"School Love" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and Barry Blue,[1] which was recorded by Blue and released as his third single on Bell Records in 1974.[2] It reached No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart,[3] No. 3 on the Danish charts[4] (his biggest hit there), No. 9 on the Rhodesian charts[5] No. 24 on the Australian GoSet chart [6] and No. 31 in the Australian Kent Music Report chart,[7] making it Blue's last international hit, although he would go on to have another two UK hit singles later that year. It also reached No. 4 on the Radio Northsea Toppers 20 on 15 March 1974[8] and No. 5 on the Hessische Rundfunk Hitparade International chart.[9]
Blue performed the song twice on Top of the Pops, on 7[10] and 21 March 1974.[11] He also performed the song on the Spanish RTVE television show ¡Señoras y señores! on 19 October 1974.[12] According to the NME, it was one of the top 150 UK singles of 1974.[13] It was also listed as 84th best single of 1974 in Australia according to Sydney 2SM as listed in Billboard.[14]
Cover versions of the song was released by vocal group The Hiltonaires on their album Made In England 9,[15] and Brazilian artist Paul Lynsey on the album Super Sucessos 74.[16] It was also released as a single by Italian group Moto Perpetuo[17] and this was often played on Italian radio,[18] as well as an album track by another Italian group, La Quinta Faccia, on their self-titled album with Italian lyrics by Capelli.[19] Argentinean rock and roll pioneer, Nicky Jones, also released a Spanish language version "Amor De Estudiante" on the 1974 album "Hot 12".[20]
More recently, Blue's version was one of the tracks on his compilation CD albums, The Singles Collection.[21] and Dancin' (On A Saturday Night)... Best Of.[22] It was also included on the 2000 compilation CD Jackie Love Songs, which made No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart that year.[23] Blue's version of the song was featured in the 2014 film, Northern Soul.[24][25] The song is also mentioned in the book, The Rough Guide to Cult Pop by Paul Simpson.[26]