10cc - I'm Not in Love | REACTION

[@guyren49]

Boys, boys, boys - it's called IRONY. The Brits are big on it. He's so much in anguished love he can only protest the opposite. Love the picture on the wall lyric. The clues are everywhere. The vocalist is even mimicking crying the song.

[@tomburke9955]

Yes, the Brits are big on irony .The British, whilst having a generally reserved northern European nature, have a sophisticated appreciation of language and subliminal meaning. I believe the latter is strongly related to and compensates for, the former.

[@bburgjaco]

The singer is trying to convince himself he’s not in love but he really is.

[@crimsonwizard2560]

Hell yeah.

[@leonardshevlin7260]

Irony is big in some old country songs too. George Jones had a hit record in 1962 with "She Thinks I Still Care". Just because I asked a friend about her Just because I spoke her name somewhere Just because I rang her number by mistake today Just because I haunt the same old places where the memory of her lingers in the air Just because I'm not the happy guy I used to be Just because I saw her and went all to pieces She thinks I still care

[@leonardshevlin7260]

Bluesman Robert Cray has a song "I Guess I Showed Her" that is amusingly ironic as well.

[@Critical_Thinker858]

I hate to tell you this guys but, as a 6 year old, I got the meaning of this song when it first came out. He's desperately in love with this girl but in an effort to protect his feelings, he's doing his best to deny it; afraid to acknowledge it to himself or to the girl, for fear she'll break his heart.

[@sycamoreflynn]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@armorer94]

That is not a synth. That is the band members singing a single note in a tape loop. Hundreds of times. Then the mixing board was "played" like a keyboard, each channel playing a "note".

[@jwine4145]

I saw a documentary on this. It was a real labor of love and perfection!

[@bpagan7781]

Wow, I never heard that. I always thought it was a Mellotron. Hmm learned something new today!

[@mrAThiker08]

over 700 voices amazing

[@Coowallsky]

@@bpagan7781 Same principle as a Mellotron.

[@Coowallsky]

@@mrAThiker08 624

[@briankuczynski4375]

You all missed the boat. It's a "thou dost protest too much." He loves her, but is trying not to admit his feelings.

[@007ndc]

These guys are not mature enough yet to understand that.

[@mariesmith9718]

Exactly!

[@Vinterfrid]

Well, after all they are North Americans, so one wouldn't really expect a deeper understanding.

[@Coowallsky]

@@Vinterfrid Get over yourself.

[@Coowallsky]

You're the one that missed the boat. Eric Stewart explains the song on a couple of videos on KZbin.

[@chrisgibson7591]

Is trying to convince himself he's not in love but everything he does proves he is in love

[@tracycampbell3060]

Exactly

[@floyd2222]

@@tracycampbell3060 DUH!!! these boys (who normally seem very astute) have COMPLETELY MISSED THE POINT OF THIS SONG. The singer is CRAZY in love with the person he is singing about, but is. in. denial. sheesh. ;-) :-)

[@aquablushgirl]

He ABSOLUTELY loves her. He is protesting that he does not but he completely does. As Shakespeare wrote "The lady doth protest too much" in this case it is the man.

[@silverfox7673]

It's simple fellas he's in denial and he is in love

[@pubuapubua]

Thank you! I just watched 3 reactions and every one was way off. He's trying to convince himself he could still get her back if he wanted...

[@IMRDP]

Exactly.

[@MrSpencerport]

It all depends on how well she acts towards the attention he's giving her, that's why there's always a caveat. He's looking reciprocation

[@lightningtwostrikes4317]

@@MrSpencerport he’s treading on eggshells.

[@kenperkins7921]

What you may not Know is , the 70s was loaded with not is the Super 70s were Loaded with the best singer song writers of all time!

[@robinakym2356]

That’s not a ‘Sandy synth’ you’re hearing. It’s Eric’s vocals layered 48 times, singing each 16 notes of the chromatic scale. So you’re actually hearing 768 ‘ahhhh’s’

[@erink695]

Each member recorded a held note the synth was used to layer n play ot as if it was a keyboard. Mastery.

