This Is Not a Love Song (song)

"This Is Not a Love Song"
Single by Public Image Ltd
from the album This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get
B-side "Public Image"
Released 5 September 1983 (UK)
Format 7" & 12" vinyl
Genre Alternative dance, new wave, post-punk
Length 3:30 (7" edit)
4:27 (12" version)
4:12 (album version)
Label Virgin VS 529
Producer(s) Public Image Ltd, Bob Miller
Public Image Ltd singles chronology
"Flowers of Romance"
(1981)		 "This Is Not a Love Song"
(1983)		 "Bad Life"
(1984)
Alternative cover
12" cover

"This Is Not a Love Song" is a single released by English post-punk group Public Image Ltd in 1983. It's the group's biggest commercial hit, peaking at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and at number 3 on the Irish Singles Chart.

The 12" remixed version of the song is featured on Commercial Zone as "Love Song". A re-recorded version of the song is featured on PiL's fourth studio album This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get and includes a horn section.[1]

The original 7" and 12" mixes of the song have never been legitimately available on CD ("Commercial Zone" is technically a bootleg). Public Image Ltd and John Lydon compilations consistently feature mixes of the re-recording (despite misleading information on the cover, in the case of the "Plastic Box" album)

Track listing

7" vinyl
  1. "This Is Not a Love Song" – 3:30
  2. "Public Image" – 2:58
12" vinyl
  1. "This Is Not a Love Song" – 4:27
  2. "Blue Water" – 3:46
  3. "This Is Not a Love Song (Remixed version)" – 4:27
  4. "Public Image" – 2:58

Chart performance

Chart (1983–1984) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[2] 20
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[3] 12
Germany (Media Control Charts)[4] 10
Ireland (IRMA)[5] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[6] 17
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[7] 12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[8] 45
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[9] 5

References

  1. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Public Image Ltd.". Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Ultratop.be – P.I.L. – This Is Not A Love Song" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  3. ↑ "This Is Not A Love Song – PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 6 April 2014. Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 12
  4. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – P.I.L. – This Is Not A Love Song". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – PIL - This Is Not A Love Song search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – P.I.L. – This Is Not A Love Song" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – P.I.L. – This Is Not A Love Song". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1983-10-08" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 April 2014.