Love Stinks (song)
"Love Stinks" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
Single by The J. Geils Band | ||||
from the album Love Stinks | ||||
B-side | "Till the Walls Come Tumblin' Down" | |||
Released | April 1980 | |||
Format | Vinyl record (7") | |||
Recorded |
1979 at Long View Farm, North Brookfield, Massachusetts | |||
Genre | Rock, power pop, new wave | |||
Length | 3:44 | |||
Label | EMI Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Peter Wolf, Seth Justman | |||
Producer(s) | Seth Justman | |||
The J. Geils Band singles chronology | ||||
|
"Love Stinks" is a song written by Peter Wolf and Seth Justman that was the title track of the J. Geils Band's 1980 album Love Stinks. The song was released as a single and peaked in the US at #38, spending three weeks in the Top 40.[1][2][3] In Canada, the song reached number 15.[4] Joan Jett covered the song for the soundtrack of the 1996 movie Mr. Wrong.[5] The song was also featured in the film Opie Gets Laid.[6] It was also covered by Adam Sandler in the movie The Wedding Singer and by Himalayaz with Ms. Toi for the movie Love Stinks.[7][8][9]
The lyrics describe a love triangle in which two participants experience unrequited love, before segueing into a description of love gone sour in general. The lyrics may have been inspired by J. Geils Band lead singer Peter Wolf's marriage to actress Faye Dunaway, which ended in a 1979 divorce.[2] Author Maury Dean describes the opening of the song as "ponderous Power Metal."[2] Dean describes the bands playing in the refrain as generating "wild waves of flame," the guitars as "fire-breathing" and Wolf's vocals in the "yeah yeah" portion of the chorus as snarling with "heavy metal glee."[2] Justman provides extensive keyboards, which Associated Press critic James Simon feels gives the song "a little extra zing."[10] Viglione describes the riff as "Lou Reed's 'Vicious' as performed by his Rock & Roll Animal band on Lou Reed Live at half-speed," also noting that it is a hard rock version of the riff from "Louie, Louie."[5] Rolling Stone critic Rob Sheffield notes that the riff was later used by Nirvana in the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit."[11]
Viglione finds such a "simple riff rocker" a departure for the J. Geils Band who were then known for blues and R&B, but admits the results are fun to listen to and acknowledges that this and some other songs from the Love Stinks album pointed the way towards their pop-oriented 1981 platinum hit album Freeze Frame.[5] Allmusic critic John Franck describes the song as "infectious," noting that it was "one of the band's most recognizable FM songs ever."[12] Music critic Robert Christgau describes the song "broad" and "uproarious."[13] Rolling Stone critic Dave Marsh considers it one of the J. Geils Band's greatest songs, considering its lyrics to be "a hilarious spoof on new-wave nihilism as well as soul cliche."[14] Rolling Stone critic Rob Sheffield calls it "one of the great trash-rock singles of the '80's."[11]
"Till the Walls Come Tumblin' Down"
The B-side of the "Love Stinks" single was "Till the Walls Come Tumblin' Down", also a track from the Love Stinks album. Rolling Stone critic Rob Sheffield praised the song, describing it as "rollicking".[11]
References
- ↑ "Love Stinks Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- 1 2 3 4 Dean, M. (2003). Rock N Roll Gold Rush: A Singles Un-Cyclopedia. Algora. p. 330. ISBN 9780875862071.
- ↑ Whitburn, J. (2010). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (9th ed.). Random House. p. 263. ISBN 9780823085545.
- ↑ http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0194a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0194a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0194a
- 1 2 3 Viglione, J. "Love Stinks". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ↑ "Opie Gets Laid soundtrack". IMDB. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ↑ "The Wedding Singer soundtrack". IMDB. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ↑ "Love Stinks soundtrack". IMDB. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ↑ Phares, H. "Love Stinks". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ↑ Simon, J. (April 1, 1980). "Geils has hit with 'Love Stinks'". The Daily News. p. 14-B. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
- 1 2 3 Sheffield, R. (2004). Brackett, N.; Hoard, C., eds. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Fireside. p. 327. ISBN 0743201698.
- ↑ Franck, J. "Love Stinks". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ↑ Christgau, R. "The J. Geils Band: Love Stinks". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ↑ Marsh, D. (1983). Marsh, D.; Swenson, J., eds. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (2nd ed.). Rolling Stone Press. p. 196. ISBN 0394721071.