Slave to Love

1985 single by Bryan Ferry
"Slave to Love"
Single by Bryan Ferry
from the album Boys and Girls
Released28 April 1985 (1985-04-28)
GenreSophisti-pop
Length
  • 3:59 (7" mix)
  • 5:56 (12" extended mix)
  • 4:26 (album version)
LabelE.G.
Songwriter(s)Bryan Ferry
Producer(s)
  • Bryan Ferry
  • Rhett Davies
Bryan Ferry singles chronology
"That's How Strong My Love Is"
(1978) 		"Slave to Love"
(1985) 		"Don't Stop the Dance"
(1985)
Music video
"Slave to Love" on YouTube

"Slave to Love" is the first single released from Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry's sixth solo studio album, Boys and Girls (1985). The song is one of Ferry's most popular solo hits. The single was released on 28 April 1985 and spent nine weeks in the UK Singles Chart in 1985, peaking at number 10. Over two months later he would perform the song at Live Aid in the London concert at Wembley Stadium.

The song features Neil Hubbard and Keith Scott on lead guitar,[1] Dire Straits' Guy Fletcher on keyboards, Omar Hakim on drums, and Tony Levin on bass guitar.

Music video

A promo video directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino and featuring the Swedish model Christine Bergström, the French model Laurence Treil, the Dutch model Marpessa Hennink, Jillian King, Fabrice Langlade, Olivier Poivre and Richard Teophile was shot to promote the single. The cinematographer was Pascal Lebegue.

Track listing

  • 7"
  1. "Slave to Love"
  2. "Valentine" (instrumental)
  • 12" UK single: E.G. Records / FERRx 1 881873-1
  1. "Slave to Love" (special 12" re-mix) – 5:56
  2. "Slave to Love" (instrumental) – 4:23
  3. "Valentine" (instrumental) – 4:00

Charts

Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[2] 29
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[3] 11
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[4] 75
France (SNEP)[5] 45
Germany (Official German Charts)[6] 30
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 8
Italy (Musica e dischi)[8] 9
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[9] 36
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 33
Norway (VG-lista)[11] 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 18
UK Singles (OCC)[14] 10
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)[15] 109
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[16] 19

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[17] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Use in media

  • The song appears in the Miami Vice episode "Junk Love" which aired on November 8, 1985.
  • The song was used in series 17 of Silent Witness.[18]
  • The song was used in a scene of the TV show Pose, Season 1, Episode 2.
  • The song was used in a scene of the TV show Prodigal Son, Season 2, Episode 9.
  • The song was used in the show American Horror Story season 4 episode 5.
  • The song was used in Legion, season 2 episode 6.
  • The song appears in the film Fire with Fire (1986) where Lisa (Virginia Madsen) dances to it with Joe (Craig Sheffer).
  • The song appears on the soundtrack to the film 9½ Weeks (1986).
  • The song appears in the film Bitter Moon (1992) where Mimi (Emmanuelle Seigner) dances to it with Fiona (Kristin Scott Thomas) at the New Year's Eve Ball scene aboard the cruise ship.
  • The song appears in the film Exit to Eden (1994).
  • The song was used in the film Abduction (2011).
  • The song was used in the film Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014).

References

  1. ^ "Roxy Music - Songs". Vivaroxymusic.com. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  2. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  3. ^ "Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  4. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0551." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  5. ^ "Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love" (in French). Les classement single.
  6. ^ "Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  7. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Slave to Love". Irish Singles Chart.
  8. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Bryan Ferry".
  9. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bryan Ferry" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  10. ^ "Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  11. ^ "Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love". VG-lista.
  12. ^ "Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love". Top 40 Singles.
  13. ^ "Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love". Swiss Singles Chart.
  14. ^ "Bryan Ferry: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  15. ^ "Bubbling Under" (PDF). Billboard. 15 June 1985. p. 72. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Bryan Ferry Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  17. ^ "British single certifications – Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  18. ^ "Series 17, In a Lonely Place Episode 2 of 2". BBC. Retrieved 17 January 2019.

External links

  • "Slave to Love" at Discogs (list of releases)
  • v
  • t
  • e
Studio albums
Compilation albums
  • Street Life: 20 Great Hits
  • The Ultimate Collection
  • More than This: The Best of Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music
Singles
  • "Let's Stick Together"
  • "The Price of Love"
  • "Heart on My Sleeve"
  • "This Is Tomorrow"
  • "Tokyo Joe"
  • "Sign of the Times"
  • "Slave to Love"
  • "Don't Stop the Dance"
  • "Windswept"
  • "The Right Stuff"
  • "Kiss and Tell"
  • "Limbo"
Related articles
  • v
  • t
  • e
Studio albums
Video albums
Singles
Featured singles
Promotional singles
Other songs
Concerts and tours
Television
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