Love Is a Losing Game

"Love Is a Losing Game"
"Love Is a Losing Game"
Single by Amy Winehouse
from the album Back to Black
Released	7 December 2007 (Ireland); 10 December 2007 (UK);
Recorded	2006
Genre	Soul
Length	2:35
Label	Island
Songwriter(s)	Amy Winehouse
Producer(s)	Mark Ronson
Amy Winehouse singles chronology
Music video
	"Love Is a Losing Game" on YouTube

"Love Is a Losing Game" is a song by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse from her second and final studio album Back to Black (2006). It was chosen as the fifth and final single from Back to Black and was also the final single released in Winehouse's lifetime. The single was released on 10 December 2007 in the United Kingdom. The song was added to BBC Radio 1's playlist on 7 November 2007.

Release and response[]

George Michael named the song as one of his eight choices on the Radio Four programme Desert Island Discs. When asked which of his eight choices he would pick if he had to choose one, he opted for "Love Is a Losing Game". Prince had taken to covering the song live. On 21 September 2007, he was joined onstage by Winehouse at the final aftershow of his 21-gig marathon at The O2, and they performed the song together.^[1]

The song is the lowest-charting of Winehouse's Back to Black singles, peaking at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart and spending four weeks on the UK Top 100 (46-61-{33}-64).

Winehouse performed "Love Is a Losing Game" live when she appeared at the 2007 Mercury Prize.^[2] She later performed it at the 2008 BRIT Awards. The song won the award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the 2008 Ivor Novello Awards on 22 May 2008, Winehouse's third award at the event.

In 2015, Sam Smith recorded a cover of the song for the re-release of their debut album In the Lonely Hour (Drowning Shadows Edition). A documentary film biopic, directed by film maker Asif Kapadia was released; that depicts the life and death of Winehouse, entitled Amy (2015). Winehouse's performance of the single at the Mercury Prize in 2007 was included in the film and was also featured on the original soundtrack.

A recording of Winehouse's original demo of the song is available on the Back to Black deluxe edition bonus disc. In it, Winehouse sings accompanied only by her guitar, and on completion, asks the engineer whether it is a good take.

Music video[]

Two alternate music videos were released: the first is a montage video, which includes photographs of Winehouse alongside live performance clips of the song, and the second is an entirely live video, taken from her I Told You I Was Trouble live performance DVD.

Track listing[]

CD

"Love Is a Losing Game" – 2:35
"Love Is a Losing Game" (Kardinal Beats Remix) – 3:22
"Love Is a Losing Game" (Moody Boyz Original Ruffian Badboy Remix) – 7:12
"Love Is a Losing Game" (Truth And Soul Remix) – 3:55
"Love Is a Losing Game" (Enhanced Video) – 2:35

Awards[]

Year	Award	Category	Title	Result
2008	Ivor Novello Awards	Best Song Musically and Lyrically	"Love Is a Losing Game"	Won

Charts[]

Chart (2007–08)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)^[3]	16
Scotland (OCC)^[4]	31
UK Singles (OCC)^[5]	46
UK R&B (OCC)^[6]	6

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Ireland (IRMA)^[7]	33
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[8]	88
Scotland (OCC)^[9]	41
UK Singles (OCC)^[10]	33
UK R&B (OCC)^[11]	15

Certifications[]


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)^[12]	Gold	15,000^*
United Kingdom (BPI)^[13]	Gold	400,000
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Media usage[]

The song was used in the "Coup de Grace" episode, part 1 of the BBC Silent Witness, series 17.^[14]

References[]

^ Eliscu, Jenny (2007-06-14), "The Diva and Her Demons". Rolling Stone. (1028):58-69 Retrieved 2007-12-14
^ Amy Winehouse performs at the Mercury Awards on YouTube
^ "Ultratop.be – Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Amy Winehouse". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
^ "Italian single certifications – Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 12 February 2020. Select "2014" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Love Is a Losing Game" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
^ "British single certifications – Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
^ "Series 17, Coup de Grace Episode 1 of 2". BBC. Retrieved 2019-01-17.

