Editing Soft Cell (section)

==="Tainted Love"===
{{see also|Tainted Love}}
After the chart failure of "Memorabilia", [[Phonogram Records]] allowed Soft Cell to record a second and final single in an attempt to score a chart success. The band opted to record a cover version of "Tainted Love", an obscure 1965 [[northern soul]] track originally released by [[Gloria Jones]] (the girlfriend of [[Marc Bolan]] at the time of his death) and written by [[Ed Cobb]] of [[the Four Preps]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3780262-Gloria-Jones-Tainted-Love|title = Gloria Jones - Tainted Love|website = [[Discogs]]}}</ref>

Released in 1981, Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" was a No.&nbsp;1 hit in 17 countries, including the United Kingdom, where it was the second best selling single  of 1981<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-50-best-selling-songs-of-1981__32604/|title=The Official Top 50 best-selling songs of 1981|website=Officialcharts.com}}</ref><ref name="UK Chart"/> after selling 1.05 million copies (a total which increased to 1.35 million copies by August 2017).<ref name="UK Chart">{{cite news|url= http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/official-charts-flashback-1981-soft-cell-tainted-love__20296/|title=Official Charts Flashback 1981: Soft Cell - Tainted Love|last=Copsey|first=Rob|website=Officialcharts.com|date=31 August 2017|access-date=31 August 2017}}</ref>

In 1982, "Tainted Love" became a No.&nbsp;8 single in the United States and went on to set a [[Guinness World Record]] at the time for the longest consecutive stay (43 weeks) on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart. The song's popularity developed slowly, needing 19 weeks to enter the US Top 40. The A-side of the [[12-inch single]] of "Tainted Love" actually featured a two-song medley, with "Tainted Love" blending into the [[Motown]] classic "[[Where Did Our Love Go]]" (originally recorded by [[the Supremes]] in 1964).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/11282/supremes/|title = The Supremes &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company|website = [[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]]}}</ref>