Some songs are immortal — reborn again and again to fit the heartbeat of each new generation. “Tainted Love” is one of those rare shapeshifters.
First released in 1964 by Gloria Jones, the Ed Cobb–penned track burned with Motown soul and heartbreak. Though it initially failed to chart, it later became a Northern Soul favorite among British clubgoers, who kept its spirit alive through the disco lights and sweat of underground dance halls.
In 1981, British duo Soft Cell electrified the song with icy synthesizers and emotional detachment, turning it into a global new wave phenomenon. Their version—moody, hypnotic, unforgettable—defined the early ’80s pop landscape.
Then, in 1985, the avant-garde band Coil—led by real-life partners John Balance and Peter Christopherson—released their haunting, slowed-down cover to benefit AIDS research. Their version stripped away the pop gloss and laid bare the raw ache of the lyrics, transforming “Tainted Love” into a mournful elegy for a generation in crisis.
Decades later, the Pussycat Dolls resurrected the song once more, blending it with The Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go” for a sultry 2000s update.
With over 70 cover versions and more than 36 samples, “Tainted Love” continues to pulse through music history — proof that even the most poisoned passion can echo forever in perfect rhythm.
Tainted Love (1964)
Soft Cell - Tainted Love (1981)
Coil — Tainted Love (1984)
The Pussycat Dolls - Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go (2005)
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