The Power of Love (5:28)

“The Power of Love” is the third single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in November 1984. It is taken from the album Welcome to the Pleasuredome. The track was first featured during the John Peel Sessions the band performed on during 1983, which was slower and emphasized the track’s original camp ironic content (such as the Hooded Claw being from cartoon The Perils of Penelope Pitstop).

“The Power of Love” followed its two predecessors, “Relax” and “Two Tribes”, to the top of the UK singles chart, scoring the band an early December number-one, being pipped at the post by Band Aid for Christmas chart topper.

To commemorate the Christmas release, Godley & Creme directed a nativity themed video for the single, and the artwork for the single also used traditional Christian iconography. The original showing of the video on The Tube featured the nativity occupying the whole screen, however the borders of band members were added for later showings due to pressure from UK broadcasters.

The 12” mix of the song featured actor Chris Barrie’s aping DJ Mike Read’s banning of the single “Relax”.

The single also featured a Christmas message from the band, entitled “Holier Than Thou”.

On the cover it is reproduced the Assunta by Titian, a XVI century painting in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari of Venice.

Holly Johnson, former singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, recorded his own version of “The Power of Love” which was released on his 1999 album Soulstream and was released as a single which made #56 in the UK. The single stayed in the charts for 2 weeks. A music video was created for the track although it is somewhat of a collectors item today.