That's Love, That It Is

Last updated
"That's Love, That It Is"
Blancmange That's Love, That It Is 1983 Single Cover.jpg
Single by Blancmange
from the album Mange Tout
B-side "Vishnu"
Released18 November 1983 (1983-11-18) [1]
Genre
Length4:18
Label London
Sire (US)
Songwriters
Producer John Luongo
Blancmange singles chronology
"Blind Vision"
(1983)
"That's Love, That It Is"
(1983)
"Don't Tell Me"
(1984)
Music video
"That's Love, That It Is" on YouTube

"That's Love, That It Is" is a song by the English synth-pop duo Blancmange, released on 18 November 1983 as the second single from their second studio album Mange Tout (1984). It was written by Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe, and produced by John Luongo. [3] "That's Love, That It Is" reached No. 33 in the UK and remained in the charts for eight weeks. [4] In January 1985, the song, paired with "Game Above My Head", reached No. 16 on the US Billboard Hot Dance/Disco chart. [5]

Contents

A music video was filmed to promote the single. It was directed by Tim Pope and achieved light rotation on MTV. [6] [7]

Critical reception

Upon release, Jools Holland, reviewing for Number One , stated: "I like the song. The production, however, is a little bit 'standard contemporary'." [8] Billboard commented: "Domestic issue of a single that saw some chart action as an import earlier this year; duo's electronic zest is good for a second listen." [9]

In a retrospective review of Mange Tout (1984), Bill Cassel of AllMusic commented: "While the singles "Don't Tell Me" and "Blind Vision" are nigh irresistible, the similar "That's Love That It Is" gets to be a bit much." [3] Paul Scott-Bates of Louder Than War commented: ""That's Love That It Is" remains one of their finest moments. It's often psychotic, over-the-top bombardment of sound and vocal really shouldn't have worked but it did, and with great success." [10]

Track listing

7" single

  1. "That's Love, That It Is" – 4:18
  2. "Vishnu" – 5:18

7" single (UK 2x vinyl, limited edition release)

  1. "That's Love, That It Is" – 4:18
  2. "Vishnu" – 5:18
  3. "Blind Vision" – 3:58
  4. "Heaven Knows Where" – 3:25

12" single

  1. "That's Love, That It Is" – 6:34
  2. "Vishnu" – 5:16

12" single (UK #2 release)

  1. "That's Love, That It Is (Re-Mix)" – 6:56
  2. "Vishnu" – 4:51

12" single (UK 2× vinyl, limited edition release)

  1. "That's Love, That It Is (Remix)" – 6:56
  2. "Vishnu" – 4:51
  3. "Blind Vision" – 9:39
  4. "Heaven Knows Where" – 3:25
  5. "On Our Way To?" – 5:36

12" single (US release)

  1. "That's Love, That It Is (Extended Remix Version)" – 7:30
  2. "Game Above My Head (Extended Remix Version)" – 7:06
  3. "Don't Tell Me (Dance Remix)" – 6:45

12" single (US promo)

  1. "That's Love, That It Is (Extended Remix)" – 7:30
  2. "That's Love That It Is (7" Version/Edit)" – 4:18
  3. "That's Love That It Is (Instrumental)" – 8:09

Personnel

Blancmange

Additional personnel

Production and artwork

Chart performance

Chart (1983)Peak
position
UK Singles Chart [4] 33
Chart (1984–85)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Dance/Disco [5] 16

References

  1. "News". Record Mirror : 8. 12 November 1983. Retrieved 16 December 2020 via Flickr.
  2. 1 2 Mason, Stewart. Blancmange - The Best of Blancmange (1996) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Bill Cassel (1984-05-24). "Mange Tout - Blancmange | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  4. 1 2 "BLANCMANGE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  5. 1 2 Billboard. "Blancmange That's Love That It Is/Game Above My Head Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 22, 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  6. Billboard magazine - New Video Clips - November 24, 1984 - page 31
  7. Billboard magazine - MTV Programming - November 3, 1984 - page 44
  8. Smash Hits - Singles - Jools Holland - 24 November 1983 - page 25
  9. Billboard magazine - Singles Reviews - December 22, 1984 - page 73
  10. "Blancmange: Mange Tout Deluxe Edition - album review". Louder Than War. 2017-07-30. Retrieved 2018-10-22.