Love Is the Drug

Background

The song was the lead single taken from the album Siren. A number two hit in the United Kingdom, it also gave the group its first substantial exposure in the United States, reaching number 30 in early 1976 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and doing even better on progressive rock radio. Its B-side in most countries was "Sultanesque", a non-LP instrumental track written by Ferry, which is now available on the The Thrill of It All boxset.

The song started as an Andy Mackay instrumental, but then gained lyrics from Bryan Ferry; Ferry said the song came to him while he was walking and kicking the leaves in London's Hyde Park.

The bassline by John Gustafson became influential. In the DVD, More Than This: The Story of Roxy Music, Nile Rodgers of Chic states that the song was a big influence as the bass timing is almost identical to the one in Chic's song, "Good Times".

The song remains Roxy Music's highest-charting single in the US, while in the UK it was topped only by their 1981 version of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy". It is one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Its bassline was included in the 2005 Stylus Magazine list of the "Top 50 Basslines of All Time" at number 26.

Personnel

Bryan Ferry – vocals, piano

Andy Mackay – oboe, saxophone (and treatments)

John Gustafson – bass guitar

Paul Thompson – drums and timpani

Phil Manzanera – electric guitar (and treatments)

Eddie Jobson – violin, synthesizer and keyboards

Chart positions

¹Remix

Grace Jones version

Grace Jones recorded "Love Is the Drug" for her Warm Leatherette album from 1980. The track was released as the second single, following "A Rolling Stone" in the UK while it was the first single to be released in Germany. After failing to chart in 1980, a remix of the Grace Jones version was released in 1986 following the 1985 compilation Island Life and then became a minor hit in the UK, peaking at no. 35. Music video was produced for the 1986 remix and directed by Matt Forrest and Bruno Tilley.

Track listing

7" single (1980)

A. "Love Is the Drug" – 4:40 B. "Sinning" – 4:10

12" single (1980)

A. "Love Is the Drug" – 8:40 B. "Sinning" – 4:10

12" single (1981)

A. "Love Is the Drug" – 7:15 B. "Demolition Man" – 4:04

UK 7" single (1986)

A. "Love Is the Drug" – 3:21 B. "Living My Life" – 5:28

EU 7" single (1986)

A. "Love Is the Drug" – 3:42 B. "Living My Life" – 3:58

12" single (1986)

A. "Love Is the Drug" – 6:57 B1. "Living My Life" – 5:28 B2. "The Apple Stretching" – 6:55

Other cover versions

On 29 November 1993, Australian rock group Divinyls released a version from the Super Mario Bros. film soundtrack. The song also appeared on their compilation albums The Collection in 1994 and Make You Happy in 1997.

In 2001, Lisa Zane, dressed as an Egyptian, snake-haired gorgon, covered the song in Monkeybone.

Jamiroquai covered the song in 2002 for the BBC programme Re:covered.

Kylie Minogue recorded the track for the 2007 Radio 1 Established 1967 compilation album.

Tomoyasu Hotei covered it on his 2009 cover album Modern Times Rock'N'Roll.

In 2010, the song was performed by The Hotrats and released on their cover album, Turn Ons.

Ali Campbell covered the song on his 2010 album Great British Songs.

Carla Gugino and Oscar Isaac covered the song for the movie Sucker Punch in a sequence that is played throughout the closing credits and it is also included on the film's soundtrack.

Bryan Ferry and his orchestra covered the song for the 2013 film The Great Gatsby.