There’s an iconic moment near the beginning of British pop group 10cc’s “I’m Not in Love” when the song seems to float into another dimension. Eric Stewart’s voice is surrounded by a hypnotic, dreamy wash of “ahh” vocals, making it feel like an entire choir came down from the heavens to duet with him. 

Except…there was no choir. The effect came from the band members’ voices, a 16-track machine, a pile of tape loops, and a mixing console that essentially turned it all into a singular musical instrument. 

The more you learn about how this song was made, the more impressive it becomes. 

As it is with so many great songs, “I’m Not in Love” nearly ended up in the trash

“I’m Not in Love” didn’t initially have that ethereal-sounding piece. Stewart, along with 10cc co-singer and bassist Gary Gouldman, originally wrote it as a more rhythmic, bossa nova-style piece. Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, the other half of 10cc, famously thought the song was “crap,” so the project was abandoned altogether. 

That is, until Kathy Redfern, secretary of Strawberry Studios, stepped in. 

Stewart recalled he kept hearing multiple people around........

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