Light of My Life
{{Short description|1995 single by Louise Redknapp}}
{{About||the film|Light of My Life (film)}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Light of My Life
| cover = Louise-Light_of_My_Life.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Louise
| album = Naked
| B-side = Real Love
| released = {{start date|1995|9|25|df=y}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-09-23.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=35|date=23 September 1995|access-date=7 June 2021}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:17
| label =
| writer =
- Simon Climie
- Denis Ingoldsby
- Oliver Smallman
| producer = Simon Climie
| next_title = In Walked Love
| next_year = 1996
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|fENzsRDbiOY|"Light of My Life"}}}}
}}
"Light of My Life" is a song by British singer Louise, released as her first single as a solo artist from the debut solo album Naked (1995), following her departure from Eternal earlier that year. Released on 25 September 1995 by EMI and 1st Avenue, the ballad reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart and number 18 in Ireland. It was written by Simon Climie and Oliver Smallman, and produced by Climie. A music video was made to promote the single, directed by Russell Young.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
Critical reception
Jon O'Brien from AllMusic named 'Light of My Life' "a lighters-in-the-air ballad".{{cite web|first=Jon|last=O'Brien|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/changing-faces-best-of-louise-mw0000462815|title=Louise — Changing Faces: Best of Louise|publisher=AllMusic|date= |accessdate=21 October 2021}} James Masterton for Dotmusic praised it as "a beautiful ballad that shows her voice off to perfect effect".{{cite web|last=Masterton|first=James|title=Week Ending October 7th 1995|url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/1995/week-ending-october-7th-1995|website=Chart Watch UK|date=1 October 1995|accessdate=28 September 2021|author-link=James Masterton}} Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "For her debut single, Louise, once a member of Eternal, cites Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones as major influences. This smooth ballad, penned by producer Simon Climie, is certainly a change from the up-tempo energy of Eternal."{{cite magazine|url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-10-28.pdf |title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= Music & Media |volume= 12 |issue= 43 |date= 28 October 1996 |page= 10 |accessdate= 15 October 2020}} Music Week deemed it as "a disappointing track that may do well but is unlikely to have Eternal worrying too much."{{cite magazine|first= |last= |title= Reviews: Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= 16 September 1995 |page= 46 |accessdate= 12 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-09-16.pdf}} Mark Sutherland from NME named it a "Mariah Carey-esque ballad".{{cite web|first= Mark |last= Sutherland |title= Louise – Naked |url= http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000855reviews.html |work= NME |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20000817195646/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000855reviews.html |accessdate= 24 November 2020|archive-date= 17 August 2000 }} Siân Pattenden from Smash Hits gave 'Light of My Life' four out of five, writing, "And helloooooo gentlemen, is it a sultry affair. With a voice that's smoother than Louise's shiny hair, it'll be no problem for her to scale the top of the pop ten."{{cite magazine|first=Siân|last=Pattenden|url=https://sites.google.com/view/smash-hits-remembered-1994-5/home/1995/439-27th-september-10th-october-1995|title=Singles|work=Smash Hits|date=27 September 1995|page=56|access-date=14 February 2025|author-link=Siân Pattenden}}
Track listings
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- UK CD1 and Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Light of My Life|others=Louise|year=1995|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=CDEM 397, 7243 8 82433 2 2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Light of My Life|others=Louise|year=1995|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=7243 8 82433 2 2}}
- "Light of My Life"
- "Light of My Life" (piano and vocal mix)
- "Real Love"
- "Light of My Life"
- "Real Love" (Tin Tin Out remix)
- "Real Love" (Stonebridge remix)
- Exclusive interview with Louise
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- UK cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Light of My Life|others=Louise|year=1995|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=CDEMDJ 397}}
- "Light of My Life"
- "Real Love"
- "Light of My Life"
- "Light of My Life" (piano and vocal mix)
- "Real Love" (Tin Tin Out remix)
- "Real Love" (Stonebridge remix)
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Charts
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=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1995) !Peak |
| scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-10-21.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=42|page=23|date=21 October 1995|access-date=31 July 2019}}
|38 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Ireland2|18|song=Light of My Life|rowheader=true|access-date=10 April 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Scotland|11|date=19951021|rowheader=true|access-date=10 April 2018}} |
| {{single chart|UK|8|date=19951014|rowheader=true|access-date=10 April 2018}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1995) !Position |
| scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles 1995|magazine=Music Week|page=9|date=13 January 1996}}
|100 |
|---|
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References
{{Reflist}}
{{Louise Redknapp}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:First Avenue Records singles
Category:Louise Redknapp songs
Category:Songs written by Denis Ingoldsby