[@TheGreatGig73]

Yes ,I heard that also which had to take forever to record.

[@jdb8171]

Yes! They were going to leave it at the 768 ahhhhs, but added the melody as an afterthought.

[@RhettAnderson]

Done as multiple tapes loops and not played with a keyboard, but instead was played on the mixing board. That's how I heard it.

[@RhettAnderson]

This song and Ah! Leah! impressed me when I was young for having those layered vocals in an age where it was hard to do it. It sounded so novel at the time.

[@rayeckert242]

The “big boys don’t cry” section was vocalized by an office worker at the recording studio. She was just doing her job and ,before you knew it, she was on a million- selling single… Ain’t life grand. Always have been hypnotized by this tune. ( Dude WAS him love).

[@walshaw2]

From Eric Stewart "At that time my wife and I had been married about eight years," Eric Stewart recalls, "and she asked me 'Why don't you say "I love you" more often?' I had this crazy idea in my mind that repeating those words would somehow degrade the meaning, so I told her 'Well, if I say every day "I love you, darling, I love you, blah, blah, blah," it's not gonna mean anything eventually.' That statement led me to try to figure out another way of saying it, and the result was that I chose to say 'I'm not in love with you,' while subtly giving all the reasons throughout the song why I could never let go of this relationship." It was clearly " Just a silly phase he was going through."....Even though he and his wife are still married after more than 50 years.

[@thefarmerswifeknits6190]

And they’re still married.

[@armandourso1526]

It was a HUGE success in 1975, even here in Brazil. Revolutionary.

[@rickpaul4216]

There's an entire documentary dedicated to this song. They tape looped every note in the scale vocally, played the tape and adjusted the volume knobs for the final mix. They basically played the mixer as a musical instrument. Totally unprecedented.

[@johnfinlay4963]

you guys should check out the story on how they recorded this song . its so amazing and innovative for the time

[@williamweiss6128]

Oh yes. Amazing old school way they did this. Before the Synclavier. Love 10cc and Godley/Creme. Unique.

[@tracycampbell3060]

Yes!

[@richardmarcotte3983]

Yes there is a video for that kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2iQn4KKrJt1q7M this is a comprehensive overview of how they made this song in the ERA of ANALOG

[@williamweiss6128]

@@tracycampbell3060 don't have all the 10cc I need, either. Have the live one. So good. Need the rest. G/C? Have 3 of theirs. Also, plus 2 different History Mix lp's. Nice to be old.

[@floyd2222]

and LOTS copied/tried to copy this sound.... very influential on music at that time...

[@yeahyeahcharlie]

10cc is “art pop” on a whole different level. The intelligence of what they did (and the way they did it) is stunning.

[@serenitynow818]

It’s not weird. It’s timeless. Timing is everything

[@jwine4145]

Another hit of 10cc was ‘The Things We Do for Love’

[@dmwnc1959]

HUGE FLASHBACK….16 year old me absolutely LOVED this when it was released, and 63yo me still does. Oh, “The Things We Do For Love” … 🥰🥰🥰

[@glendawest5256]

Like walking in the rain and the snow ...

[@thetannaree]

@@glendawest5256 and there’s…No where to go and you’re feeling like a part of you is dyin’…

[@dvincentblack]

63 year old, same here. Heard the song for the first time on the radio in the car with my parents. I made them turn it up! Wow! They were both musicians so they did! They made me a musician too! 🎉😂

[@brucewozniak9473]

The Guinness book of record holder for most overdubs in a single song. Literally thousands of vocal overdubs.

[@juaneato]

768

[@Coowallsky]

@@juaneato 624

[@cathyopthof8136]

He’s soooo in love, he can’t admit it! This song was#1. When I got engaged 48 years ago. I still adore it!

[@stevemccormack9948]

Guy , you were talking about the lyrics but the big story here is the sound. That synth sound is nothing ordinary. They spent 3 weeks sampling their own voices and created over 600 voices - an ocean of voices. And after it was done they destroyed the device. Totally unique.

