The Power of Love (Frankie Goes to Hollywood song)

"The Power of Love" is a song originally recorded and released by British band Frankie Goes to Hollywood. It was written by Holly Johnson, Peter Gill, Mark O'Toole and Brian Nash, four of five members of the band. It was released by the group as their third single.

"The Power of Love"
Single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
from the album Welcome to the Pleasuredome
B-side"The World Is My Oyster"
"Holier Than Thou"
Released19 November 1984 (1984-11-19)
December 1993 (1993-12)
2000 (2000)
GenreNew wave, baroque pop
Length5:30
LabelZTT – ZTAS 5
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Trevor Horn
Frankie Goes to Hollywood singles chronology
"Two Tribes"
(1984)		 "The Power of Love"
(1984)		 "Welcome to the Pleasuredome"
(1985)

Initially issued as a single in November 1984, and taken from the album Welcome to the Pleasuredome, "The Power of Love" followed its two predecessors, "Relax" and "Two Tribes", to the top of the UK singles chart. It scored the band an early December number-one. "The Power of Love" was also a top 10 hit in several European countries, in Australia and New Zealand, and in Canada. "The Power of Love" is often regarded as a Christmas song, despite having no reference to Christmas within the song lyrics. However, the accompanying video features the Nativity, and the single cover was The Assumption of the Virgin. The single spent just one week at Number One in the UK, outsold by the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid, which until 1997 was the best selling single ever in the UK.

Since then, reissues and/or remixes of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood recording of this song have been top 10 UK hits on two other occasions, hitting #10 in 1993 and #6 in 2000. "The Power of Love" has also charted in the UK in a version by Holly Johnson (a solo recording from 1999). The original version by Frankie Goes to Hollywood was featured in the 2012 film Sightseers, the same year that the song was reissued as a digital download and peaked at #42, in response to a cover version by Gabrielle Aplin. Aplin's recording of the song also went to #1 in the UK, exactly 28 years after the original Frankie Goes to Hollywood single topped the charts. Aplin's version also enjoyed a resurgence in 2014 thanks to it being the soundtrack to the advert/trailer for TV series Resurrection.

Holly Johnson, who co-wrote the song, later reminisced: "I always felt like 'The Power of Love' was the record that would save me in this life. There is a biblical aspect to its spirituality and passion; the fact that love is the only thing that matters in the end."

Frankie Goes to Hollywood version

The track was first featured during the John Peel Sessions the band performed on during 1983, which was slower and emphasised the track's original camp ironic content (such as the Hooded Claw from the cartoon series The Perils of Penelope Pitstop). After recording at the original speed, ZTT/Trevor Horn sped it up, this also caused a change in pitch.

"The Power of Love" became Frankie Goes to Hollywood's third consecutive (and last) #1 UK single in December 1984. To commemorate the Christmas release, Godley & Creme directed a Nativity-themed video for the single, and the artwork for the single also used traditional Christian iconography. The original showing of the video on The Tube featured the Nativity occupying the whole screen, however the borders of band members were added for later showings due to pressure from UK broadcasters.

The 12" mix of the song featured actor Chris Barrie aping DJ Mike Read's banning of the single "Relax", as well as his impression of Ronald Reagan, instructing the listener in prayer. The single also featured a Christmas message from the band, entitled "Holier Than Thou".

On the cover is a reproduction of the Assumption of the Virgin by Titian, a 16th-century painting in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari of Venice.

The single has been reissued in various formats over the years. The 1993 reissue charted at #10 UK; the 2000 remix version hit #6 UK.

Track listing

All discographical information here pertains to UK releases only (unless otherwise noted).

7": ZTT / ZTAS 5 (United Kingdom)

"Make love your goal"

  1. "The Power of Love" (7" mix) - 5:27
  2. "The World Is My Oyster" (7" mix) - 4:13

Also available as a picture disc carrying the same tracks. (PZTAS5)

12": ZTT / 12 ZTAS 5 (United Kingdom)
  1. "The Power of Love" (Extended version) - 9:28
  2. "The World Is My Oyster" (Scrapped) - 1:38
  3. "Holier Than Thou" (The first) - 1:08
  4. "The World Is My Oyster" (Trapped) [Instrumental] - 2:29
  5. "Holier Than Thou" (The second) - 4:10
  6. "The Power of Love" (Instrumental) [Unlisted] - 2:27
  • The Cassette, 7" single and the standard 12" single were all released in a "hearts and crosses" cardboard envelope.
  • "Holier Than Thou" is a recording of band members attempting to record a Christmas message for fans and generally messing about in the recording studio. The final song on the disc is the continuation of the instrumental version of "The Power of Love" that begins side A, here finally reaching its conclusion. This section of music actually begins during the final part of the "Holier Than Thou" section, when Peter Gill is jokingly listing what he wants for Christmas.
  • Also released as a picture disc carrying the same tracks (12PZTAS5).

12": ZTT / 12 XZTAS 5 (United Kingdom)
Pleasurefix Starfix
  1. "The Power of Love" (7" mix) - 5:27
  2. "The World Is My Oyster" (12" mix) - 4:23
  3. "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" (Pleasure fix) - 9:46
  4. "The Only Star in Heaven" (Star fix) - 3:52
  • Released in a white gatefold sleeve with 5 photos.

MC: ZTT / CTIS 105 (United Kingdom)

"I'll protect you from the holocaust"

  1. "The Power of Love" (Extended, singlette version) - 9:18
  2. "The World Is My Oyster (Scrapped)" - 1:38
  3. "Holier Than Thou (the first)" - 1:08
  4. "The World Is My Oyster (Trapped)" - 2:29
  5. "Holier Than Thou (the second)" - 4:10
  6. "The Power of Love" (Instrumental, singlette version) [Unlisted] - 3:30

This complete cassette was re-released in 2012 on CD Sexmix Disk 1 Tracks 7-12. The end of "Instrumental" is identical to the opening of the regular extended version, but with "Relax" in the background.

Chart performance

Certifications
Region Certification
Italy (FIMI)[25] Gold
United Kingdom (BPI)[26] Gold

Reissues

1993 reissues

The 1993 re-issues featured the church in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden on the cover.

CD
ZTT / FGTH3CD (United Kingdom)
  1. "The Power of Love" - 5:29
  2. "The Power of Love" (Original extended mix) - 9:29
  3. "Rage Hard" (Original DJ mix) [Vocal edit] - 4:13
  4. "Holier Than Thou" (No Rest for the Best - Edit) - 3:29
CD
ZTT / FGTH3CDX (United Kingdom)
  1. "The Power of Love" - 5:29
  2. "The Power of Love" (Original extended mix) - 9:29
  3. "Rage Hard" (Original DJ mix) [Vocal edit] - 4:13
  4. "The Power of Love" (Alternative mix) - 5:07
CD
ZTT-Warner / 4509-94954-2 (Germany)
  1. "The Power of Love" (1994 radio love mix) - 3:47
  2. "The Power of Love" - 5:29

2000 reissues
CD
ZTT / ZTT 150 CD (United Kingdom)
  1. "The Power of Love" (Rob Searle club mix edit) - 4:13
  2. "The Power of Love" (Rob Searle club mix) - 8:41
  3. "The Power of Love" (Minkys Yaba mix edit) - 5:05
12"
ZTT / ZTT 150 T (United Kingdom)
  1. "The Power of Love" (Rob Searle club mix) - 8:38
  2. "The Power of Love" (Minky's Yaba mix) - 8:10

