Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me
"Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" is a song by synthpop duo Erasure. It was released as the second single from their eighth studio album Cowboy. The track is an uptempo dance music song written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell. Mute Records issued the single in the UK. For the song's release in the United States, Maverick Records requested a remix for radio. The U.S. single version of "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" is quite different from what is on the Cowboy album. The song's intro was changed, as well as the middle eight section. Most notably, an entire verse, edited out of the album version, is restored on the American single release. On the UK singles chart, "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" peaked at #23, ending a chart run of 24 consecutive Top 20 singles. It reached #89 on the German singles chart and did not enter the Billboard Hot 100. Club remixes proved to be more successful, as the track hit number five on the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. On the Swedish Top 60 it peaked at number 26.
"Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" | ||||
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UK CD single #1 cover | ||||
Single by Erasure | ||||
from the album Cowboy | ||||
B-side | "Heart of Glass" | |||
Released | 24 February 1997 | |||
Recorded | 1996 | |||
Genre | Synthpop | |||
Length | 3:46 | |||
Label | Mute Records (UK), Maverick Records (US) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Vince Clarke, Andy Bell | |||
Producer(s) | Gareth Jones, Neil McLellan | |||
Erasure singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative covers | ||||
US CD single cover | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" on YouTube |
The single's B-side is a live cover version of Blondie's "Heart of Glass". Erasure's previous single "In My Arms" featured another Blondie cover ("Rapture").
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as a "bouncy pop/hi-NRG ditty that's anchored by an instantly appealing if somewhat subversively constructed chorus." He noted that singer Andy Bell's "typically intelligent words are notably dark and brooding, while partner Vince Clarke underlines the track with a vibrant, upbeat melody and a chorus that is downright anthemic." He also added, "It's a nifty trick that only shrewd and daring veterans like these could pull off so well."[1] Dominic Pride from Music & Media commented, "The day Vince Clarke and Andy Bell don't come up with a radio-friendly song, it will snow pink. As ever, tuneful simplicity combines with intricate production—with a singable chorus which appears a few lines into the song—and, as ever, Bell's clear voice does the lyrics a favour."[2]
Track listings
- Cassette single (CMUTE195)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me"
- "Heart of Glass"
- 12" single (12MUTE195)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Tall Paul Mix)
- "Oh L'amour" (Tin Tin Out Mix)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flashback Vox)
- "Oh L'amour" (Matt Darey Mix)
- CD single #1 (CDMUTE195)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me"
- "Heart of Glass" (Live at Oxford)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flashback Vox)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Tall Paul Mix)
- CD single #2 (LCDMUTE195)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flashback Dub)
- "Oh L'amour" (Matt Darey Mix)
- "Oh L'amour" (Tin Tin Out Mix)
- U.S. CD single (Maverick
- 43914-2)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Single Version)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (RH Factor Vocal Club Mix)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flash Vocal)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (RH Factor Insulin Shock Dub)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flash Dub)
- "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Tall Paul Mix)
Charts
Chart (1997) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
---|---|---|
Germany (Official German Charts)[3] | 89 | 4 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[4] | 26 | 4 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[5] | 23 | 2 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[6] | 5 | 11 |
References
- "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 1997-07-12. p. 77. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
- Pride, Dominic (1997-03-01). "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 11. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- http://www.musicline.de/
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2012-02-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Official Charts Company". Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- http://www.billboard.com/