Love in the First Degree (Bananarama song)

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This article is about the song by Bananarama. For the song by Alabama, see Love in the First Degree (Alabama song).

"Love in the First Degree"
Single by Bananarama
from the album Wow!
B-side"Mr. Sleaze"
Released28 September 1987
RecordedOctober 1986
Genre
Length3:33
LabelLondon
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Stock Aitken Waterman
Bananarama singles chronology
"I Heard a Rumour"
(1987) 		"Love in the First Degree"
(1987) 		"I Can't Help It"
(1987)
Music video
"Love in the First Degree" on YouTube
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Number One[1]

"Love in the First Degree" is a song by English girl group Bananarama from their fourth studio album, Wow! (1987). It was released on 28 September 1987 as the album's second single, except in the United States, where it was released in 1988 as the third single (following "I Can't Help It"). The track was co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) trio. It achieved major success in the UK and Australia, and also peaked within the top 20 in many European countries, but, unlike "I Heard a Rumour", it reached only the lower end of the top 50 in the US.

Writing and release[edit]

"Love in the First Degree" is an uptempo pop tune similar to many hits produced by SAW during this era. The lyric, composed by Siobhan Fahey and built upon by SAW and Bananarama members Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward, describes a dream in which they find themselves being tried in court for love. The musical structure could be compared to Pachelbel's Canon.[citation needed]

Producer Pete Waterman variously claimed he came up with the idea for the song while in the bath, and after waking up one morning with the tune in his head;[2]. However, Dallin has stated he was not present during the song's composition.[2] Waterman further claimed he had to threaten to pull SAW off the Wow! project in order to force the release of the track as a single, after it was dismissed by the band and label as too commercial.[2]

The record sleeves for "Love in the First Degree" and "I Can't Help It", were switched with each other, for UK, and North American markets. As one of their final performances with Fahey, the group performed the song at the 1988 Brit Awards with a large entourage of male dancers dressed only in black briefs. By the time "Love in the First Degree" was released in the United States, Fahey had already announced her departure from Bananarama.

Music video[edit]

The music video for "Love in the First Degree", directed by Andy Morahan,[3] features the group performing the song in a jail cell, alternately dressed in black outfits and prison uniforms. Several male dancers perform around them. The imagery plays off of Elvis Presley's 1957 film Jailhouse Rock. Fahey was pregnant with her first child at the time of filming. Sections of the video featuring acrobatics used body doubles. On Bananarama's The Greatest Hits Collection video compilation, the music video for "Love in the First Degree" is intercut with the live performance of the song at the 1988 Brit Awards, which was Fahey's last performance with the group.

Critical reception[edit]

Initial response[edit]

Paul Simper of Number One stated that "Love in the First Degree" "simply continues to send their high-camp disco train whistling down the track".[1] A review in Pan-European magazine Music & Media deemed the song a "bouncy, cheerful disco".[4] In Smash Hits, Pat Kane of pop duo Hue and Cry compared Stock, Aitken and Waterman to estate agents and added that "this record is as excitin' as three estate agents on holiday in Luton".[5] The song was nominated for British Single of the Year at that year's Brit Awards,[6] but lost to Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up", also produced by Stock Aitken Waterman.

Impact and legacy[edit]

Retrospectively, in 2021, British magazine Classic Pop ranked it number five in their list of "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs", deeming the song "a paragon of glossy pop perfection".[6] In 2023, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian listed the song at number 5 in his "Stock Aitken Waterman's 20 greatest songs – ranked!", adding that it "was magnificent, a song that earned the public approval of Motown boss Berry Gordy".[7] The same year, Tom Eames of Smooth Radio ranked the song at number four in his "Bananarama's 10 greatest songs, ranked" list, adding that it was "inspired by the Motown sound of the early '60s and the Elvis Presley movie Jailhouse Rock".[8]

Chart performance[edit]

"Love in the First Degree" was the most successful single from the Wow! album. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 46 on 10 October 1987, reached the top five two weeks later and peaked at number three, tying with "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." (1984) and "Help!" (1989) as Bananarama's highest-charting single in the UK; On the 24 October 1987 chart, the B-Side "Mr. Sleaze" was added to the listing, making it a double-sided hit. On 28 November 1987, while at #16, the record flipped and "Mr. Sleaze" was listed first. It spent 12 weeks on the chart, which was also the second longest chart run for one of their single in the country, only beaten by "Venus".[9] It received a silver disc awarded by the British Phonographic Industry,[10] ranked at number 32 on the national year-end chart,[11] and was a hit in clubs, culminating at number two on the Dance chart established by Music Week.[12] In the rest of Europe, it was also a top ten hit in other three nations, attaining number six in Ireland with a seven-week charting,[13] number nine in the Flanders region of Belgium,[14] and number ten in Norway.[15] In addition, it peaked at number 12 in Spain and the Netherlands,[16][17] number 15 in Finland and Sweden,[18][19] and number 18 in Switzerland.[20] The only European country where it missed the top 20 is Germany, where it started at number 26 on 30 November 1987 but was unable to go beyond number 21, a position it reached three week later, out of a 10-week chart run.[21] On the Pan-Eurochart Hot 100 singles chart compiled by the Music & Media magazine, it debuted at number 69 on 24 October 1987 and culminated at number nine in its seven week;[22] it also charted for 11 weeks on the European Airplay Top 50, with a peak at number six in its sixth week.[23]

