‘Let My Love Open the Door’ is a song written and performed by Pete Townshend from his 1980 album Empty Glass. That year, it reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at number five on RPM's Top 100 singles chart. It was released as the second single from Empty Glass in Britain, where it was backed with the non-album tracks ‘Classified’ and ‘Greyhound Girl.’ The song was a minor British hit, reaching number 46. The song saw more success when it was released as the debut single from Empty Glass in America, where the song reached number nine. It was Pete Townshend's only solo top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, but the Who's song ‘I Can See for Miles’, which was written by Townshend, reached the same position on the chart 13 years earlier.
Initially, Townshend's manager despised the track due to it "not sounding like Townshend," and wanted it to be removed from Empty Glass. However, upon the song's chart success, his manager called to apologize. Despite the song's critical and commercial success, Pete Townshend did not consider it one of his best songs. He told Rolling Stone in an interview that ‘Let My Love Open the Door’ was "just a ditty," also claiming that he preferred his minor U.S. hit ‘A Little Is Enough’ from the same album.
Although Townshend is a devotee to the religious guru Meher Baba, he claimed in the liner notes of his Anthology CD that "Jesus sings" on the track. Cash Box called it a "joyous, blissful tune that features a stirring keyboard-synthesizer melody and multi-tracked high harmonies." Record World called it a "timeless pop-rocker."
Among the films to use this song are Look Who's Talking (1989), Mr. Deeds (2002), Along Came Polly (2004) and Netflix's The Adam Project (2022). A different version was recorded for Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), and it was also the end credit song for Jersey Girl (2004). The song played a prominent role in the 2007 movie Dan In Real Life, where Steve Carell and Dane Cook perform the song to Cook's girlfriend, whom Carell has deep feelings for.
Label – Atco
Songwriter – Pete Townshend
Producer – Chris Thomas
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]When people keep repeatin'
That you'll never fall in love
When everybody keeps retreatin'
But you can't seem to get enough
[Pre-Chorus]
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
To your heart
[Chorus]
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
[Verse 2]
When everything feels all over
Everybody seems unkind
I'll give you a four-leaf clover
Take all worry out of your mind
[Pre-Chorus]
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
To your heart
[Chorus]
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
[Bridge]
I have the only key to your heart
I can stop you fallin' apart
Try today, you'll find this way
Come on and give me a chance to say
Let my love open the door, it's all I'm livin' for
Release yourself from misery
There's only one thing
Gonna set you free
That's my love, that's my love
[Pre-Chorus]
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
[Verse 3]
When tragedy befalls you
Don't let it drag you down
Love can cure your problems
You're so lucky I'm around
[Pre-Chorus]
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
To your heart
[Instrumental Chorus]