“I’d Lie to You For Your Love”
The Bellamy Brothers
Written by Jeff Barry, David Bellamy, Howard Bellamy, and Frankie Miller
Radio & Records
#1 (1 week)
November 8, 1985
“I’d Lie to You For Your Love” started as a minor rock hit for Danny Spanos. The Bellamy Brothers added some new lyrics to it, and turned it into a major country hit.
It revisits the pickup line motif that worked so well for them on “If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold it Against Me,” but the boys are older now, and the arrogant confidence that powered that hit has weathered into a self-deprecating posture.
They rattle off increasingly ridiculous lies that add up to their own truth. This guy doesn’t have much to offer this woman, but he does have a sense of what she’s worth. She really should be with a guy who is both a candidate for president and the owner of the bar they’re in.
It’s a charming record, though this isn’t their best version of it. That you can read about here.
Grade: B+
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The Bellamy Brothers have always stayed just this side of full on posturing with their absurd pick-up line songs, making them more playful players than posers.
This hit has that signature and playful knowing Bellamy Brothers wink, that they are as much in on the joke as anyone forced to listen to it.
Their characters are more annoying than threatening.
We should not take them too seriously if they don’t take themselves all that seriously.
They often don’t believe what they are saying but they at east understand why they are saying it.
They are good-time optimists with good hearts.
The song is charming.