Is That Love

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"Is That Love"
Squeeze is that love cover.jpg
Single by Squeeze
from the album East Side Story
Released1 May 1981 (UK)
Recorded1980
Genre Rock, new wave
Length2:34
Label A&M
Songwriter(s) Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook
Producer(s) Roger Bechirian & Elvis Costello
Squeeze singles chronology
"Farfisa Beat"
(1980)		"Is That Love"
(1981)		"Tempted"
(1981)

"Is That Love" is a new wave song by Squeeze that was released on the band's fourth album, East Side Story . Written by Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford, the song features lyrics about Difford's marriage and features a quick tempo with a piano-based ending.

Contents

Released as the first single from the album, the song saw commercial success in the UK. It has since become a live favorite for the band and has seen positive reception from critics.

Background

"Is That Love" was inspired by Squeeze lyricist Chris Difford's then-recent marriage; he explained, "This was written around the time I got married. I remember being in the bathroom and seeing Cindy's wedding ring next to the soap, which inspired me to write the lyric. I don't think it was particularly about our marriage, but it started off a sequence of ideas in my head." [1] Difford also went on to say, "I'm not strapped to the song emotionally but it was a great live number and sums up being on the road and having fun. It's a comfortable pair of jeans as a song." [1]

Glenn Tilbrook stated that the track was originally recorded in mid-tempo but was not coming together, "so we sped it up and it made more sense like that[.]" [1] Tilbrook also said, "I was influenced quite consiously by The Beatles here." [1] Tilbrook noted that the "ending was [Elvis Costello's] idea, and he played the piano part accompanying it." [1]

Reception

Critical reception

AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that Squeeze's "barbed, bouncy pop" is "best heard on the single 'Is That Love'" and he cited the track as a highlight from East Side Story. [2] Tom Jackson of the Sandusky Register praised the song's "zingers", such as "Beat me up with your letters, your walk out note" and "My assets froze while yours have dropped". [3] Lyndsey Parker of Yahoo Music named the song as one of Squeeze's tracks that are "as clever, tuneful, and instant-classic as anything recorded by the Beatles". [4]

Difford himself was complimentary of the song, saying, "Yes I love this one, great song, wonderful melody and attack, a band on its hind legs". [3]

Chart performance

When the song was released as a single, it peaked at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart, [5] as well as 25 in Ireland. The song also became Squeeze's only number one single, as it topped the charts in Israel. [1]

Covers

In 2007, Scottish group Travis covered the song on their single "Selfish Jean".

Track listing

  1. "Is That Love" (2:34)
  2. "Trust" (1:45)

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tilbrook, Glenn; Difford, Chris; Drury, Jim. Squeeze: Song by Song. Sanctuary. pp. 87–89.
  2. ↑ Erlewine, Steven Thomas. "East Side Story". allmusic.com.
  3. 1 2 Jackson, Tom. "Chris Difford on his new memoir, and his memorable songs". Sandusky Register. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  4. ↑ Parker, Lyndsey (9 September 2019). "Two side story: Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook reflect on 45 years of Squeeze". Yahoo Music. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  5. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 522/3. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.



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