Love Is (Kim Wilde album) - Misplaced Pages

Kim Wilde found herself working with Rick Nowels on this album, the same songwriter who had written for Belinda Carlisle and later for Madonna amongst others. Three of the eleven tracks were produced by him while the remaining eight were produced by Ricky Wilde.

The majority of the tracks on this album were co-written by Wilde. In the song "Who Do You Think You Are", she reflects on how she had behaved through the years in her career. There were more love songs on this album; titles such as "Touched by Your Magic" and "Heart over Mind" are an indication of the themes of the lyrics.

Nowels provided "Love Is Holy", a song that immediately struck a chord with Wilde when she heard it in his studio in America. It became the first single release, giving Wilde her first UK Top 20 hit in nearly four years. Although the following two singles fell short of equalling its success, the project as a whole was well received by critics, who noted the Belinda Carlisle connection in some tracks. The rest of the album, however, was more consistent with the Wilde sound: guitar riffs over synths. Overall, the sound is more introspective and organic than the commercial pop of Love Moves, and especially haunting was the closing track, "Too Late", in which the loss of love is described in mournful tones. Mick Karn was credited for the bass on "Try Again".

Critical response

Tim Marsh of Q described "Love Is Holy" as "by far the strongest here" and was positive about mid-tempo tracks such as "Touched by Your Magic" in which Wilde demonstrates the range of her voice.

Track listing

Standard edition
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Love Is Holy"	Rick Nowels Ellen Shipley	4:03
2.	"Who Do You Think You Are"	Kim Wilde Ricky Wilde	3:48
3.	"I Believe in You"	R. Wilde Mick Silver	4:08
4.	"Touched by Your Magic"	R. Wilde Silver	4:36
5.	"I Won't Change the Way That I Feel"	K. Wilde Nowels	4:07
6.	"Million Miles Away"	K. Wilde R. Wilde	4:08
7.	"The Light of the Moon (Belongs to Me)"	K. Wilde R. Wilde Steve Byrd	4:15
8.	"Heart over Mind"	John Hall David Munday Sandy Stewart Nicholas Whitecross	4:07
9.	"A Miracle's Coming"	K. Wilde R. Wilde Nowels	4:00
10.	"Try Again"	K. Wilde R. Wilde	4:23
11.	"Too Late"	K. Wilde Byrd	3:59

2024 vinyl picture disc (bonus tracks)
No.	Title	Writer(s)
6.	"I've Found a Reason"
7.	"In My Life"
8.	"Million Miles Away"	K. Wilde R. Wilde
9.	"The Light of the Moon (Belongs to Me)"	K. Wilde R. Wilde Byrd
10.	"Heart over Mind"	Hall Munday Stewart Whitecross
11.	"A Miracle's Coming"	K. Wilde R. Wilde Nowels
12.	"Try Again"	K. Wilde R. Wilde
13.	"Too Late"	K. Wilde Byrd
14.	"If I Can't Have You"

2024 expanded deluxe CD edition (disc one bonus tracks)
No.	Title	Length
12.	"Birthday Song"
13.	"I've Found a Reason"
14.	"If I Can't Have You"
15.	"In My Life"
16.	"Never Felt so Alive"
17.	"One Door Closes"
18.	"Heart over Mind" (7" Version)
19.	"Who Do You Think You Are" (7" Version)

2024 expanded deluxe edition (disc two)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Love Is Holy" (Alternative Mix)
2.	"Million Miles Away" (7" Version)
3.	"If I Can't Have You" (Original Mix)
4.	"In My Life" (Lifestyle Mix)
5.	"Heart over Mind" (Extended Version)
6.	"Who Do You Think You Are" (Extended Version)
7.	"Touched by Your Magic" (Extended Version)
8.	"I Believe in You" (Extended Version)
9.	"The Light of the Moon (Belongs to Me)" (Alternative Mix)
10.	"Love Is Holy" (Ambient Mix)
11.	"Million Miles Away" (Club Mix)
12.	"Try Again" (Club Mix)
13.	"Heart over Mind" (Club Mix)
14.	"If I Can't Have You" (Extended Version)
15.	"In My Life" (Get a Life Mix)

