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Love Kills (Freddie Mercury song)

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"Love Kills"
Single by Freddie Mercury
from the album Metropolis: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side"Rotwang's Party (Robot Dance)"
Released10 September 1984
11 September 1984 (US)
Recorded1984
GenreSynth-pop[1]
Length4:29
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Freddie Mercury singles chronology
"Love Kills"
(1984) 		"I Was Born to Love You"
(1985)

"Love Kills" is a 1984 song by Freddie Mercury, and his first song released as a solo artist, though the other members of Queen appeared on the song - initially uncredited.[2]

Written by Mercury and Giorgio Moroder, it was originally used in Moroder's 1984 restoration and edit of Fritz Lang's 1927 silent film Metropolis, as part of the film's new soundtrack. In 1985, the film was nominated at the 5th Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Musical Score, and the song itself was nominated for Worst Original Song.[3] Nevertheless, the single reached number ten on the UK Singles Chart.

Officially, the single has only ever been credited to Freddie Mercury, despite it being a collaboration with Moroder. In 2000, the liner notes of the Freddie Mercury boxset The Solo Collection confirmed that Brian May and Roger Taylor contributed guitar and drums to the track, and many years later, the 2019 compilation Never Boring confirmed that the fourth member of Queen, John Deacon also performed on the song, contributing additional guitar parts.[4] There has been no confirmation as to why the track was released credited solely to Mercury and not as a Queen single, but the band's contract with EMI Records worldwide (and Capital Records in the USA) may have contributed to this, as the Metropolis soundtrack was released on CBS Records, who would go on to sign Freddie as a solo artist for the 1985 album Mr. Bad Guy.

The song was never performed live in any concert or event. Queen + Adam Lambert performed the song live for the first time on the North American leg of their tour in 2014 as a ballad. That version was later reworked by Brian May & Roger Taylor with the original vocals by Mercury for the album Queen Forever in 2014.

A remix of "Love Kills" was also used for the closing credits of the 1993 film Loaded Weapon 1. This version was the Richard Wolf Mix as found on the compilation album The Great Pretender. In 2009, a cover version by English synth-pop singer Little Boots was included on her extended plays Little Boots and Illuminations.

The B-side, "Rotwang's Party (Robot Dance)" was written and performed by Moroder. Although used in his rendition of Metropolis, it was not included in the film's soundtrack album.

Track listings

[edit]
7" single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love Kills"
4:29
2."Rotwang's Party (Robot Dance)"Moroder3:10
12" single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love Kills" (extended remix)
  • Mercury
  • Moroder
5:21
2."Rotwang's Party (Robot Dance)" (extended remix)Moroder5:21

Personnel

[edit]

Queen version

[edit]
"Love Kills - the Ballad"
Single by Queen
from the album Queen Forever
Released26 September 2014
Recorded1984–2014
GenrePower ballad[5]
Length4:17
LabelVirgin EMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Queen singles chronology
"Keep Yourself Alive (Long-Lost Retake)"
(2011) 		"Love Kills - the Ballad"
(2014) 		"Let Me in Your Heart Again"
(2014)

A previously unreleased ballad version of the song was reworked by Brian May and Roger Taylor for the compilation Queen Forever. The Queen version is a stripped-down ballad version, while Mercury's version is a high energy track. "Love Kills" was considered for inclusion on the occasion of Queen's eleventh studio album The Works, but was not used.

Personnel

[edit]

Remixes

[edit]
  • "Love Kills (Wolf remix)" was found in a promotional CD issued only in the United States in 1992.
  • "Love Kills (Pixel '82 remix)" and "Love Kills (More Oder Rework by The Glimmers)" can both be found in the UK double-CD release of the 2006 compilation album Lover of Life, Singer of Songs: The Very Best of Freddie Mercury Solo
  • Several remixes of the track are found in the 2006 Love Kills (remix) singles released in various European countries, with different track lists:
    • "Love Kills (Sunshine People Radio remix)"
    • "Love Kills (Star Rider remix)"
    • "Love Kills (Rank 1 Radio remix)"
    • "Love Kills (Sunshine People Club remix)"

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 56
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] 9
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 17
Germany (GfK)[9] 25
Ireland (IRMA)[10] 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] 32
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 24
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[13] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] 27
UK Singles (OCC)[15] 10
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 69
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[17]
Released with "Rotwang's Party (Robot Dance)" 		44
Sunshine People Remix 2006 version
Chart (2006-07) Peak
position
Germany (GfK)[18] 83
Italy (FIMI)[19] 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 49
Poland (Polish Airplay Charts)[21] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 98

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "10 Best Freddie Mercury Songs of All Time". Singersroom. Retrieved 12 June 2023. 'Love Kills' showcases Freddie Mercury's exceptional vocal range with his easily recognizable high notes and mesmerizing delivery. It features a synth-pop beat mixed with rock elements that emphasis raw emotions while adding depth to the lyrics.
  2. ^ Never Boring
  3. ^ Metropolis at the Internet Movie Database
  4. ^ Never Boring
  5. ^ "Queen – "Love Kills" (The Ballad)". Stereogum. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 198. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  8. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  9. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  10. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Freddie Mercury". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 41, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  12. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  13. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  14. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  15. ^ "Freddie Mercury: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  16. ^ "Freddie Mercury Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  17. ^ "Freddie Mercury Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  18. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills - Sunshine People Remix 2006" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  19. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills - Sunshine People Remix 2006". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  20. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills - Sunshine People Remix 2006" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Nielsen Music Control Airplay - Poland Top 5". Nielsen Music Control on behalf of ZPAV. Archived from the original on 7 February 2007. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  22. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Love Kills - Sunshine People Remix 2006". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
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