I Don't Know Why I Love You (The House of Love song)

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"I Don't Know Why I Love You"
Single by the House of Love
from the album The House of Love
Released30 October 1989[1]
GenreAlternative rock[2]
Length
  • 3:33 (album version)
  • 3:05 (single edit)
LabelFontana
Songwriter(s)Guy Chadwick
Producer(s)
The House of Love singles chronology
"Never"
(1989) 		"I Don't Know Why I Love You"
(1989) 		"Shine On"
(1990)
Music video
"I Don't Know Why I Love You" on YouTube

"I Don't Know Why I Love You" is a song from English alternative rock band the House of Love, which was released by Fontana in the UK in 1989 as the second single from their second studio album The House of Love (1990). The song was written by Guy Chadwick, and produced by Stephen Hague and Dave Meegan. "I Don't Know Why I Love You" peaked at number 41 in the UK Singles Chart.[3]

In 1990, the song was released as a single in the US and as an extended play in Canada. In the US, the song reached number 2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and its music video achieved Buzz Bin status on MTV.[4][5]

Background[edit]

Speaking of the song's release as a single in the UK, the band's frontman Guy Chadwick told New Musical Express in 1990, "I didn't think [it] was going to be a hit. Phonogram were disappointed but I wasn't. I did tell them! It was the first decent thing we'd done for a year but it didn't sound contemporary to me."[6] He added to Cash Box that same year, "I didn't think it was going to be a hit in England, but I was proud of it. I knew that we had made a good record, and I knew that a lot of our fans would like it. We put in a lot of effort into all of the B-sides and extra tracks. But I knew it wasn't going to be a hit single."[7]

Critical reception[edit]

On its release, Simon Williams of New Musical Express picked "I Don't Know Why I Love You" as one of the magazine's "singles of the week". He described the song as "pleading, bleeding pop genius" and "an example of storming creative simplicity, kicking off like a Jesus Jones sample and climaxing as the collective's finest moment yet".[8] In a review of The House of Love, Robin Denselow of The Guardian felt the song "surely deserved to be a hit" and noted it "mixes some controlled wailing guitar work into an efficient, straightforward, tuneful pop song".[9] Brent Ainsworth of the Santa Cruz Sentinel praised the song as "one of the most captivating modern rock songs of 1990". He added, "Its mix of acoustic and electric guitar is an aromatic blend, and Chadwick's lyrics relay the band's quizzical stance on romance."[10]

Formats[edit]

7-inch (UK) and cassette single (UK and US)[11][12][13]
No.TitleLength
1."I Don't Know Why I Love You"3:05
2."Secrets"2:22
7-inch limited edition single (UK)[14]
No.TitleLength
1."I Don't Know Why I Love You"3:05
2."Love II"4:44
Cassette, 12-inch and CD extended play (Canada)[15][16][17]
No.TitleLength
1."I Don't Know Why I Love You"3:33
2."Secrets"2:25
3."I Can't Stand It"4:18
4."Clothes"2:50
12-inch single (UK) and 12-inch promotional single (UK and US)[18][19][20]
No.TitleLength
1."I Don't Know Why I Love You"3:30
2."Secrets"2:25
3."I Can't Stand It"4:18
12-inch single (UK #2)[21]
No.TitleLength
1."I Don't Know Why I Love You"3:32
2."Clothes"2:50
3."Secrets"2:25
4."The Spy"4:10
CD single (UK #1 and #2 and Europe)[22][23]
No.TitleLength
1."I Don't Know Why I Love You"3:33
2."Secrets"2:25
3."I Can't Stand It"4:18
4."Clothes"2:50
CD promotional single (US)[24]
No.TitleLength
1."I Don't Know Why I Love You"3:30

Personnel[edit]

Credits are adapted from the UK/European CD single, UK 12-inch single and UK limited edition 7-inch single.[22][21][14]

The House of Love

  • Guy Chadwick – vocals, guitars
  • Terry Bickers – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Chris Groothuizen – bass guitar
  • Pete Evans – drums

Production

  • Stephen Hague – producer on "I Don't Know Why I Love You"
  • Dave Meegan – producer and mixing on "I Don't Know Why I Love You"
  • The House of Love – all tracks except "I Don't Know Why I Love You"

Other

  • Suzi Gibbons – photography

Charts[edit]

Chart (1989–90) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[25] 41
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[26] 2

References[edit]

  1. ^ Smith, Robin (21 October 1989). "This Week: The Next Seven Days in View - Tours". Record Mirror. p. 28. ISSN 0144-5804.
  2. ^ Pearis, Bill (2 June 2022). "The House of Love announce first album in 9 years, 'A State Of Grace'". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  3. ^ "HOUSE OF LOVE; full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Modern Rock Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 18. 5 May 1990. p. 19. Retrieved 14 March 2022 – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ "The Clip List" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 18. 5 May 1990. p. 63. Retrieved 14 March 2022 – via World Radio History.
  6. ^ Collins, Andrew (3 February 1990). "E.T., beaty, big and bouncy". New Musical Express. p. 12.
  7. ^ Moore, Robb (21 April 1990). "Mansion of Glory: The House of Love Keeps the Home Fires Burning" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 53, no. 39. p. 9. Retrieved 14 March 2022 – via World Radio History.
  8. ^ Williams, Simon (11 November 1989). "45s". New Musical Express. p. 24.
  9. ^ Denselow, Robin (22 February 1990). "Records: A House built to blast". The Guardian. p. 28.
  10. ^ Ainsworth, Brent (27 July 1990). "Records: A solo effort by a master thief". Santa Cruz Sentinel.
  11. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (UK 7-inch single sleeve notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1989. HOL 2, 876 312-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (UK cassette single sleeve notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1989. HOLMC 2, 876 312-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (US cassette single sleeve notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1990. 876 312-4 77.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ a b I Don't Know Why I Love You (UK 7-inch limited edition single sleeve notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1989. HOLG 2, 876 314-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (Canadian cassette extended play sleeve notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1990. 876 315-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (Canadian 12-inch limited edition extended play sleeve notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1990. 876 315-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (Canadian CD limited edition extended play liner notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1990. 876 315-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (UK 12-inch single sleeve notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1989. HOL 212, 876 313-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (UK 12-inch promotional single label notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1989. HOLDJ212.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (US 12-inch promotional single sleeve notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1990. PRO 803-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ a b I Don't Know Why I Love You (UK 12-inch single sleeve notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1989. HOLR 212, 876 315-1-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ a b I Don't Know Why I Love You (UK and European CD single liner notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1989. HOLCD 2, 876 313-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (UK #2 CD single liner notes (white cover)). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1989. HOLCD 2, 876 315-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ I Don't Know Why I Love You (US CD promotional single liner notes). The House of Love. Fontana Records. 1990. CDP 213.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ^ "House of Love: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Modern Rock Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 18. 5 May 1990. p. 19. Retrieved 14 March 2022 – via World Radio History.
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