Is This Love (Bob Marley and the Wailers song)
"Is This Love" is a song by Bob Marley and the Wailers, released on their 1978 album Kaya. The song became one of the best-known Marley songs and was part of the Legend compilation. It peaked at number 9 in the UK charts upon its release in 1978. A live rendition of the song can be found on the Babylon by Bus live album from Paris in 1978.
"Is This Love" | ||||
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Single by Bob Marley and the Wailers | ||||
from the album Kaya | ||||
Released | 1978 | |||
Genre | Reggae | |||
Length | 3:52 | |||
Label | Tuff Gong, Island | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bob Marley | |||
Bob Marley and the Wailers singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Is This Love" on YouTube |
Music video
A music video was also produced, shot at the Keskidee Arts Centre in London; in the video, future supermodel Naomi Campbell, then seven years old, made her first appearance in the public eye.[1][2][3][4]
Lvndscape and Bolier remix
"Is This Love" | ||||
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Single by Bob Marley featuring Lvndscape and Bolier | ||||
Released | 10 June 2016[5] | |||
Genre | Tropical house | |||
Length | 3:20 | |||
Label | Spinnin' Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bob Marley | |||
Bob Marley singles chronology | ||||
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Lvndscape singles chronology | ||||
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Bolier singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Is This Love" (Remix) on YouTube |
In June 2016, the song was remixed by Dutch electronic music collaborators Lvndscape and Bolier, and the remix version reached #16 single in the UK.[6] The music video was released via Spinnin' Records YouTube channel on 17 June 2016.[7]
Notable covers
The following artists have covered the song:
- The Pat Travers Band, on their 1980 album Crash and Burn
- Carly Simon, on her 1983 album Hello Big Man
- Hawaiian reggae music group Three Plus, on their 2003 album 3+ 4 U. That album won the 2003 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Reggae Album of the Year. Their version of "Is This Love" is also included on the 2010 compilation album Putamayo Presents: Tribute To A Reggae Legend: Bob Marley.
- Scott Matthews, as a bonus track on his 2009 album Elsewhere
- Corinne Bailey Rae, on the 2011 EP The Love EP. This version was released as a single and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards.
Live covers
- Rihanna covered the song during her first worldwide Good Girl Gone Bad Tour (2007—09). The performance is included in her DVD album Good Girl Gone Bad Live.[8]
- Adam Lambert covered the song in an acoustic set in Sydney, Australia, in the summer of 2012, as well as in his 2013 "We Are Glamily" world tour.[9]
- Allen Stone performed the Corinne Bailey Rae version of this song on the tour of his self-titled album, Allen Stone.
In popular culture
- The song is played in the movies In the Name of the Father (1993), Six Days Seven Nights (1998), Lake Placid (1999), 50 First Dates (2004) and Just Go With It (2011).
- The song is featured as the theme for the ending credits of Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball as well as its sequel, Dead or Alive Xtreme 2.
- In the book Marley and Me, author John Grogan says that he and his wife Jenny came up with the name Marley for their dog when, during an argument about what to name him, Jenny walked to the tape deck and pushed play, and the song started playing.
- A reference to the song is made in the lyrics "Just like the song on our radio set / We’ll share the shelter of my single bed" from James Blunt's song "Stay the Night", the first single of the 2010 album Some Kind of Trouble.
- Bon Jovi's song "Lay Your Hands on Me" opens with the lyrics "you're ready, I'm willing, and able. Help me lay my cards down on the table", which bears a clear similarity to the lyrics of "Is This Love".
Charts
"Is This Love"Weekly charts
Year-end charts
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"Is This Love" featuring LVNDSCAPE and Bolier
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[23] | Gold | 30,000* |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[24] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI)[25] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI)[26] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Remix |
Gold | 400,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
References
- "The Keskidee - a community that discovered itself", Islington Local History Centre, 2009.
- "Peter Gruner, "Green plaque honours Keskidee arts centre where Naomi Campbell met Bob Marley", Camden New Journal, 25 March 2011". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2013-03-19.
- "Pavan Amara and Andrew Johnson, "Fire rips through pioneering black arts venue where Bob Marley shot Is This Love video", Islington Tribune, 9 March 2012". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2013-03-19.
- Mark Blunden, "Honour for arts centre where Bob Marley danced with Naomi Campbell, 7", Evening Standard, 21 March 2011.
- "Bob Marley feat. LVNDSCAPE & Bolier - Is This Love". T.H.E - Music Essentials. 2016-06-13. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- "is+this+love+(remix) - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
- "New Music: "Is This Love" Remix ft. LVNDSCAPE & Boiler". Bob Marley. 2016-06-10. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
- "Rihanna – Good Girl Gone Bad (Live)". iTunes Store (AU). Apple. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
- Rubenstein, Jenna Hally (2012-08-23). "Adam Lambert Covers Bob Marley's 'Is This Love,' And DUH It's Incredible (Video)". Retrieved 2012-09-19.
- "Kent Music Report No 236 – 1 January 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1978". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 8 January 2022 – via Imgur.com.
- "Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
- "Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
- "Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love". VG-lista. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
- "Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
- "Bob Marley and the Wailers: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
- "Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
- "ARIA CHART WATCH #389". auspOp. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- "Bob Marley feat. LVNDSCAPE + Bolier – Is This Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
- "Bob Marley feat. LVNDSCAPE + Bolier – Is This Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- "Brazilian single certifications – Bob Marley – Is This Love" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- "Danish single certifications – Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bob Marley; 'Is This Love')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
- "Italian single certifications – Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 8 May 2020. Select "2017" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Is This Love" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
- "British single certifications – Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "British single certifications – Bob Marley Ft Lvndscape/Bolier – Is This Love (Remix)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 April 2022.