What can I say about this incredible song? Some in the music business call “I’m Not In Love” by 10cc “…one of the great multi-track hits of all time …” right up there with Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”  I’m not sure I would go that far, but I remember quite clearly when the song came out in the summer of 1975 and thinking at the time–and still do–that this song just washes over you.  So many layers, so many sounds that you just immediately want to hear it again because you felt like you missed something.

Ironically, while “I’m Not in Love” became the band’s second #1 hit in the UK stayed atop their singles chart for two weeks that summer, in the US, the song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, blocked from the top spot by not one but three different number-ones each week (Van McCoy’s “The Hustle”, The Eagles’ “One of These Nights”, and the Bee Gees’ “Jive Talkin'”). The only other song of theirs I can even really remember is “The Things We Do for Love” which came out in 1976.

Until I found this video, I really didn’t know much about the band, or how this song came about.  It’s really quite an interesting story, even if you’re not a fan of 10cc’s music. This clip is part of a longer BBC documentary which is also quite good, especially when you find out that one of the founding members of 10cc, Graham Gouldman, wrote “For Your Love” for the Yardbirds, “Bus Stop” for the Hollies, and dozens of other hits. (If you want to watch that entire hour long documentary, I have posted it below.) Ultimately, you find out that this quartet was very innovative with their music and got to hone their songs because they actually built their own recording studio in the early 70’s and could do whatever they wanted to, just to get the sound they wanted. A lot of their songs are goofy and fun and/or just plain weird, but 10cc was never, ever boring.

Enjoy!