Labeled With Love

Album: East Side Story (1981)
Charted: 4
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Songfacts®:

  • Squeeze guitarist and lyricist Chris Difford got the idea for this song after looking at a photograph of an old lady sitting in a bar in Paris in 1936. Says Difford: "'Labeled With Love' was an adult lyric in a way that the older generation could latch on to and understand. My mother absolutely loved it. The story is about the end of a relationship after the war. I'd been reading about American soldiers in Britain during the war who married English girls and whisked them off their feet to the States."
  • Elvis Costello produced this track, which has a distinctly Country sound. Glenn Tilbrook, who is Squeeze's other guitarist and writes their music, wrote this in a Country style and Costello pushed it in that direction. Says Tilbrook: "I had been listening to some Hank Williams before, but Elvis really broadened my knowledge of Country music. It was one of those barriers you cross when you think something is square and horrible but then discover it has a heart beating inside. I discovered there were loads of great artists who I'd avoided listening to because I lumped all Country music together."
  • Tilbrook wasn't going to include this on the album, as it didn't fit the band's style, but when Elvis Costello heard the demo, he loved it and had them record it. (Read more in our interview with Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford of Squeeze. The Squeeze site is squeezeofficial.com.)

Comments: 2

  • Womarcman from CornwallI don't know why I love this song, I have to hear it at least a couple of times a week. I feel so sorry for this lady, she'd be welcome in my house any time.
  • Rebecca Dale from Cedartown Ga When I heard that song it sounded like country I thought that a british rock band singing country it was very shocking
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