Who Needs Love Like That
"Who Needs Love Like That" is the debut single released by British synthpop duo Erasure. The song was released in the UK on Mute Records in 1985 as a prelude to their debut album Wonderland. The video was directed by John Scarlett Davies and produced by Nick Verden for Aldabra.
"Who Needs Love Like That" | ||||
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Original 1985 single cover | ||||
Single by Erasure | ||||
from the album Wonderland | ||||
B-side | "Push Me Shove Me" (1985) | |||
Released |
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Recorded | 1985 | |||
Genre | Synthpop, new wave | |||
Length | 3:16 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | Vince Clarke | |||
Producer(s) | Flood | |||
Erasure singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
1992 remix single cover |
While the original 1985 release enjoyed only minor success, the later "Hamburg Mix" version (issued in 1992 to promote the Pop! compilation) reached the top 10 in both the UK and Ireland.
History
"Who Needs Love Like That" is an uptempo pop song written by Vince Clarke. The lyrics are a cast-off to a destructive love relationship, in which the protagonist asks "who needs love like that?" The music video takes place in a mock Western, with Clarke, Andy Bell and various extras dressed as cowboys. Both Bell and Clarke appear in dual roles, the others being woman's drags.
Upon its release, the song spent two weeks in the UK singles chart, peaking at number 55. In 1992, the song was remixed and tacked on to the end of Erasure's greatest hits collection Pop! - the First 20 Hits (although in the U.S. it only appears on the cassette release). The "Hamburg Mix" (slightly retitled to put "Like That" in parenthesis) was released as a single and became a Top 10 UK hit, peaking at number ten.
Track listings
Original Release (1985)
7" single (MUTE40)
- "Who Needs Love Like That"
- "Push Me Shove Me"
12" single (12MUTE40)
- "Who Needs Love Like That" (Legend Mix)
- "Push Me Shove Me" (Extended as Far as Possible Mix)
- "Who Needs Love Like That" (Instrumental Workout Mix)
Limited 12" single (L12MUTE40)
- "Who Needs Love Like That" (Mexican Mix)
- "Push Me Shove Me" (Tacos Mix)
12" US single (SIRE 0-20404)
- "Who Needs Love Like That" (The Love That Mix Version / Mexican Mix) 6:08
- "Push Me Shove Me" (That Rough And Tumble Mix / Tacos Mix) 5:46
- "Heavenly Action" (A Divine Mix / Yellow Brick Mix) 6:43
- "Who Needs Love Like That" (Single Edit) 3:03
CD Single (CDMUTE40)
- "Who Needs Love Like That"
- "Push Me Shove Me"
- "Who Needs Love Like That" (Legend Mix)
- "Push Me Shove Me" (Extended as Far as Possible Mix)
- "Who Needs Love Like That" (Instrumental Workout Mix)
Hamburg Mix (1992)
7" single (MUTE150) / Cassette single (CMUTE150)
- "Who Needs Love (Like That)" (Hamburg Mix)
- "Who Needs Love (Like That)" (Single Edit)
12" single (12MUTE150)
- "Who Needs Love (Like That)" (Phil Kelsey Mix)
- "Ship of Fools" (Orbital Southsea Isles of Holy Beats Mix)
- "Sometimes" (Danny Rampling Mix)
CD single (CDMUTE150)
- "Who Needs Love (Like That)" (Hamburg Mix)
- "The Soldier's Return"
- "Don't Say No"
- "The Circus" (Gladiator Mix)
Limited CD single (LCDMUTE150)
- "Who Needs Love (Like That)" (Phil Kelsey Mix)
- "Ship of Fools" (Orbital Southsea Isles of Holy Beats Mix)
- "Sometimes" (Danny Rampling Mix)
Chart performance
Original release
Chart (1985/1986) | Peak position |
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German Singles Chart[1] | 48 |
Swiss Singles Chart[2] | 23 |
UK Singles Chart[3] | 55 |
U.S. Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart[4] | 8 |
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales Chart[5] | 13 |
Hamburg Mix release (1992)
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
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Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] | 18 |
Denmark (IFPI)[7] | 5 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] | 25 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[9] | 13 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[1] | 27 |
Greece (Pop + Rock)[10] | 9 |
Ireland (IRMA)[11] | 8 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] | 31 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[3] | 10 |
References
- "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- Steffen Hung. "Erasure - Who Needs Love Like That". hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on 26 October 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- "Erasure | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- https://www.billboard.com/music/erasure/chart-history/dance/club-play-songs
- "Erasure". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- Steffen Hung (20 December 1992). "Austria Top 40 - Hitparade Österreich". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
- "Top 10 Denmark" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 21 November 1992. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-31-2503-5.
- "Top 10 Greece" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
- Jaclyn Ward. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- Steffen Hung (25 November 1992). "Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.