"We never wanted to just make a straight, respectful cover of 'Tainted Love'; that would be completely pointless. We wanted to strip the song right down to its bare bones and inject it with a cold, minimalist electronic edge that feels much more tense and claustrophobic. It is a song about emotional desperation, and using these harsh synthesizers makes that feeling of obsession so much more intense."

Marc Almond (Soft Cell), Smash Hits [September 1981]