Alternative covers: #3 "Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go" Soft Cell (1981)

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“Tainted Love” was written by Ed Cobb of the Four Preps. Gloria Jones recorded the song in 1964 as B side to a failed single. A 1976 re-recording also failed for Jones. Thus “Tainted Love” was never an original hit. “Where Did Our Love Go” is one of the Supremes best known hits. The Holland-Dozier-Holland tune was a #1 in 1964. Soft Cell was a British synthpop duo of Marc Almond (vocals) and David Ball (synthasizers) who met at university in Leeds. From their debut album “Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret,” the single “Tainted Love’ was a huge hit in the UK going #1 and being the biggest selling single of the year. The song reached Billboard #8 and remained on the charts a remarkable 43 weeks. Alternative radio played the 12” club single medley of “Tainted Love” blending into “Where Did Our Love Go” which is one of the best synthpop extended plays. Soft Cell split in 1984 and reformed in 2001.