Released 21 August 1989 Length 3:28 | Format 7"
12"
CD Label Fiction; Elektra | |
Writer(s) Robert Smith
Simon Gallup
Porl Thompson
Roger O'Donnell
Boris Williams
Lol Tolhurst Producer(s) Robert Smith
Dave Allen | ||
"Lovesong" (sometimes listed as "Love Song") is a song originally recorded by the English alternative rock band The Cure, released as the third single from their eighth studio album Disintegration in 1989. The song saw considerable success in the United States, where it was a number two hit (blocked by Janet Jackson's "Miss You Much") and the band's only top ten entry on the Billboard Hot 100; in the United Kingdom, the single charted at number 18.
Contents
- Release
- Title
- 7 single Fiction FISC 30 UK
- 12 single
- CD single
- Official versions
- Personnel
- 311 version
- Music video
- Track listing
- Other versions
- References
The song has been covered by several artists, with notable cover versions by American rock band 311, recorded for the soundtrack for the film 50 First Dates and also released as a single. This song was also performed by Adele on her 2011 album 21.
Release
Upon release as a single, the song received worldwide success, and first peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the group's most successful single in the US to date. The song also charted at #2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, #27 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and #18 on the UK Singles Chart. Robert Smith originally wrote the song for his long-time girlfriend and then fiancée, Mary, as a wedding present.
An instrumental demo version recorded by the band was featured on the second disk of the 2010 re-release of Disintegration.
A music video featuring the band performing inside a cave was also released with the single.
Title
Similar to the title variations of The Cure song "In Between Days", there doesn't seem to be a universally agreed-upon spacing method of the title of Lovesong, as it varies between "Lovesong" and "Love Song" on many official Cure releases. The original 1989 artwork for the album Disintegration uses "Love Song" on the track listing and "Lovesong" on the lyrics sheet: the revised art for the 2010 remaster of the album consistently uses "Lovesong". When released as a single in 1989, the cover artwork displayed the title as "Lovesong", while the printing on the disc itself read "Love Song" all three times. Subsequent releases of Paris and Galore both use "Lovesong" exclusively, while 2001's Greatest Hits compilation uses "Lovesong" on the track listing and "Love Song" within the liner notes. 2004's Join the Dots also uses "Lovesong" within the booklet presentation.
7" single – Fiction (FISC 30 – UK)
- "Lovesong" – 3:24
- "2 Late" – 2:40
12" single
- "Lovesong" (Extended Mix)
- "2 Late"
- "Fear of Ghosts"
CD single
- "Lovesong" (Remix) (3:24)
- "Lovesong" (Extended Remix) (6:18)
- "2 Late"
- "Fear of Ghosts"
Official versions
The remixed version on the CD single is almost identical to the album version, but a careful listen to the bridge between the first and second verses can help distinguish between the two. On the Disintegration version, an electric guitar joins the keyboards in this section. The guitar part has been removed on the remix, and all you hear are the keyboards, accompanied by bass guitar and drums.
Personnel
311 version
Love Song was released as a single by the band 311 and is featured on the soundtrack of the 2004 film 50 First Dates. It is also featured on 311's greatest hits album, Greatest Hits '93–'03.
While The Cure's original version hit number 2 on the Alternative Songs chart, 311's cover was more successful on the chart, hitting number 1 on the chart. However, The Cure's original version was still more successful on the pop charts, peaking number 2 on the Hot 100 chart, while 311's cover peaked at number 59 on the chart. 311's cover was also very successful in the adult contemporary radio market, hitting the top 10 on the Adult Top 40 chart at number 7. While The Cure's original version uses gothic rock elements, 311's cover is a love song with many reggae rock roots similar to their 2002 hit "Amber".
Music video
The music video features 311 playing the song in a bar.
Track listing
- "Love Song"
Other versions
The track has been covered by JES in various trance and acoustic styles, as well as The Brunettes for the 2008 American Laundromat Records tribute album Just Like Heaven – a tribute to The Cure. The song has also been covered by the bands A Perfect Circle (as a mashup with "Diary of a Madman"), Good Charlotte, The Deluxtone Rockets, Jack Off Jill, Snake River Conspiracy, Azam Ali/Niyaz, Ira Losco, Death Cab for Cutie, Anberlin, Seafood (who released their cover of the song as a single in June 2007), Fordirelifesake and Voltaire. Canadian musical duo Dala recorded their cover of the song on the 2005 album Angels & Thieves. Canadian psychobilly band The Brains recorded their version of the song in 2014 on their The Cover Up EP.
Solo artists have performed covers as well, such as Tori Amos during several live performances, most famously on the radio station KROQ-FM. Naimee Coleman included an interpretation of the song on her 2001 album Bring Down The Moon. Voltaire released an acoustic cover on his album Then and Again. It was also covered by Maltese singer Ira Losco, found on her 2007 unplugged album Unmasked. Japanese singer Immi included a cover of the song on her debut album Switch. British singer Adele included a bossa nova cover of the song on her second album, 21, which peaked at #18 on Billboard Jazz Songs.
The song was covered by Captain during a BBC Radio 2 live session with Dermot O'Leary. The Big Pink provided a cover of "Lovesong" for The Cure tribute album Pictures of You: A Tribute to Godlike Geniuses The Cure, which was made available with the February 25, 2009 issue of NME. Nina Sky covered this song on their 2010 EP The Other Side. It was also covered by Maltese singer Ira Losco, found on her 2007 unplugged album Unmasked.