It Must Be Love (Labi Siffre song)

"It Must Be Love" is a song written and originally recorded and released in 1971 by English singer Labi Siffre on his 1972 album Crying Laughing Loving Lying. It was also recorded by ska/pop band Madness in 1981.

For other uses, see It Must Be Love (disambiguation).

"It Must Be Love"
German 7" single
Single by Labi Siffre
from the album Crying Laughing Loving Lying
B-side"To Find Love"
Released1971
Recorded1971
StudioChappell Studio, London
GenrePop
Length3:57
LabelPye
Songwriter(s)Labi Siffre
Producer(s)Labi Siffre
Labi Siffre singles chronology
"Get to the Country"
(1971)		 "It Must Be Love"
(1971)		 "Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying"
(1972)
Audio
"It Must Be Love" on YouTube

Labi Siffre original

The original Labi Siffre recording was released as a single in 1971, and reached Number 14 in January 1972 in the UK singles chart.[1] It also appeared on his 1972 album Crying Laughing Loving Lying.

In 1994, a version of Siffre's original, with altered lyrics, was featured in an advertisement for Midland Bank.[2] In 2007, it was featured in a UK TV advertisement for Vodafone.[3]

Labi Siffre track listing
  1. "It Must Be Love" – 3:42
  2. "To Find Love" – 1:57

Charts
Chart (1971–1972) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 46
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[5] 25
UK Singles (OCC)[6] 14

Madness version
"It Must Be Love"
Single by Madness
Released25 November 1981
Genre
Length3:19
LabelStiff
Songwriter(s)Labi Siffre
Producer(s)Clive Langer
Alan Winstanley
Madness singles chronology
"Shut Up"
(1981)		 "It Must Be Love"
(1981)		 "Cardiac Arrest"
(1982)
Music video
"It Must Be Love" on YouTube

Madness's version was originally issued as a standalone single in late-1981, reaching #4 on the UK singles chart, and appeared on their UK number one compilation album Complete Madness the following year, and on many other Madness compilations since. In 1983, it peaked in the US Billboard chart at #33.

In 2009, Madness's cover version was featured in an advertisement for LoveFilm. In 2012, it was featured in a US advertisement for Volkswagen Passat.

In 2012, Madness performed the song with Olly Murs at V Festival.

Music video

The video mostly shows band members playing in a white room and standing over a grave. It also features guitarist Chris Foreman and saxophonist Lee Thompson playing their instruments underwater. A killer whale is also seen. Foreman appears at the start of the video warning viewers not to attempt the "very dangerous stunt" they are about to see. Labi Siffre makes a cameo appearance as a violin player.

Madness's recording was reissued in 1992, and this time reached #6 in the UK chart. A slightly remixed version with a definite ending instead of the original fade-out, appeared on the 2002 compilation Our House: the Original Songs. In 2007, a remixed version of the Madness cover appeared in the German Edgar Wallace spoof movie Neues vom Wixxer, along with a new recording called "NW5".[8] As well as the remix to the song, a new video was filmed, including three members of the band (Suggs, Chas Smash and Dan Woodgate) along with members of the cast.

1981 original issue
  1. "It Must Be Love" – 3:19
  2. "Shadow on the House" – 3:20

1981 Dutch issue
  1. "It Must Be Love"
  2. "Mrs. Hutchinson"

1992 reissue
  1. "It Must Be Love" – 3:19
  2. "Bed and Breakfast Man" – 2:33

Two other UK issues of the Madness version appeared but did not chart. In 1987, "It Must Be Love" was released on the re-issue label Old Gold Records, backed with "My Girl"; and, in 1988 Virgin, Madness released a 7" to coincide with the song's appearance in The Tall Guy, backed with "The Return of the Los Palmas 7".

1992 Virgin reissue
  1. "It Must Be Love" – 3:19
  2. "Bed and Breakfast Man" – 2:33
  3. "Airplane" – 2:59
  4. "Don't Quote Me on That – 4:35

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[17] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

In 1975, the song was covered by New Seekers singer Lyn Paul.

In 2019, the song was featured on the Children in Need album Got It Covered, performed by Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, Olivia Colman, Shaun Dooley, Luke Evans, Suranne Jones, Adrian Lester, Himesh Patel, David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker.

The song was featured in the 1989 film The Tall Guy, starring Jeff Goldblum, Rowan Atkinson, and Emma Thompson. Suggs, lead vocalist of Madness, also appeared in the film while singing this song.

  • In 2011, a cover by Newton Faulkner was featured in a UK advertisement for the Samsung Galaxy S II.[18]
  • In 2012, a cover by Lotte Mullan was featured in a UK advertisement for LoveFilm.[19]
  • The song, covered by various artists, including Bruce Heald (of Noise International) and Melanie Horsnell, has been featured in Australian advertisements for Huggies nappies.[20]
  • In 2017, it was performed by a character in The Lovers, and also featured in the film's trailer.[21]

References
  1. "Official Charts > Labi Siffre". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. Thomas, Sean (4 December 1994). "Sounds like Madness (or Fleetwood Mac...)". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  3. "xilo Ltd. : Sales 0800 905 5000 • Support 0333 773 3000". www.xilo.net.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 273. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. "Labi Siffre – It Must Be Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  6. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  7. "Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80's, Vol. 12 Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via AllMusic.
  8. "Madness – NW5 (I Would Give You Everything) (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 187. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – It Must Be Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  11. "Madness – It Must Be Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  12. "Official Charts > Madness". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  13. "Billboard > Madness Chart History > Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  14. "Madness – It Must Be Love". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  15. "charts.org.nz > Madness – It Must Be Love (song)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  16. "Kent Music Report No 445 – 3 January 1983 > National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 6 January 2020 – via Imgur.
  17. "British single certifications – Madness – It Must Be Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  18. Brown, Paul (26 January 2012). "LOVEFILM Instant – It Must Be Love". TV Ad Music. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  19. Mullan, Lotte (19 January 2012). "LOVEFILM have used my version of "It must be love"..." Tumblr. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  20. "Ogilvy provides more hugs for Huggies". 16 March 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  21. "'The Lovers' Official Trailer (2017) | Debra Winger, Tracy Letts". YouTube. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
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