All vocals by FR. Recorded & mixed by FR.
ballads
pop rock
love songs
alternative rock
classic rock
Story behind the song
It is notable for its innovative and distinctive backing track, composed mostly of the band's multitracked vocals. Released in the UK in May 1975 as the second single from the band's third album The Original Soundtrack, it became the second of the group's three number-one singles in the UK between 1973 and 1978, topping the UK singles chart for two weeks. The song was also the band's breakthrough hit worldwide, reaching number one in Ireland and Canada and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, as well as reaching the top 10 in Australia, New Zealand and several European countries.
Written mostly by Stewart as a riposte to his wife's declaration that he did not tell her often enough that he loved her, "I'm Not in Love" was originally conceived as a bossa nova song played on guitars, but the other two members of the band, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, disliked the track and it was abandoned. However, after hearing members of their staff continue to sing the melody around their studio, Stewart persuaded the group to give the song another chance, to which Godley replied that for the song to work it needed to be radically changed, and suggested that the band should try and create a new version using just voices.
"I'm Not in Love" has enjoyed lasting popularity, with over three million plays on US radio since its release, and it won three Ivor Novello Awards in 1976 for Best Pop Song, International Hit of the Year, and Most Performed British Work.[3][4] It has appeared in the films The Virgin Suicides, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Indecent Proposal, Cherish, Whatever, Hunky Dory, Jappeloup, The Stud, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, He's Just Not That Into You, and Guardians of the Galaxy,[5] as well as the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and the television shows Goodnight Sweetheart, That '70s Show, The Office, Veronica Mars, Big Love, Medium, Cuentame, The Syndicate, Bull, EastEnders, Skam,[6] and Pose. The song has been covered by numerous artists, most notably by Dee Dee Sharp in 1976, which revived her career, and the American band Will to Power, whose version reached the US and Canadian top ten in 1991.
Lyrics
I'm not in love
So don't forget it
It's just a silly phase I'm going through
And just because
I call you up
Don't get me wrong, don't think you've got it made
I'm not in love, no no, it's because
I like to see you
But then again
That doesn't mean you mean that much to me
So if I call you
Don't make a fuss
Don't tell your friends about the two of us
I'm not in love, no no, it's because
I keep your picture
Upon the wall
It hides a nasty stain that's lying there
So don't you ask me
To give it back
I know you know it doesn't mean that much to me
I'm not in love, no no, it's because
Ooh you'll wait a long time for me
Ooh you'll wait a long time
Ooh you'll wait a long time for me
Ooh you'll wait a long time
I'm not in love
So don't forget it
It's just a silly phase I'm going through
And just because I call you up
Don't get me wrong, don't think you've got it made
I'm not in love
I'm not in love
Songwriters: Eric Stewart / Graham Gouldman
File: I'm Not In Love (mix 2)