So, Westlife replace The Spice Girls at number one, and in doing so break the Girls’ record for consecutive chart-toppers…
My Love, by Westlife (their 7th of fourteen #1s)
1 week, from 5th – 12th November 2000
I’ll come clean… this is my favourite Westlife number one. I know, I know, just having a favourite Westlife number one is not something to admit in polite company, let alone revealing which song it is. But here we are. Something about ‘My Love’ just bloody well does it for me.
Despite it being one of their most unashamedly old-fashioned ballads, with all the tinkly production, drenched in echo and gloop, there’s something appealing about it. I’ve always thought it had the feel of ‘Mull of Kintyre’, and apparently the songwriting team responsible did have Wings’ mega-hit as a deliberate reference point. It’s Celtic enough, with a timeless melody and lyrics about meeting a long-lost love where the fields are green, without resorting to the bejaysus sort of Irishisms that B*Witched were so fond of.
Though I’m pretty sure I also compared ‘Fool Again’ to ‘Mull of Kintyre’. (There’s a chance Westlife’s entire career was based around ‘Mull of Kintyre’.) Anyway. Of course, a majestic key change is pulled off for the final chorus, and things end in suitably soaring fashion. In the video the lads find themselves finally back on the Emerald Isle, on the Cliffs of Moher. I may cast doubts on the singing abilities of certain other boybands, but I don’t think anyone could accuse Westlife of shirking their most basic responsibility. The boys can sing.
I’ll move on, however, before I find myself lavishing any more praise on Westlife than is strictly necessary. For those not so enamoured, you’ll be glad to note that we’ve already reached the halfway point in terms of the band’s number ones. The end is almost in sight!
What’s interesting is that while in the UK ‘My Love’ doesn’t make Top 10 on the list of Westlife’s best-sellers, for much of the rest of the world it is their signature song. Ask anyone on the streets of Hong Kong, Bangkok, or Kuala Lumpur to name a Westlife tune, and they’ll probably say this one. In South Korea it has apparently never left the International Karaoke Charts since they began in 2010…
Like I said, this was Westlife’s seventh consecutive number one, and it broke the Spice Girl’s record of six in a row from debut. This is all rendered moot, really, by the fact that the Beatles managed eleven in a row between ‘From Me to You’ and ‘Eleanor Rigby’ (their first two singles having not made #1). And Westlife’s run will come crashing to an end with their next release, foiled by a cartoon construction worker…
The UK Number Ones Blog 
I wasn’t recognising this song until the chorus, and then I knew this song. It went #36 here in Australia but you still hear it every every once and while. Oh this is a great song. As someone who doesn’t really know what Westlife’s chart-toppers were and have been using this blog to discover what they were, I think “If I Let You Go” so far is their best chart-topper, but this is easily No. 2 and one of two that I actually really enjoy from this group. Both songs even follow the exact same formula in terms of construction. Sometimes Westlife sounds like they’re going through the motions but they were trying with this one.
I have never seen the music video and I thought they were doing a “I Want It That Way” rip-off but then it became a U2/Christian rock knock-off.
Yeah when you compare this with their cover of Seasons in the Sun, there is a big difference in quality of production and the effort put in, despite both songs being pretty much the same kind of thing.
Not heard this in 25 years and it’s not one I could name off the top of my head as a Westlife chart-topper, as I play it now the chorus is familiar but the rest of the song I would struggle to name the song if that was a clip. If it reminds me of anything it’s Rod’s Rhythm Of My Heart, but not as good. Mildly pleasant, and among their better ballads, I would rank it.
I’d probably have forgotten its existence too, had this not become their signature song in the Far East, where they are still incredibly popular. Something to do with a far higher tolerance for sentimental tripe out here, and the relatively simple English lyrics, I think.
Yes, Singapore was the same back in the day – dubiously moral rock music was banned and wholesome pop was welcomed with open arms, especially the Carpenters, Neil Diamond stuff like that, so I’m sure it’s to do with that tradition. The Carpenters were one of the few Western acts to regularly compete with homegrown acts in the main Japanese singles charts of the early 70’s so I’m guessing what was once called “Easy Listening” as a genre has descendants in Westlife and others – they would def have been grouped into that, even if some ironically found them difficult to listen to 🙂
Oh the Carpenters are still fairly well known here. I work with Japanese people and have, let’s be polite and say enjoyed, quite a few karaoke renditions of ‘Top of the World’. That and ‘Country Roads’…
Ah Karaoke, and all that brings, good and bad 🙂 I cant sing so thats not a danger but I do enjoy helping folk try and keep up with the lyrics when they start straying. In my bar of choice – Shenanigans Gran Canaria – regular songs are Sweet Caroline, Penny Arcade (!) – football related these days – and at christmas Merry Christmas Everyone. When someone opts for an unusual choice it’s a bonus!
That’s a good melody and chorus, just too sentimental to embrace fully.