Love, Truth and Honesty

"Love, Truth and Honesty" is the only Bananarama's single to give a songwriting credit to new member Jacquie O'Sullivan,{{Cite web |title=A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 37: Love, Truth And Honesty to All Of Me on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ep-37-love-truth-and-honesty-to-all-of-me/id1565879477?i=1000577589201 |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-AU}} and was also the last single Bananarama would write with SAW as a trio. Speaking of the subject matter of the song, Keren Woodward noted, "The single’s more bitter than it appears on the surface. It's not 'Hey! Love, Truth and Honesty!' It’s what a fool I was to believe in love truth and honesty.”

Jonh Wilde from Melody Maker wrote, "Another blithely cheerful nursery-rhyme that will get housewives rattling their J-cloths all over the home counties, flicking the dust-beetles under the rugs as they whistle along, "Never trust your emotions, they'll always let you down", they yodel."{{cite magazine|first=Jonh|last=Wilde|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/51180141608/|title=Singles|magazine=Melody Maker|date=17 September 1988|page=35|access-date=30 October 2023}} Jack Barron from NME said, "A tale of betrayal, 'Love Truth and Honesty' doesn't bleat about the bush but blushes with a tacky SAW electrodance beat and purple prose passion. Prime pop delivered in a screw-top."{{cite magazine|first=Jack|last=Barron|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/51192997201/|title=Singles|magazine=NME|date=24 September 1988|page=16|access-date=31 October 2023}} James Hamilton from Record Mirror was critical of the song, describing it as a "surprisingly dull and uninspired Stock Aiken Waterman produced blandly lolloping {{frac|116|1|3}} bpm canterer with the girls's usual unison vocal patterns and typically nagging hook".{{cite magazine |last=Hamilton |first=James |author-link=James Hamilton (DJ and journalist) |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/88/Record-Mirror-1988-08-27.pdf |title=DJ directory by James Hamilton |magazine=Record Mirror |date=27 August 1988 |page=39 |location=London |publisher=Spotlight Publications Ltd.|via=World Radio History |issn=0144-5804 |access-date=30 October 2023}} Similarly, in another issue of the same magazine, David Gilles called it a "lesser song", adding "it's about time they [Bananarama's members] broke away from SAW".{{cite magazine |last=Giles |first=David |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/88/Record-Mirror-1988-09-17.pdf |title=45 reviewed by David Giles |magazine=Record Mirror |date=17 September 1988 |page=30 |location=London |publisher=Spotlight Publications Ltd.|via=World Radio History |issn=0144-5804 |access-date=30 October 2023}} By contrast, in 2017, Christian Guiltenane of British magazine Attitude praised this Bananarama song as being "one of their more glum affairs (though still wrapped up in a tinny SAW package), but is sensational nevertheless".{{cite magazine |url= https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/film-tv/the-very-best-hits-and-misses-of-stock-aitken-waterman-285566/ |first=Christian |last=Guiltenane |title=The very best hits (and misses) of Stock Aitken Waterman |magazine=Attitude |date=7 September 2017 |issn=1353-1875 |location=London |accessdate=24 January 2024}}

In 2021, British magazine Classic Pop ranked it number 15 in their list of "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs", describing it as a "bleak yet lovable ode to the nasty business of love cheats" and as being "charming, simple, honest".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.classicpopmag.com/2021/08/stock-aitken-waterman-songs/|first=|last=|title=Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs|magazine=Classic Pop|date=18 August 2021|accessdate=5 September 2021}} In 2023, Tom Eames of Smooth Radio ranked the song at number nine in his "Bananarama's 10 greatest songs, ranked" list.{{cite web |url=https://www.smoothradio.com/features/top-songs/bananarama-songs-best-ranked/ |first=Tom |last=Eames |title= Bananarama's 10 greatest songs, ranked |publisher=Smooth Radio |date=30 August 2023 |accessdate=6 February 2024}}

"Love, Truth and Honesty" was not as successful as Bananarama's previous singles from the Wow! album. In the UK, it entered the chart at number 31 on 24 September 1988, peaked at number 23 for consecutive two weeks and fell off the chart after eight weeks of presence. The only country where it peaked within the top ten is Finland where it topped the chart, while it was a top 20 hit in Ireland where it attained number 12 with four weeks of charting, and New Zealand where it peaked at number 20 and appeared on the chart for five weeks. In addition, it reached number 25 in Switzerland, missed the top 30 in Australia and the top 40 in West Germany by two places in each case, and barely made the top 100 in the Netherlands. In the United States, "Love, Truth and Honesty" peaked at number 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charted for three weeks, marking the group's last appearance on the chart, but did better on the Dance Club Songs chart, peaking at number 26 in its fourth week out of a seven chart run. On the European Hot 100 singles chart compiled by Pan-European magazine Music & Media, it ranked for eight weeks, with a peak at number 41 twice, in its fourth and fifth weeks.

The accompanying music video for "Love, Truth and Honesty", directed by Big TV!, features the trio performing in front of mirrors and neon lights as a well-groomed man looks on. The three members of the band are shown alternately in evening gowns—a departure from their previous looks—as well as more casual black outfits.

• 7-inch single

1. "Love, Truth and Honesty" – 3:25
2. "Strike It Rich" – 5:03

• 12-inch single

1. "Love, Truth and Honesty" (Dance Hall Version) – 7:20
2. "Strike It Rich" (Full Length Club Mix) – 5:55

• 12-inch single (The Remixes)

1. "Love, Truth and Honesty" (Balearacidic Mix) – 8:20
2. "Love, Truth and Honesty" (Hot Power 12″) – 9:15
3. "Strike It Rich" – 2:15

• US 12-inch single

1. "Love, Truth and Honesty" (Hot Power Mix) – 9:24
2. "Love, Truth and Honesty" (Hot Power Edit) – 3:30
3. "Love, Truth and Honesty" (Dance Hall Version) – 7:20
4. "Strike It Rich" (Full Length Club Mix) – 5:58

• UK and German CD maxi single

1. "Love, Truth and Honesty" (Dance Hall Version) – 7:25
2. "Strike It Rich" (Full Length Club Mix) – 5:17
3. "I Want You Back" – 3:49
4. "Love, Truth and Honesty" – 3:25

{{Reflist}}

{{Bananarama}}

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Category:1988 singles

Category:1988 songs

Category:Bananarama songs

Category:London Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by Big T.V.

Category:Number-one singles in Finland

Category:Song recordings produced by Stock Aitken Waterman

Category:Songs written by Keren Woodward

Category:Songs written by Matt Aitken

Category:Songs written by Mike Stock (musician)

Category:Songs written by Pete Waterman

Category:Songs written by Sara Dallin