Tainted Love
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"Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of The Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1965. It attained worldwide fame after being covered by Soft Cell in 1981, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart,[1] and has since been covered by numerous groups and artists.
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[edit] Gloria Jones version (1965)
| "My Bad Boy's Comin' Home" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Gloria Jones | ||||
| B-side | "Tainted Love" | |||
| Released | May 1965 | |||
| Format | 7", 45 rpm | |||
| Recorded | 1964 | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Label | Champion (distributed by Vee-Jay) | |||
| Writer(s) | Ed Cobb | |||
| Producer | Ed Cobb | |||
| Gloria Jones singles chronology | ||||
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Gloria Jones recorded the original version of "Tainted Love", which was written and produced by Ed Cobb. It was the B-side to the 1965 single "My Bad Boy's Comin' Home",[2] which was a commercial flop, failing to chart in either the US or the UK.
However, in 1973, British club DJ Richard Searling purchased a copy of the almost decade-old single while on a trip to the United States. The track's Motown-influenced sound (featuring a fast tempo, horns, electric rhythm guitar and female backing vocals) fit in perfectly with the music favoured by those involved in the UK's Northern Soul club scene of the early 1970s, and Searling popularised the song at the Northern Soul club Va Va’s in Bolton, and later, at Wigan Casino.[3]
Due to the newfound underground popularity of the song, Jones re-recorded "Tainted Love" in 1976 and released it as a single, but this version also failed to chart.
[edit] Soft Cell version (1981)
| "Tainted Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Soft Cell | ||||
| from the album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret | ||||
| A-side | "Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go" | |||
| B-side | "Memorabilia" "Tainted Dub" | |||
| Released | July 7, 1981 (UK), January 16, 1982 (US) | |||
| Format | 12-inch single, 7-inch single | |||
| Recorded | 1981 | |||
| Genre | Synthpop, New Wave | |||
| Length | 2:34 (album version) 2:41 (single version) 8:58 (extended dance version with "Where Did Our Love Go?" cover) |
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| Label | Some Bizzare | |||
| Writer(s) | Ed Cobb | |||
| Producer | Mike Thorne | |||
| Soft Cell singles chronology | ||||
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The vocal-and-synth duo Soft Cell became aware of the song through its status as a UK "Northern Soul" hit, and recorded a drastically different arrangement in 1981. Produced by Mike Thorne, the Soft Cell track featured a slower tempo than Jones' version, and was in the key of G rather than the original C to match Almond's lower voice. Synthesizers and rhythm machines replaced the original's guitars, bass, drums, and horns. Soft Cell's version was recorded in a day and a half with singer Marc Almond's first vocal take being used on the record.
The band's record label chose to release "Tainted Love" on July 7, 1981 as Soft Cell's second single (their first was "Memorabilia", which did not chart). The label implied that this single would be Soft Cell's final release if the single did not sell. The 12" single version (extended dance version) was a medley, transitioning to a cover of The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go" half-way through the song. Buoyed by the then-dominant Synthpop sound of the time and a memorable performance on Top of the Pops, "Tainted Love" rapidly reached #1 on the UK singles chart, eventually repeating the feat in 17 territories. Tainted Love was the best-selling single in the UK for 1981.
On the US chart dated January 16, 1982, the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #90. It appeared to peak at #64 and fell to #100 on Feb. 27. After spending a second week at #100, it started climbing again. It took 19 weeks to crack the US Top 40. The song reached #8 and spent a then record-breaking 43 weeks on the Hot 100.
A video was recorded specially for Soft Cell's video album 'Non Stop Exotic Video' and features band members Marc Almond and David Ball in togas on Mount Olympus.
Soft Cell issued a remixed version of the song in 1991. Another video was made for this release. It features a man pacing at night, dancing with starry apparitions, while Almond sings amongst the stars. This version of the music video was directed by Peter Christopherson of Hipgnosis.
In 2001, "Tainted Love" provided both the title and the theme song for a 13-week vampire-based story arc on the ABC daytime soap opera Port Charles.
In 2006, Soft Cell's version of "Tainted Love" was sampled on "SOS", a song by Bajan R&B singer Rihanna, which hit #1 in the US for three weeks [4], along with Europe, Canada, and Australia; and #2 in the UK, along with Germany, Hungary, and Belgium. The single was registered in 24 charts, reaching the top 15 in every single chart bar Slovakia, a top 10 in 20 charts, and a top 5 in 16 charts.
Soft Cell's version of "Tainted Love" ranked #2 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders and #5 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s.
