"Tainted Love" by Soft Cell

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  0871
Date:  01/16/1982
Debut:  90
Peak:  8
Weeks:  43
Genre:  Synthpop, New Wave



Pop Bits:  This UK duo of Marc Almond and David Ball had a tough time scoring a hit after being signed to Some Bizzare Records. They were given one last chance to prove themselves and the outcome was this single that became a #1 smash in the UK and other European countries. In the US, the tune wasn't really sparking much interest. It floundered around the bottom of the chart for many weeks (even dipping as low as #100) before finally making a slow ascent into the Top 10. While the duo had continued success in the UK, following up with four more Top 10's, their success was brief in the US. They ended up being a true one-hit wonder when this single became their one and only pop chart entry.

ReduxReview:  I totally fell for this song the first time I heard it. I remember going "whoa...what is this?" and then running out to get the 45. Although steeped in 80s synthpop, I think it still holds up today. Later on, I discovered the Gloria Jones version (see below) and really liked it. That one has been a part of my Northern Soul collection for a long while. If you had a list of songs that truly defined the sounds of the 80s, this song would almost certainly have to be included.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) At the time, this single's US run was a record-setter. It spent 43 weeks on the pop chart making it the song with the most chart weeks in history. It broke the record set by Paul Davis' "I Go Crazy" which spent 40 weeks on the chart in 1978 (peaking at #7).  2) At the time, few in the US knew that this was a cover song. The original was recorded by soul singer Gloria Jones in 1965 and it was the b-side to another song which failed to chart. The song could have languished in obscurity if it hadn't been rediscovered by UK DJ Richard Searling in the early 70s. He began playing it in the Northern Soul clubs and the song proved to be a very popular hit on the scene. Soft Cell picked up the song from there and issued their unique synthpop take 16 years after the original.

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