Would I Lie to You? (Charles & Eddie song)
"Would I Lie to You?" is an R&B song by American duo Charles & Eddie. Written by Mike Leeson and Peter Vale and produced by Josh Deutsch, "Would I Lie to You?" was the debut single by the pop-soul duo, taken from their first album, Duophonic. It proved to be their biggest hit and a major international success. The song reached number-one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in November 1992, and was also number one in New Zealand, Germany, Austria and Zimbabwe. It was a top five hit in several other European countries while in Australia and Canada it went to number 3. The single became a Top 20 hit in the US, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and it achieved award-winning sales, earning a platinum record in the UK, a gold record in both Germany and Austria and silver record award in France.
The songwriters, Leeson and Vale, received the 1992 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.
Critical reception
editor Alex Henderson said that the duo "shows a great deal of promise on smooth pop-soul offerings" like "Would I Lie to You?". He also added that Charles & Eddie "show their appreciation of classic soul in a very pop-friendly way". Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that the male duo "is quickly picking up pop radio adds with this delightful twirl into retro-R&B territory. Rich lead vocals are supported by Motown-styled harmonies, rumbling Hammond organ fills, and an insinuating, live drum beat." Amy Linden from Entertainment Weekly wrote in her review of Duophonic that "by laying silky harmonies on top of gritty hip-hop beats, gospel organ fills, and languid guitars, creates an R&B paradise." Tom Ewing from Freaky Trigger described the track as "an irresistibly sweet record" and added that "it's dreaminess all the way down: if anyone’s going to end up hurt it'll be them, but that's an unimaginable outcome as long as the record's playing." Music & Media commented that "one of soul afficionados' wildest dreams: a duet between Smokey Robinson and the late Marvin Gaye. With this single it's more than just wishful thinking." People said that "it would be hard to get a better soul vibe and groove than the exquisite "Would I Lie to You?"." Pop Rescue wrote that "there is nothing to dislike about this song – the music, lyrics, and the harmonised vocals are spot on." Adam Higginbotham from Select noted it as "a fantastic single" and "so faultlessly polished and timeless".Music video
The music video for "Would I Lie to You" sees Charles & Eddie performing the song at various locations in New York City. Occasionally, several different young women are seen walking around the city. Some scenes of the duo have a dark blue or sepia tone. And sometimes also features a fractured screen with two boxes, showing different images at the same time. As the video ends, Charles & Eddie continues to sing in the late hours as it gets dark outside. The video was published on YouTube in March 2009. In August 2020, it has got more than 41,000,000 views.Track listings
; CD single- "Would I Lie to You?" – 3:41
- "Would I Lie to You?" – 5:04
- "Would I Lie to You?" – 3:41
- "Would I Lie to You?" – 5:04
- "Would I Lie to You?" – 3:57
- "Would I Lie to You?" – 5:01
- "Would I Lie to You?" – 3:41
- "Would I Lie to You?" – 5:04
Charts and sales
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
| Chart | Position |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 6 |
| Belgian Singles Chart | 26 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 41 |
| Dutch Single Top 100 | 11 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 10 |
| German Singles Chart | 16 |
| Icelandic Singles Chart | 57 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 36 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 23 |