‘Love Is the Drug’ is a 1975 song from English rock band Roxy Music's fifth studio album Siren, released as a single in September 1975. Co-written by Bryan Ferry and Andy Mackay, the song originated as a slower, dreamier track until the band transformed its arrangement to become more dance-friendly and up-tempo. Ferry's lyrics recount a man going out looking for action.
In an interview, Andy Mackay recalled: “’Love is the Drug’ started out with my input as slower and a bit stately. The band collectively and producer, Chris Thomas got the snappier feel. Bassist, Johnny Gustafson came up with the bass pattern and Paul got that great tight snare sound. Bryan pulled one of his alchemical stunts and sang an almost complete vocal line with fantastic lyrics to general amazement and applause in AIR Studio No. 1 late one night.”
The single was a commercial hit for the band, peaking at number two in the United Kingdom. It also gave the group its first substantial exposure in the United States, reaching number 30 in early 1976 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming their highest charting single. Since its release, the song has been hailed as an early influence on new wave and has been praised for its groove and bassline.
‘Love Is the Drug’ was the band's choice for the debut single from their 1975 album Siren: Mackay commented, "Like most hit singles, 'Love Is The Drug' kind of selected itself and always sounded like something special." The song was a commercial smash for the band, reaching number two in the UK and reaching the top twenty in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Australia. It also reached number 30 in the US, making it the band's highest charting single there. The band had struggled previously to make inroads in the US, with Mackay lamenting, "North America had been hard for us. We were seen there as an art-rock band."
Though the band did not film a music video for ‘Love Is the Drug’, they did mime the song for a television appearance in 1975. Ferry wore an eye patch for the appearance, albeit not for aesthetic reasons. He recalled: “It wasn't a piratical fashion thing, as many people thought. The day before our taping, I was sent to the hospital to have my eye looked at. I had walked into a door or something. I remember thinking, 'Oh, God, we've got to do a television show.' Which we did despite my eye. In the video, if you look carefully, you can actually see a bandage with a dressing underneath. But the black patch looked good.”
‘Love Is the Drug’ was selected as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Its bassline was included in the 2005 Stylus Magazine list of the "Top 50 Basslines of All Time" at number 26.
Label – EG
Songwriters – Bryan Ferry, Andy Mackay
Producer – Chris Thomas
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]T'ain't no big thing
To wait for the bell to ring
T'ain't no big thing
The toll of the bell
[Verse 1]
Aggravated
I spare for days
I troll downtown
The red light place
I jump up, bubble up
What's in store?
Love is the drug
And I need to score
Showing out, showing out, hit and run
Boy meets girl
Where the beat goes on
[Pre-Chorus]
Stitched up tight
Can't shake free
Love is the drug
Got a hook on me
[Chorus]
Oh, catch that buzz
Love is the drug
I'm thinking of
Oh, can't you see
Love is the drug for me
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
[Verse 2]
Late that night
I parked my car
Staked my place
In the singles bar
Face to face
Toe to toe
Heart to heart
As we hit the floor
[Pre-Chorus]
Lumbered up, limbo down
The locked embrace
The stumble round
I say "go", she say "yes"
Dim the lights, you can guess the rest
[Chorus]
Oh, catch that buzz
Love is the drug
I'm thinking of
Oh, can't you see
Love is the drug
Got a hook in me
[Chorus]
Oh, get that buzz
Love is the drug
I'm thinking of
Oh, can't you see
Love is the drug for me
[Outro]
Ohh, ohh
Ohh, ohh
Ohh, ohh
Ohh, ohh
Ohh, ohh
Ohh, ohh, oh
Ohh, oh, ohh
Ohh, oh, ohh, oh
Love is, love is
Love is the drug