B-side "Last Kiss" Genre Pop, Rock Label Epic Records | Format 7" Single, 12" single Length 3:41 | |
Released January 1988 (US)
March 1988 (UK) | ||
"When the Love is Good" is a song by the American female pop group Big Trouble. It was released as the second and final single from the band's debut and only album Big Trouble, where it was the opening track.
Contents
Background
Following on from the minor success in America and the UK with the band's single "Crazy World" in 1987, which had peaked at #71 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the group's third and final single "When the Love is Good" would be the second to be taken from their debut album.
Released in 1988, the single failed to chart in America, although it did find minor success in the UK, where it peaked at #83 and lasted in the Top 100 for three weeks during April 1988. It entered at #83 on its first week. In the UK, the "Crazy World" single would be the follow-up to "When the Love is Good" as its original release failed to make an impact in 1987.
Release
The single was released in America, the UK and the Netherlands via Epic Records, and distributed by CBS Records. It was released on 7" vinyl, and additionally as a 12" vinyl maxi single in the UK and the Netherlands.
In all countries of release, the 7" vinyl featured the non-album, exclusive track "Last Kiss" as the b-side. The song was written by Moroder and Whitlock like the b-side, and was produced solely by Moroder. The song has not appeared elsewhere on any other release. In America a promotional 7" vinyl was also issued, featuring "When the Love is Good" on both sides of the vinyl.
The 12" vinyl released in the UK featured "Lipstick" and "Last Kiss" as the b-sides. "When the Love is Good" was not extended. "Lipstick" was taken from the Big Trouble album and was written by David Darling and Reeves, whilst being produced by Moroder and Reeves.
The Netherlands 12" vinyl issue featured the same track-listing and duration as the 7" vinyl release.
All releases, including the American promotional vinyl, featured artwork. In America the artwork compiled four separate photographs of all four members of the band, whilst the UK and Netherlands releases featured a group photograph of the band in front of a blue backdrop.
Promotion
Like "Crazy World", a music video was created to promote the single. Since appearing unofficially on YouTube in March 2012, the video has gained over 2,800 views. The video largely showed the band performing the song on a stage in front of a small audience, along with other various shots.
Track listing
- "When the Love is Good" - 3:41
- "Last Kiss" - 4:50
- "When the Love is Good" - 3:41
- "When the Love is Good" - 3:41
- "When the Love is Good" - 3:41
- "Lipstick" - 3:14
- "Last Kiss" - 4:50
- "When the Love is Good" - 3:41
- "Last Kiss" - 4:50
Critical reception
In the New Straits Times issue of March 6, 1988, a review of the album was published. The author Saw Tek Meng spoke of the song, stating "The good news is that Big Trouble don't disgrace themselves or their mentors. Lead singer Bobbie Eakes has not let her Miss Georgia 1983 title get in the way of her vocal abilities and keyboardist Rebecca Ryan, bassist Julia Farey and drummer Suzy Zarow show enough chops on tracks like "When the Love is Good," "Crazy World" and two oldies, "Cool Jerk" and Dionne's Warwick's "Trains and Boats and Planes," to indicate they should survive longer than the average female band."