5 Things You Didn’t Know About Roxette’s It Must Have Been Love

25 years have passed since the premiere of Pretty Woman, which took the then unknown Julia Roberts to level of an international super star. The soundtrack included Roxette’s ‘It Must Have Been Love,’ which rose to No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in June 1990.

While many people listened and have grown to love the track, these facts might be new.

1 Pretty Woman was named 3 000 Dollars

Roxette couldn’t have asked for a better timing. Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson had suddenly reached international stardom when ‘The Look’ climed to the top of the US chart during the spring of 1989. Disney/Touchstone Pictures approached the duo and asked them to write a song for the movie 3 000 Dollars, a romantic comedy about a rich business man falling in love with a charming and carefree hooker.

2 ‘It Must Have Been Love’ Was an Old Christmas Hit

As ‘Listen to Your Heart’ rose to No.1 and the whole world was screaming for Roxette in the summer of 1989, there was simply no time for the duo to pen another song. Instead, they offered the studio the three year old yuletide song ‘It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted).’ The song was released in Sweden in December 1987, finally peaking at No.4 in January 1998. While ‘Listen to Your Heart’ was a hit during the fall of 1989, director Garry Marshall realized that Roexette had delivered the key theme to the movie – if only he could get rid of the Christmas references in the lyrics.

Roxette – It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)

3 The Song and the Movie Changed

Roxette was tempted to be included in a big Hollywood production, re-writing the lyrics and recorded a new version of the track. An updated version was sent to L.A. as the movie changed its name to Pretty Woman. On the 13^th June, 1990, Roxette topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a third time. That’s within a year! In addition, both ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Dressed for Success’ peaked at No.2.

Roxette – It Must Have Been Love (Theme from Pretty Woman)

4 ‘It Must Have Been Love’ Passed the 5m Mark in 2014

Last year, Per Gessle received the “Million Air Award,” since ‘It Must Have Been Love’ passed more than 5m radio airplays in the US. This had previously been performed by ‘Listen to Your Heart.’

5 Parlophone/Warner Re-issues a Digital Version of ‘It Must Have Been Love’ Today

A digital version of ‘It Must Have Been Love’ is re-iussed today (23^rd March) and a newly pressed 7 inch single (limited edition) will be released on 6^th May. During the US tour in 1992, Roxette re-recorded ‘It Must Have Been Love’ in Los Angeeles. It was then mixed with a live recording and included on the ‘Tourism’ album in 1992. This is the first time it will be available in an edited version as a bonus track on the album. And as Roxette continues touring across the world, we sure know that love – is by far not over.