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Erasure's "Oh L'Amour" Turns 35 Years Old This Month

LaGrandeDame

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a.k.a.: my favorite song of theirs (yes, even over Chains of Love and A Little Respect):
Erasure_-_Oh_L%27amour.jpg


"Oh L'amour" is a song by English synthpop duo Erasure, released in April 1986 as their third single. Written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, it is a lament from someone experiencing unrequited love ("broke my heart / now I'm aching for you").

The song is an uptempo, synthpop dance track and its popularity was further fueled in dance clubs by the "Funky Sisters Remix", which appeared on the UK 12-inch single and as a bonus track on the U.S. edition of Wonderland. A different mix of the song was submitted for the single release, adding new instrumentation and extra sounds. This version appears on all of the band's compilation albums. A version of the 12" single was included with early copies of the debut LP Wonderland. One of the B-sides is a cover version of "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)", the first time Erasure covered a song from the ABBA songbook. It was issued by Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the U.S. to herald the June release of Erasure's debut album Wonderland, but became the third consecutive commercial failure for the band in both territories. Despite its low chart placing, "Oh L'amour" has proven to be one of Erasure's signature songs, due to its popularity in dance clubs. It remains a favourite among fans, particularly when performed live.

In 2003, the song was remixed and released as a single again to promote the greatest hits package Hits! The Very Best of Erasure. In its remixed form, the song became a UK Top 20 hit, peaking at number 13 in autumn 2003. The original artwork of the "Oh L'amour" single featured illustrations from The Railway Series of characters Percy and Rheneas. As permission had not been given, this cover was withdrawn and replaced with a plain black cover with only the title and band name.

Critical reception​

Ned Raggett from AllMusic commented, "A lovely a cappella opening and instantly catchy hook, not to mention sprightly performances from Clarke and Bell both (the latter wisely undersings rather than pushing the flamboyance, letting loose more on the chorus), ensured its classic status."[1] He also called it "brilliant", noting "the soothing jump" of the song.[2] Chris Gerard from Metro Weekly described it as "the first truly great Erasure single", adding it as "an infectious dance/pop classic".[3] Darren Lee from The Quietus noted "the effete hormonal cravings" of the song, stating that it is one of "the most gloriously effervescent pop anthems ever recorded."[4]

Chart performance​

In 1986, "Oh L'amour" climbed to number 85 on the UK Singles Chart and became Erasure's first big hit in South Africa (number two), in Germany (number 16), in Australia (number 13) and their only one in France (number 14). In the United States, the song's biggest impact was on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where it hit number three on 26 July 1986.[5]




Some of you may be more familiar with the remix version that came out a while ago:




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jeido

charidotes dolius charmophron
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omgz...Oh L'Amour was the jam with my little proto-goth/alt clique in HS. :lol
 

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