It Must Have Been Love Explained

It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)
Cover:ItMustHaveBeenLove1987.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Roxette
B-Side:Turn to Me
Released:2 December 1987
Length:4:48
Label:EMI
Producer:Clarence Öfwerman
Prev Title:I Want You
Prev Year:1987
Next Title:I Call Your Name
Next Year:1988

"It Must Have Been Love", originally "It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)", is a song written by Per Gessle and performed by the Swedish pop duo Roxette. The power ballad[1] [2] became the duo's third number one hit in the United States,[3] and is one of their best selling releases, being certified gold or platinum in a number of countries. It remains their most well-known and signature song.[4]

Five different versions of the song have been officially released. The original song was released in 1987, which was followed by the most successful incarnation, a slightly edited and overdubbed version, omitting the Christmas references, created for the soundtrack to the 1990 film Pretty Woman. During the "Join the Joyride! World Tour" in 1991, the band recorded a country music version in Los Angeles, included on their 1992 album Tourism. A Spanish-language version of the Pretty Woman recording was released on their 1996 compilation Baladas en Español. Finally, an orchestral live performance from the band's 2009 concert at Night of the Proms was included on their 2012 studio album, Travelling.

Original release (1987)

The song was first released as "It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)" in December 1987. It was composed after EMI Germany asked the duo to "come up with an intelligent Christmas single".[5] It became a top five hit in Sweden,[6] but was not released internationally.[5] This version of the song was never included on any Roxette studio album until the 1997 re-release of their debut Pearls of Passion (1986).[7]

Music video

A performance from a Swedish TV chart show in 1987 acted as the song's first music video. It features Fredriksson and Gessle sitting on a couch on a stage, lip-syncing to the song.[8]

Formats and track listings

All lyrics written by Per Gessle; all music composed by Gessle, except "Turn to Me" by Marie Fredriksson.

  1. "It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)" – 4:48
  2. "Turn to Me" – 2:58

Charts

Re-release (1990)

It Must Have Been Love
Cover:ItMustHaveBeenLove.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Roxette
Album:Pretty Woman
Genre:Pop
Length:4:20
Label:EMI
Producer:Clarence Öfwerman
Prev Title:Dangerous
Prev Year:1989
Next Title:Joyride
Next Year:1991

During a run of increasingly successful singles from the duo's 1988 album Look Sharp!, Touchstone Pictures approached Roxette and their label about contributing a song to the soundtrack of the upcoming romantic comedy release Pretty Woman, starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.[9] The film was released in March 1990 and went on to make more than US$460 million at the worldwide box office.[10] The corresponding soundtrack album was also a commercial success,[9] which was certified triple-platinum in the US.[11] The soundtrack went on to sell more than nine million copies worldwide.[12]

Critical reception

Bill Coleman from Billboard described the song as a "rhythmic ballad".[13] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report wrote: "Per and Marie are on target again. Per Gessle continues to demonstrate his uncanny ability to compose exceptional pop melodies and Marie Fredriksson makes the words and music jump through the speakers. Though timed to coincide with the release of the Julia Roberts/Richard Gere film Pretty Woman, this tune from the soundtrack could easily stand on its own. Interest in the movie only gives it that much more of a boost".[14] Dave Simpson from The Guardian said the song is a "masterpiece of pain". He added that "Fredriksson's genius is in delivering the title line clean and stoic, rather than with tortured vibrato, to show that she's resigned to her fate. But with the jarringly urgent upward key change in the middle eight, the pain floods in again, and she's back to square one".[15]

A reviewer from Liverpool Echo wrote: "It's a ballad, it's big in America, but it's not as heavy-handed as the usual US success. Funnily enough, there even seems to be a bit of an ABBA influence in there".[16] Refinery29 included it at number 39 on their list of The Saddest Breakup Songs of All Time, saying the track "represents the perfect ratio of schlock to sentiment. In someone like Celine Dion's hands, this would have been a complete disaster, but the Swedish duo gaze off to 'where the water flows' and 'where the wind blows' without sounding like '90s Disney characters".[17] Brendon Veevers from Renowned for Sound noted the song as a "timeless power ballad that has aged like a fine wine".[18]