[@gotham61]

Samplers didn’t exist in 1975. That would have been so-much easier. They recorded their voices onto multiple tracks of a 16 track recorder, layered hundreds of times

[@Citizenesse8]

This is one of my absolute favorite songs. The layering that they had to do to get the sound that they were creating at the time was definitely a labor of love of music. Even Elton John wished that he could have created that sound. This was a massive hit. There is a cool documentary on how they made the song on KZbin that you all should check out.

[@dannywachowski5880]

I'm not into soppy music but there are exceptions - the unique sound in this gets me. The voice synth and electric piano adds so much texture in this track

[@fullmoonprepping4024]

This is a man in total denial. He doesn't want want to admit being smitten but rejected. But he is TOTALLY in love!

[@79BlackRose]

Dreadlock Holiday is a very different vibe. Worth a listen.

[@jameswarner5809]

The multi-layered vocals like waves washing onto a beach at the end are just sublime. As everyone in the comments has said, this is a song about a man in denial.

[@phillipridgway8317]

He is in love, he is just in denial. The 'big boys don't cry' is referencing his repressed upbringing, being told not to show emotion, which has made him unable to express his love openly.

[@lanereynolds9985]

Absolutely! You would have to be deaf to miss that.

[@andrewpetik2034]

Boom!

[@lyriasfaves]

EXACTLY!!!

[@floyd2222]

nailed it.

[@dennismoore3383]

10cc's The Things We Do For Love is the one you're wanting to hear. Very catchy ear candy.

[@patriciastewart9711]

NOTHING sounded like this. It was hypnotic & addictive. Never gets old.The true sign of an original. I love this song.

[@bryanCJC2105]

"big boys don't cry" is what I remember the most because I was just a kid when this came out because that was a common thing I heard. I remember thinking "but they do". I think it's a man trying to tell himself that he isn't in love with this woman but he really is. He wants to make her believe that he isn't in love with her but he is. Maybe they broke up and he doesn't want her to think he still loves her but he does. Maybe it's a woman who wouldn't good for him and he knows it and wants to discourage her but he is in love with her anyways.

[@alanskidadomdom3748]

My interpretation of the song is that he is in love, but he doesn't want the girl to know it in case that knowledge blows the relationship.

[@vrao8239]

Parece que se separaram, ele continua apaixonado, mas nega, ou tenta negar que ainda a quer.; daí fala tudo ao contrário do que está realmente sentindo ( está magoado)

[@deps6160]

As a teenager at late 90s, I bought this album with loads of old songs and immediately I got hooked with this one. Never found it weird, just trippy and dreamy, like your body was flowing between dimensions. And yes its all about denial, but with great sense of humour. I love sad, dark songs (metal) but this is not a sad song. Love you guys!

[@dagmar.6954]

10cc are a great English rock band from the 70's. This group was super talented as every member was a multi-instrumentalist, singer, writer & producer. "I'm Not In Love" was their biggest hit in 1975 but they had other songs such as "The Things We Do For Love", "Rubber Bullets", "The Dean & I", "The Wall Street Shuffle", "Silly Love", "Life Is A Minestrone", "Art For Art's Sake", "I'm Mandy, Fly Me" etc.

[@tomburke9955]

You left out the 'Dreadlock Holiday' track with its immortal lyrics "I don't like cricket, oh no, I love it.....". An absolute 10cc classic

[@GinMae]

Thanks, Dagmar - I love this one but "the things we do for love" is probably my favorite :)

[@garymcghee2249]

Good list. I'd add 'Somewhere in Hollywood', 'Good Morning Judge' and 'Flying Junk'.

[@johnbryson1019]

Big boys don,t cry. Big boys don,t cry. Classic.

[@lwarrengrubb8841]

Beautiful song

[@loristone9242]

You three are so genuine. You may not always interpret the songs as we heard or understood them during our time, but it is always such a pleasure to see you discover the music from years past. The way you speak about the unexpected details of the different music, and how you honor and appreciate it is refreshing. SO not contrived. Excellent reaction!!

[@kmach1000]

So I always have the impression that they are making fun of the song.

[@ViewsFromThe502]

Never

[@joemachine4714]

"The Things We Do For Love" was a massive pop hit by 10cc.