Outside Europe, "Love in the First Degree" attained number ten in South Africa.[24] In Oceanian countries and North America, it charted in the first months of 1988, peaking at number five in Australia and number 11 in New Zealand, a position it held twice.[25][26] In the US, it made the top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 48 in its sixth week with a ten-week chart trajectory,[27] and number 10 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart on which it appeared for eight weeks.[28]

Cover versions[edit]

  • A fully Cantonese version "神仙也移民"(literally "The immigration of immortals") was sung by Danny Chan, featured in the album with the same name which released in 1988.
  • The track was covered by several Japanese pop groups, including BaBe on their 1988 album Fight and Wink on their 1988 EP At Heel Diamonds.
  • The song was featured in episode 3 of the 2019 comedy-drama TV series Back to Life, sung in a recording by teenage girls.

Track listings[edit]

  • 7-inch single
  1. "Love in the First Degree" (Album Version) – 3:33
  2. "Mr. Sleaze" – 4:45
  • UK 12-inch single
  1. "Love in the First Degree" (Jailer's Mix) – 6:03
    Available on the CD album "The Greatest Remixes Collection".
  2. "Love in the First Degree" (Escapee Instrumental) – 3:33
  3. "Mr. Sleaze" (Single Version) – 4:45
  • 2nd 12-inch single / German 12-inch single
  1. "Love in the First Degree" (Eurobeat Style) – 7:15
    Available on the CD album "Greatest Hits Collection".
  2. "Mr. Sleaze" (Rare Groove Mix) – 6:00
  • US 12-inch single
  1. "Love in the First Degree" (Eurobeat Style) – 7:15
  2. "Love in the First Degree" (7" Mix) – 3:33
  3. "Love in the First Degree" (Jailer's Mix) – 6:03
  4. "Ecstacy" (Wild Style) – 5:35

Other versions[edit]

  1. "Love in the First Degree" (House Mix / House Mix Edit) – 5:45
    Available on the CD single "I Want You Back".
  2. "Love in the First Degree" (Love In The House Mix / Full House Mix) – 8:35
    Available on the CD album Wow (2013 deluxe edition 2CD/DVD re-issue)
  3. "Love in the First Degree" (House Dub) – 4:57
    Available on the CD Compilation Megarama - The Mixes
  4. "Love in the First Degree" (Jailer's Mix With Intro) – 6:15
    Available on the CD album Wow (2013 deluxe edition 2CD/DVD re-issue)

Personnel[edit]

Bananarama

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for "Love in the First Degree"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[10] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Simper, Paul (17 October 1987). "Singles: Bananarama — "Love in the First Degree" (London)". Number One. No. 226. London: IPC Magazines Ltd. p. 50. ISSN 0266-5328. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2022 – via Flickr.
  2. ^ a b c "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 28: A Walk In The Park to Whatever Makes Our Love Grow on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  3. ^ Garcia, Alex S. "Bananarama – "Love in the first degree [version 1]"". mvdbase.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Previews – Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 40. 10 October 1987. p. 19. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 4 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ Kane, Pat (23 September – 6 October 1987). "Singles reviewed by Hue and Cry (Patrick and Gregory Kane)" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 9, no. 18. p. 73. ISSN 0260-3004. Retrieved 21 November 2023 – via World Radio History.
  6. ^ a b "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs". Classic Pop. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  7. ^ Petridis, Alexis (23 November 2023). "Stock Aitken Waterman's 20 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  8. ^ Eames, Tom (30 August 2023). "Bananarama's 10 greatest songs, ranked". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Bananarama: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  10. ^ a b "British single certifications – Bananarama – Love in the First Degree". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Gallup Year End Charts 1987: Singles". Record Mirror. London. 23 January 1988. p. 36. ISSN 0144-5804.
  12. ^ a b "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 7 November 1987. p. 30. Retrieved 11 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  13. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Love in the First Degree". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Bananarama – Love in the First Degree" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Bananarama – Love in the First Degree". VG-lista. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  16. ^ a b Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  17. ^ a b "Bananarama – Love in the First Degree" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  18. ^ a b Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 263. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  19. ^ a b "Bananarama – Love in the First Degree". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  20. ^ a b "Bananarama – Love in the First Degree". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Offiziellecharts.de – Bananarama – Love in the First Degree" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  22. ^ a b "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 48. 5 December 1987. p. 14. OCLC 29800226. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 August 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020 – via World Radio History.
  23. ^ a b "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 46. 21 November 1987. p. 6. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 4 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  24. ^ a b "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts B". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 1 September 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  25. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 26. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  26. ^ a b "Bananarama – Love in the First Degree". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  27. ^ a b "Bananarama Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  28. ^ a b "Bananarama Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  29. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bananarama" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  30. ^ "Bananarama Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  31. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending April 30, 1988". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  32. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1987 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  33. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1988". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
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