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Love Is in the Air (song)
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Wikipedia article
"'Love Is in the Air'" is a 1977 disco song by Australian singer John Paul Young. It was written by George Young (no relation) and Harry Vanda, and released as the lead single from Young's fourth studio album, 'Love Is in the Air' (1978). The song became a worldwide hit in 1978, peaking at No. 3 on the Australian charts and No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, it peaked at No. 7 on the pop chart and spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, his only US top 40 hit.Whitburn, Joel (2004). 'The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits', 8th Edition (Billboard Publications) The song plays at 122 beats per minute, a typical 1970s disco rhythm. At the Australian 1978 King of Pop Awards, the song won Most Popular Australian Single. In 1992, a remix of the song was released and featured on the soundtrack to the Golden Globe-nominated film 'Strictly Ballroom'. A new music video was also produced.
In 2017, the song was selected for preservation in the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia collection.[https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/sounds-australia-2017/ Sounds of Australia 2017 | NFSA]. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
Overview
John Paul Young said of the recording, "We actually did 'Love Is in the Air' because we needed something for the German market. 'Standing in the Rain' became a hit in the clubs over there and then on the charts, so we needed a follow-up. I'd been to Germany and heard the music. It was electronic mania, all clicks and electronic buzzes. So George and Harry gave it the treatment."
Young performed "Love is in the Air" live on episode 148 of 'Countdown' on 30 April 1978.
"Love Is in the Air" was the theme song to Baz Luhrmann's 1992 debut feature film 'Strictly Ballroom'.
Young performed the song at the Closing Ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
The song is regularly sung at football matches by supporters of Dundee United.
The song was played at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy during the opening ceremony's parade of athletes.
Martin Stevens
In Canada, Young's recording of "Love Is in the Air" performed significantly more poorly on the charts than in most other countries, due to the existence of a contemporaneous version of the song by Canadian singer Martin Stevens. Stevens had received Young's demo recording, and recorded a version of the song for his 1978 album, before Young's song was released.[https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2017/04/26/quatre-decennies-de-disco "Quatre dcennies de disco"]. 'Le Journal de Montral', April 30, 2017.Stevens' version debuted on the Canadian charts in July 1978,[http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=3632& "RPM100"]. 'RPM', July 22, 1978. and had already reached #21 by September 9,[http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.4618a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.4618a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.4618a "RPM100 (1-50)"]. 'RPM', September 9, 1978. the week Young's version debuted.[http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.4618b&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.4618b.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.4618b "RPM100 (50-100)"]. 'RPM', September 9, 1978. The two versions appear to have cut into each other's chart momentum thereafter, with Stevens' version peaking at #19 a few weeks later before declining on the charts,[http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0014a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0014a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0014a "RPM100"]. 'RPM', October 14, 1978. while Young's peaked at #26 two weeks later.[http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0018a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0018a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0018a "RPM100"]. 'RPM', October 21, 1978. In the year-end 'RPM' charts for 1978, Stevens' version ranked #137 and Young's ranked #195. Stevens' version of the song was a Juno Award nominee for Best Selling Single at the Juno Awards of 1979."Juno list has that familiar look". 'The Globe and Mail', March 21, 1979.
Track listings
* 'European 7" single' (Ariola 11 705 AT)
:A. "Love Is in the Air" 3:27
:B. "Won't Let This Feeling Go By" 3:11
* 'Australian 7"' (Albert Productions 11710)
:A. "Love Is in the Air" 3:27
:B. "Won't Let This Feeling Go By" 3:11
* 'US 7"' (Scotti Brothers SB 402)
:A. "Love Is in the Air" 5:16
:B. "Where the Action Is" 3:04
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
1992 (Ballroom mix)
{{Infobox song
| name = Love Is in the Air (Ballroom mix)
| cover = Love_is_in_the_Air_1992_by_JPY.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = John Paul Young
| album = Strictly Ballroom
| released = August 1992
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Disco
| length = 4:13 (Ballroom mix)
| label = Albert Productions, Columbia Records
| writer = Harry Vanda, George Young
| producer = David Hirschfelder
| prev_title = Don't Sing that Song
| prev_year = 1989
| next_title = Standing in the Rain
| next_year = 1992
| misc =
}}
"'Love Is in the Air (Ballroom mix)'" was released in August 1992 as the lead single from the Golden Globe-nominated film 'Strictly Ballroom' soundtrack (1992). It peaked at number nine in Denmark and number 49 in the UK. Outside Europe, it reached number two in New Zealand and number three in Australia. A new music video was shot to accompany the song. It also features some footage from the movie.
Critical reception
Larry Flick from 'Billboard' stated that Young "updates his '70s classic for the soundtrack to "Strictly Ballroom" with a festive '90s-minded dance beat." British magazine 'Music Week' gave the 1992 remix three out of five in their review of the song.Track listing
* 'Australian/ New Zealand CD single (658085 2)'# "Love Is in the Air" (Ballroom Mix) 4:13
# "Scott & Fran's Paso Doble" 3:56
* 'European remix single (Columbia 658426 8)'
# "Love Is in the Air" (Strictly Dance Mix) 8:27
# "Love Is in the Air" (Strictly Dance Instrumental) 5:00
# "Love Is in the Air" (Ballroom Mix) 4:13
Charts
Weekly chart
Year-end charts
Certifications
Other Covers Of Love Is In The Air
*Jeff Cascaro (2008)
*Harisson Craig (2014)
*The Overtones (2018)
See also
*List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1978 (U.S.)
References
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