[@bobthebear1246]

Yup. That was their ONLY other big hit here in The States. I remember when it first came-out in 1978.

[@jasonremy1627]

10cc were a producers band. They were geniuses in the studio and this song is their magnum opus.

[@Laniefj]

He's so in love but so in denial. Classic 70's song.

[@joekuul8769]

When I was a kid listening to this on AM radio, I though she was saying "requesting quiet." It's still what I hear first, lol.

[@michaela8706]

Oh my goodness. I was 11 when this song came out and I understood then what the song meant. He Is In Love!!! only in denial. Well, you got me to comment. Hope it helps the algorithm.

[@bergkampmagoo5964]

At the time of this recording ( ‘75 ) , 10cc band members were : Eric Stewart , Graham Gouldman , Kevin Godley , & 🇺🇸 Lol Creme . And they were absolutely fantastic ❤️

[@DavidLong-n8p]

A great iconic group. The Wall Street Shuffle is another classic for those who don't know the groups music.

[@debbiegoolsbyjackson95]

I was 20 years old, and had my 1st apartment ,when it came out. This song came on at the same time ,every night, on the radio right when I was going to bed. My stereo had a blue light on it lol. Between the light, and the song, it would always put me to sleep lol But, I love the song.

[@scottbeaton1519]

I was about to comment that that was the band members singing All that synthesizer.,. But my astute music lovers head beat me to the punch... Touche... Music is life !!!

[@adam.4487]

There is a video with an interview with some members showing how they put this song together, was pretty amazing what they came up with. It's a gorgeous song. Beautiful overlay of voices and how they did it was pretty smart and clever and very complex.

[@milo4222]

Interesting factoid on this was that the Female voice you hear saying "Big Boy's Don't Cry", was the Studio Receptionist. They brought her in to do that on the track..

[@davehess1019]

the next 10cc song you guys should check out is, " the things we do for love" great song

[@nightvid3607]

So many layered vocals in this song. It's insane. Classic tune.

[@racar47]

You referenced the line " I keep your picture on the wall", but listen to the next line, "it hides a nasty stain that's lying there." I've always felt that this song is about someone who is in love, but in denial about it, or afraid to admit it. Almost every other verse contradicts or makes an excuse for the one before it, in my opinion.

[@Isleofskye]

100% Right...

[@PigsMightFly09]

This is the most unique and beautiful song. It has such an ethereal quality to it and the lyrics are very clever.

[@adrianjohnson7920]

Stockport is sort of a large suburb of Manchester. It used to be a village, but Manchester sort of absorbed it like an amoeba.

[@jamesdignanmusic2765]

Stockport is part of Greater Manchester. The band's classic line-up was Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme. Godley & Creme later left to form their own band and video production company - they made some of the top music videos fo the 1980s. And that is voices, not synth! This song was groundbreaking - pre digital - all four musicians recorded vocals dozens of times, which were then spliced together - there's a video on youtube of how it was recorded and it's eye-opening. And he's definitely deeply in love, and just as deeply in denial :)

[@GS-xt8fu]

Listen to that song with your eyes closed just listen to the music. It’s great

[@brianorzel1873]

I always thought that the singer was in denial. He protested and protested, but he really IS in love.

[@BobSoltis1]

Main songwriter and guitar player Graham Gouldman also wrote the huge hits "For Your Love" and "Heart Full of Soul" for The Yardbirds; "Bus Stop" for The Hollies"; and a number of others.

[@lindsaycrellin4588]

Graham has released a song with Brian May called Floating in Heaven to commemorate the James Webb Space Telescopes first images its brilliant x

[@BobSoltis1]

@@lindsaycrellin4588 - Thanks for the tip! That is an awesome song.

[@lindsaycrellin4588]

@@BobSoltis1 it certainly is it’s brilliant x

[@zennenn]

Wow! What a talent, I had no idea.

[@deborahsawyer7900]

I love it, "you can't dance to that." I laughed so hard at y'all.

[@lindastarr4699]

The dude is so in love he can't see straight. lol

[@ga5957]

He is naming off all the things a person does when they are in love... so she could see the signs.... in case she is in doubt.... but then he throws in the dark sarcasm “I’m not in love....”