[edit] Marilyn Manson cover (2001)
| "Tainted Love" | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Marilyn Manson | ||||||||
| from the album Not Another Teen Movie soundtrack, The Golden Age of Grotesque | ||||||||
| Released | 2001 | |||||||
| Genre | Industrial metal | |||||||
| Length | 3:20 | |||||||
| Label | Interscope/Nothing | |||||||
| Writer(s) | Ed Cobb | |||||||
| Producer | Marilyn Manson, Tim Sköld | |||||||
| Certification | Gold (AUT)[5] | |||||||
| Marilyn Manson singles chronology | ||||||||
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Marilyn Manson covered "Tainted Love" and released it as a single from the Not Another Teen Movie soundtrack. It was released in 2001. It was later included on his following album The Golden Age of Grotesque as a bonus track.
Released in the UK on March 23, 2002, it is Manson's biggest hit to date in that country. The song entered the UK singles chart at #6 the week before its official release date, as a result of substantial import sales. The song reached its peak position of #5 the following week, and spent a total of twenty-two weeks in the Top 75.[6]
The video for Manson's cover shows Manson bringing several goth friends to a high school party. It features several characters from the film Not Another Teen Movie. It also features Joey Jordison, the drummer from Slipknot, and Tim Skold, who was not a member of the band at the time.
[edit] Selective list of recorded versions
- 1965: Gloria Jones, original version
- 1976: Gloria Jones, on the album Vixen (produced by Marc Bolan)
- 1981: Soft Cell, on the album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
- 1982: Dave Phillips & the Hot Rod Gang, on the single "Tainted Love / Wild Youth"
- 1985: Coil, on the 12" single Panic/Tainted Love
- 1992: The Flying Pickets, on the album The Warning
- 1992: Inspiral Carpets, on the album Ruby Trax
- 1994: David Benoit, on the album Lost and Found[7]
- 1995: Shades Apart, on the album Save It
- 1997: Atrocity, on the album Werk 80
- 1997: The Hi-Fives, on the album And a Whole Lotta You!
- 1998: Country Teasers, on the album Back to the Future, or Brideshead Revisited Revisited
- 1998: The Living End, as a B-side to the single "All Torn Down"
- 1999: My Ruin, on the album Speak and Destroy
- 2000: Wild Strawberries, on the album Twist as an unnumbered track
- 2001: Marilyn Manson, on the album Not Another Teen Movie Soundtrack
- 2001: Max Raabe, on the album Superhits Nummer 2
- 2002: Prozac+, on the album Miodio
- 2002: Night Shift, on the album Undercovers
- 2005: The Pussycat Dolls, on the album PCD
- 2006: Milk Inc. on the album Dance
- 2006: Rihanna sampled Soft Cell's version for her third single "SOS"
- 2006: Milk Inc., on the album Supersized
- 2008: The Lost Fingers, on the album Lost in the 80s
- 2009: My Brightest Diamond, on the album Guilt by Association Vol. 2
- 2009: The Pigeon Detectives, as a one-off single for the charity "Cash for Kids"
- 2009: Blackmailers, on the album Contrafact
- 2010: Imelda May on the album Mayhem
- 2011: Scorpions, on the album Comeblack
[edit] References
- ^ Black, Johnny (2008-01-16). "The Greatest Songs Ever: Soft Cell, "Tainted Love"". Blender. http://www.blender.com/TheGreatestSongsEverSoftCellTaintedLove/articles/11264.aspx. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ Finnis, Rob; Rounce, Tony (2008). Album notes for You Heard It Here First!, p. 2 [CD booklet]. London: Ace Records Ltd (CDCHD 1204).
- ^ Haslam, Dave, Manchester, England, chapter six, p172
- ^ Rihanna's SOS rockets to #1 on Hot 100, http://www.billboard.com/news/rihanna-s-sos-rockets-to-no-1-on-hot-100-1002462812.story#/news/rihanna-s-sos-rockets-to-no-1-on-hot-100-1002462812.story
- ^ AUT certification
- ^ Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: M - My Vitriol". Zobbel. http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_M.HTM. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
- ^ "Soft Cell Biography". MusicianGuide.com. http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608003749/Soft-Cell.html.
[edit] External links
- Producer Mike Thorne discusses Soft Cell's cover of "Tainted Love"
- Danny Noriega sings "Tainted Love" on American Idol (season 7)
| Preceded by "Japanese Boy" by Aneka |
UK number-one single (Soft Cell version) 5 September 1981 - 18 September 1981 |
Succeeded by "Prince Charming" by Adam and the Ants |
| Preceded by "Trouble" by Lindsey Buckingham |
Australian Kent Music Report number-one single (Soft Cell version) 22 February 1982 - 8 March 1982 |
Succeeded by "Centerfold" by The J. Geils Band |
| Preceded by "Centerfold" by The J. Geils Band |
Canadian "RPM" Singles Chart number-one single (Soft Cell version) 27 February 1982 - 13 March 1982 |
Succeeded by "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts |
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