Synth-pop duo Soft Cell had an unexpected early 80’s hit with their 1981 cover of “Tainted Love”, originally sung by Gloria Jones in 1964.  “Tainted Love” was a number-one hit in seventeen countries, including the United Kingdom, as well as a number eight single in the United States during 1982, and went on to set a then Guinness World Record for the longest consecutive stay on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart (43 weeks).

It’s infectious and unmistakable beat has caused Soft Cell’s version of “Tainted Love” to be covered and sampled many times over, including:

 1999 Australian punk/rockabilly band The Living End covered the song as a B-side for their single “All Torn Down“.

  2001 Glam/hard rock band Marilyn Manson covered the song on the album Not Another Teen Movie O.S.T. and Lest We Forget: The Best Of Marilyn Manson. Also as a bonus track on The Golden Age of Grotesque.

 2004 German techno producer Thomas Schumacher samples “Tainted Love” on his single Tainted Schall.

  2005 Pussycat Dolls covered the Soft cell version with Tainted Love and Where Did Our Love Go? combined as one song for their debut album, PCD.

 2006 Rihanna samples “Tainted Love” on the single “SOS” from her album A Girl Like Me.

2006 Psytrance producer Bulletproof samples “Tainted Love” on the vinyl EP Tainted Love.

 2006 Milk Inc. records a Dance (Pop Trance) version.

 2006 Stefy samples “Tainted Love” for the single “Chelsea” on the album John Tucker Must Die O.S.T. and The Orange Album.