‘Listen to Your Heart’ is a song by Swedish rock duo Roxette, which was originally released in Sweden in September 1988 as the second single from the duo's second studio album, Look Sharp! (1988). It was written by Per Gessle with former Gyllene Tider guitarist Mats "M.P." Persson. The song went on to become one of the most successful singles of 1989, reaching number one in both the United States and Canada around November 1989. The track was the first song to reach number one in the US without a commercially released 7-inch single. The song originally peaked at number 62 in the UK when it was released there in October 1989. However, following the success of ‘It Must Have Been Love’, the track was reissued as a double A-side with ‘Dangerous’ in August 1990, upon which it reached a chart peak of number six on the UK Singles Chart.
The male half of the Swedish duo, Per Gessle said of this track: "The Big Bad Ballad. This is us trying to recreate that overblown American FM-Rock sound to the point where it almost becomes absurd. We really wanted to see how far we could take it." His music partner Marie Fredriksson added: "It sounds a bit dusty today, but it was our second #1 in the US." Per Gessle said: "Which of course we couldn't ever dream about since it was more or less made for Sweden. When it hit big in the States, we suddenly found ourselves lumped together with bands like Heart and Starship, which wasn't the intention behind Roxette at all. But we got out of that one... I hope." Marie Fredriksson added: "The video was great. Shot with an American crew at the Borgholm Castle. The director thought we had built the ruin just for the video." Per Gessle commented: "It took some time to convince them that the place actually was for real."
Gessle told Billboard magazine how his friend's love life inspired the lyrics: "That's one of the rare occasions when I wrote the story about a very good friend of mine who went through a difficult divorce. We sat up all night discussing his problem. When it went to number one in the States, I got this fax from him telling me, 'Hey it's great - you and me and Marie are number one in America!'"
Reviewing the song, Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Already doing well in the US, this semi-ballad has all the ingredients of a major worldwide hit. This time it seems that the Swedes have beaten the Americans at their own game." In 1990, David Giles from Music Week called it "another big hit", adding that "this single is anything to go by — it made history by reaching number one despite being available on cassette only."
Labels – Parlophone, EMI
Songwriters – Per Gessle, Mats Persson
Producer – Clarence Öfwerman
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]I know there's something in the wake of your smile
I get a notion from the look in your eyes, yeah
You've built a love, but that love falls apart
Your little piece of Heaven turns too dark
[Chorus]
Listen to your heart
When he's calling for you
Listen to your heart
There's nothing else you can do
I don't know where you're going
And I don't know why
But listen to your heart
Before you tell him goodbye
[Verse 2]
Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile
The precious moments are all lost in the tide, yeah
They're swept away, and nothing is what is seems
The feeling of belonging to your dreams
[Chorus]
Listen to your heart
When he's calling for you
Listen to your heart
There's nothing else you can do
I don't know where you're going
And I don't know why
But listen to your heart
Before you tell him goodbye
[Guitar Solo]
[Bridge]
And there are voices that want to be heard
So much to mention but you can't find the words
The scent of magic, the beauty that's been
When love was wilder than the wind
[Chorus]
Listen to your heart (Take a listen to it)
When he's calling for you
Listen to your heart (Take a listen to it)
There's nothing else you can do
I don't know where you're going
And I don't know why
But listen to your heart before, uhh
Listen to your heart (Take a listen to it)
When he's calling for you
Listen to your heart (Take a listen to it)
There's nothing else you can do
I don't know where you're going
And I don't know why
But listen to your heart
Before you tell him goodbye
[Instrumental Break][Outro]
Listen to your heart
Listen to your heart (Uhh, take a listen to it, ha-ha-aa)
Listen to your heart (Take a, take a listen to it)
Listen to your heart
Listen to your heart
Listen to your heart
Listen to your heart
Listen to your heart
Listen to your heart
Listen to your heart
Listen to your heart