It Doesn't Have to Be

"It Doesn't Have to Be" is a song by British synthpop duo Erasure, released in February 1987. It was issued as a single six weeks before the release of the duo's second album, The Circus.

Contents

• 7 single MUTE56
• 12 single 12MUTE56
• Limited 12 single L12MUTE56
• CD single CDMUTE56
• CD single Special Edition CDMUTE56
• References

Following the number-two UK placing of previous single "Sometimes", "It Doesn't Have to Be" became Erasure's second Top 20 hit in the UK (peaking at number twelve) and their third German Top 20 hit (number sixteen).

The lyrics of the song refer to apartheid in Africa and explain the bit of the middle of the song, sung in Kiswahili that, while imperfect, still makes sense in the context of the song:
Lala pamoja na mimi / Nyumbani yako, nyumbani yako / Sababu wewe hapana kaa na mimi / Nyumbani yako, nyumbani yako
The rough translation of these lyrics is "Sleep (together) with me / At your place [house], at your place / Why don't you stay with me / At your place, at your place."

The single's B-side is a rendition of "In the Hall of the Mountain King", a piece taken from Grieg's Peer Gynt suite.