Madness - It Must Be Love

What this video is

Released in late 1981 on Stiff Records, 'It Must Be Love' was Madness's cover of Labi Siffre's 1971 original and became their eighth consecutive UK Top 10 hit, reaching number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The video encapsulates the playful absurdism that defined Madness's visual identity during the peak of the British ska revival, blending slapstick humour with genuine emotional warmth. The cameo by Labi Siffre — the…

Why it matters

A pivotal document of the British ska-pop crossover moment, demonstrating how 2 Tone-adjacent acts successfully absorbed mainstream pop production values without abandoning their comedic, working-class subcultural identity. The video's underwater stunt and surreal staging set a template for UK…

The director

British director and photographer active from the late 1970s through the 1980s and beyond. Known for work with Stiff Records artists and early UK music video production. Directed videos for Culture Club ('Time (Clock of the Heart)', 1982; 'Church of the…