Throwing back to the week of August 2, 1975, we find the Eagles atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘One of These Nights,’ title track of the band’s breakthrough fourth album.
At #2, where it stayed for three weeks, was ‘I’n Not in Love,’ the ethereal ballad by English art-pop band 10cc. This was one of two top five U.S. singles for 10cc, the other being the very different ‘The Things We Do For Love,’ released the following year.
Lead vocalist and songwriter Eric Stewart wrote this lyric in response to his wife saying he didn’t tell her he loved her often enough. He felt that repeating the words rendered them meaningless and set out to write a song that said “I love you” by declaring the opposite.
The original version was given a guitar-heavy bossa nova treatment that nobody in the band liked. They scrapped it and went in a completely different direction, creating a wall of sound made up of their own multi-tracked voices. They layered some subtle instrumentation over that and called it a day.
The result is one of the most original sounding and effective 70s love songs, one that endures in part due to its inclusion in multiple movies and TV shows.
I’m not in love, so don’t forget it
It’s just a silly phase I’m going through
And just because I call you up
Don’t get me wrong, don’t think you’ve got it made
[Chorus]
I’m not in love, no, no
(It’s because)
[Verse 2]
I like to see you, but then again
That doesn’t mean you mean that much to me
So if I call you, don’t make a fuss
Don’t tell your friends about the two of us
[Chorus]
I’m not in love, no, no
(It’s because)
[Interlude]
Be quiet, big boys don’t cry
Big boys don’t cry
Big boys don’t cry
Big boys don’t cry
Big boys don’t cry
Big boys don’t cry…
[Verse 3]
I keep your picture upon the wall
It hides a nasty stain that’s lying there
So don’t you ask me to give it back
I know you know it doesn’t mean that much to me
[Chorus]
I’m not in love, no, no
(It’s because)
[Bridge]
Ooh, you’ll wait a long time for me
Ooh, you’ll wait a long time
Ooh, you’ll wait a long time for me
Ooh, you’ll wait a long time
[Verse 4]
I’m not in love, so don’t forget it
It’s just a silly phase I’m going through
And just because I call you up
Don’t get me wrong, don’t think you’ve got it made, ooh
[Chorus]
I’m not in love
I’m not in love
Meet Me In Montauk 
This song is always played on The Bridge, but for years I had no idea who played it. Even after checking, I would usually forget the next time it came on. Same goes for their other hit.
Indeed, even now, I can’t be confident I will remember the band’s name the next time these songs come on.😛
That’s such an interesting story. Not sure I know of any movies or tv shows that played this song