Save Your Love

Album: Forza Italia (1982)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Save Your Love" is not quite a novelty song, but this one-hit wonder was a surprise Christmas #1 in Britain in 1982.

    In 1975, Italian-born singer Renato Pagliari auditioned for the talent show New Faces. Although he didn't win, the tenor caught the eye of record producer Johnny Edward, who wrote the song with his wife Sue. Edward was the founder of Hollywood Records, and "Save Your Love" was released on his label backed by "If Love Is Not The Reason."
  • It was not unnatural for people to believe Renée and Renato were lovers or husband and wife, but Reneé was actually a professional singer and actress named Hilary Lester, and she did not even appear in the video; her part was taken by lookalike Val Penny.

    Reneé and Renato cut two further singles, both of which flopped; she pursued her own career, and he went onto the club circuit and also performed at his son's restaurant. He died in August 2009 aged 69. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2
  • Renato admitted, "It's a very romantic song and just happened to come out at the right time (Christmas). At a time when the chart was full of heavy rock and bang bang music, maybe people wanted something romantic."

    While Renato was proud of their hit, Reneé saw it differently. In the '90s she said, "I think you have to laugh along with it, you have to take something for what it is. I'll never be ashamed of it, but at the end of the day it was a novelty record." (Both quotes from the book 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh).
  • Songwriter Johnny Edward also created, controlled and voiced the children's robot, Metal Mickey. He allegedly wrote this song, after hearing Brotherhood of Man's "Save All Your Kisses For Me," and deciding he could do better.

Comments: 1

  • Name Unknown from Australiathis song did nothing but make me cry for well over a year
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

David Gray

David GraySongwriter Interviews

David Gray explains the significance of the word "Babylon," and talks about how songs are a form of active imagination, with lyrics that reveal what's inside us.

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.