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"Why Does Love Do This to Me"
Single by the Exponents
from the album Something Beginning with C
B-side	"Sadness"
Released	April 1991 (1991-04)
Recorded	Christmas 1990
Studio	Airforce (Auckland, New Zealand)
Length	3:25
Label	PolyGram New Zealand, Mercury
Songwriter(s)	Jordan Luck
Producer(s)	The Exponents with Paul Streekstra
The Exponents singles chronology
"Brand New Doll" (1987) "Why Does Love Do This to Me" (1991) "Who Loves Who the Most" (1991)

"Why Does Love Do This to Me" (alternatively spelt "Why Does Love (Do This to Me)") is a song by New Zealand pop band the Exponents. It was released in 1991 and is among the Exponents' most successful and best known songs.

History

Having moved to London in 1987, the single was the band's first release upon returning to New Zealand and changing their name from the Dance Exponents to the Exponents. The song was written by Jordan Luck in London in 1989, with the group returning to New Zealand in November 1990 and signing to PolyGram Records New Zealand.

The song proved popular, peaking at number three on the New Zealand Singles Chart, charting for 29 weeks. Its singalong chorus made the single a hit and helped make the Exponents a popular live band in the 1990s. The single was also released in Australia in 1993 but did not chart.

The song's music video was directed by Kerry Brown. It features the band playing the song in several iconic New Zealand landscapes, including a steamy thermal area, a bush road and by a cliffside.

In 2001, the song was ranked at number 47 on the APRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time list, as voted by APRA's members. The song was included on Nature's Best 2, a compilation album of songs number 31 to number 65 from the list. At the 1992 New Zealand Music Awards, the track was awarded Single of the Year.

"Why Does Love Do This to Me" is also known as a singalong anthem played during rugby games in New Zealand. Popularised during the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, the song has become a stadium staple at New Zealand rugby events.

The track is on the Exponents' 1992 studio album Something Beginning with C and also gives its name to the band's 2011 greatest hits album Why Does Love Do This to Me: The Exponents Greatest Hits. The 2013 deluxe edition of Something Beginning with C includes the original UK demo version of the song.

Track listings

Personnel

• Jordan Luck – vocals
• Brian Jones – guitar
• David Gent – bass
• Michael "Harry" Harallambi – drums

Charts

References

1. ^ Something Beginning with C (New Zealand CD album liner notes). The Exponents. Mercury Records. 1992. 512 210-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
2. ^ Shute, Gareth (2008). NZ Rock, 1987-2007. New Zealand: Random House New Zealand. pp. 29–33. ISBN 978-1-86979-000-4.
3. ^ "The Exponents – Why Does Love Do This to Me". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
4. "The Exponents discography". The Exponents. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
5. "THE EXPONENTS. WHY DOES LOVE DO THIS TO ME". The Film Archive. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
6. "APRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs Of All Time". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
7. "1992 Winners". NZ Music Awards. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
8. Brown, Russell (19 September 2007). "He might be crazy, but he's not dumb". Hard News. Public Address. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
9. Baillie, Russell (1 April 2010). "Wrong song for rugby singalong". NZ Herald. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
10. "Something Beginning With C (Deluxe)". iTunes. January 1992. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
11. "End of Year Charts 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 December 2017.

External links

• The Exponents discography - official site
• "Why Does Love Do This To Me" at Discogs
• Lyrics and chords (PDF)
• "Why Does Love Do This To Me" music video

• 1991 singles
• 1991 songs
• APRA Award winners
• The Exponents songs
• Mercury Records singles
• PolyGram singles