Love Spreads

"Love Spreads" is a song by British alternative rock group The Stone Roses, released on 21 November 1994 as the first single from their second album, Second Coming. The record reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, the highest peak for any song by the band, as well as number 55 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and number 67 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. The single also reached the top 10 in Ireland and the top 20 in Sweden. It also became the band's biggest hit on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart, reaching No. 2.

For the upcoming comedy film, see Love Spreads (film).

"Love Spreads"
Single by The Stone Roses
from the album Second Coming
B-side"Your Star Will Shine"
Released21 November 1994
Genre
Length5:46
LabelGeffen
Songwriter(s)John Squire
Producer(s)Simon Dawson
The Stone Roses singles chronology
"I Am The Resurrection"
(1992)		 "Love Spreads"
(1994)		 "Ten Storey Love Song"
(1995)

Cover art

John Squire designed the "Love Spreads" cover, using a photograph of one of the four stone cherubs on the Newport Bridge in Newport, South Wales.[4] The cherubs on the bridge are modelled after Newport's coat of arms, which contains a cherub with winged sea lions. The cherub design was subsequently used on many pieces of Second Coming merchandise.

Lyrics and composition

"Love Spreads" is a blues rock song in D major. Its lyrics are a telling of the Passion of Christ, reinterpreting Jesus as a black woman.

Critical reception

Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream hailed the song "as the greatest comeback single ever." In May 2007, NME magazine placed "Love Spreads" at number 44 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever and said it was the band at their "take no prisoners best".[5] Allmusic called the song a "true classic".[6]

Music video

There are two music videos for "Love Spreads." The original UK version, directed by Mike Clark and the Stone Roses,[7] consisted of home footage. There are scenes of Mani, Squire, and Brown dressed as a chicken, the devil, and Death respectively. These scenes were interspliced with hidden images.

Geffen and MTV were unsatisfied with the quality of the first video, so Steven Hanft at Propaganda Films directed a second video for American audiences.[7][8]

Legacy

A re-recorded version of "Love Spreads" was used on The Help Album (a compilation of songs for the charity War Child). It was also used in the season 4 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, "Invisible Evidence" and in a season 5 episode of Entourage, "Return to Queens Boulevard."

The song is featured in the music videogame Guitar Hero World Tour, appearing in the final bonus set in career mode. It is also available as a downloadable track for the music video game series Rock Band and is playable in the Classic Rock Track Pack.

Track listing

7" vinyl (Geffen GFS 84)
Cassette (Geffen GFSC 84)

  1. "Love Spreads" – (5:46)
  2. "Your Star Will Shine" – (2:56)

12" vinyl (Geffen GFST 84)

  1. "Love Spreads" – (5:46)
  2. "Your Star Will Shine" – (2:56)
  3. "Breakout" – (6:04)
  4. "Groove Harder" – (4:26)

CD (Geffen GFSTD 84)

  1. "Love Spreads" – (5:46)
  2. "Your Star Will Shine" – (2:56)
  3. "Breakout" – (6:04)

Charts
Chart (1994–1995) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 36
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 67
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 8
Ireland (IRMA)[12] 8
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 23
Scotland (OCC)[14] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 13
UK Singles (OCC)[16] 2
UK Rock and Metal (OCC)[17] 4
US Radio Songs (Billboard)[18] 55
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[19] 2
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[20] 4

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "The Stone Roses - The Inside Story..." Clash. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  2. "BBC - Seven Ages of Rock "What the World Is Waiting For"". Seven Ages of Rock. 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  3. "The Stone Roses, "Love Spreads"". Spin. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  4. "tjs-newport.demon.co.uk". Tjs-newport.demon.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  5. "Album A&E - The Stone Roses, 'Second Coming'". Nme.com. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  6. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Second Coming - The Stone Roses | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  7. A.J. Jacobs (28 April 1995). "Broadcast No's: Music Videos You'll Never See". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  8. "Production Notes". Billboard. 8 April 1995. p. 53.
  9. "Australian-charts.com – The Stone Roses – Love Spreads". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7992." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  11. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 50. 10 December 1994. p. 6. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Love Spreads". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  13. "Charts.nz – The Stone Roses – Love Spreads". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  15. "Swedishcharts.com – The Stone Roses – Love Spreads". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  17. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  18. "The Stone Roses Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  19. "The Stone Roses Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  20. "The Stone Roses Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  21. "British single certifications – Stone Roses – Love Spreads". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 November 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Love Spreads in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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