"It Doesn't Have to Be" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released on 16 February 1987.

It was issued as a single six weeks before the release of the duo's second studio album, The Circus (1987).

Following the number-two UK placing of previous single "Sometimes", it became Erasure's second Top 20 hit in the UK (peaking at number twelve) and their third Top 20 hit (number sixteen) in West Germany.

The middle eight is in Swahili, an eastern, not southern African language: Lala pamoja na mimi / Nyumbani yako, nyumbani yako / Sababu wewe hapana kaa na mimi / Nyumbani yako, nyumbani yako, 'Sleep (together) with me / At your place [house], at your place / Why don't you stay with me / At your place, at your place.'

The single's B-side is a rendition of "In the Hall of the Mountain King", a piece taken from Norwegian composer and pianist Grieg's Peer Gynt suite.