2024 expanded deluxe edition (disc three)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Love Is Holy" (Rough Mix)
2.	"A Miracle's Coming" (Rough Mix)
3.	"I Won't Change the Way That I Feel" (Rough Mix)
4.	"In My Life" (West End 7")
5.	"Who Do You Think You Are" (Bruce Forest Remix Edit)
6.	"If I Can't Have You" (Kelsey Mix)
7.	"In My Life" (West End 12" Remix)
8.	"Who Do You Think You Are" (Bruce Forest 12" Mix)
9.	"If I Can't Have You" (Made in Japan)
10.	"In My Life" (West End 12" Radio Edit)
11.	"Who Do You Think You Are" (Bruce Forest Dub Mix)
12.	"In My Life" (Dub Mix)
13.	"If I Can't Have You" (Dub Mix)
14.	"In My Life" (West End D'oomy Dub)
15.	"If I Can't Have You" (John Robinson Instrumental)
16.	"In My Life" (Wilde Groovy)

2024 expanded deluxe edition (disc four – DVD)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Love Is Holy" (Promo Video)
2.	"Heart over Mind" (Promo Video)
3.	"Who Do You Think You Are" (Promo Video)
4.	"Million Miles Away" (Promo Video)
5.	"If I Can't Have You" (Promo Video)
6.	"In My Life" (Promo Video)
7.	"If I Can't Have You" (Extended 12" Version) (Promo Video)
8.	"Love Is Holy" (Live on Wogan)
9.	"Love Is Holy" (Live on Tricks 'n' Tracks)
10.	"Love Is Holy" (Live on Pebble Mill)
11.	"Love Is Holy" (Live on Top of the Pops)
12.	"Heart over Mind" (Live on Summer Scene)
13.	"If I Can't Have You" (Live on Top of the Pops)
14.	"In My Life" (Live on Pebble Mill)
15.	"Four Letter Word" (Live on Pebble Mill)
16.	"In My Life" (Live on Family Affairs)
17.	"Behind-the-Scenes & Interview Footage"
18.	"Love Is EPK"
19.	"The Making of "Love Is Holy""
20.	"The Making of "Heart over Mind""
21.	"The Making of "Million Miles Away""
22.	"The Making of "If I Can't Have You""

Personnel

Musicians

Kim Wilde – lead and backing vocals
Charles Judge – keyboards (1, 5, 9)
Ricky Wilde – keyboards (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11), programming (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11), guitars (2, 6), bass (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11), backing vocals (4, 8, 10)
David Munday – keyboards (8), programming (8), guitars (8), backing vocals (8)
Rusty Anderson – guitars (1, 5, 9)
Steve Byrd – guitars (3, 4, 6, 10, 11)
Davey Johnstone – mandolin (5), sitar (5)
John Pierce – bass (5, 9)
Mick Karn – bass (10)
Curt Bisquera – drums (1)
Geoff Dugmore – drums (2, 7, 10, 11)
Rudy Richman – drums (5, 9)
Rick Nowels – arrangements (1, 5, 9)
Paul Buckmaster – string arrangements and conductor (5)
Valerie Pinkston – backing vocals (1, 5, 9)
Frances Ruffelle – backing vocals (1, 5, 9)
Ellen Shipley – backing vocals (1, 5, 9)
Junior Giscombe – backing vocals (4)
Jordan Bailey – backing vocals (6)
Roxanne Wilde – backing vocals (7)

