It Must Have Been Love (Roxette song)

Origins and versions

The track first appeared in 1987 as a seasonal single with lyrical references to Christmas and cold weather. For the 1990 soundtrack of the Hollywood film Pretty Woman, the band revised the arrangement and removed most seasonal lines, producing the familiar international version. The song has since been issued in several edits and remasters for singles, compilations and film releases.

Composition and themes

Musically the song is a slow-tempo pop ballad built on piano, layered keyboards and a steady rhythm that supports Fredriksson's emotive lead vocal. Lyrically it recounts a relationship that has ended, using winter metaphors to underline loss and nostalgia. The central idea is that the feelings felt were real at the time but are now gone—"It must have been love, but it's over now."

Commercial impact and film tie-in

The reworked 1990 version was included on the Pretty Woman soundtrack and became Roxette's biggest U.S. hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1990. Its placement in the film and on radio playlists worldwide greatly expanded the duo's international audience. The song's narrative focus on a breakup set against a winter tableau helped to cement its identity as a classic pop ballad of the era.

Legacy and reissues

Over the years the song has appeared on Roxette compilations and greatest-hits packages and is often cited as Marie Fredriksson's signature performance. It was reissued in 1993 in some territories and has been covered and performed by numerous artists. Its continued popularity is linked to both the enduring appeal of the film soundtrack and the song's universal subject matter.

Notable facts

• Written by Per Gessle; lead vocal by Marie Fredriksson.
• Originally released in 1987; internationally prominent after the 1990 rework for a major motion picture.
• Frequently included on retrospectives of late 20th-century pop ballads and 1990s film soundtracks.