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"Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" is a song by synthpop duo Erasure, released as the second single from their eighth studio album, Cowboy (1996). It is an uptempo dance music song written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell. Mute Records issued the single in the UK. For the song's release in the United States, Maverick Records requested a remix for radio. The US single version of "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" is quite different from what is on the Cowboy album. The song's intro was changed, as well as the middle eight section. Most notably, an entire verse, edited out of the album version, is restored on the American single release.

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"Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me"
UK CD single #1 cover
Single by Erasure
from the album Cowboy
B-side	"Heart of Glass"
Released	24 February 1997
Recorded	1996
Genre	Synthpop
Length	3:46
Label	Mute Records (UK), Maverick Records (US)
Songwriter(s)	Vince Clarke, Andy Bell
Producer(s)	Gareth Jones, Neil McLellan
Erasure singles chronology
"In My Arms" (1997) "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" (1997) "Rain" (1997)
Alternative covers
US CD single cover
Music video
"Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" on YouTube

On the UK Singles Chart, "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" peaked at #23, ending a chart run of 24 consecutive Top 20 singles. It reached #89 on the German singles chart and did not enter the US Billboard Hot 100. Club remixes proved to be more successful, as the track hit number five on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. On the Swedish Top 60 it peaked at number 26.

The single's B-side is a live cover version of Blondie's "Heart of Glass". Erasure's previous single "In My Arms" featured another Blondie cover ("Rapture").

Critical reception

Barry Walters for The Advocate stated, "Remixed from the poptastic Cowboy album into a hi-NRG monster of proper Erasure-ian proportions, this deserves to be the synth-pop queens' return to Top 40 land."[1] Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as a "bouncy pop/hi-NRG ditty that's anchored by an instantly appealing if somewhat subversively constructed chorus." He noted that singer Andy Bell's "typically intelligent words are notably dark and brooding, while partner Vince Clarke underlines the track with a vibrant, upbeat melody and a chorus that is downright anthemic." He also added, "It's a nifty trick that only shrewd and daring veterans like these could pull off so well."[2]

Dominic Pride from Music & Media commented, "The day Vince Clarke and Andy Bell don't come up with a radio-friendly song, it will snow pink. As ever, tuneful simplicity combines with intricate production—with a singable chorus which appears a few lines into the song—and, as ever, Bell's clear voice does the lyrics a favour."[3] A reviewer from Music Week rated it three out of five, writing that "this Euro disco number has a real Eighties feel, but sounds rather hollow. Tall Paul and Jon Pleased remixes will attract DJs."[4]

Track listings

Charts

Chart (1997)	Peak position	Total weeks
Germany (Official German Charts)[5]	89	4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[6]	26	4
UK Singles (OCC)[7]	23	2
US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)[8]	5	11

References

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