Oh L'amour

"Oh L'amour"
Original 1986 single cover
Single by Erasure
from the album Wonderland
B-side	"March on Down the Line", "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" (1986)
Released	21 April 1986 (original version) 13 October 2003 (remix)
Format	12", 7", CD
Recorded	1985
Genre	Synthpop
Length	3:24
Label	Mute (UK) Sire (U.S.)
Writer(s)	Vince Clarke, Andy Bell
Producer	Flood
Erasure singles chronology
"Heavenly Action" (1985) "Oh L'amour" (1986) "Sometimes" (1986)
Erasure chronology "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" (2003) "Oh L'amour" (August Mix) (2003) "Breathe" (2005) Alternative cover 2003 remix single cover

"Oh L'amour" is a song by English synth pop duo Erasure, released in April 1986 as their third single.

It was issued by Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the U.S. to herald the June release of Erasure's debut album Wonderland, but became the third consecutive commercial failure for the band in both territories. Despite its low chart placing, "Oh L'amour" has proven to be one of Erasure's signature songs, due to its popularity in dance clubs. It remains a favourite among fans, particularly when performed live.

Written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, "Oh L'amour" is a lament from someone experiencing unrequited love ("broke my heart / now I'm aching for you"). The song is an uptempo synth pop dance track and its popularity was further fueled in dance clubs by the "Funky Sisters Remix", which appeared on the UK 12 inch single and as a bonus track on the U.S. edition of Wonderland. The B-side is a cover version of "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)", the first time Erasure dipped into the ABBA songbook.

In 1986, "Oh L'amour" climbed to number eighty-five on the UK singles chart and became Erasure's first big hit in South Africa (number two), in Germany (number sixteen), in Australia (number thirteen) and their only one in France (number fourteen). In the United States, the song's biggest impact was on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where it hit number three. A different mix of the song was submitted for the single release, adding new instrumentation and extra sounds. This version appears on all of the band's compilation albums.

"Oh L'amour" was remixed in 2003 and released as a single again to promote the greatest hits package Hits! The Very Best of Erasure. In its remixed form, the song finally became a Top 20 UK hit, peaking at number thirteen in autumn 2003.

"Oh L'amour" single was issued with characters from Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends in cover art.

Track listings

Original release (1986)

7" single (MUTE45)

1. "Oh L'amour"
2. "March on Down the Line"

12" single (12MUTE45)

1. "Oh L'amour" (12" Mix)
2. "March on Down the Line" (Remix)
3. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"

Limited 12" single (L12MUTE45)

1. "Oh L'amour" (PWL Funky Sisters Say 'Ooh La La' Remix)
2. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" (Remix)
3. "March on Down the Line" (Remix)

CD Single (CDMUTE45)

1. "Oh L'amour"
2. "March on Down the Line"
3. "Oh L'amour" (PWL Funky Sisters Say 'Ooh La La' Remix)
4. "March on Down the Line" (Remix)
5. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"

August Mix (2003)

CD single (CDMUTE312)

1. "Oh L'amour" (August Mix)
2. "Love Me All Night Long"
3. "Nothing Lasts Forever"

Limited CD single (LCDMUTE312)

1. "Oh L'amour" (LMC Extended Remix)
2. "Oh L'amour" (Shanghai Remix)
3. "Oh L'amour" (Kenny Hayes Remix)

DVD single (DVDMUTE312)

1. "Oh L'amour" (Carsten Kroeyer Mix)
2. "Oh L'amour" (Dark Brothers and Andy Bell Mix)
3. "Victim of Love" (video - Live Footage From The Other Tour)

Download single (iMUTE312)

1. "Oh L'amour" (Markymix) [Mark Towns]

Chart performance

Chart (1986)	Peak position
Australian Singles Chart	13
French Singles Chart[1]	14
German Singles Chart	16
Irish Singles Chart	17
New Zealand Singles Chart	25
Singapore Singles Chart	3
South African Singles Chart	2
Swedish Singles Chart	15
UK Singles Chart	85
Chart (2003)	Peak position
German Singles Chart	59
UK Singles Chart	13

Cover versions

• The song would become more successful, chart-wise, when British pop duo Dollar released a cover version in late 1987. This version eventually climbed to number seven, spent two weeks in the UK Top 10 and frequently appears on K-Tel albums.
• A hi-NRG/eurotrance cover of the song by Spellbound featuring Deejé was released in 2000. An audio sample can be heard here.^[2]
• A cover version by DJ Dero featuring Alejandro Sergi (of the Argentine electro pop band Miranda!) was recorded in 2007 and included on the dance music compilation Verano 2008. An audio sample can be heard here.^[3]
• Daniel Prince of Pt Erin fame (now living in London) performed this a capella at the Haven Pub in 2004.

Sampling

The Dollar version of "Oh L'amour" was later sampled by electronic duo Orbital on their track "Style", which appeared on their 1999 album The Middle of Nowhere.

References

1. ^ http://www.infodisc.fr/Bilan_E.php
2. ^ http://www.onges-erasure-page.co.uk/about/covers.php
3. ^ http://www.sinvueltasfm.com.ar/musica.php?_pagi_pg=17