| "You Must Love Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Madonna | ||||
| from the album Evita | ||||
| B-side | "Rainbow High" | |||
| Released | October 21, 1996 | |||
| Recorded | September 1995 | |||
| Studio | CTS (London) | |||
| Length | 3:09 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Composer(s) | Andrew Lloyd Webber | |||
| Lyricist(s) | Tim Rice | |||
| Producer(s) |
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| Madonna singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "You Must Love Me" on YouTube | ||||
"You Must Love Me" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, for the 1996 film adaptation of the musical, Evita, based on the life of Argentinian leader Eva Perón. The song was released on October 21, 1996, by Warner Bros. as the lead single from the film's soundtrack. After years of not working together due to their individual projects, Lloyd Webber and Rice collaborated on creating a new track for the film, with the hopes of obtaining an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. According to Lloyd Webber, the song's purpose was to showcase Perón's emotional state at the time as well as her relationship with her husband Juan Perón.
Madonna, who starred in the title role of the film, had tried to change the lyrics of the track to create a sympathetic portrayal of Perón, but was unsuccessful. She also undertook vocal lessons to record the songs for the film. "You Must Love Me" features instrumentation from cello and piano which accompanies Madonna's vocals. The song garnered positive response from music critics, many of them highlighting Madonna's enhanced singing ability. It went on to win the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1997.
Commercially, "You Must Love Me" became a top-10 hit in some countries including Finland, Italy, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom, while reaching the top 20 in the United States. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 physical units. A music video, directed by Alan Parker, was released as promotion for the single. Madonna has performed the song at the 69th Academy Awards and on her 2008–09 Sticky & Sweet Tour.