"What I Did for Love" is a song from the musical A Chorus Line with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban. It was quickly recognized for its show-business potential outside Broadway and was picked up by popular singers to include in their performances in their club and television appearances. Both female and male singers have made it an inclusion in their recorded albums to great effect.[1] The Daily Telegraph described it as a "big anthem".[2]
In the penultimate scene of the production, one of the dancers, Paul San Marco, has suffered a career-ending injury. The remaining dancers, gathered together onstage, are asked what they would do if they were told they could no longer dance. Diana, in reply, sings this anthem, which considers loss philosophically, with an undefeated optimism; all the other dancers concur. Whatever happens, they will be free of regret. What they did in their careers, they did for love, and their talent, no matter how great, was only theirs "to borrow," was to be only temporary and would someday be gone. However, the love of performing is never gone, and they are all pointed toward tomorrow.
| What I Did for Love | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Marcia Hines |
| Album: | Ladies and Gentlemen |
| B-Side: | A Love Story |
| Released: | June 1977 |
| Recorded: | Trafalgar Studios, Sydney, 1977 |
| Genre: | Pop music |
| Length: | 3:15 |
| Label: | Miracle Records |
| Producer: | Robie Porter |
| Prev Title: | (Until) Your Love Broke Through |
| Prev Year: | 1976 |
| Next Title: | You |
| Next Year: | 1977 |
Marcia Hines recorded and released a version as the lead single from her third studio album, Ladies and Gentlemen (1977). The song peaked at number 6 on the Kent Music Report, becoming Hines' third top 10 single in Australia.
At the 1978 Australian Record Awards, the song won Hines Female Vocalist of the Year.[10]
| Chart (1977) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] | 41 |
| Australian Artist (Kent Music Report) | 5 |