External links[]

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

[demons-1] Eliscu, Jenny (2007-06-14), "The Diva and Her Demons". Rolling Stone. (1028):58-69 Retrieved 2007-12-14

[2] Amy Winehouse performs at the Mercury Awards on YouTube

[sc_Flanders_Tip_Amy_Winehouse-3] "Ultratop.be – Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

[sc_Scotland_-4] "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

[sc_UK_-5] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

[sc_UKrandb_-6] "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

[sc_Ireland3_Amy_Winehouse-7] "Irish-charts.com – Discography Amy Winehouse". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

[sc_Dutch100_Amy_Winehouse-8] "Dutchcharts.nl – Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

[SCO-2011-9] "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

[UK2011-10] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

[UKR&B2011-11] "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

[ItalyAmy_WinehouseLove_Is_a_Losing_GamesingleCertRef-12] "Italian single certifications – Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 12 February 2020. Select "2014" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Love Is a Losing Game" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".

[United_KingdomAmy_WinehouseLove_Is_a_Losing_GamesingleCertRef-13] "British single certifications – Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 October 2020.

[14] "Series 17, Coup de Grace Episode 1 of 2". BBC. Retrieved 2019-01-17.

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show v t Amy Winehouse
Discography Songs Awards and nominations
Studio albums	Frank Back to Black
Compilation albums	Lioness: Hidden Treasures Amy
Live albums	I Told You I Was Trouble: Live in London Amy Winehouse at the BBC
Singles	"Stronger Than Me" "Take the Box" "In My Bed" / "You Sent Me Flying" "Fuck Me Pumps" / "Help Yourself" "Rehab" "You Know I'm No Good" "Back to Black" "Tears Dry on Their Own" "Love Is a Losing Game" "Body and Soul" "Our Day Will Come"
Featured singles	"Valerie" "B Boy Baby" "Cherry Wine"
Video albums	I Told You I Was Trouble: Live in London Amy Winehouse at the BBC
Related articles	Lioness Records Dionne Bromfield Mark Ronson Tyler James Amy Winehouse Foundation Amy Amy Winehouse: Back to Black Statue

show v t Ivor Novello Awards – Best Song Musically and Lyrically
1960s	"She's Leaving Home" (1968)
1970s	"Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?" (1970) "Something" (1971) "Don't Let It Die" (1972) "Without You" (1973) "Daniel" (1974) "Streets of London"* (1975) "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (1978) "Baker Street" (1979)
1980s	"The Logical Song" (1980) "Woman in Love" (1981) "Memory" (1982) "Have You Ever Been in Love" (1983) "Every Breath You Take" (1984) "Against All Odds" (1985) "Nikita" (1986) "Don't Give Up" (1987) "Something Inside So Strong" (1988) "They Dance Alone" (1989)
1990s	"The Living Years" (1990) "Sacrifice" (1991) "The Whole of the Moon" (1992) "Why" (1993) "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (1994) "Think Twice" (1995) "Common People" (1996) "Too Much Love Will Kill You" (1997) "Paranoid Android" (1998) "Believe" (1999)
2000s	"Strong" (2000) "Babylon" (2001) "Walk On" (2002) "The Other Side" (2003) "Leave Right Now" (2004) "Dry Your Eyes" (2005) "Suddenly I See" (2006) "Elusive" (2007) "Love Is a Losing Game" (2008) "One Day Like This" (2009)
2010s	"The Fear" (2010) "Becoming a Jackal" (2011) "The A Team" (2012) "Next to Me" (2013) "Strong" (2014) "Take Me to Church" (2015) "Wasn't Expecting That" (2016) "Black Man in a White World" (2017) "Magnificent (She Says)" (2018) "Nica Libres at Dusk" (2019)
2020s	"Age of Anxiety" (2020)
*Awarded as The Best Song