Commercial performance

A re-written and edited version of the track – the lyric "It's a hard Christmas day" was changed to "It's a hard winter's day" and 24 seconds were removed from the outro[12] – became an international hit during the summer of 1990. It was not the first single released from the Pretty Woman soundtrack, but it became the most successful, spending two weeks at the top spot of the US Billboard Hot 100 in June.[9] The song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales in excess of 500,000 copies in the US. At the end of the year, Billboard listed it as the second most successful single of 1990, behind Wilson Phillips' "Hold On".[19]

The single peaked at number three in the UK—their highest-peaking single there. It stayed on the UK Singles Chart for 14 weeks, and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales and streams in excess of 400,000. The song was re-released in the UK and Ireland in September 1993 to tie in with the TV premiere of Pretty Woman,[20] peaking at number ten in both countries. It became Roxette's second of three number one singles in Australia, spending two weeks at the top spot in July 1990.[21] The song was a massive hit in Norway, where it spent twelve weeks at number one. In Switzerland, the song spent three non-consecutive weeks at number one. It also reached number one in Canada, Poland and Spain, and the top five in Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand and West Germany, where it spent nine months in the top 75.

In 2005, Gessle received an award from BMI after the song's four millionth radio play in the US.[22] He received updated awards from the same organization after its five millionth radio play in 2014,[23] and its six millionth play in 2021.[24]

Music video

The second video was directed by Doug Freel and was shot in a warehouse. It included clips from Pretty Woman, with Fredriksson singing and playing piano and Gessle playing guitar between various prop changes.[8] There is also an alternate version of the video, without the movie scenes, which was available solely on the VHS The Videos. According to Fredriksson, shooting this video was a surreal experience, as Freel "wanted all movements in slow motion, so I had to lip-sync the vocals at double speed. My first lesson in how to sing an emotional ballad Mickey Mouse style".[5]

As of January 2024, this video has more than 746 million views on YouTube.[25]

Formats and track listings

All songs were written and composed by Gessle, except "Cry", with music by Fredriksson and Gessle.

  1. "It Must Have Been Love" – 4:20
  2. "Paint" – 3:29
  1. "It Must Have Been Love" – 4:20
  2. "Chances" – 4:07
  1. "It Must Have Been Love" – 4:20
  2. "Paint" – 3:29
  3. "Cry" (Live from Himmelstalundshallen, Norrköping on 16 December 1988) – 5:42
  1. "It Must Have Been Love" – 4:20
  2. "Paint" – 3:29
  3. "Cry" (Live from Norrköping) – 5:42
  4. "Surrender" (Live from Norrköping on 16 December 1988) – 3:07

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1990)Peak
position
Denmark (IFPI)[26] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[27] 3
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[28] 7
Italy (Musica e dischi)[29] 11
Spain (AFYVE)[30] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)6
US Cash Box Top 100[31] 2
US CHR/Pop Airplay Chart (Radio & Records)[32] 1
Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[33] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1990)Position
Australia (ARIA)[38] 4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[39] 10
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[40] 14
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[41] 11
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[42] 22
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[43] 11
Germany (Official German Charts)[44] 15
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[45] 4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[46] 17
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[47] 8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[48] 5
UK Singles (OCC)[49] 14
US Billboard Hot 1002
US Cash Box Top 100[50] 6

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
United States19 March 1990EMI
United Kingdom21 May 1990[51]
Japan10 August 1990Mini-CD[52]

"No Sé Si Es Amor" (1997)

No Sé Si Es Amor
Cover:Nosesiesamor.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Roxette
Album:Baladas en Español
Released:28 January 1997
Prev Title:Un Día Sin Ti
Prev Year:1996
Next Title:Wish I Could Fly
Next Year:1999

Roxette released a Spanish-language compilation album, Baladas en Español, in 1996. It consisted of twelve of their down-tempo singles and album tracks, which were translated by Spanish songwriter Luis Gomez-Escolar, who would later co-write the Ricky Martin hit "Livin' la Vida Loca". The album was only released in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking territories. An adapted version of "It Must Have Been Love", titled "No Sé Si Es Amor", was released in early 1997 as the album's second and final single. The song wasn't translated, its lyrics are new, with a slight different meaning from the original lyrics.

Formats and track listings

Music and original lyrics by Per Gessle. Spanish lyrics by Luis G. Escolar.

