1976-1985: My Favorite Decade: Love Plus One

U.S. charts:
Hot 100	37
Dance	8
Mainstream Rock	18

Just yesterday I named "Love Plus One" as the 4th best song of 1982 and today the song is featured in a summer series over at Herc's Hideaway. I never need much of an excuse to listen to that song, but I've heard it several times over the past 48 hours and it got me to thinking: "don't I have a copy of that sheet music around here somewhere?" After a brief search, I found what I was looking for, which turns out to be an Australian print edition. I have no memory how this music was obtained and no idea why it's from Australia. My guess would be that it was purchased during an ill-advised, drunken eBay bidding spree around the year 2000.

Upon opening the music, the first thing I notice is that the song is presented here in the key of D-flat major. That's not a key you normally hear in guitar-based pop music (too many flats), so I'm immediately suspect. After heading to the piano and playing the music against a recording of the song, it seems that the actual key of the song is C major, a half-step below what is written. Other explanations include the possibilities that the tape was slowed slightly during mastering and/or my piano is severely in need of a tuning and/or I have no idea what I'm talking about.

But the question most people ask about this song is, "What the heck is Nick singing at the chorus?" So here's the nonsensical lyrics according to this sheet music:

I went off to the right
without saying good, goodbye.
Where does it go from here,
is it down to the lake I fear.
Ah ya ya ya ya ya.
Ah ya ya ya ya ya ya ya.

(and I call) Ring, ring, ring, ring
La-la-love plus one.
Ring, ring, ring, ring
When I call love.

Give love some soul
if I may be quite so bold.
Where does it go from here,
is it down to the lake I fear.
Ah ya ya ya ya ya.
Ah ya ya ya ya ya ya ya.

Repeat chorus

Ring and a'ring and a'ring and a'ring and a'
La-la-love plus one