"Love to Hate You" is a 1991 song by English

synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...

duo

Erasure Erasure () is an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a membe ...

. It was released as the second single from their fifth studio album, ''

Chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

'' (1991). Written by band members

Vince Clarke Vincent John Martin (born 3 July 1960), known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously ...

and Andy Bell, it is an electronic dance track inspired by

disco music Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric piano ...

. The

synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...

melody in the chorus is an

interpolation In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a type of estimation, a method of constructing (finding) new data points based on the range of a discrete set of known data points. In engineering and science, one often has ...

of the string break from American singer

Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor (née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits " I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of " Never Can Say Goodbye" ( ...

's disco-era classic "

I Will Survive "I Will Survive" is a song by American singer Gloria Gaynor, released in October 1978 as the second single from her sixth album, '' Love Tracks'' (1978). It was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris. A top-selling song, it is a popular di ...

". The duo also recorded a Spanish version of the song, called "Amor y Odio" (''Love and Hatred''), and one in Italian called "Amo Odiarti". The single was released by

Mute Records Mute Records is a British independent record label owned and founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller. It has featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, Einstürzende Neubauten, Fad Gadget, Goldfrapp, Grin ...

in the UK and

Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehre ...

in the US. It peaked at number four on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

and became a top-10 hit in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, and Sweden.

Critical reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

editor Ned Raggett described the song as "supersassy".

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...

from ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' called it a "

techno Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...

-conscious twirler", that nicks an idea or two from

's "

". He complimented Andy Bell's "sassy and soulful" performance as an interesting contrast to the track's "overall electro tone". The Daily Vault's Michael R. Smith viewed it as "an instant crowd pleaser of sorts", adding that it "comes complete with live audience effects in the background". Andy Kastanas from ''

The Charlotte Observer ''The Charlotte Observer'' is an American English-language newspaper serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and its metro area. The Observer was founded in 1886. As of 2020, it has the second-largest circulation of any newspaper in the Carolinas. I ...

'' deemed it "a much more pop-oriented song, lacking the trademark Erasure synth riff". Bill Wyman from ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...

'' said that it "has a thumpy bottom and a passable

hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...

". Chris Gerard from ''

Metro Weekly ''Metro Weekly'' is a free weekly magazine for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Washington, D.C., United States. It was first published on May 5, 1994. ''Metro Weekly'' includes national and local news, interview ...

'' described it as "old-school

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...

with echoes of 'I Will Survive' in the verse and hints of

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...

as well. It's a killer dance tune, but it's just as good as a pop single. The vocal arrangement is clever, and the crowd noise during the big synth solos add to the excitement." Dave Jennings of ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'' considered the song to be "likeable, upbeat, a little bloodless but nevertheless a guaranteed top five entry". He also noted the "mildly interesting lyric". Pan-European magazine ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' stated that it's a "top rate

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

song, which draws influences from '70s

Giorgio Moroder Giovanni Giorgio Moroder (, ; born 26 April 1940) is an Italian composer, songwriter, and record producer. Dubbed the " Father of Disco", Moroder is credited with pioneering euro disco and electronic dance music. His work with synthesizers had ...

productions. The synthesizer outfit takes us to a lovely

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...

bridge that will work as well on EHR as in clubland." A reviewer from ''

Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...

'' commented that "the instant familiarity" of "Love to Hate You" "is due in no small part to the fact that it seems to be based on several previous hits, most notably Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive',

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

's 'Nobody Wins' and even Modern Romance's '

Everybody Salsa "Everybody Salsa" is a single by UK band Modern Romance. It was their first UK chart entry in 1981, reaching No. 12. It was released as a 7-inch single and 12-inch single by WEA. It was also released in the United States, Benelux, Germany, France ...

'. Typically throbbing

Hi-NRG Hi-NRG (pronounced "high energy") is a genre of uptempo disco or electronic dance music (EDM) that originated in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. As a music genre, typified by fast tempo, staccato hi-hat rhythms (and the ...

, subtle it is not, but a hit it most certainly is." Sherman at the Big Controls, writing for '' NME'', felt it was "totally over the top pop" with a "sickly verse, death defying numbing Brits abroad chorus, wanky 'fake' horns and the worst keyboard sounds Vince could find". Darren Lee from ''

The Quietus ''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics. Content ''The Quietu ...

'' noted "the camp melodrama", stating that it is one of "the most gloriously effervescent pop anthems ever recorded". Mark Frith from ''

Smash Hits ''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand ...

'' wrote that "it's rather nice to welcome Erasure back. With a tune that's, erm, borrowing bits from certain '70s dance tunes, it's a tale of life's annoying Casanovas, and full of beans it is too." Christopher Smith from TalkAboutPopMusic described it as "more early-80's style electro pop and yet it felt so fresh in 1991". He added: "This is one of those Erasure songs that you know word for word and are able to quote without fail at any concert where this is played."

Chart performance

"Love to Hate You" is one of Erasure's most successful singles on the

, peaking at number four. It became a top-ten hit also in Greece, where it reached number nine; Finland, where it reached number seven; Austria, where it reached number six; Denmark and Ireland, where it reached number five; and Sweden, where it reached number four. In the US it reached number 17 on the ''

Hot Dance Music/Club Play Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...

chart, number 10 on the ''Billboard''

Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales In the issue dated March 16, 1985, ''Billboard'' magazine debuted its first chart devoted exclusively to 12-inch Singles Sales. The 50-position weekly ranking joined ''Billboard''s established Club Songs chart, reduced to the same 50 positions, ...

chart, and number six on the ''Billboard''

Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-playe ...

chart.

Music video

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...

was made to accompany the song. It features Erasure performing the song on a futuristic stage with a long, connected runway which extends out into the audience. As Bell dances down the runway, it is revealed that the floor is covered in water. Vince Clarke is also seen playing a circular keyboard similar to one previously used by

Jean-Michel Jarre Jean-Michel André Jarre (; born 24 August 1948) is a French composer, performer and record producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, ambient and new-age genres, and is known for organising outdoor spectacles featuring his music, accompani ...

. These shots were filmed in London's

Leadenhall Market Leadenhall Market is a covered market in London, located on Gracechurch Street but with vehicular access also available via Whittington Avenue to the north and Lime Street to the south and east, and additional pedestrian access via a number o ...

Track listings

* 7-inch and cassette single (MUTE131; CMUTE131) # "Love to Hate You" # "Vitamin C" * 12-inch single (12MUTE131) # "Love to Hate You" (12-inch mix) # "Vitamin C" (12-inch mix) aul Dakeyne Mix# "La La La" * CD single (CDMUTE131) # "Love to Hate You" # "Love to Hate You" (12-inch mix) aul Dakeyne Mix# "Vitamin C" # "La La La" * US CD single (40218-2) # "Love to Hate You" (album version) # "Love to Hate You" (Bruce Forest Mix) # "Vitamin C" (12-inch mix) aul Dakeyne Mix# "Love to Hate You" (12-inch mix) aul Dakeyne Mix# "Vitamin C" # "La La La" * Italian Promo Only 12-inch single (Love 100) # "Love to Hate You" (J.T. Company Remix) # "Love to Hate You" (J.T. Company Instrumental Remix) # "Love to Hate You" (Joe T. Vannelli Remix Dub) # "Love to Hate You" (Joe T. Vannelli Single Remix)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Love To Hate You 1991 singles 1991 songs Erasure songs Sire Records singles Songs written by Andy Bell (singer) Songs written by Vince Clarke Music videos directed by David Mallet (director) Mute Records singles