` Ik Ken Hem Te Goed '' Steps for the 1999 Abbamania tribute album ; their version was later released as a single in support of their 2001 compilation album, Gold : Greatest Hits when it was released as a double A-side along with the song `` Words Are Not Enough '' John Barrowman on his 2008 album Music Music Music, with Daniel Boys Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis performed a version of the song at the concert version of Chess at the Royal Albert Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra Elaine Paige and Susan Boyle, who performed a live cover of the song on the TV program I Dreamed a Dream : The Susan Boyle Story. Paige also recorded a vocal for a version to be included on Boyle 's album, which was n't ultimately included in the release. References ^ Jump up to : Elaine Paige And Barbara Dickson - I Know Him So Well OfficialCharts Jump up ^ Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 445 -- 6. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ Discography - I KNOW HIM SO WELL Barbara Dickson Jump up ^ ALL TIME BEST SELLING DUETS Archived 2011 - 07 - 20 at the Wayback Machine. Elaine Paige, 5 January 2011 Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ Robert Hilburn ( June 1, 1987 ). `` Album Review : Houston : Commercial Sparkle, Artistic Fizz ''. Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 29. Jump up ^ `` Whitney Album Reviews ''. Rolling Stone. 1987 - 08 - 13. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 29. Jump up ^ ERIC SNIDER ; ANNELISE WAMSLEY ( 1987 - 06 - 14 ). `` Whitney pulls out another bag of hits Series : RECORDS ''. Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on Nov 13, 2012. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 29 -- via Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Jump up ^ `` charts.de ''. charts.de. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 29. Jump up ^ ( 2 ) Jump up ^ `` Musicline.de -- Houston, Whitney ; Houston, Cissy Single - Chartverfolgung '' ( in German ). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Whitney Houston, Cissy Houston '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Jump up ^ According to reports Susan Boyle and Peter Kay are set to do a duet STV, 28 February 2011 ^ Jump up to : Melanie C ( 2012 - 10 - 15 ). `` Melanie C featuring Emma Bunton - ' I Know Him So Well ' - Out November 11 ''. MelanieC.net. Archived from the original on 2016 - 03 - 04. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 29. Jump up ^ `` You 'll Never Walk Alone ''. MelanieC.net. 2012 - 10 - 19. Archived from the original on 2013 - 12 - 24. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 29. Jump up ^ `` Melanie C - Discography ''. Melaniec.net. Archived from the original on 2014 - 03 - 30. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 29. Jump up ^ `` The Official UK Singles Chart for the week ending October 22, 2012 ''. UKChartsPlus. Milton Keynes : IQ Ware Ltd ( 475 ). access - date = requires url = ( help ) External links Whitney Houston singles Whitney Houston `` Hold Me '' `` Thinking About You '' `` You Give Good Love '' `` All at Once '' `` Saving All My Love for You '' `` How Will I Know '' `` Greatest Love of All '' Whitney `` I Wanna Dance with Somebody ( Who Loves Me ) '' `` Did n't We Almost Have It All '' `` So Emotional '' `` Where Do Broken Hearts Go '' `` Love Will Save the Day '' `` I Know Him So Well '' I 'm Your Baby Tonight `` I 'm Your Baby Tonight '' `` All the Man That I Need '' `` Miracle '' `` My Name Is Not Susan '' `` I Belong to You '' `` We Did n't Know '' The Bodyguard `` I Will Always Love You '' `` I 'm Every Woman '' `` I Have Nothing '' `` Run to You '' `` Queen of the Night '' Waiting to Exhale `` Exhale ( Shoop Shoop ) '' `` Count On Me '' `` Why Does It Hurt So Bad '' The Preacher 's Wife `` I Believe in You and Me '' `` Step by Step '' `` My Heart Is Calling '' My Love Is Your Love `` When You Believe '' `` Heartbreak Hotel '' `` It 's Not Right but It 's Okay '' `` My Love Is Your Love '' `` I Learned from the Best '' Whitney : The Greatest Hits `` Could I Have This Kiss Forever '' `` If I Told You That '' `` Fine '' `` Same Script, Different Cast '' Just Whitney... `` Whatchulookinat '' `` One of Those Days '' `` Try It on My Own '' `` Love That Man '' One Wish : The Holiday Album `` One Wish ( for Christmas ) '' I Look to You `` I Look to You '' `` Million Dollar Bill '' Sparkle `` Celebrate '' `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' I Will Always Love You : The Best of Whitney Houston `` I Look to You '' Other / featured / promotional singles `` One Moment in Time '' `` It Is n't, It Was n't, It Ai n't Never Gonna Be '' `` The Star Spangled Banner '' `` Something in Common '' `` I Did n't Know My Own Strength '' `` Memories '' Melanie C singles Discography Northern Star `` Goin ' Down '' `` Northern Star '' `` Never Be the Same Again '' `` I Turn to You '' `` If That Were Me '' Reason `` Here It Comes Again '' `` On the Horizon '' `` Melt '' `` Yeh Yeh Yeh '' Beautiful Intentions `` Next Best Superstar '' `` Better Alone '' `` First Day of My Life '' This Time `` The Moment You Believe '' `` I Want Candy '' `` Carolyna '' `` This Time '' `` Understand '' The Sea `` Rock Me '' `` Think About It '' `` Weak '' `` Let There Be Love '' Stages `` I Know Him So Well '' Version of Me `` Anymore '' Featured singles `` When You 're Gone '' `` He Ai n't Heavy, He 's My Brother '' `` Let 's Groove '' Other songs `` Follow Me `` Let 's Love '' `` I Do n't Know How to Love Him '' `` Numb '' Emma Bunton Discography Studio albums and singles A Girl Like Me `` What I Am '' `` What Took You So Long ? '' `` Take My Breath Away '' `` We 're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight '' Free Me `` Free Me '' `` Maybe '' `` I 'll Be There '' `` Crickets Sing for Anamaria '' Life in Mono `` Downtown '' `` All I Need to Know '' Featured singles `` I Know Him So Well '' Concert tours Live in Concert ( 2001 ) Free Me Tour ( 2004 ) Related articles Spice Girls Susan Boyle Discography Studio albums I Dreamed a Dream The Gift Someone to Watch Over Me Standing Ovation : The Greatest Songs from the Stage Home for Christmas Hope A Wonderful World Singles `` Wild Horses '' `` I Dreamed a Dream '' `` Perfect Day '' `` I Know Him So Well '' `` Enjoy the Silence '' `` Unchained Melody '' `` The Winner Takes It All '' `` You 'll See '' Other songs `` Who I Was Born to Be '' Television I Dreamed a Dream : The Susan Boyle Story Susan Boyle : An Unlikely Superstar Theatre I Dreamed a Dream ( musical ) Concert tours Susan Boyle in Concert Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Know_Him_So_Well&oldid=843802093 '' Categories : 1980s ballads Songs from Chess ( musical ) 1984 singles 1985 singles 2011 singles 2012 singles Barbra Streisand songs Charity singles Comic Relief singles Emma Bunton songs Melanie C songs Songs with lyrics by Tim Rice Songs written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus Susan Boyle songs UK Singles Chart number - one singles Vocal duets Whitney Houston songs 1984 songs Pop ballads Contemporary R&B ballads Soul ballads Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from February 2018 Articles with dead external links from March 2014 Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL Wikipedia pages semi-protected from banned users Articles with hAudio microformats Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Singlechart usages for Germany Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Articles needing additional references from March 2018 All articles needing additional references Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Italiano Svenska ไทย Edit links This page was last edited on 31 May 2018, at 15 : 28 ( UTC ). 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Question: who sang the song i know him so well
Answer: Björn Ulvaeus