The Vow (song)

"The Vow"
Single by Toyah
from the album Love Is the Law
B-side
  • "I Explode"
  • "Haunted"
ReleasedNovember 1983
GenreNew wave
Length3:42
LabelSafari
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Nick Tauber
Toyah singles chronology
"Rebel Run"
(1983) 		"The Vow"
(1983) 		"Don't Fall in Love (I Said)"
(1985)

"The Vow" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox. It was released in 1983 to promote the album Love Is the Law.

Background

The track was written by Toyah Willcox, Joel Bogen and Phil Spalding, and produced by Nick Tauber. It was released as the second and final single from Love Is the Law and also was the final single released by Toyah as a band. It failed to match the success of its predecessors, peaking at number 50 in the UK, despite appearances on several television shows.

The B-side on the 7" single was an album track "I Explode" and the 12" single featured an additional non-album B-side, "Haunted", inspired by a breakup of a very long relationship.[1] The latter appeared on the 2005 reissue of Love Is the Law, and the compilation album The Safari Singles Collection Part 2: 1981–1983, released the same year.

"The Vow" didn't have an actual music video, but a special clip picturing Toyah walking in a park set to the song was produced by ITV for the children's programme The Saturday Show.[2]

Track listing

  • 7" single
A. "The Vow" (Toyah Willcox, Joel Bogen, Phil Spalding) – 3:42
B. "I Explode" (Willcox, Bogen) – 4:07
  • 12" single
A. "The Vow" (Willcox, Bogen, Spalding) – 3:42
B1. "I Explode" (Willcox, Bogen) – 4:07
B2. "Haunted" (Willcox, Simon Darlow) – 3:27
  • Digital single[3]
  1. "The Vow" (Alternate Mix) (Willcox, Bogen, Spalding) – 3:46
  2. "I Explode" (Willcox, Bogen) – 4:10
  3. "Haunted" (Willcox, Simon Darlow) – 3:42

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1983) Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[4] 50
UK Independent Singles[5] 17

References

  1. ^ "Toyah At Home: Episode #18". YouTube. 17 October 2020. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Videos - The Vow Screen Captures". toyah.net. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  3. ^ "The Vow (Alternate Mix) - Single - Album by Toyah". Apple Music. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100: 27 November 1983 - 03 December 1983". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Indie Hits "T"". Cherry Red Records. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2021.