Hung Up (5:36)

“Hung Up” is a electropop song written by American singer-songwriter Madonna, Stuart Price, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and produced by Madonna and Price. The song was released in October 2005, the first single to be lifted from Madonna’s tenth studio album Confessions on a Dance Floor.
“Hung Up” is Madonna’s biggest selling single to date, reaching number one in a record-breaking 45 countries.

Song information

“Hung Up” was inspired by the 1970s disco era, in particular ABBA, Giorgio Moroder and Saturday Night Fever. A sample of ABBA’s 1979 hit “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” featuring a flute hook forms the basis of the song. After The Fugees, who got written permission to sample a bit from The Name of the Game for their 1996 hit “Rumble in the Jungle”, Madonna is only the second artist the Swedish band has allowed to sample its music, as ABBA songwriters Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus have a strict “no sample” policy.

According to Madonna, she approached Andersson and Ulvaeus by sending her “emissary to Stockholm with a letter and the record imploring them, telling them how much I worship their music; telling them it was a homage to them, which is all true”. Andersson and Ulvaeus quickly gave their permission. They stated, “‘Hung Up’ is really good. If it wasn’t any good we would not have said yes. It is a wonderful track - 100% solid pop music.” Andersson and Ulvaeus asked for co-writer credits and a percentage of the profits.