THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

862-The Beautiful South-Love Is.

1989-It has never been released as single in the UK.

Best Bit-At 6.05. Right, we’ve done our song, now who knows that one by the Beatles.

The Beautiful South were formed in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, in 1988, by Paul Heaton, (vocals) and Dave Hemingway, (vocals) following the break up of their previous band The Housemartins (see also best songs 387.) They were soon joined by Sean Welch, (bass) Dave Stead, (drums) and Dave Rotheray, (guitar) and it was this quintet who played on this song. Briana Corrigan who sang guest vocals on this track, became an official member in 1990, and sang vocals on The Beautiful South’s second and third studio Albums in 1990, and 1992. Jacqui Abbott was the female vocalist for Albums four through to seven, and Alison Wheeler provided her vocals on the final three The Beautiful South Albums. In total there have been eight different members of The Beautiful South, from their inception in 1988, through until the split in 2007, when tongue in cheek they claimed, that the split was due to ‘musical similarities.’

The Beautiful South who have sold in excess of 15 million records, released 10 studio Albums between 1989-2006, and 34 singles in the same time period, there are also five official compilation Albums available, including ‘Carry On Up the Charts: The Best of the Beautiful South,’ which has sold over 1.8 million copies, and was the second best selling Album in the UK in 1994.All 10 of their studio Albums have reached the UK top 20, with two of them making Number 1. They have also achieved 21 top 40 singles in the UK, with ‘A Little Time’ from 1990 making the Number 1 spot.

‘Love Is’ was co-written by Paul Heaton, and Dave Rotherway, who were the groups main two songwriters, with the production credited to Mike Hedges (see also best songs 668.) ‘Love Is’ which was never issued as a single, appears as track 10 on The Beautiful South’s debut studio Album ‘Welcome to the Beautiful South,’ from October 1989. There were three singles released from the Album, including the groups debut single ‘Song for Whoever’ (UK-Number 2.)

Paul David Heaton was born on May 9th, 1962, in Bromborough, Cheshire, England. Billing himself as ‘P.d. Heaton,’ he formed ‘The Housemartins’ in 1983, they released two studio Albums in 1986, and 1987, and nine singles between 1985-1988, and then at the height of their success they split, with Heaton going on to form The Beautiful South. Paul Heaton who is critically acclaimed as one of the UK’s best ever songwriters, has also released nine ‘solo’ studio Albums between 2001-2022, and 20 singles in the same time period. His latest five Albums since 2014, have been in collaboration with the ex The Beautiful South vocalist Jacqui Abbott, with their last two Albums, both reaching Number 1 in the UK. Paul Heaton has also issued two compilation Albums, with ‘The Last King of Pop’ from 2018, bringing together 23 of his compositions that he recorded throughout his career in The Housemartins, The Beautiful South, his solo years, and also his collaborations with Jacqui Abbott.

I can only think that ‘Love Is’ was never issued as a single because of it’s considerable length (7 minutes and 4 seconds.) The song tells the tale of how hollow fame can be. It says that you only want to be associated with me because I am famous, and in 25 years from now when I am long forgotten, will you be bothered to come to my cremation.

‘So here’s an invitation to this caring nation. Twenty-five years from now, will you come to my cremation? Sherry or beer, family and friends, will you be there? Will you be there? No fame, no fortune, no name in lights, will you be there? Will you be there?’