The Story of... 'Love Is All Around' by Wet Wet Wet

13 March 2019, 16:29 | Updated: 15 October 2020, 20:31

Wet Wet Wet's romantic anthem was essentially the soundtrack of 1994, and is still one of the best love songs of all time.

It was the theme to Four Weddings and a Funeral, and now that a sequel (of sorts) is on the way, let's take a look back at the power ballad classic.

1. Who wrote 'Love is All Around'?

   

   The Troggs - Love Is All Around

   The late Reg Presley wrote the love song, but it originally sounded very different.

   His band The Troggs first recorded the track, which reached number five in the UK in November 1967.

   The song was inspired by a TV broadcast of the Joy Strings Salvation Army band's song 'Love That's All Around'.

2. Why did Wet Wet Wet cover it?

   Director Richard Curtis approached Wet Wet Wet about recording a cover song to soundtrack his new film Four Weddings and a Funeral.

   The Scottish band were able to pick between three choices of songs. The other two were 'I Will Survive' by Gloria Gaynor, and 'Can't Smile Without You' by Barry Manilow.

   Singer Marti Pellow said the decision to pick 'Love is All Around' was an easy choice, "because we knew we could make it our own".

3. How did it perform in the charts?

   

   Wet Wet Wet - Love Is All Around (Official Video)

   After two weeks in the UK top ten, it reached number one on May 29, 1994.

   It then stayed there for 15 weeks, which is still the joint second-longest UK chart reign of all time, beaten only by Bryan Adams' '(Everything I Do) I Do It for You', which was number one for 16 weeks in 1991.

   It was equalled by Drake's 'One Dance' in 2016.

   During its chart run, some radio stations even banned the song, as many listeners were fed up of it.

   The band themselves even decided to delete the record from sale after its 15th week at the top, stopping them from equalling Bryan's record.

   As of February 2018, it had sold 1.9 million copies in the UK, making it the best-selling love song of all time.

   Pellow later said: "We did everybody's head in the summer of 1994. I still think it's a brilliant record. Its strength is its sheer simplicity. Any band would give their eye teeth to have a hit record like that. I'm very proud of it."

   It only reached number 41 in the US.

4. What songs did it keep off number one?

   

   All-4-One - I Swear

   These poor souls had to settle for number two during its long run at the top in 1994:

   1. Big Mountain - 'Baby I Love Your Way' (3 weeks)
   2. All-4-One - 'I Swear' (7 weeks)
   3. Let Loose - 'Crazy for You' (2 weeks)
   4. Red Dragon with Brian and Tony Gold - 'Compliments on Your Kiss' (1 week)
   5. Kylie Minogue - 'Confide in Me' (1 week)

5. Who else has covered it?

   

   Billy Mack - Christmas Is All Around 1080p (Created in HD by Veso™)

   Pellow recorded his own version of the song for his 2002 album Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile.

   Richard Curtis returned to the song that gave him so much success in his 2003 film Love Actually, where Bill Nighy's character Billy Mack gave a festive riff on it with 'Christmas Is All Around'.

6. Love is All Around lyrics:

   I feel it in my fingers
   I feel it in my toes
   The love that's all around me
   And so the feeling grows
   
   It's written on the wind
   It's everywhere I go
   So if you really love me
   Come on and let it show
   
   You know I love you, I always will
   My mind's made up by the way that I feel
   There's no beginning, there'll be no end
   'Cause on my love you can depend
   
   I see your face before me
   As I lay on my bed
   I cannot get to thinking
   Of all the things you said
   
   You gave your promise to me and I gave mine to you
   I need someone beside me in everything I do
   You know I love you, I always will
   My mind's made up by the way that I feel
   
   There's no beginning, there'll be no end
   'Cause on my love you can depend

   I got to keep it moving
   It's written in the wind
   Oh everywhere I go
   So if you really love me, love me
   Come on and let it show
   Come on and let it show
   Come on and let it
   Come on and let it,
   Come on and let it show
   Come on and let it,
   Come on and let it,
   Come on and let it show,
   Come on and let it show,
   Come on and let it show