2012 reissue
MP3 download (United Kingdom)[27]
  1. "The Power of Love" (Original 7" mix) - 5:30
  2. "The Power of Love" (Original 7" instrumental) - 5:30
  3. "The Power of Love" (Original 12" mix) - 9:30
  4. "The World Is My Oyster" - 4:17
  5. "The Power of Love" (Alternative mix) - 5:08
  6. "The Power of Love" (Best listened to by lovers) - 4:30
  7. "The Power of Love" (Instrumental, singlette version) - 3.34
  • Best Listened to by Lovers is an orchestral instrumental from Anne Dudley's arrangement recorded as part of the original Welcome to the Pleasuredome album sessions in 1984 which was used for the first part of the original "Power of Love" 12" single, with added guitars. It was first released on the compilation CD Frankie Said earlier in 2012.
  • Original 7" Instrumental is an instrumental version of the regular single / album track, and is unique to this release.

Other songs with the title in 1985

This was the first of three singles in the British top 10 with the title "The Power of Love" in 1985. The other two were "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News, which peaked at No. 9 at the start of autumn, and "The Power of Love" by Jennifer Rush, which reached No. 1 by the middle of autumn.

Holly Johnson version
"The Power of Love"
Single by Holly Johnson
from the album Soulstream
Released1999
GenrePop
Length5:04
LabelPleasuredome
Songwriter(s)Peter Gill, Holly Johnson, Mark O'Toole, Brian Nash
Holly Johnson singles chronology
"Disco Heaven"
(1999)		 "The Power of Love"
(1999)		 "Follow Your Heart"
(2014)

Holly Johnson, former singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, recorded his own version of "The Power of Love" for his 1999 album Soulstream. It was released as the third single from the album, reaching #56 in the UK. The single stayed in the charts for 2 weeks.[28] A music video was created to promote the single.[29]

The single was released by two separate CD versions, each featuring different tracks,[30] with the second CD featuring "All U Need Is Love (Demo Version)", a demo version of the Soulstream album track.[31]

Track listing
CD Single (CD1)
  1. "The Power of Love" (Radio mix) - 5:08
  2. "In the House of the Rising Sun" (12" definitive mix) - 5:36
  3. "In the House of the Rising Sun" (Doogs House mix) - 5:04
CD Single (CD2)
  1. "The Power of Love" (Millennium mix) - 5:36
  2. "In the House of the Rising Sun (DNA instrumental mix)" - 5:32
  3. "All U Need Is Love" (Demo version) - 4:59
CD Single (Promo)
  1. "The Power of Love (Radio mix)" - 5:08
  2. "The Power of Love (Millennium mix)" - 5:33
  3. "In the House of the Rising Sun" (12" definitive mix) - 5:36
  4. "In the House of the Rising Sun" (Doogs House mix) - 5:04
  5. "In the House of the Rising Sun" (DNA instrumental mix) - 5:30

Remixes and B-sides
  • "The Power of Love" (Radio mix)
  • "In the House of the Rising Sun" (12" definitive mix)
  • "In the House of the Rising Sun" (Doogs House mix)
  • "The Power of Love" (Millennium mix)
  • "In the House of the Rising Sun" (DNA instrumental mix)
  • "All U Need Is Love" (Demo version)

Critical reception

Jon O'Brien of Allmusic reviewed the Soulstream album, and spoke of the song, stating "The William Orbit-esque production of the empowering opener "Lady Luck," and the subtle trip-hop-tinged title track show that Johnson still occasionally had his finger on the pulse. But unnecessary reworkings of 1984 chart-topper "The Power of Love" and the 1994 flop, gay anthem "Legendary Children (All of Them Queer)," only highlight the creative rut he appeared to be stuck in."[32]

Chart performance
Chart (1999) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[28] 56

Gabrielle Aplin version
"The Power of Love"
Single by Gabrielle Aplin
from the album English Rain
Released9 November 2012
Recorded2012
GenrePop
Length4:05
LabelParlophone
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Gabrielle Aplin singles chronology
"The Power of Love"
(2012)		 "Please Don't Say You Love Me"
(2013)

In 2012, British singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin released a cover version of the song produced by Mike Spencer and David Kosten. It was released on 9 November 2012 as a digital download as the lead single from her debut studio album English Rain (2013). The song was selected as the soundtrack to the John Lewis 2012 Christmas advertisement.[33] The song was also used during an episode of Hollyoaks on 16 November 2012 after the sudden death of one of the show's main characters. The song subsequently became popular in Australia in early 2014.