[@igoski1582]

The guy in the song is so in love with the girl, he doesn't know what to do about it. So, he keeps lying to himself to try and make excuses for all the loving things he is doing and saying. He says he is not in love, but he in fact is very deeply in love with her. And the iconic back grown vocals are the 4 of them singing long held notes and redubbed hundreds of times on one track and played back like a musical instrument. IMO, one of the most remarkable songs of all time.

[@paulpennell2115]

He is trying to talk himself into it. He is in love.

[@bladeschick1]

Absolutely brilliant track

[@yaradeblanco4761]

Chicos les cuento cuando salio esta cancione quede predidia yo splo tenia 12 años ese spnido jamas habia escuchado increible. 🎉❤

[@triciakotuku554]

I was embarking on my first serious relationship when this came out. In my late teens feeling lots of feelings, most of which I couldn't identify but some were exciting and some were scary. I went to sleep every night listening to this for months on end. It was the perfect song for me at that time in my life. Now I realise I was slowly torturing myself 🙂 Thanks guys.

[@stevesingkofer8879]

I'm late to the game, but you can watch his eyes when he's singing. His girlfriend (or wife) is standing on the other side of the studio, in his line of sight, and he's smiling at her at times, and trying to make her laugh at other times, and he's totally in love with her. There's also a "Making of" video about this specific song. Look it up off-line. It's pretty amazing.

[@davidmaholchic6146]

Wonderful song here cannot wait to see your reactions love you guys

[@BabsR]

There is a video of how this was made, definitely worth watching, it really is amazing

[@russtex]

Great song!

[@scatton61]

The Commadors 3 times a lady is perhaps one of the best slow dance records and that is all about breaking up......

[@TheGreatGig73]

He is ABSOLUTELY in love.

[@soulgalorememories9921]

The line "I have your picture on my wall" is qualified with "It hides a nasty stain lying there"......totally denying his feelings. He gives but takes away....total denial. Good band.

[@jwine4145]

The recording process these guys followed in the 70s was awesome!

[@SWLinPHX]

You guys the mastery of this amazing song is it was done BEFORE and WITHOUT a synthesizer. They overdubbed their voices dozens of time to get that unique sound. There's even a video on the making of this song.

[@rachel-in-the-208]

I have always LOVED this song Spoiler Alert: He’s In Love. LOL You were SPOT ON about the “big boys don’t cry” But you are WRONG about what the song is about … you are stopping too much to comment and not really listening!! This song is not about his wife. … the wife was the inspiration!! (But it isn’t about her)

[@davidwoolbright3675]

Exactly. This is the ultimate song of self denial. He is absolutely in love but won’t admit it to himself.

[@ricknicosia2015]

you nailed it!

[@oldrockgeeser9426]

10cc are very versatile and if you dive more into their catalog you'll find that they are a great band. My favorites are "The Wall street shuffle" "The things we do for love" "Feel the benefit (parts I-II-III)" "Dreadlock holiday"

[@kathysmith8119]

This guy is " HEAD OVER HEELS" in love, just a little slow on the realization , or in denial. 100% in love!

[@amandathibodeau4996]

He's basically talking to himself trying to convince himself that he's not in love. When he really is.

[@GinMae]

thanks, guys! such a brilliant band... they do this amazingly live, as well... have you reacted yet to "Squeeze"...? they don't do similar songs, but one thing they have in common is almost perfect balance between the instrumentation and vocals...

[@SandsDolphin]

When I met the ex love of my life, I had to keep playing this song, to convince myself I was *not* in love the second I saw him, as I *knew* he was gonna be a heartbreaker (another good Led Zeppelin tune). He will *always* be the love of my life, the one n only true love. I dreamt about meeting him when I was a 4 years old. Try their Dreadlock Holiday tune.

[@cloudcoveredmoon0015]

It's a bit late but may I just apologize to all the patrons of the Phoenix pub, Torrington Road, North End, Portsmouth that had to listen to this song repeatedly on the jukebox in 1975. It was me selecting this over and over again, guilty as charged.