  1. "No Sé Si Es Amor" ("It Must Have Been Love") – 4:41
  2. "Directamente a Ti" ("Run to You") – 3:30

Charts

25th anniversary reissue (2015)

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the song's release on the Pretty Woman soundtrack,[53] Parlophone released a limited edition red-coloured vinyl on 19 May 2015.[54] This single included the Pretty Woman version of the song, backed with the original 1987 release and the Los Angeles-studio performance (minus the live intro recorded in Santiago, Chile) from their 1992 album Tourism. The latter features pedal steel guitar performed by Greg Leisz, who is best known for his work with k.d. lang. The single was released on digital download stores from 23 March.[55]

Formats and track listings

All songs written and composed by Per Gessle.

  1. "It Must Have Been Love" – 4:18
  2. "It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)" – 4:47
  3. "It Must Have Been Love" (L.A. Version) – 4:45

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the 25th anniversary vinyl re-release.[56]

Original studio version

L.A. version

Other versions

Philly Lutaaya version

In 1989, the late Ugandan musician Philly Lutaaya, who was then based in Sweden used the song to record his hit "Alone and Frightened" on his album "Alone", in which he came out as an HIV/AIDS patient, becoming the first public figure to be identified with the virus/disease during an HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda.[57] [58]

Brazilian version

The song was recorded twice in Portuguese, by the duo Gilberto e Gilmar as Outro dia nasceu[59] in 1992, and by the forró band Moleca 100 Vergonha ‘’não sou feliz mais‘’ in 2012.[60]

Shirley Bassey version

Shirley Bassey covered the song in 1995 for the album Shirley Bassey Sings the Movies.[61]

Shirley Clamp version

In 2006, Swedish pop singer Shirley Clamp recorded a cover version of the song called "När kärleken föds" ("When Love is Born"), it peaked at number 6 at the Swedish singles chart.[62]

Kathleen Edwards version

In 2013, Canadian singer/songwriter Kathleen Edwards released a cover version of this song as a single.

It Must Have Been Love
Type:single
Artist:Kathleen Edwards
Length:4:00
Label:Zoe Records

Megan McKenna version

In 2019, English singer Megan McKenna covered "It Must Have Been Love" as the first winner of . Following the announcement that she had won, her version of the song was released on 30 November.[63] [64]

Charts

Karen Harding version

It Must Have Been Love
Type:single
Artist:Karen Harding
Length:3:20
Label:Capitol
Prev Title:I Don't Need Love
Prev Year:2019
Next Title:Rely
Next Year:2020

In 2020, English singer Karen Harding covered "It Must Have Been Love" on 5 February.

