No More I Love Yous at 40: From original Songwriter Joe Hughes and The Lover Speaks to Dave Stewart’s Houseboat, Supporting Eurythmics, Annie Lennox’s Iconic Hit, and a Family Revival with My Girl The River
This September marks a remarkable milestone for one of the most beloved songs in Annie Lennox’s catalogue. No More I Love You's, made iconic by Annie’s haunting 1995 rendition, turns 40, not from its release, but from its creation.
Written in the summer of 1985 in a flat in Muswell Hill, London, the song was born from the creative partnership of lifelong friends and bandmates David Freeman and Joe Hughes. “There were no ‘No More I Love You’ songs back then,” Joe recalls. After David came up with the chorus, Joe returned to his flat in Crouch End—but sensing the magic of what they’d created, he walked back to David’s and sang the song through the letterbox. Weeks later, a sleepless night with friends produced a four-track demo, setting the stage for the song’s extraordinary journey.
While working as a carpenter, Joe’s job took him to Dave Stewart’s houseboat. Stewart heard the demo and was immediately taken by it. Joe and David were soon signed to Dave's publishing company, leading to a debut album produced by Jimmy Iovine under A&M Records as the duo The Lover Speaks. “Our version ricocheted off the outer edge of the charts,” Joe reflects, acknowledging the song’s quiet beginnings.
A decade later, Annie Lennox brought No More I Love You's to the world stage with her Medusa album, having heard the band originally performing it for many nights while supporting Eurythmics on the Revenge tour, it stuck with Annie.
Speaking to Ultimate Eurythmics, Joe shared:
“I had heard Annie was going to cover No More I Love Yous a year before it came out. I didn’t tell anyone except two or three very close friends—these things have a way of not working out. I was listening to LBC very early one morning and the presenter, Nick Abbot, played the song. It was the first time I had heard it and knew it was real. Annie released it, God bless her! I had to sit down. I was stunned.”
Nick said 'well that was beautiful' and I couldn't agree more. All the DJs said that after they played the song. People often tell me they love the Lover Speaks version which is always nice to hear but Annie's version will always be THE version people know and love.
Joe also reflected on his time supporting Eurythmics on tour:
“I had done tour support before in previous bands but nothing like supporting Eurythmics. Their set was just amazing. Clem Burke was on drums! I have massive respect for Dave and Annie and they have always shown me respect and kindness.”
Now, in 2025, Joe Hughes returns to the song with his wife, Kris Wilkinson Hughes and their daughter, Rue, as part of their band My Girl The River. Their new acoustic version, released on Thursday, 18th September, is a heartfelt reimagining, featuring Kris on vocals and acoustic guitar, Joe on bass and backing vocals, and Rue adding her own harmonies. It’s a family affair, full of warmth, nostalgia, and the instantly recognisable “doots” that have become part of the song’s DNA.
“Doing a new version now with my wife and daughter makes me really happy,” Joe told Ultimate Eurythmics. “I love listening to it. It’s a different style. And it makes me very nostalgic. I often can't believe we wrote that song 40 years ago.”
Kris added:
“My Girl The River has been playing No More I Love Yous for a long time. It’s a song that Joe brings to the show and people just love it. It’s an honour to sing it. I bought The Lover Speaks debut album in ’86, I bought Annie’s Medusa in ’96, and now here in 2025 we get to share our own acoustic version of the song, as we perform it live with our daughter, Rue. I will always credit Joe and Dave with writing one of the most beautiful songs ever written.”
The song also holds a special place in Kris and Joe’s personal story. Introduced in Nashville in 1998 via mutual friends, their shared love of the song sparked a long-distance friendship that grew into a life together. Rue has been performing alongside them since the age of five, and now adds her own beautiful harmonies to the recording.
My Girl The River will perform at Black Deer in the City on Sunday, 26th October, marking their first full-band gig. The duo will also tour parts of the UK with Serious Child in October and November, with occasional performances alongside Anna Howie (whose album Good For Roses Kris produced), and a support date with Peter Bruntnell in Bedford in March 2026. Kris and Joe are currently working on new material, aiming to release a full album in spring/summer 2026.
“You only get one chance to celebrate a song’s 40th birthday,” Kris says. This version is their way of saying thank you to Joe and David for writing it, to Dave Stewart for giving them the opportunity, and to Annie Lennox for elevating it, as well as to the fans who’ve kept it alive.
