Can't Deny My Love

"Can't Deny My Love"
Single by Brandon Flowers
from the album The Desired Effect
ReleasedMarch 24, 2015
Recorded2014 at
Battle Born Studios
(Winchester, Nevada)
Genre
Length3:42
Songwriter(s)
  • Brandon Flowers
  • Darren Beckett
Producer(s)
Brandon Flowers singles chronology
"Only the Young"
(2010) 		"Can't Deny My Love"
(2015) 		"Still Want You"
(2015)
Music video
Official Music Video on YouTube

"Can't Deny My Love" is the lead single by American singer-songwriter Brandon Flowers from his second studio album, The Desired Effect.[3]

Composition

[edit]

Flowers asked drummer Darren Beckett for a beat, Beckett obliged and Flowers then wrote the song using one of the recorded beats Beckett sent him.[4]

Promotion

[edit]

The single debuted on Annie Mac's show on BBC Radio 1 on March 23, 2015.[5] Flowers performed "Can't Deny My Love" for the first time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon the same evening.[6]

Music video

[edit]

In promotion of the video, Flowers's YouTube channel released a series of clips featuring a walking traveler carrying a flame.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

The music video was inspired by the 1835 Puritan short story "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Flowers plays the protagonist who leaves his wife played by actress Evan Rachel Wood for an unknown errand in the desert despite her pleas that he stay. On his journey he meets a man with a black staff played by Richard Butler (of the Psychedelic Furs). Soon he discovers a group of townspeople assembled in robes carrying out witchcraft like ceremonies and discovers his wife among them. The townspeople notice him but as they approach the scene instantly vanishes and he awakes uncertain whether the previous night's events were real or a dream. He passes by several of the townspeople and returns to his wife.[14][15][16] Originally, M. Night Shyamalan was expected to direct the video in the Northeast but at the last second Robert Schober was asked to film the video in Calico, San Bernardino County, California.[17]

Reception

[edit]

Critical

[edit]

"Can't Deny My Love" was met with very positive reception upon its release. PopJustice gave the song a positive review describing it as "Haim meets Pet Shop Boys meets The Killers" and added "it's really amazing so tune in".[18] Digital Spy gave it five stars out of five calling it, "big, bold, and quite possibly one of the best songs Flowers has sung on this decade."[19][20] Rolling Stone described the song and track "Dreams Come True" as "triumphant new songs" and reported that, "Whatever it is, it's working."[21] Music Times also gave the song a positive review calling it "a glowing effort of what a new solo single could be – it's fitting in the 2015 pop landscape all while maintaining the very thing that makes Flowers a unique presence in music over a decade into his career."[22] Gigwise reported that "it confirms why The Desired Effect is one of our most anticipated records of the year".[23] DIY calls it "an instant pop fix, one of the most upfront, immediate tricks Flowers has pulled in his career to date."[24] Billboard also gave it very positive reviews, calling it "excellent".[25]

Following its release, "Can't Deny My Love" became Spotify's No. 1 Most Viral Track in the United Kingdom[26] and Canada[27] as well as the No. 2 Most Viral Track globally.[28]

Track listing

[edit]
Digital download
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Can't Deny My Love"Brandon Flowers, Darren BeckettAriel Rechtshaid3:42
Digital download – remix
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Can't Deny My Love" (Gosh Father & Jinco remix)Brandon Flowers, Darren BeckettAriel Rechtshaid3:57

Charts

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Weekly charts

[edit]
Chart (2015) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[29] 27
UK Official Download Chart Top 100[30] 60
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[31] 39
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[32] 30

Accolades

[edit]
Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Esquire United States The 40 Songs You Need to Hear for Summer 2015[33] 2015
N/A
Idolator United States The 20 Best Pop Songs Of 2015: Idolator Editors Pick Their Favorites[34] 2015
4