Track listing

Regine Velasquez version

On 13 October 2023, Filipino singer-actress Regine Velasquez released a cover of the song for her upcoming studio album Reginified.[65]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 24 of the Biggest and Best Movie Power Ballads. Denofgeeek.com. 24 April 2021.
  2. Web site: 50 Best Power Ballads of All Time. Q105.
  3. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=roxette|chart=Hot 100}} Roxette - Chart History on the Billboard Hot 100 ]. . 19 November 2016.
  4. Web site: 2012-06-26 . Roxette unveil new song ahead of UK shows . https://web.archive.org/web/20240611221908/https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a389834/roxette-unveil-new-track-ahead-of-uk-arena-shows-listen/ . 2024-06-11 . Digital Spy . en-GB.
  5. Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus . Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! . liner notes . Digital booklet . . . 1995 . 7243 836203 2 6 . Stockholm, Sweden.
  6. Web site: swedishcharts.com - Roxette - It Must Have Been Love . Hung Medien . 22 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161122160201/http://www.swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Roxette&titel=It+Must+Have+Been+Love&cat=s . 22 November 2016 . live.
  7. Web site: Pearls of Passion by Roxette on Apple Music . . January 1986 . . 19 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161121103327/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pearls-of-passion/id949912381 . 21 November 2016 . live.
  8. . DVD liner notes . . . 2003 . 7243 4 90946 9 7.
  9. Web site: Roxette's It Must Have Been Love, 25 Years Later . Drew . Mackie . . 25 June 2015 . 19 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161121044348/http://people.com/celebrity/roxettes-it-must-have-been-love-25-years-later/ . 21 November 2016 . live.
  10. Web site: Pretty Woman (1990) - Box Office Mojo . . . 19 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120501100849/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=prettywoman.htm . 1 May 2012 . live.
  11. Web site: Gold & Platinum - RIAA . . 19 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161121112708/http://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Pretty+Woman#search_section . 21 November 2016 . live.
  12. Web site: Roxette Bio | Roxette Career . . . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161121042215/http://www.mtv.com/artists/roxette/biography/ . 21 November 2016 . dead.
  13. Bill. Coleman. Single Reviews. Billboard. 31 March 1990. 14 February 2020. 78.
  14. Dave . Sholin . Gavin Picks > Singles . . 1799 . 23 March 1990 . 52 . 17 April 2018 .
  15. Dave. Simpson. It Must Have Been Love: Roxette's power ballad is a masterpiece of pain. The Guardian. 10 December 2019. 7 March 2020.
  16. "New singles". Liverpool Echo. 21 May 1990. p. 17. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  17. Web site: The Saddest Breakup Songs of All Time . . 8 November 2019 . 9 December 2019.
  18. Web site: TOP 10 ROXETTE BALLADS. Veevers. Brendon. Renowned for Sound. 12 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20150315173311/http://renownedforsound.com/index.php/top-10-roxette-ballads/. 21 April 2020. 15 March 2015.
  19. Billboard Year End Charts - Year End Singles - 1990 . . 19 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070102110431/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/yearend_chart_display.jsp?f=The%2BBillboard%2BHot%2B100&g=Year-end%2BSingles&year=1990 . 2 January 2007 . dead.
  20. Web site: It Must Have Been Love - the Look for Roxette.com (BETA): Worldwide Discography & Price Guide :: Releases . 16 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181116173628/https://www.thelookforroxette.com/releases.html?id=946 . 16 November 2018 . live.
  21. Web site: ARIA Singles Report: Avicii Is Longest Number One Swedish Act Since Roxette . Gavin . Ryan . . . 3 August 2013 . 14 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140512215817/http://www.noise11.com/news/aria-singles-report-avicii-is-longest-number-one-swedish-act-since-roxette-20130803 . 12 May 2014 . live.
  22. Web site: 2005 BMI awards . . 28 November 2005 . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120315222153/http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/534322 . 15 March 2012 . live.
  23. Nile Rogers, Ellie Goulding Honored at BMI London Awards . Marc . Schneider . . 14 October 2014 . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150907100948/http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/record-labels/6281704/nile-rodgers-ellie-goulding-honored-at-bmi-london-awards . 7 September 2015 . live.
  24. Web site: BMI Celebrates its 2021 London Award Winners. BMI. 11 October 2021. 25 November 2021.
  25. Web site: Roxette. Roxette - It Must Have Been Love. . 4 March 2009. 11 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170624055843/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2C5TjS2sh4. 24 June 2017. live.
  26. Top 3 Singles in Europe. Music & Media. 7. 36. VII. 8 September 1990. 22 March 2018.
  27. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 7. 27. IV. 7 July 1990. 10 February 2021.
  28. Book: Nyman, Jake. 2005. Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja. 1st. Tammi. Helsinki. 951-31-2503-3. fi.
  29. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e Dischi. it. 3 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Roxette".
  30. Book: Salaverri, Fernando. Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st. September 2005. Fundación Autor-SGAE. Spain. 84-8048-639-2.
  31. Awards – Top 50 Pop Singles. Cash Box. LIII. 48. 33. 23 June 1990. 10 February 2021.
