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1984 single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood

"The Power of Love" is a song originally recorded and released by British band Frankie Goes to Hollywood. It was written by Holly Johnson, Peter Gill, Mark O'Toole and Brian Nash, four of the five members of the band. It was released by the group as their third single. Initially issued as a single in November 1984, and taken from the debut album, Welcome to the Pleasuredome (1984), "The Power of Love" followed its two predecessors, "Relax" and "Two Tribes", to the top of the UK singles chart. It scored the band an early December number one. "The Power of Love" was also a top 10 hit in several European countries, in Australia and New Zealand, and in Canada. "The Power of Love" is often regarded as a Christmas song, despite having no reference to Christmas within the song lyrics. However, the accompanying video features the Nativity of Jesus, and the single cover was The Assumption of the Virgin. The single spent just one week at Number One in the UK, outsold by the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid, which until 1997 was the best selling single ever in the UK. Since then, reissues and/or remixes of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood recording of this song have been top 10 UK hits on two other occasions, hitting number 10 in 1993 and number 6 in 2000. "The Power of Love" has also charted in the UK in a version by Holly Johnson (a solo recording from 1999). The original version by Frankie Goes to Hollywood was featured in the 2012 film Sightseers, the same year that the song was reissued as a digital download and peaked at number 42, in response to a cover version by Gabrielle Aplin. Her recording of the song also went to number 1 in the UK, exactly 28 years after the original Frankie Goes to Hollywood single topped the chart. Holly Johnson, who co wrote the song, later reminisced: "I always felt like 'The Power of Love' was the record that would save me in this life. There is a biblical aspect to its spirituality and passion; the fact that love is the only thing that matters in the end".

The track was first featured during the John Peel Sessions the band performed on during 1983, which was slower and emphasised the track's original camp ironic content (such as the Hooded Claw from the cartoon series The Perils of Penelope Pitstop). After recording at the original speed, ZTT/Trevor Horn sped it up, this also caused a change in pitch. "The Power of Love" became Frankie Goes to Hollywood's third consecutive (and last) UK number 1 single in December 1984. To commemorate the Christmas release, Godley & Creme directed a Nativity themed video for the single, and the artwork for the single also used traditional Christian iconography. The original showing of the video on The Tube featured the Nativity occupying the whole screen, however the borders of band members were added for later showings due to pressure from UK broadcasters. The 12" mix of the song featured actor Chris Barrie aping DJ Mike Read's banning of the single "Relax", as well as his impression of Ronald Reagan, instructing the listener in prayer. The single also featured a Christmas message from the band, entitled "Holier Than Thou". On the cover is a reproduction of the Assumption of the Virgin by Titian, a 16th century painting in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari of Venice. The single has been reissued in various formats over the years. The 1993 reissue charted at number 10 in the UK; the 2000 remix version reached number 6.

Richard Harris from NME wrote, "'The Power of Love' is too straight laced, but still drips with deep pile quality (Holly Johnson had one of the great pop voices, don't forget)".

All discographical information here pertains to UK releases only (unless otherwise noted).

This was the first of three singles in the British top 10 with the title "The Power of Love" in 1985. The other two were "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News, which peaked at No. 9 at the start of autumn, and "The Power of Love" by Jennifer Rush, which reached No. 1 by the middle of autumn.

Holly Johnson, former singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, recorded his own version of "The Power of Love" for his 1999 album Soulstream. It was released as the third single from the album, reaching number 56 in the UK. The single stayed in the charts for two weeks. A music video was created to promote the single. The single was released by two separate CD versions, each featuring different tracks, with the second CD featuring "All U Need Is Love (Demo Version)", a demo version of the Soulstream album track.

Jon O'Brien of Allmusic reviewed the Soulstream album, and spoke of the song, stating "The William Orbit esque production of the empowering opener "Lady Luck," and the subtle trip hop tinged title track show that Johnson still occasionally had his finger on the pulse. But unnecessary reworkings of 1984 chart topper "The Power of Love" and the 1994 flop, gay anthem "Legendary Children (All of Them Queer)," only highlight the creative rut he appeared to be stuck in."

A music video to accompany the release of "The Power of Love" was first released onto YouTube on 9 November 2012. It shows Aplin in a room in a large house, playing a piano. Then, near the end of the video, fairy lights in the room light up. The video was directed by Alexander Brown.

On 11 November 2012 "The Power of Love" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 36, a week later it climbed to number 5. On 9 December 2012 the single reached number 1. Aplin's version was certified gold in the United Kingdom on 11 January 2013. On 8 December 2013, the song re charted at number 88 on the UK Singles Chart, due to downloads.