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"Hollywood Romance" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and David Jordan. ^{[1] [2]} It was released as a single on Polydor Records on 20 October 1978 in a picture sleeve, ^{[3] [4] [5]} almost six years to the day after the release of their last hit collaboration " Getting a Drag", ^[6] and it was play-listed on BBC Radio 1. ^[7] The record label for this single was unusual in that it was printed in silver instead of the usual Polydor red label. ^[8] The release was announced in a full page advert "Hollywood Romance - a new single from a very special lady" published in Music Week. ^[9] In Japan, it was released in February 1979 in the same picture sleeve cover with the title in Japanese added, plus the lyrics were included on the back cover. ^[10] It was listed as a major release in Hong Kong. ^[11] It was also released as a track on the 1978 BBC transcription album Servicio Latinoamericano de la BBC vol. 44 (produced for Latin American radio) together with "Don't Take Love for Granted" by Lulu and " Got to Get You into My Life" by Earth, Wind and Fire.

The song name checks a number of classic era Hollywood movies such as King Kong, Last Tango in Paris, The African Queen, Citizen Kane and Tarzan, as well as the popular song " Begin the Beguine", written by Cole Porter that Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell danced to in the musical film Broadway Melody of 1940. ^[12] "Hollywood Romance" was influenced by de Paul's move to California in the late 1970s to be with her partner at the time, the actor James Coburn. The B-side to the "Hollywood Romance" single was a blues song that de Paul co-wrote with Coburn, entitled "Losin' The Blues For You". ^{[13] [14]} Polydor hosted a launch party in London to celebrate the release of "Hollywood Romance" in a Hollywood style setting complete with Busby Berkeley film clips. ^[15] The single garnered good reviews with UK music press including the weekly publication, Record Mirror, writing "De Paul is set for a comeback ...with this real eye opener". ^[16] It was playlisted by BBC Radio 1 and also was played on Singapore's FM radio station. ^[17]

Both songs were produced by Rupert Holmes ^[18] for the Holmes Line and they went on to appear as tracks on the Holmes produced 1979 album, Tigers and Fireflies that was recorded at Long View Farm ^[19] and released by de Paul a few months later on the Polydor record label in 1979. ^[20] Although it is considered a major de Paul single release, it is one of the few de Paul tracks that has yet to be released on CD, although it is available as a download from de Paul's official online music store. ^[21] Lena Zavaroni performed her own version of "Hollywood Romance" on episode 2 of her popular Saturday night prime time BBC 1 TV series, Lena Zavaroni and Music, in 1979, ^{[22] [23] [24]} with Zavaroni displaying her skills os an impersonator as Moe West, Ruby Keeler and Judy Garland using "Hollywood Romance" to bookend some classic show tunes. ^[25] It was also featured in the music art book HK Pop Album 101: Part 1 1971-1987. ^[11]

A Japanese version of the song with the title "Romance" and Japanese lyrics ^[26] by Ryoko Goshima ^[27] was released in 1995 by Japanese singer, songwriter Yoshiko Goshima (五島 良子) on her album Froggie. ^{[28] [29] [30]} A remastered version of the album was released in 2013 ^{[31] [28]} with Japanese lyrics. ^[32] It also featured as a track on the 2001 Yoshiko Goshima CD Merry-Go-Round where it is listed as "ロマンス" (the Japanese translation of Romance). ^[33] The Chinese singer Ka Po Lam Lin Jiabao (林嘉寶) covered the song with lyrics by Caron (卡龍) as forth track on her 1981 LP 林嘉寶 with the title "濃情" ("Passionate"). ^[34]

De Paul's version of the song is listed by the BBC's official music website as one of her most played songs on BBC radio, ^[35] and was recently played in honour of the anniversary of her birthday. ^[36]

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