Let My Love Open the Door

"Let My Love Open the Door"
Single by Pete Townshend
from the album Empty Glass
B-side "Greyhound Girl"
Released June 4, 1980 (US)
Format 7"
Recorded March 1980
Genre Art rock, new wave
Length 2:44
Label Atco Records
Songwriter(s) Pete Townshend
Producer(s) Pete Townshend, Chris Thomas
Pete Townshend UK singles chronology
"Rough Boys"
(1980)
"Let My Love Open the Door"
(1980)
"Keep on Working"
(1980)

"Rough Boys"
(1980)
"Let My Love Open the Door"
(1980)
"Keep on Working"
(1980)
Pete Townshend US singles chronology
"Keep Me Turning"
(1977)
[with Ronnie Lane] Keep Me Turning1977
"Let My Love Open the Door"
(1980) Let My Love Open the Door1980
"A Little Is Enough"
(1980) A Little Is Enough1980

"Let My Love Open the Door" is a song written and performed by Pete Townshend from his 1980 album Empty Glass. It reached the top ten in the United States in that same year, reaching number nine.[1][2] It reached number five in Canada.[3]

Background

Although Townshend is a devotee to the religious guru Meher Baba, he claimed in the liner notes of his Anthology CD that "Jesus sings" on the track.[4]

"Let My Love Open the Door" was released as the second single from Empty Glass in Britain, where it was backed with the non-album tracks "Classified" and "Greyhound Girl." The song was a minor British hit, reaching #46.[5] The song saw more success when it was released as the debut single from Empty Glass in America, where the song reached #9.[6] It was Pete Townshend's only solo top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, but The Who's song "I Can See For Miles," which was written by Townshend, reached the same position on the chart 13 years earlier.

Initially, Townshend's manager despised the track due to it "not sounding like Townshend," and wanted it to be removed from Empty Glass.[4] However, upon the song's chart success, his manager called to apologize.

Despite the song's critical and commercial success, Pete Townshend did not consider it one of his best songs. He told Rolling Stone in an interview that "Let My Love Open the Door" was "just a ditty," also claiming that he preferred his minor US hit "A Little Is Enough" from the same album.[4]

In 1996, Townshend released a new version of the song, called "the E. Cola mix", turning the song into a ballad. This version appeared in different television shows and film soundtracks.

Chart performance

Personnel

Covers

Media featuring song

The song has been used frequently in film, most notably the comedy genre, often as trailer music for movies such as Jerry Maguire and How Do You Know, and then as the closing credits song for Mr. Deeds in 2002; Jersey Girl and Along Came Polly, both in 2004. It was featured in the following films and TV series:

References

  1. Unterberger, Richie (2012-06-14). "Let My Love Open the Door". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
  2. "Pete Townshend, 'Empty Glass' | 100 Best Albums of the Eighties". Rolling Stone. 1989-11-16. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
  3. 1 2 Bac-lac.gc.ca
  4. 1 2 3 "Let My Love Open the Door". Songfacts.com.
  5. "Pete Townshend UK charts". Official Charts.
  6. "Pete Townshend US charts". Billboard.
  7. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  8. Collectionscanada.gc.ca Archived 2016-04-25 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. Musicoutfitters.com
  10. "The Covers EP: Various artists: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
  11. "Help us open the door to better cancer care | #LetMyLoveOpenTheDoor". Firstcitizens.com. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
  12. "Walmart TV Commercial, 'Christmas Like a Rock Star' Song by Pete Townshend". Ispot.tv. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  13. "Leathal Weapon (TV series) "Fools Rush" Soundtracks (2017)". Imdb.com. 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
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