Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me

"Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released as the second single from their eighth studio album, Cowboy (1997). It is an uptempo dance music song written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell. Mute Records issued the single in the UK. For the song's release in the United States, Maverick Records requested a remix for radio. The US single version of "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" is different from what is on the Cowboy album; the song's intro was changed, as well as the middle eight section. An entire verse, edited out of the album version, is restored on the American single release.

"Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me"
UK CD single 1 cover
Single by Erasure
from the album Cowboy
B-side	"Heart of Glass"
Released	24 February 1997 (1997-02-24)
Genre	Synth-pop
Length	3:46
Label	Mute (UK) Maverick (US)
Songwriter(s)	Vince Clarke Andy Bell
Producer(s)	Gareth Jones Neil McLellan
Erasure singles chronology
"In My Arms" (1997) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (1997) "Rain" (1997)
Alternative cover
US CD single cover
Music video
"Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" on YouTube

On the UK Singles Chart, "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" peaked at number 23, ending a chart run of 24 consecutive top-20 singles for Erasure. It also reached number 26 on the Swedish Singles Chart but did not enter the US Billboard Hot 100. Club remixes proved to be more successful, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The single's B-side is a live cover version of Blondie's "Heart of Glass".

Critical reception

Barry Walters for The Advocate stated, "Remixed from the poptastic Cowboy album into a hi-NRG monster of proper Erasure-ian proportions, this deserves to be the synth-pop queens' return to Top 40 land."^[1] Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as a "bouncy pop/hi-NRG ditty that's anchored by an instantly appealing if somewhat subversively constructed chorus." He noted that singer Andy Bell's "typically intelligent words are notably dark and brooding, while partner Vince Clarke underlines the track with a vibrant, upbeat melody and a chorus that is downright anthemic." He also added, "It's a nifty trick that only shrewd and daring veterans like these could pull off so well."^[2]

Dominic Pride from Music & Media commented, "The day Vince Clarke and Andy Bell don't come up with a radio-friendly song, it will snow pink. As ever, tuneful simplicity combines with intricate production—with a singable chorus which appears a few lines into the song—and, as ever, Bell's clear voice does the lyrics a favour."^[3] A reviewer from Music Week rated it three out of five, writing that "this Euro disco number has a real Eighties feel, but sounds rather hollow. Tall Paul and Jon Pleased remixes will attract DJs."^[4]

Track listings

Cassette single (CMUTE195) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" "Heart of Glass" 12-inch single (12MUTE195) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Tall Paul mix) "Oh L'amour" (Tin Tin Out mix) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flashback vox) "Oh L'amour" (Matt Darey mix) CD single 1 (CDMUTE195) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" "Heart of Glass" (Live at Oxford) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flashback vox) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Tall Paul mix)

CD single 2 (LCDMUTE195) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flashback dub) "Oh L'amour" (Matt Darey Mix) "Oh L'amour" (Tin Tin Out Mix) US CD single (Maverick: 43914-2) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (single version) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (RH Factor vocal club mix) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flash vocal) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (RH Factor Insulin Shock dub) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Jon Pleased Wimmin Flash dub) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (Tall Paul mix)

Charts

Chart (1997)	Peak position
Denmark (Hitlisten)^[5]	18
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[6]	73
Germany (Official German Charts)^[7]	89
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[8]	37
Scotland (OCC)^[9]	12
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[10]	26
UK Singles (OCC)^[11]	23
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)^[12]	5
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)^[13]	14

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	24 February 1997	12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Mute	^[4]
United States	15 July 1997	Alternative radio	Maverick	^[14]

References

1. Walters, Barry (2 September 1997). "Music". The Advocate. Issue 741.
2. Flick, Larry (12 July 1997). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 77. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
3. Pride, Dominic (1 March 1997). "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 11. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
4. "Reviews – Records Out February 24, 1997: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 15 February 1997. p. 23. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
5. Danish Charts Archive. 21 March 1997.
6. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 12. 22 March 1997. p. 17.
7. "Erasure – Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
8. "Islenski Topp 40". DV. 18 April 1997. p. 16. ISSN 1021-8254.
9. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
10. "Erasure – Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
11. "Erasure: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
12. "Erasure Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
13. "Erasure Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
14. "Be on the Lookout". Gavin Report. No. 2163. 11 July 1997. p. A6.