Love Is in the Air (song)

"Love Is in the Air"
Single by John Paul Young
from the album Love Is in the Air
B-side	"Won't Let this Feeling Go By" (International) "Where the Action Is" (U.S.)
Released	1977 (International) July 1978 (U.S.)
Format	7", 45rpm
Genre	Disco
Length	5:16 (original album version) 3:23 (single edit)
Label	Scotti Brothers Records
Writer(s)	Harry Vanda, George Young
Producer(s)	Harry Vanda, George Young
John Paul Young singles chronology
Standing In the Rain (1977) "Love Is in the Air" (1977) "Lost in Your Love" (1978)

"Love Is in the Air" is a 1977 disco song sung by John Paul Young. The song was written by George Young and Harry Vanda and it became Young's only worldwide hit in 1978, peaking at No. 3 on the Australian charts and No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, the song peaked at No. 7 on the pop chart and spent two weeks at No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart, his only US top 40 hit.^[1]

Overview

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."^[2]

"Love Is in the Air" was covered in Canada by Quebec artist Martin Stevens (born Roger Prud'homme), and had the distinction of sharing Toronto's CHUM (AM) Top 30 chart, the premier pop chart in Canada, with John Paul Young's version.

Stevens's version debuted on the October 7, 1978, chart at no. 11, six weeks after John Paul Young's version which was no. 12 at that point. Next week they shared the 10th-place position, and were listed at the same position for the remainder of both versions' run of the CHUM chart. Both versions stayed on the chart until the end of November.

"Love Is in the Air" was covered by Tom Jones in 1979 and by Gary Barlow under the stage name of Kurtis Rush in 1989. "Love Is in the Air" was the theme song to Baz Luhrmann's 1992 debut feature film Strictly Ballroom. In 1997, the song was covered by Krush featuring Simon Green. In 2007, the song was also covered by Rupert Everett and Colin Firth for the movie St. Trinian's.

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.

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1977-78) Peak position Australian ARIA Singles Chart 3 Canadian RPM Top Singles 10 Germany 3 Netherlands 9 New Zealand Singles Chart[3] 8 Norway 2 South Africa 2 Sweden 2 UK Singles Chart 5 US Billboard Hot 100[4] 7 US Billboard Adult Contemporary 1 US Cash Box Top 100 13

Year-end charts Chart (1978) Rank Australia[5] 23 Canada[6] 195 New Zealand[7] 35 UK[8] 52 US Billboard Hot 100[9] 46 US Cash Box[10] 94

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1978 (U.S.)

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)
2. Jeff Jenkins (2007). 50 Years of Rock in Australia. Melbourne: Wilkinson Publishing. p. 293. ISBN 9781921332111.
3. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 1978-08-13. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
4. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
5. "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
6. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
7. "Top Selling Singles of 1978 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 1978-12-31. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
8. "Top 100 1978 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
9. "Top 100 Hits of 1978/Top 100 Songs of 1978". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-12.

External links

• Martin Stevens (French language site)