Lessons in Love (song)

"Lessons in Love" is a single from the English band Level 42, released in 1986 from the album Running in the Family, issued one year later. This single is the band's biggest hit in their homeland, where it reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, and internationally, entering the top 10 in numerous countries, reaching the number-one spot in five of them: Spain, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, and Finland. "Lessons in Love" is also one of the few singles from the band that broke into the Billboard Hot 100, where it reached number 12 in 1987. It is the first of five singles from their 1987 album, Running in the Family, and it made way for the success of other singles from the album. In 2012, David Quantick described it in Q magazine as 'one of the best singles of the 80s'.[3]

"Lessons in Love"
Single by Level 42
from the album Running in the Family
B-side	"Hot Water" (Live)
Released	1986 (UK) 1987 (US)
Recorded	1986
Genre	New wave,[1] synth-pop[2]
Length	4:00
Label	Polydor – POSP 790
Songwriter(s)	Wally Badarou Mark King Rowland Charles Gould
Producer(s)	Level 42
Level 42 singles chronology
"Leaving Me Now" (1985) "Lessons in Love" (1986) "Running in the Family" (1987)

Track listing

• United Kingdom (1986) 12"[4]

1. "Lessons In Love" (Extended version)
2. "Something About You" (Remix)
3. "Hot Water" (live)

• Australia (1986) 12"[5]

1. "Lessons In Love (Extended version)
2. "World Machine"
3. "Hot Water" (live)

• United States (1987) 7"[6]

1. "Lessons In Love"
2. "Hot Water" (live)

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1986–1987) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 65 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 4 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 3 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 14 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11] 1 France (SNEP)[12] 22 Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 3 Italy (FIMI)[15] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 2 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 18 Norway (VG-lista)[19] 10 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[20] 1 Spain (AFYVE)[21] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 1 UK Singles (OCC)[24] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 12 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play^1 [25] 12 US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales^1 [25] 50 US Cash Box[26] 19 ^1Remix

Year-end charts Chart (1986) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[27] 25 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[28] 10 Germany (Media Control Charts)[29] 3 Italy (FIMI)[15] 10 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[30] 6 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] 15 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[32] 12 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 3 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[34] 25 Chart (1987) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[35] 66

See also

• List of number-one hits of 1986 (Germany)
• List of number-one singles of 1986 (Spain)
• List of number-one singles of the 1980s (Switzerland)

References

1. Jisi, Chris (1 August 2010). "Royal Return: Mark King Leads Level 42 On Its 30th Anniversary Comeback". Guitar Player. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014.
2. Hermann, Andy (25 January 2017). "10 Underrated '80s Bands You Need to Hear Now". LA Weekly. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
3. Quantick, David (November 2012). "Running in the Family: 25th Anniversary Edition". Q. p. 118.
4. "UK release". Ultimatelevel42.com. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
5. "Australian release". Ultimatelevel42.com. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
6. "US release". Ultimatelevel42.com. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
7. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
8. "Austriancharts.at – Level 42 – Lessons In Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
9. "Ultratop.be – Level 42 – Lessons In Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0820." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
11. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
12. "Lescharts.com – Level 42 – Lessons In Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Level 42 – Lessons In Love". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Lessons in Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
15. "I singoli più venduti del 1986" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Level 42 - Lessons In Love" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Level 42 – Lessons In Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
18. "Charts.nz – Level 42 – Lessons In Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
19. "Norwegiancharts.com – Level 42 – Lessons In Love". VG-lista. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
20. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (L)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
21. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
22. "Swedishcharts.com – Level 42 – Lessons In Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
23. "Swisscharts.com – Level 42 – Lessons In Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
25. "Running in the Family – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
26. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JUNE 20, 1987". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012.
27. "Jahreshitparade 1986" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
28. "Jaaroverzichten 1986" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
29. "Jahrescharts – 1986" (in German). Officialcharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
30. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
31. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
32. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1986". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
33. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1986" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
34. "Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 24 January 1987. p. 24.
35. "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. Vol. 47 no. 12. Library and Archives Canada. 26 December 1987. Retrieved 7 March 2020.

External links

• Level 42 official website