I Believe in a Thing Called Love

"I Believe in a Thing Called Love"
Single by The Darkness
from the album Permission to Land
B-side "Makin Out"
"Physical Sex"
"Out of My Hands"
Released 22 September 2003
Format CD single, DVD single, 7" vinyl, digital download
Genre Hard rock, glam metal
Length 3:40
Label Must Destroy
Writer(s) Justin Hawkins
Dan Hawkins
Ed Graham
Frankie Poullain
Producer(s) Pedro Ferreira
The Darkness singles chronology
"Growing on Me"
(2003)		 "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"
(2003)		 "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)"
(2003)

"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is a song by English rock band The Darkness, released as the third single from their debut studio album, Permission to Land.

When released as a single in September 2003, it peaked at number two in UK Singles Chart, just behind The Black Eyed Peas' "Where Is The Love?". Lead singer Justin Hawkins performs much of the song in falsetto.

Like most of the band's tracks it is influenced by 70's glam rock like T. Rex and Slade.

It was named the 276th best track of the 2000s by Pitchfork Media.[1]

Background

"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" was originally issued as a 3-track EP in August 2002, however, as only a small number of copies were printed, it was ineligible to chart. The EP also included early versions of "Love On The Rocks With No Ice" and "Love Is Only A Feeling". When released as a single in September 2003, it was beaten to number one by The Black Eyed Peas' "Where Is the Love?".[2] Lead singer Justin Hawkins performs much of the song in head voice. In March 2005, Q magazine placed "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" at number 47 in its list of the 101 Greatest Guitar Tracks. It is also placed 493 on The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born on Blender magazine. Most recently, it ranked at 276 of Pitchfork's 500 Top Tracks of the 2000s[3] and was ranked number one for Classic Rock Magazine's list of "The Greatest Rock Songs Of The Noughties". The song was also named the 94th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.[4] A live version of the song, recorded at Knebworth House in Knebworth, Hertfordshire in 2003, was featured as a B-side to the group's Christmas single, "Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End)". The song peaked at #1 on the US iTunes rock chart and at #67 on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart in February 2012, after Justin Hawkins appeared in a commercial during the Super Bowl XLVI.[5] It has sold sold 647,000 copies in the U.S. as of February 2012.[6]

Music video

The music video for the song was designed to launch the band onto the U.S. market.[7] Directed by Alex Smith, the band are shown on a spaceship, performing and battling aliens and monsters.[8][9]

Cultural references

This song was featured as a playable track on the music video games Karaoke Revolution Volume 2 and Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades; as source music in an episode of The Bill; and as part of the soundtrack for the film, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. The song was also featured on the original version of Singstar. It is featured in both Rocksmith and Rock Band 3 as downloadable content. The song was featured in a 2012 commercial during Super Bowl XLVI, for the Samsung Galaxy Note.[10] This propelled the song to the number one spot on U.S. iTunes rock chart.[11]

Cover versions

Track listings

  1. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" (Single Version) - 3:37
  2. "Makin' Out" - 3:39
  3. "Physical Sex" - 3:33
  1. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" - 3:49
  1. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" (Single Version) - 3:37
  2. "Makin' Out" - 3:39
  3. "Physical Sex" - 3:33
  4. "Out of My Hands" - 3:33
  1. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" (Single Version) - 3:37
  2. "Out of My Hands" - 3:33
  3. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" (Music Video) - 3:50
  1. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" (Single Version) - 3:37
  2. "Makin' Out" - 3:39

Chart performance

Chart (2003–04) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart 40
Dutch Singles Chart 12
German Singles Chart 47
Irish Singles Chart 5
New Zealand Singles Chart 10
Norwegian Singles Chart 14
Swedish Singles Chart 8
UK Rock Chart 1
UK Singles Chart 2
US Billboard Pop Songs 35
US Billboard Alternative Songs 9

References

External links

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