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Murphy,Sarah (March 24, 2015). "Brandon Flowers – "Can't Deny My Love" (live on 'Fallon')". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  2. ^ Eve Barlow (March 23, 2015). "Brandon Flowers' New Solo Cut Reviewed: 'Can't Deny My Love' Signals The Start Of A New Chapter". NME.
  3. ^ "Brandon Flowers unveils 'Can't Deny My Love' single trailer and artwork". Nme.Com. March 12, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  4. ^ "How I Wrote That Song: Brandon Flowers "Can't Deny My Love"". YouTube.com. March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  5. ^ Dan Stubbs (March 23, 2015). "NME News Brandon Flowers announces UK tour, and will air new solo single tonight (March 23)". Nme.Com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  6. ^ "Brandon Flowers: Can't Deny My Love | Video | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". NBC.com. March 23, 2015. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  7. ^ "CDML #1". YouTube.com. March 2, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  8. ^ "CDML #2". YouTube.com. March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  9. ^ "CDML #3". YouTube.com. March 14, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  10. ^ "CDML #4". YouTube.com. March 16, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  11. ^ "CDML #5". YouTube.com. March 20, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  12. ^ "CDML #6". YouTube.com. March 22, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  13. ^ "Brandon Flowers And The Temple Of Doom?". Radio1045.com. March 12, 2015. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  14. ^ Brittany Spanos (March 30, 2015). "Watch Brandon Flowers' Witchy 'Can't Deny My Love' Video". Rolling Stone.
  15. ^ Luke Morgan Britton (March 30, 2015). "Brandon Flowers transports back to 19th century in 'Can't Deny My Love' video – watch". NME.COM.
  16. ^ Eve Barlow (March 23, 2015). "Brandon Flowers' New Solo Cut Reviewed: 'Can't Deny My Love' Signals The Start Of A New Chapter". Nme.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  17. ^ "M Night Shyamalan Almost Directed Brandon Flowers' New Music Video". radio.com. March 30, 2015. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  18. ^ "The new Brandon Flowers single is the Brandon Flowers single you always wanted". Popjustice.com. March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  19. ^ Corner, Lewis (March 24, 2015). "Playlist: 10 tracks you need to hear – Brandon Flowers, Kygo, Chic – Music Feature". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  20. ^ Lewis Corner (March 29, 2015). "This week's new singles reviewed: Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, Brandon Flowers". Digital Spy.
  21. ^ Mejia, Paula (March 25, 2015). "Brandon Flowers Debuts Triumphant New Songs at NYC Show". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  22. ^ Carolyn Menyes (March 23, 2015). "Brandon Flowers 'Can't Deny My Love' Review: New Single from 'The Desired Effect' Pulls Heavily from the '80s [LISTEN] : Buzz". Musictimes.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  23. ^ "Brandon Flowers' 'Can't Deny My Love' unveiled". Gigwise.com. March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  24. ^ Milton, Jamie (March 23, 2015). "Brandon Flowers unveils new single, 'Can't Deny My Love'". Diymag.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  25. ^ Joe Lynch (March 26, 2015). "Must-Hear Music Podcast: Brandon Flowers, Tink, Luke Bryan, Shamir & More". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  26. ^ "Spotify's Top 10 most viral tracks". Associated Press. May 3, 2016.
  27. ^ "Spotify's Top 10 most viral tracks - Winnipeg Free Press". Archived from the original on April 10, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  28. ^ "Spotify's Top 10 most viral tracks | the Kansas City Star the Kansas City Star". www.kansascity.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  29. ^ "Brandon Flowers – {{{song}}}" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  30. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts.
  31. ^ "Brandon Flowers Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  32. ^ "Brandon Flowers Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  33. ^ "The 40 Songs You Need to Hear for Summer 2016". Esquire. May 20, 2015.
  34. ^ "The 20 Best Pop Songs Of 2015: Idolator Editors Pick Their Favorites". Idolator.com. December 14, 2015.
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