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "The Power of Love" was first released onto YouTube on 9 November 2012. It shows Aplin in a room in a large house, playing a piano. Then, near the end of the video, fairy lights in the room light up. The video was directed by Alexander Brown.[34]

Track listing
Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."The Power of Love"4:05

Chart performance

On 11 November 2012 "The Power of Love" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 36, a week later it climbed to number 5. On 9 December 2012 the single reached number 1.[35] Aplin's version was certified gold in the United Kingdom on 11 January 2013.[36]

On 8 December 2013, the song re-charted at #88 on the UK Singles Chart, due to downloads.[37]

Charts
Charts (2012–14) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[38] 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[39] 75
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[40] 44
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[41] 47
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[42] 22
Ireland (IRMA)[43] 20
Scotland (OCC)[44] 3
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[45] 4
UK Singles (OCC)[46] 1

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[47] Platinum 70,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] Platinum 600,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Year-end charts
Chart (2012) Position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[49] 53
Chart (2014) Position
Australia (ARIA)[50] 92

Release history
Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom 9 November 2012 Digital download Parlophone
Ireland

Dalton Harris version
"The Power of Love"
Single by Dalton Harris featuring James Arthur
Released2 December 2018
RecordedNovember 2018
GenrePop
LabelSyco
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Graham Stack
Dalton Harris singles chronology
"Pauper"
(2014)		 "The Power of Love"
(2018)		 "Cry"
(2019)
James Arthur singles chronology
"Rewrite the Stars"
(2018)		 "The Power of Love"
(2018)		 "Nobody"
(2019)

In 2018, the Jamaican-British singer Dalton Harris, a contestant and eventual winner of the 15th series of the UK TV talent competition programme The X Factor, released the song as his winning song from the series. The song was in association with and featuring additional vocals by the same series' 9th season winner James Arthur, making it the second time the winning song UK X Factor is promoted as a duet or group performance rather than a solo performance by the winner, after the winners of 2017 when Rak-Su duetted with Wyclef Jean and Naughty Boy for their single entitled "Dimelo".

As in many earlier X Factor-winning releases, VAT collected on sales of the X Factor winner's charity song will be donated to children's charities, Together for Short Lives and Shooting Star Chase, declared the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond. The UK Department of Health and Social Care will make the donation of the VAT on the UK government's behalf.[51] This is reportedly The X Factor UK's 11th charity release.[52]

Charts
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[53] 35
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[54] 94
Scotland (OCC)[55] 1
UK Singles (OCC)[56] 4

Other cover versions

The song has been recorded by a great number of acts. Notably, Il Divo covered the song on their album The Promise and Dune on their album Forever, with the London Session Orchestra and Oomph! on their greatest hits album Delikatessen.

Members of several European metal bands, including Nightwish, Epica and Within Temptation recorded a cover in support of the Red Cross aiding victims of sexual violence in war-zones.[57] In 2018, Trevor Horn recorded a version with the vocals of 2010 UK The X Factor winner Matt Cardle with The Sarm Orchestra. The track appears in Horn's album Reimagines the Eighties.

The song has been interpreted in various music talent competitions like by James Arthur in the semi-final of the ninth series of The X Factor and by Christina Marie in the Battle Round and again in the Final of the third series of The Voice UK. In 2018, James Arthur returned for yet another interpretation of it, this time as a duo with the fifteenth series winner of The UK X Factor Dalton Harris for his 2018 winning song.

References
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