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Love Is in the Air (song)

"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 on 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 U.S. top 40 hit.[1] The song plays at 122 beats per minute, a typical 1970s disco rhythm.[2] At the Australian 1978 King of Pop Awards, the song won Most Popular Australian Single.[3] 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.

"Love Is in the Air"
side-A label
Solid centre variant of the UK single
Single by John Paul Young
from the album Love Is in the Air
B-side
  • "Won't Let this Feeling Go By" (international/Australia)
  • "Where the Action Is" (U.S.)
ReleasedDecember 1977 (international)
April 1978 (Australia)
Recorded1977
StudioAlbert Studios, Sydney
GenreDisco
Length5:16 (original U.S. album version)
3:23 (single edit)
LabelAlbert Productions, Ariola, Scotti Brothers Records
Songwriter(s)Harry Vanda, George Young
Producer(s)Harry Vanda, George Young
John Paul Young singles chronology
"Where the Action Is"
(1977) 		"Love Is in the Air"
(1977) 		"The Day That My Heart Caught Fire"
(1978)

In 2017, the song was selected for preservation in the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia collection.[4]

Overview

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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."[5] Young performed "Love is in the Air" live on episode 148 of Countdown on 30 April 1978 and on Top of the Pops on 4 May 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

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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.[6]

Stevens' version debuted on the Canadian charts in July 1978,[7] and had already reached no. 21 by September 9,[8] the week Young's version debuted.[9] The two versions appear to have cut into each other's chart momentum thereafter, with Stevens' version peaking at no. 19 a few weeks later before declining on the charts,[10] while Young's peaked at no. 26 two weeks later.[11] In the year-end RPM charts for 1978, Stevens' version ranked no. 137 and Young's ranked no. 195.[12] Stevens' version of the song was a Juno Award nominee for Best Selling Single at the Juno Awards of 1979.[13]

Track listings

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  • 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

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1992 (Ballroom mix)

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"Love Is in the Air (Ballroom mix)"
 
Single by John Paul Young
from the album Strictly Ballroom
ReleasedAugust 1992
GenreDisco
Length4:13 (Ballroom mix)
LabelAlbert Productions, Columbia Records
Songwriter(s)Harry Vanda, George Young
Producer(s)David Hirschfelder
John Paul Young singles chronology
"Don't Sing that Song"
(1989) 		"Love Is in the Air (Ballroom mix)"
(1992) 		"Standing in the Rain"
(1992)
Music video
"Love Is in the Air (Ballroom mix)" on YouTube

"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 featuring footage from the movie.

Critical reception

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Larry Flick from Billboard stated that Young "updates his '70s classic for the soundtrack to "Strictly Ballroom" with a festive '90s-minded dance beat."[38] British magazine Music Week gave the 1992 remix three out of five in their review of the song.[39]

Track listing

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  • Australian/ New Zealand CD single (658085 2)
  1. "Love Is in the Air" (Ballroom Mix) – 4:13
  2. "Scott & Fran's Paso Doble" – 3:56
  • European remix single (Columbia – 658426 8)
  1. "Love Is in the Air" (Strictly Dance Mix) – 8:27
  2. "Love Is in the Air" (Strictly Dance Instrumental) – 5:00
  3. "Love Is in the Air" (Ballroom Mix) – 4:13

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[46] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  2. ^ "Love is in the Air". GetSongBPM. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  3. ^ "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  4. ^ Sounds of Australia 2017 | NFSA. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  5. ^ Jeff Jenkins (2007). 50 Years of Rock in Australia. Melbourne: Wilkinson Publishing. p. 293. ISBN 9781921332111.
  6. ^ "Quatre décennies de disco". Le Journal de Montréal, April 30, 2017.
  7. ^ "RPM100". RPM, July 22, 1978.
  8. ^ "RPM100 (1-50)". RPM, September 9, 1978.
  9. ^ "RPM100 (50-100)". RPM, September 9, 1978.
  10. ^ "RPM Magazine - September 30, 1978 - page 13" (PDF).
  11. ^ "RPM100". RPM, October 21, 1978.
  12. ^ a b "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  13. ^ "Juno list has that familiar look". The Globe and Mail, March 21, 1979.
  14. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 346. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  15. ^ "John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  16. ^ "John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  17. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0018a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  18. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "John Paul Young". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 287. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. 31 March 1978. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  20. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Love Is in the Air". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  21. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – John Paul Young" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  22. ^ "John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  23. ^ "John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  24. ^ "John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air". VG-lista. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  25. ^ "John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  26. ^ "John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  27. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  28. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  29. ^ "John Paul Young Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  30. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  31. ^ "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  32. ^ "Kent Music Report No 236 – 1 January 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1978". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 8 January 2022 – via Imgur.com.
  33. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 1978 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 31 December 1978. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  34. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1978". Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  35. ^ "Top 100 1978 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  36. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1978/Top 100 Songs of 1978". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  37. ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1978". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  38. ^ Flick, Larry (20 March 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 82. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  39. ^ "Mainstream: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 7 November 1992. p. 23. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  40. ^ "John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  41. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 8. 20 February 1993. p. 24. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  42. ^ "John Paul Young – Love Is in the Air". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  43. ^ "John Paul Young: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  44. ^ "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 50 Singles 1992". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  45. ^ "End of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  46. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 308.
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