Production

Rick Nowels – producer (1, 5, 9)
Ricky Wilde – producer (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11), mixing (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11)
Kevin W. Smith – engineer (1, 5, 9)
James Richards – engineer (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11), mixing (4)
Stephen Steater – engineer (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11)
John Kovorek – additional engineer (1, 5, 9)
Greg Grill – assistant engineer (1)
Darian Sahanaja – assistant engineer (5, 9)
Steve MacMillan – mixing (1, 5, 9)
John Chamberlain – mix assistant (1, 5, 9)
Tony Swain – mixing (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11)
James Richards – mixing (4)
Pete Schweir – mixing (8)
Laura Harding – production coordinator (1, 5, 9)
Sammy Farrington – art direction, design
Zanna – photography
Sam McKnight – hair stylist
Dick Page – make-up

Charts

Weekly charts

1992 weekly chart performance for *Love Is*
Chart (1992)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	92
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)	22
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)	7
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	53
European Albums (Music & Media)	43
French Albums (IFOP)	36
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	42
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	25
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	7
UK Albums (OCC)	21

2024 weekly chart performance for *Love Is*
Chart (2024)	Peak position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	151
Scottish Albums (OCC)	49
UK Album Sales (OCC)	38
UK Independent Albums (OCC)	18

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for *Love Is*
Chart (1992)	Position
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	40

Certifications and sales

Sales and certifications for *Love Is*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Sweden (GLF)	Gold	50,000
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)	Gold	25,000
Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

Marsh, Tim. "Review - Love Is". Q. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
"Kim Wilde: Love Is, Vinyl Picture Disc". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
^ "Kim Wilde: Love Is, Expanded Deluxe 4CD Set". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 302.
"Austriancharts.at – Kim Wilde – Love Is" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
"Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 26. 27 June 1992. p. 22. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
"Dutchcharts.nl – Kim Wilde – Love Is" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
"European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 25. 20 June 1992. p. 19. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
"Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Retrieved 7 November 2020. Select "Kim WILDE" from the drop-down menu and click "OK".
"Offiziellecharts.de – Kim Wilde – Love Is" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
"Swedishcharts.com – Kim Wilde – Love Is". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
"Swisscharts.com – Kim Wilde – Love Is". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
"Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
"Ultratop.be – Kim Wilde – Love Is" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
"Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
"Official Album Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
"Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
"Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1992". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 30 August 2020.
"Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
"The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Love Is')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.

External links

Love Is at AllMusic

v t e Kim Wilde
Studio albums	Kim Wilde Select Catch as Catch Can Teases & Dares Another Step Close Love Moves Love Is Now & Forever Never Say Never Come Out and Play Snapshots Wilde Winter Songbook Here Come the Aliens
Live albums	Aliens Live
Remix albums	The Remix Collection
Compilations	The Very Best of Kim Wilde The Singles Collection 1981–1993 The Very Best of Kim Wilde The Hits Collection Pop Don't Stop: Greatest Hits
Singles	"Kids in America" "Chequered Love" "Water on Glass" "Cambodia" "View from a Bridge" "Child Come Away" "Love Blonde" "Dancing in the Dark" "House of Salome" "The Second Time" "The Touch" "Rage to Love" "Schoolgirl" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" "Another Step (Closer to You)" "Say You Really Want Me" "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" "Hey Mister Heartache" "You Came" "Never Trust a Stranger" "Four Letter Word" "Love in the Natural Way" "It's Here" "Time" "Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love)" "I Can't Say Goodbye" "World in Perfect Harmony" "Love Is Holy" "Heart over Mind" "Who Do You Think You Are" "Million Miles Away" "If I Can't Have You" "Kids in America 1994" "Breakin' Away" "This I Swear" "Shame" "Loved" "Born to Be Wild" "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" "You Came (2006)" "Perfect Girl" "It's Alright" "Sleeping Satellite" "To France" "Ever Fallen in Love" "F U Kristmas!"
Featured singles	"Les nuits sans Kim Wilde"
Related articles	Discography Marty Wilde Ricky Wilde

Categories: