The Power of Love (Huey Lewis and the News song)


"The Power of Love" is a 1985 single by Huey Lewis and the News, written for and featured in the 1985 blockbuster film Back to the Future. It gave the band their first number-one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and their second number-one hit on the U.S. Top Rock Tracks chart; and as a double-A side, it was a top ten hit on the Official UK Singles Chart, where it appeared on UK editions of the band's fourth studio album, Fore!.

Use in ''Back to the Future''

The song appears early in Back to the Future as Marty McFly skateboards to school.
Later in the film, McFly and his band play a hard rock version of the song for a Battle of the Bands audition and later when Marty returns to his neighborhood. In the sequel, Back to the Future Part II, the 2015 version of Marty attempts to play the song on his guitar just after being fired but ends up playing it very poorly due to his damaged hand from his 1985 accident with a Rolls-Royce. Finally, it can be briefly heard playing in the car where Needles and his buddies are driving when Needles challenges Marty to the fate-determining car race near the end of Back to the Future Part III.

Music video

The music video, filmed in June 1985, shows the band playing in a nightclub with Dr. Emmett Brown showing up in his DeLorean, apparently after time-traveling, and a couple stealing it for a joy ride. Lewis said filming took the entire day and night to complete, with the band finishing up at 3:00 AM.

Mixes

Three different mixes of the song have co-existed since its release in 1985.
The Back to the Future soundtrack version, also the version used in the music video, has a run time of 3:51.
A twelve-inch version of the song was released to most countries, featuring a seven minute dance version with changes in its mix such as additional backing keyboards and an extended guitar solo lasting twice as long as the original version.
A 7" single released in 1985 to radio in some countries as promotion of the film contains an edit of the aforementioned extended remix, with a run time of 4:21. In select countries, this shorter edit was featured on the B-side of the 12" single. Whilst this version is occasionally played on radio, it has only ever been included on one Huey Lewis "Best Of", and as a result is a very rare version of the song.

Reception

At the 13th Annual American Music Awards, the song was nominated for "Favorite Single" and "Favorite Video Single", winning in both categories. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 58th Academy Awards but lost to Lionel Richie's "Say You, Say Me".

Track listings

;7" Chrysalis / HUEY 1 United Kingdom
  1. "The Power of Love" - 3:53
  2. "Bad Is Bad" - 3:46
;7" Chrysalis / HUEY 3 United Kingdom
  1. "The Power of Love"
  2. "Do You Believe in Love?"
;7" Chrysalis / 107 614 Canada
  1. "The Power of Love" – 4:21
  2. "Finally Found a Home" – 3:41
;7" Chrysalis / CHS-42876 Canada
  1. "The Power of Love" - 3:53
  2. "Bad is Bad" - 3:46
;12" Chrysalis / CS 42889 United States
  1. "The Power of Love" – 7:10
  2. "The Power of Love" – 4:12
  3. "The Power of Love" – 4:18
;12" Chrysalis / HUEYX1 United Kingdom
  1. "The Power of Love" – 7:10
  2. "Bad Is Bad" – 3:46
  3. "It's All Right" – 3:03
  4. "I Want a New Drug" – 5:57
;12" Chrysalis / HUEYX3 United Kingdom
  1. "The Power of Love"
  2. "Do You Believe in Love?"
  3. "Back in Time"
;12" Chrysalis / 601 822 Germany
  1. "The Power of Love" – 7:10
  2. "It's All Right" – 3:03
  3. "I Want a New Drug" – 5:57
"The Power of Love" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 46 for the week ending June 29, 1985, with Billboard calling the song "an out-of-the-box monster hit".

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications