The Meaning of Love (Michelle McManus song)


"The Meaning of Love" is the second single from Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus, released on 26 January 2004. It did not match the success of her chart-topping debut single "All This Time", reaching number 16 in the UK and number 29 in Ireland. Soon after the single's commercial failure, BMG dropped McManus from the label.

Music video

The music video premiered in the United Kingdom in January 2004. It shows a man and a woman arguing before making up.

Reception

Daily Record critic John Dingwall called the song a "great ballad"; a colleague of his, however, wrote: "Michelle's going to have to aim much higher... 'The Meaning of Love', while good, isn't great." AllMusic journalist Sharon Mawer described the track as "a charity sounding record without the All Saints rhythm , without the multi-vocals, and without much of a tune either".

Commercial performance

"The Meaning of Love" debuted at #16 in the United Kingdom and number 29 in Ireland. The single did not chart as well as expected. It spent four weeks in the UK Top 75 and three weeks in the Irish Top 100. Considered a flop, with sales of only 8,000, the media drew comparisons of McManus' fortunes to rejects One True Voice.

Track listing

UK CD single
1. "The Meaning of Love"
UK Digital download
1. "The Meaning of Love"

Weekly-charts