  32. Web site: Roxette . 8 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111030092407/http://wweb.uta.edu/faculty/gghunt/charts/roxette.html . 30 October 2011 . live.
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  33. The Airplay Chart. Music Week. 16 October 1993. 34. 2 May 2024.
  34. Roxette | Chart History . . 7 July 2012 . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161202072440/http://www.billboard.com/artist/369191/Roxette/chart?f=1186 . 2 December 2016 . live.
  35. Web site: SloTop50: Slovenian official singles weekly chart. SloTop50. sl. 17 February 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20161222082555/http://www.slotop50.si/Glasbene-lestvice/Tedenske-lestvice/?year=2013&week=7. 22 December 2016. live.
  36. Web site: ARIA Australian Top 40 Digital Tracks . . . 15 December 2019 . 15 December 2019 . https://archive.today/20191215010911/https://www.ariacharts.com.au/charts/digital-tracks-chart . 15 December 2019 . dead .
  37. Web site: ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 50 Singles 1990 . . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120101184010/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-50-singles-1990.htm . 1 January 2012 . live.
  38. Web site: Alle Rechte Jahreshitparade 1990 . de . . 20 November 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131217221656/http://www.austriancharts.at/1990_single.asp . 17 December 2013.
  39. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1990 . nl . . 15 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151029064046/http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1990 . 29 October 2015 . live.
  40. Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 10 April 2019.
  41. Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1990. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 10 April 2019.
  42. Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990. Music & Media. 7. 51. 60. 22 December 1990. 29800226. 15 January 2020. World Radio History.
  43. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts . de . . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160731052007/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1990 . 31 July 2016 . live.
  44. Web site: De Single Top 100 1990 Over . . nl . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195500/http://www.top40.nl/pdf/Top%20100/top%20100%20-%201990.pdf . 5 April 2012 . live.
  45. Web site: Jaahroverzichten 1990 . nl . Single Top 100 . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150628002731/http://www.dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1990&cat=s . 28 June 2015 . live.
  46. Web site: Top Selling Singles of 1990 . . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160111045950/http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/?chart=3879 . 11 January 2016 . live.
  47. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1990 . de . Swiss Music Charts . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141218012533/http://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1990 . 18 December 2014 . live.
  48. Web site: Official Top 40 best-selling songs of 1990. Copsey, Rob. Official Charts Company. 21 May 2021. 20 June 2021.
  49. Awards – Top 50 Pop Singles. Cash Box. LIV. 22. 9. 29 December 1990. 10 February 2021.
  50. New Singles. Music Week. 37. 19 May 1990.
  51. Web site: 愛のぬくもり ロクセット. The Warmth of Love Roxette. Oricon. ja. 23 January 2024.
  52. Web site: Roxette - Discography . Roxette.se . 20 November 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161121042346/http://roxette.se/discography.php?show=release&id=124 . 21 November 2016.
  53. Web site: Roxette - It Must Have Been Love - 25th Anniversary . . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161121043734/https://www.amazon.com/Must-Have-Been-Love-25th-Anniversary/dp/B00ULE2UXU . 21 November 2016 . live.
  54. Web site: It Must Have Been Love - Single by Roxette on Apple Music . . 23 March 2015 . . 20 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161121043107/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/it-must-have-been-love-single/id976541442 . 21 November 2016 . live.
  55. It Must Have Been Love . It Must Have Been Love . liner notes . Digital booklet . . . 2015 . 0724386504715 . London, United Kingdom.
  56. Web site: First song by Ugandan superstar to address HIV/AIDS pandemic –Alone and Frightened by Philly Lutaaya . Matooke Republic . 30 May 2016 . 18 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180918160746/https://matookerepublic.com/2016/05/30/these-twelve-songs-hold-special-records-in-ugandan-music/ . 18 September 2018 . live.
  57. Web site: Late Philly Bongoley Lutaaya Vs Roxette . New Vision . 18 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180918160649/https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1007416/late-philly-bongoley-lutaaya-vs-roxette . 18 September 2018 . live.
  58. Web site: OUTRO DIA NASCEU Cifra de Gilberto e Gilmar - Cifras.com.br. Cifras.com.br. 24 April 2021.
  59. Web site: Moleca 100 Vergonha - Não Sou Feliz Mais. Vagalume.com.br. 24 April 2021.
  60. Web site: Shirley Bassey | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company. Officialcharts.com. 24 April 2021.
  61. Web site: SverigeTopplistan. https://web.archive.org/web/20051224045424/http://hitparad.se/showitem.asp. dead. Hitparad.se. 24 December 2005. 24 April 2021.
  62. Web site: It Must Have Been Love - Single by Megan McKenna on Apple Music. iTunes Store. 30 November 2019. 1 December 2019.
  63. Web site: Christmas secret behind Megan McKenna's version of It Must Have Been Love . Roper, Kerri-Ann . . 8 December 2019 . 9 December 2019.
  64. News: Star Music releases 1st single of Regine Velasquez's album Reginified . 13 October 2023 . . 13 October 2023.