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Love Spreads#Cover art

{{Short description|1994 single by the Stone Roses}}

{{About||the comedy film|Love Spreads (film)}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Love Spreads

| cover = Lovesprods.jpg

| type = single

| artist = the Stone Roses

| album = Second Coming

| B-side =

  • "Your Star Will Shine"
  • "Breakout"
  • "Groove Harder"

| released = {{start date|1994|11|21|df=y}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-11-19.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=39|date=19 November 1994|access-date=24 June 2021}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

  • Alternative rock{{cite web|date=18 August 2014|title=The 100 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1994|url=https://www.spin.com/2014/08/100-best-alternative-rock-songs-1994-alt/|access-date=24 March 2021|website=Spin}}
  • blues rock{{cite news|last=Pollock|first=David|date=15 June 2016|title=Stone Roses – 10 of the best|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/jun/15/stone-roses-10-of-the-best|access-date=24 March 2021|issn=0261-3077}}

| length = 5:46

| label = Geffen

| writer = John Squire

| producer = Simon Dawson

| prev_title = I Am the Resurrection

| prev_year = 1992

| next_title = Ten Storey Love Song

| next_year = 1995

}}

"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 100 Hit Tracks chart. The single also reached the top 10 in Ireland and the top 20 in Sweden.

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.tjs-newport.demon.co.uk/rg/bridge/ |title=tjs-newport.demon.co.uk |website=Tjs-newport.demon.co.uk |access-date=27 July 2016}} 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 minor. Its lyrics are a telling of the Passion of Christ, reinterpreting Jesus as a black woman.

In 1995, guitarist John Squire said the lyrics were inspired by British author Rosalind Miles' 1988 book The Women's History of the World.{{cite web|url=http://www.thestoneroses.co.uk/press/spin-may-1995|title=The Morning After |last=Reynolds|first=Simon|website= Spin |date=May 1995 |access-date=18 June 2021}} The book examines the roles of women, their representation, and their power through history.

Critical reception

Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream hailed the song "as the greatest comeback single ever."{{cn|date=August 2023}} 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".{{cite web|date=31 March 2011|title=Album A&E - The Stone Roses, 'Second Coming'|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/album-ae-the-stone-roses-second-coming|access-date=27 July 2016|website=NME}} AllMusic called the song a "true classic".{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=Second Coming - The Stone Roses {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/second-coming-mw0000108433|access-date=27 July 2016|website=AllMusic}}

Music video

There are two music videos for "Love Spreads". The original UK version, directed by Mike Clark and the Stone Roses,{{cite news|title=Broadcast No's: Music Videos You'll Never See|last=A.J. Jacobs|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20396305_296998,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019065440/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20396305_296998,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 October 2012|newspaper=Entertainment Weekly|date=28 April 1995|access-date=4 December 2011}} 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.{{cite news|title=Production Notes|newspaper=Billboard|date=8 April 1995|page=53}}

In popular culture

{{unreferenced section|date=May 2018}}

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"{{cite web |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 'Invisible Evidence' Soundtracks |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0534707/soundtrack/?ref_=tt_trv_snd |website=IMDB |access-date=25 May 2023}} and in a season 5 episode of Entourage, "Return to Queens Boulevard."{{cite web |title=Entourage 'Return to Queens Blvd' Soundtracks |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1280586/soundtrack/?ref_=tt_trv_snd |website=IMDB |access-date=25 May 2023}} It also appeared in the season 2 episode of Severance, "Who Is Alive?"{{Cite web |last=cinerina |date=2022-05-07 |title=Music in Severance |url=https://severance.wiki/music_in_severance |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=Severance Wiki |language=en}}

The song is featured in the music video game 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 Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock.

Track listings

7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Love Spreads|others=The Stone Roses|year=1994|type=UK 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Geffen Records|id=GFS 84}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Love Spreads|others=The Stone Roses|year=1994|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Geffen Records|id=GFSC 84}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Love Spreads|others=The Stone Roses|year=1994|type=Australian cassette single sleeve|publisher=Geffen Records|id=GEFCS-19210}}

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

12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Love Spreads|others=The Stone Roses|year=1994|type=UK 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Geffen Records|id=GFST 84}}

:A1. "Love Spreads" (LP version) – 5:46

:A2. "Your Star Will Shine" (LP version) – 2:56

:B1. "Breakout" – 6:04

:B2. "Groove Harder" – 4:26

CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Love Spreads|others=The Stone Roses|year=1994|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Geffen Records|id=GFSTD 84}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Love Spreads|others=The Stone Roses|year=1994|type=European CD single disc notes|publisher=Geffen Records|id=GED 21885}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Love Spreads|others=The Stone Roses|year=1994|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Geffen Records|id=GEFDM-21885}}

  1. "Love Spreads" (LP version) – 5:46
  2. "Your Star Will Shine" (LP version) – 2:56
  3. "Breakout" – 6:03

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1994–1995)

!scope="col"|Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|36|artist=The Stone Roses|song=Love Spreads|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|67|chartid=7992|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}
scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-12-10.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=11|issue=50|page=6|date=10 December 1994|access-date=18 March 2020}}

|8

{{single chart|Ireland2|8|song=Love Spreads|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|23|artist=The Stone Roses|song=Love Spreads|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}
{{single chart|Scotland|1|date=19941203|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}
{{single chart|Sweden|13|artist=The Stone Roses|song=Love Spreads|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}
{{single chart|UK|2|date=19941203|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}
{{single chart|UKrock|4|date=19950125|rowheader=true|access-date=22 October 2018}}
{{single chart|Billboardradiosongs|55|artist=The Stone Roses|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}
{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|2|artist=The Stone Roses|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}
{{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|4|artist=The Stone Roses|rowheader=true|access-date=11 May 2018}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1994)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles 1994|magazine=Music Week|page=9|date=14 January 1995}}

|96

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1995)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music: Hot Album Rock Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=107|issue=51|page=YE-76|date=23 December 1995}}

|26

scope="row"|US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music: Hot Modern Rock Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=107|issue=51|page=YE-77|date=23 December 1995}}

|30

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Stone Roses|title=Love Spreads|award=Gold|relyear=2005|certyear=2023|id=14684-561-1|access-date=14 July 2023}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.john-squire.com/discography/new/disco_tsr_singles_lovespreads.html The Definitive Stone Roses Discography entry]

{{The Stone Roses}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:The Stone Roses songs

Category:1994 singles

Category:1994 songs

Category:Blues rock songs

Category:Geffen Records singles

Category:Number-one singles in Scotland

Category:Songs written by John Squire