[@guyren49]

Lol, oh that's classic. Those were the days 😀

[@Retroearthling]

The making of is insane. Way ahead of its time.

[@christopherhuot2826]

SMOOTH best describes this song!

[@ChrisLynn-ov9fv]

He is in love but does not want to admit it, tender moments

[@lewismaddox4132]

I have to explain this... In a Tale Tell Heart, Poe goes on for two paragraphs about how he's not insane. "If I were insane, would I have done this, or thought that." I'm paraphrasing but at the end you're thinking, "This guy is batshit crazy". Same with this dude. You're not in love, how you do go on. Thou protesteth too much. He's in love. It's a great song to slow dance to. This song cemented the deal so many times. Disintegrating panties!

[@michaelbruns449]

Unforgettably haunting and mesmerizing.

[@tttappin]

At 13:35, this song drops a pulse beat, and it makes my heart miss a beat....really!!

[@jakerazmataz852]

God damn, this brings me back.

[@aau358]

you guys should revisit this and listen again with the understanding that the piano, voice, and a little bass are the only instruments. The "synth" sound is tape loops of band member vocals being controlled by the mixing board.

[@Coowallsky]

A synth was used for the bass drum sound.

[@radone5896]

This song is for romantics who need deep feelings to feel alive. The spoken words by the girl in the middle say everything, Big Boys Don't Cry, he is deeply in love but may be afraid to admit as it may cost him much pain if it doesn't turn out right so he has to try to protest. Try listening a few more times, this song was huge, but may be out of your wheelhouse if you're not true romantics, like those who cry listening to Chopin nocturnes. The echo background vocals that surge in and out were groundbreaking, had never been heard before.

[@sharondavid-melly1498]

Beautiful song 💕Thank you

[@scottian1462]

This song is TOTAL Tongue-In-Cheek. British humor is DRY and SARCASTIC. I know this because I am 39% British! This is a GREAT song and nothing like it existed back them!

[@guyren49]

Shakespeare had a famous line for this kind of expression..."the lady doth protest too much, methinks" (Queen Gertrude in Hamlet). In this case it's a man but don't you think he's... protesting too much, lol 🙂

[@SteveMenardDesignDXM]

"Big boys don't cry."

[@TheDawn5708]

The voices one hears in the background. They worked on that for weeks. Many voices had to be recorded and mixed one after the other. I saw it in a documentary about 10 cc.

[@dewdew34]

The lyrics are based off a running joke the singer had with his wife about not saying he loved her enough . I really think sometimes it's better off not knowing the story ...before i knew it was a mystery, probably about an ex lover in my mind, not a joke of people married and in love.

[@seanconnors1613]

This song is used at the very beginning of the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. When Peter is in the waiting room at the hospital.

[@janster3000]

He is in love, but doesn't want to admit it. Listen to it another time or two. Plus, don't be so analytical about the lyrics. It's a vibe. One of my favorite songs from the 70's.

[@jerrytaylor8889]

I'm not sure if anyone else has referred to the name, 10cc or not yet but it apparently was disputed up until the late 1980s. 10cc, (a metric measurement a.k.a. 10mL.), if you consider the average size of a syringe used for a 'shot', or IM injection, they're usually 3cc. This group expressed the prowess of their band by the slightly above average amount of semen produced by a male - you know when - to express the concept of how good their band was.... which it actually was. 10cc measures just over 2 teaspoons in imperial measure. Yeah, I'm a retired Paramedic, lol!

[@Coowallsky]

The band's name had nothing to do with semen.

[@cathyopthof8136]

I loved this song soooo much! When it came out, I had just gotten engaged! I wanted to dump my fiancé, and engaged. I wanted to drop my fiancé, and go marry this sexy singer! We always want what we cant have!!

[@Xzav1]

It's interesting that usually the women who hear this song usually catch the meaning of the song and some men do and some men don't.

[@theadviser123]

I heard he wrote this song tongue in cheek. To me the lyrics sound like a man who is in love, but is afraid of his feelings. He doesn't want to be in love. So he tries to convince himself and the woman that he's not. Men are often scared to death of deep emotional feelings.

[@cathyopthof8136]

It’s beautiful!