Lessons in Love (Level 42 song)

"Lessons in Love" is a single from the English band Level 42, released in 1986 from the album Running in the Family, issued one year later. This single is the band's biggest hit in their homeland, where it reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, and internationally, entering the top 10 in numerous countries, reaching the number-one spot in five of them: Spain, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, and Finland. "Lessons in Love" is also one of the few singles from the band that broke into the Billboard Hot 100, where it reached number 12 in 1987. It is the first of five singles from their 1987 album, Running in the Family, and it made way for the success of other singles from the album. In 2012, David Quantick described it in Q magazine as 'one of the best singles of the 80s'.[5]

For the Neon Trees and Kaskade song, see Lessons in Love (All Day, All Night).

"Lessons in Love"
Single by Level 42
from the album Running in the Family
B-side"Hot Water" (Live)
Released14 April 1986 (UK)[1]
RecordedMarch 1986[2]
GenreNew wave,[3] synth-pop[4]
Length4:00
LabelPolydor – POSP 790
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Level 42
Level 42 singles chronology
"Leaving Me Now"
(1985)		 "Lessons in Love"
(1986)		 "Running in the Family"
(1987)

Writing and recording

According to bassist Mark King, the song started out as a melody from an add-on closing sequence for the live rendition of "Physical Presence" (from the World Machine album) on The Tube on 18 October 1985.[2]

In December 1985, just after Christmas, King put together a rough version of the song using a Sony digital recorder, featuring a verse, chorus and a bridge. The following January, he and producer/co-writer Wally Badarou revisited the tapes and deemed the original chorus weak; so the latter re-wrote the song’s chorus from turning around the chorus chords and suggested King a new vocal line.[2]

A couple of months later, in early March 1986, the song was recorded with the band at Maison Rouge Studios in London. Altogether it has seven basslines - three analog synths, two FM synths and two electric basses (one thumb line and a finger-style line). Synths included a Synclavier, Prophet-5, Prophet-600, Yamaha DX7 and Yamaha TX816 rack — these were all kept in sync with a Garfield Electronics Doctor Click rhythm controller.[2]

Track listing
  • United Kingdom (1986) 12"[6]
  1. "Lessons in Love" (Extended version)
  2. "Something About You" (Remix)
  3. "Hot Water" (live)
  • Australia (1986) 12"[7]
  1. "Lessons in Love (Extended version)
  2. "World Machine"
  3. "Hot Water" (live)
  • United States (1987) 7"[8]
  1. "Lessons in Love"
  2. "Hot Water" (live)

Chart performance

Sales and certifications
Certifications for Lessons in Love
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[36] Gold 50,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[37] Gold 75,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[38] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. "Level 42 – Lessons In Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  2. Bacon, Tony (April 1986). "Mark of Distinction". Making Music. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via Muzines.co.uk.
  3. Jisi, Chris (1 August 2010). "Royal Return: Mark King Leads Level 42 on Its 30th Anniversary Comeback". Guitar Player. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014.
  4. Hermann, Andy (25 January 2017). "10 Underrated '80s Bands You Need to Hear Now". LA Weekly. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  5. Quantick, David (November 2012). "Running in the Family: 25th Anniversary Edition". Q. p. 118.
  6. "UK release". Ultimatelevel42.com. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  7. "Australian release". Ultimatelevel42.com. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  8. "US release". Ultimatelevel42.com. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  9. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  10. "Level 42 – Lessons In Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0820." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  12. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  13. "Level 42 – Lessons In Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  14. "Level 42 – Lessons In Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Lessons in Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 28, 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  17. "Level 42 – Lessons In Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  18. "Level 42 – Lessons In Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  19. "Level 42 – Lessons In Love". VG-lista. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  20. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (L)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  21. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  22. "Level 42 – Lessons In Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  23. "Level 42 – Lessons In Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  25. "Running in the Family – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  26. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JUNE 20, 1987". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012.
  27. "Jahreshitparade 1986" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  28. "Jaaroverzichten 1986" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  29. "Jahrescharts – 1986" (in German). Officialcharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  30. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  31. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  32. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1986". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  33. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1986" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  34. "Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 24 January 1987. p. 24.
  35. "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 12. Library and Archives Canada. 26 December 1987. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  36. "Canadian single certifications – Level 42 – Lessons in Love". Music Canada. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  37. "Dutch single certifications – Level 42 – Lessons in Love" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 16 July 2022. Enter Lessons in Love in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1986 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  38. "British single certifications – Level 42 – Lessons in Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
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