Everyone knows the feeling. That soaring, slightly desperate power ballad vocal. The shimmering 1980s production that feels both expensive and lonely. When Marie Fredriksson sings those opening lines, it’s not just a song playing. It’s a mood. Honestly, it’s a whole era. It Must Have Been Love is one of those rare tracks that transcends its own origin story. Most people associate it with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere in Pretty Woman, but the track had a life long before Hollywood got its hands on it. It wasn't even meant to be a movie theme. It was a Christmas song. Really.
Per Gessle, the songwriting half of Roxette, was asked by their German record label to write a holiday hit in 1987. He came up with "It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)." It did okay in Sweden. It lingered. But it wasn't a global phenomenon yet. It took a touch of cinematic serendipity to turn a Swedish holiday B-side into a Billboard-topping juggernaut.
The Weird Logic of a Christmas Song Without Christmas
When Touchstone Pictures approached Roxette for a song for their new film, 3000, which was later renamed Pretty Woman, the band didn’t have time to write something new. They were busy touring or recording Joyride. Per Gessle basically reached into the archives. He told the producers they could have the Christmas track if they didn't mind a few tweaks.
He did something incredibly simple but genius. He swapped out the line "It's a hard Christmas day" for "It's a hard winter's day." That was it. That tiny pivot removed the tinsel and left the raw, universal ache of a breakup. The song was re-recorded, polished with that signature Roxette sheen, and suddenly, it was everywhere. It spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990.
Think about that for a second. A song about a dead relationship, originally meant to be played near a pine tree, became the soundtrack to one of the most famous rom-coms in history. It’s kind of ironic. The movie is a fairy tale—albeit a gritty one—but the song is about the moment the fairy tale ends. "It's over now." Marie sings it with such conviction that you forget she's a Swedish pop star and start believing she's lived through every single second of that regret.
Why Marie Fredriksson’s Vocals Are Unmatchable
You can't talk about It Must Have Been Love without talking about Marie. She had this specific texture to her voice. It was icy but somehow burned.
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Technically, the song isn't just a vocal showcase; it's a lesson in restraint. The verses are low, almost whispered. She sounds like she’s talking to herself in a cold room. Then, the chorus hits. That’s where the power comes from. But even in the high notes, there’s a raspiness that feels human. It’s not the over-polished, "perfect" singing we see in modern talent shows. It’s emotive. It’s real.
Per Gessle knew exactly how to write for her. He wrote melodies that allowed her to stretch. When she hits the "but it's over now" line, the production drops away just enough to let the vulnerability show. It’s a classic 80s/90s power ballad trope, sure, but it works because the sincerity is there.
The Pretty Woman Effect
Let’s be honest. Without the movie, this song might have stayed a European hit. But that scene? You know the one. Vivian (Julia Roberts) is in the back of the limo. She’s leaving. The dream is supposedly over. The song starts playing, and the rain—or at least the gloom—perfectly matches the minor chords.
Director Garry Marshall reportedly loved the song so much he re-edited the scene to make sure the lyrics lined up with the emotional beats of the characters. It became a symbiotic relationship. The movie made the song a legend, and the song gave the movie its emotional core. It’s one of the most successful soundtrack placements in the history of cinema.
Interestingly, the version in the movie is slightly different from the radio edit. If you listen closely to the film version, it lacks the heavy electric guitar of the single. It’s a bit more stripped back, emphasizing the sadness over the "pop" factor. It’s a masterclass in how to use music to tell a story without a single line of dialogue.
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A Legacy Measured in BMI Awards
In 2014, BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) gave Per Gessle an award because the song had been played over five million times on US radio. Five million. That’s roughly 30 years of continuous play if you ran it back-to-back.
It hasn’t aged the way some 90s songs have. It doesn't feel like a museum piece. Maybe that’s because heartbreak doesn't have an expiration date. Or maybe it’s because the production—handled by Clarence Öfwerman—was actually quite sophisticated for its time. It used synthesizers, but it didn't lean on the "cheesy" ones that make other tracks from that era sound dated.
