Is That Love
| "Is That Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Squeeze | ||||
| from the album East Side Story | ||||
| Released | 1 May 1981 (UK) | |||
| Format | 7" vinyl | |||
| Recorded | 1980 | |||
| Genre | Rock, new wave | |||
| Length | 2:34 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Writer(s) | Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook | |||
| Producer(s) | Roger Bechirian & Elvis Costello | |||
| Squeeze singles chronology | ||||
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"Is That Love" was the first single released from Squeeze's fourth album, East Side Story.
Background
Chris Difford said "[t]his was written around the time [he] got married. I remember being in the bathroom and seeing Cindy's wedding ring next to the soap, which inspired me to write the lyric. I don't think it was particularly about our marriage, but it started off a sequence of ideas in my head."[1] Difford also went on to say, "I'm not strapped to the song emotionally but it was a great live number and sums up being on the road and having fun. It's a comfortable pair of jeans as a song."[1]
Glenn Tillbrook stated that the track was originally recorded in mid-tempo, "so we sped it up and it made more sense like that[.]"[1] Tillbrook also said, "I was influenced quite consiously by The Beatles here."[1] Tillbrook noted that the "ending was [Elvis Costello's] idea, and he played the piano part accompanying it."[1]
Reception
Critical reception
AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that Squeeze's "barbed, bouncy pop" is "best heard on the single "Is That Love," and he cited the track as a highlight from East Side Story.[2]
Chart performance
When the song was released as a single, it peaked at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart,[3] as well as 25 in Ireland. The song also became Squeeze's only number one single, as it topped the charts in Israel.[1]
Covers
In 2007, Scottish group Travis covered the song on their single "Selfish Jean".
Track listing
- "Is That Love" (2:34)
- "Trust" (1:45)