It feels as if the festive season really only begins when the famous annual John Lewis Christmas advert is unveiled. This year, John Lewis invites the nation to say what they truly feel through the timeless power of thoughtful gifting with the help of ‘90s dance icon Alison Limerick and the BRIT, MOBO and Ivor Novello winner Labrinth.
The advert is soundtracked by Alison Limerick’s classic house anthem ‘Where Love Lives’ – a song which was released in 1990 and became a Top 10 hit in 1996. Its renown has only been amplified in the years that have followed, with the likes of Billboard, DJ Mag,Mixmag, Rolling Stone, The Face and Time Out all including it in their lists of the all-time greatest dance or house songs. The advert also features a beautiful, newly reimagined version of the track courtesy of Labrinth.
The advert, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, takes the viewer to an ordinary family household on Christmas Day. It focuses on a teenage son who uses music as a medium to express his feelings for his father, ending with the strapline: “If you can’t find the words, find the gift.” A gift of a vinyl copy of Alison Limerick’s ‘Where Love Lives’ transports the father back to dancing with his friends in a club in the 1990s. As the song swells to a crescendo and strobe lights flash, it depicts his earliest memories of his son: the music becomes a bridge between memory and love, between then and now.
The scene shifts back to the present day, as Labrinth’s newly reimagined version of the track echoes softly. The son catches his father enjoying his gift, who then pulls him into an embrace. They share a quiet, unspoken moment – a wordless “thank you,” carrying the weight of “I know we aren’t as close as we used to be but I love you.”
Alison Limerick says, “I squealed when I heard that ‘Where Loves Lives’ would be in the advert – literally squealed like an excited child. Music has always had the power to bring all kinds of peeps together, but I hope this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert will give those who see it a new, emotional connection with the song – especially with what Labrinth has created. His gentle version is just so beautiful; it’s sure to fill the heart with love.”
Labrinth adds, “To think a boy like me from East London Hackney, who grew up watching this iconic advert would one day reimagine a classic and compose a piece of music for John Lewis’s forward thinking direction is a big deal for me. This advert is embedded in British Christmas culture and I miss home, so I’m honoured to be a part of it.”
A new classic black 12” vinyl of ‘Where Love Lives’ is now available both online and in-store exclusively from John Lewis. It featuresAlison Limerick’s original version on Side A, with Labrinth’s new version on Side B. The package is completed with brand new club-inspired artwork.
All profits from the £14.99 vinyl record will support the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme, which helps people who have grown up in care build brighter futures.
Pop Scoop founder and editor. Ex showbiz/tech editor at the Cyprus Mail. Former sub-editor at Archant. Former art director Sky TV. Co-founder of Kool Magazine and freelanced for the BBC, Channel 4, Warner Bros and the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation.
