Don't You Love Me (Eternal song)

"Don't You Love Me" is a song by British R&B girl group Eternal. It was the second single to be released from their third studio album, Before the Rain (1997). The song deals with child neglect and abuse and features a choir of 20 children.^[2] It peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart in March 1997, becoming the group's tenth top-10 entry on the chart, as well as their first top-three hit.

"Don't You Love Me"
Single by Eternal
from the album Before the Rain
Released	24 February 1997 (1997-02-24)[1]
Genre	R&B
Length	3:50
Label	EMI, 1st Avenue
Songwriter(s)	Cynthia Biggs, Carolyn Mitchell, Terence Dudley, Christopher Kellum
Producer(s)	Ronnie Wilson, Dennis Charles
Eternal singles chronology
"Secrets" (1996) "Don't You Love Me" (1997) "I Wanna Be the Only One" (1997)
Alternative cover
UK CD2

Critical reception

British magazine Music Week rated the song four out of five, writing, "Unusually opening like a second cousin of The Persuaders theme, this breaks into one of Eternal's strongest singles yet. Its powerful, rounder sound hints at a more mature musical direction for the forthcoming new album."^[3] Editor Alan Jones described "Don't You Love Me" as "a classy mid-tempo pop/R&B song hanging on a slightly changed but otherwise familiar bassline from the Dennis Edwards hit Don't Look Any Further." He added, "Quite haunting and not even spoilt by a kid's chorus which appears as the record heads for the fade."^[4] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror commented, "Before Spice Girls, Eternal were the most successful girl group in Britain - but they're not bitter. In fact, as this single shows, Eternal are better. A great taster for their next album, 'Don't You Love Me', this proves that when it comes to R'n'B the girls are up there with En Vogue. A definite hit, there's even a cheesy Charlie's Angels CD cover."^[5]

Track listings

UK CD1[6] "Don't You Love Me" (radio mix) "I'll Take a Pass on Love" "This Life's Not for Me" UK CD2 and Australian CD single[7][8] "Don't You Love Me" (radio mix) "Don't You Love Me" (Blacksmith remix) "Don't You Love Me" (Ronnie Size mix) "Don't You Love Me" (Mark's Dream House vocal) "Don't You Love Me" (Tony De Vit Trade mix)

UK cassette single[9] "Don't You Love Me" (radio mix) "This Life's Not for Me" "Don't You Love Me" (Mark's Dream House vocal) European CD single[10] "Don't You Love Me" (radio mix) "Don't You Love Me" (Mark's Dream House vocal)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1997) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[11] 25 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 44 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 32 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[14] 17 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 23 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 12 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 19 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 31 Scotland (OCC)[19] 7 UK Singles (OCC)[20] 3 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[21] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position Romania (Romanian Top 100)[22] 17 UK Singles (OCC)[23][24] 81

References

1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 22 February 1997. p. 41. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
2. Before the Rain (UK CD album booklet). Eternal. EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. CDEMD 1103, 7243 8 56352 2 9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 22 February 1997. p. 14. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
4. Jones, Alan (8 February 1997). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 8. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
5. Hyland, Ian (23 February 1997). "Kula Are in a Hush to Shake It Up". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
6. Don't You Love Me (UK CD1 liner notes). Eternal. EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. CDEMS 465, 7243 8 83745 2 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. Don't You Love Me (UK CD2 liner notes). Eternal. EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. CDEM 465, 7243 8 83746 2 0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. Don't You Love Me (Australian CD single liner notes). Eternal. EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. 8838272.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. Don't You Love Me (UK cassette single sleeve). Eternal. EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. TCEM 465, 7243 8 83745 4 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. Don't You Love Me (European CD single liner notes). Eternal. EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. 7243 8 83732 2 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. "Eternal – Don't You Love Me". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
12. "Eternal – Don't You Love Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
13. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 22 March 1997. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
14. "Íslenski Listinn NR. 218 Vikuna 24.4. '97 – 30.4. '97". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 25 April 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't You Love Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Eternal" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
17. "Eternal – Don't You Love Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
18. "Eternal – Don't You Love Me". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
19. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
21. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
22. "Romanian Top 100 Singles Airplay – Top of the Year 1997" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 January 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
23. "Top 100 Singles 1997". Music Week. 17 January 1998. p. 27.
24. "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1997" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2020.