What Most People Miss About the Lyrics
People often hum along to the chorus, but the verses are where the real storytelling happens. "Make believe it's over and it's gone." That’s a heavy line. It’s about denial. It’s about the "lonely whispers" and the "water flowing."
Gessle’s lyrics often have a slightly surreal quality, perhaps because English wasn't his first language. He uses metaphors that feel just a little bit "off" in a way that makes them more memorable. "Lay a whisper on my pillow" is a strange image if you think about it literally, but emotionally? It makes perfect sense. It’s soft. It’s fleeting.
The song captures the specific moment after the fight. Not the screaming, but the silence. The realization that you’re "sheltered by the night" but still "feeling like a flower that's died of thirst." It’s dramatic. It’s borderline camp. But in the context of a 1990 pop landscape, it was pure gold.
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The Different Versions You Need to Hear
Most people only know the Pretty Woman version, but Roxette was a band that loved to reinvent their own work.
- The 1987 Christmas Version: It’s worth a listen just to hear the references to "Christmas day." It feels a bit weirder, like a glitch in the Matrix.
- The 1990 Movie Version: The one we all know. The definitive one.
- The 1992 Country-Flavored Version: Recorded in Los Angeles for the Tourism album. This one features a pedal steel guitar. It’s much more acoustic and shows how strong the songwriting is—it doesn't need the synths to be a great song.
- The Spanish Version: "No sé si es amor." Marie’s voice translates perfectly to the romance of the Spanish language. It was a massive hit in Latin America.
Why We Still Care in 2026
You might think a song from 1990 would be buried by now. But it isn't. It’s a staple on "soft rock" playlists, it’s a karaoke favorite for people who want to test their vocal range, and it’s constantly being discovered by younger generations through TikTok and streaming.
Marie Fredriksson passed away in 2019, which added a layer of poignancy to the track. Now, when you hear her sing "it's over now," it feels a bit more final. It’s a legacy of a voice that defined an era of Swedish pop exports. Roxette paved the way for the Swedish pop dominance that followed—from Max Martin to Robyn. They proved that a duo from Halmstad could take over the world with nothing but a catchy hook and a lot of feeling.
It Must Have Been Love remains their crowning achievement because it strikes a perfect balance. It’s commercial but credible. It’s sad but anthemic.
How to Appreciate the Roxette Catalog Today
If you’ve only ever listened to this one track, you’re missing out on the full picture of what Per and Marie accomplished. They weren't just a "one-hit wonder" for a movie. They were a hit machine.
- Listen to "The Look": It’s the total opposite of a ballad. It’s weird, jagged, and full of nonsense lyrics that somehow work.
- Watch the "Joyride" Video: It captures the peak of their visual style—vibrant, a bit eccentric, and very 90s.
- Check out the "Tourism" Album: It’s a "travel" album recorded in hotel rooms and small studios during their world tour. It shows the band’s raw, live energy.
- Analyze the Songwriting: If you’re a musician, look at the chord progression of the chorus. The way it moves from the verse to that explosive hook is a masterclass in tension and release.
Next time this song comes on the radio, don't just skip it because you've heard it a thousand times. Listen to the way Marie breathes between the lines. Listen to the subtle percussion. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best pop music is the kind that isn't afraid to be a little bit lonely.
Actionable Insights for Music Lovers:
- Playlist Context: If you're building a 90s nostalgia or "breakup" playlist, place this track after Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U" but before "The Sign" by Ace of Base. It bridges the gap between raw emotion and pure pop.
- Support the Legacy: Check out the official Roxette YouTube channel. They’ve remastered many of their old videos in 4K, which makes the Pretty Woman era feel brand new.
- Deep Dive: Read Per Gessle’s interviews about his songwriting process. He’s incredibly transparent about how he crafts hits, often starting with a simple title or a feeling rather than a complex musical theory.