Love the One You're With explained

Love the One You're With
Cover:Stephen Stills - Love The One.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Stephen Stills
Album:Stephen Stills
B-Side:To a Flame
Released:November 1970
Genre:Folk rock
Length:3:03
Label:Atlantic
Producer:Stephen Stills
Prev Title:Season of the Witch
Prev Year:1968
Next Title:Sit Yourself Down
Next Year:1971

"Love the One You're With" is a song by American folk rock musician Stephen Stills. It was released as the lead single from his debut self-titled studio album in November 1970. The song, inspired by a remark Stills heard from musician Billy Preston, became his biggest hit single, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1971.[1] David Crosby and Graham Nash, Stills's fellow members of Crosby, Stills & Nash, provide background vocals on the song. Also providing the backups are Rita Coolidge, her sister Priscilla Jones, and John Sebastian. They all sing the "Do Dos" that come before the instrumental portion and the outro. The song was also recorded by the Isley Brothers, The Meters, Bucks Fizz, Luther Vandross, Bob Seger and Richard Clapton, among others.

Background

Stills wrote the song after being inspired by the tag line — "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" which was a frequent remark by musician Billy Preston. Stills explained in 1991: "This song has been very good to me. The title came from a party with Billy Preston. I asked him if I could pinch this line he had, and he said, 'Sure.' So I took the phrase and wrote a song around it. It's a good times song, just a bit of fun. My favorite part is the steel drums. I played them before a little bit but I just kept diddling around till I found the right notes."[2]

Reception

Cash Box said that Stills's "unique melodic work, the harmonies and a booming rhythm track make this a bright attraction for top forty as well as FM playlists."[3] Record World said that "Stills shines with the help of some fine background singers and his vocal style is exemplary, as usual. The song's universal message is put across with a bright, yet driving, delivery."[4]

Musicians

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1970–71)Peak
position
Canada 100 (RPM) Top Singles[5] 6
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[6] 17
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
US Easy Listening (Billboard)[7] 32
US Hot 100 (Billboard)[8] 14
US Singles (Cash Box)[9] 16
US Singles (Record World)[10] 10
Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 29
Finland Singles Chart[12] 28

Year-end charts

Isley Brothers version

Love the One You're With
B-Side:He's Got Your Love
Type:single
Artist:the Isley Brothers
Released:1971
Length:3:27
Label:T-Neck
Producer:The Isley Brothers

Several acts have since recorded the song, most notably, in 1971, the Isley Brothers, whose unique gospel-driven rendering of the song sent it to the charts again reaching number three R&B and number 18 pop, giving the group their fifth US top 40 pop single.[14] It also reached number 10 US Cash Box. On the Canadian charts, their version reached No. 41.[15]

Bucks Fizz version

Love the One You're With
Cover:Bucks Fizz - Love the one.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Bucks Fizz
B-Side:Too Hard
Released:August 20, 1986
Label:Polydor
Prev Title:New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)

UK pop group Bucks Fizz recorded the song for their eighteenth single in 1986. The single, released in August, was the follow-up to the group's comeback top ten hit "New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)" and was seen as a make or break release. Ultimately the song peaked at a low No.47 in the UK Singles Chart during a three-week run.[16] In a review, music magazine Number One said that the song lacked bass and sounded rather "tinny" but predicted that it would be a hit.[17] Member Mike Nolan puts the song's failure down to the decision to showcase other male member Bobby G as the lead singer. Their previous single had featured all the group equally and was a hit, while earlier flops had featured G on lead and this was a return to that format.[18] A promotional video for the song was filmed featuring the group performing the song in a blue-toned studio accompanied by backing musicians.[19] The single was released on 7" and 12" on Polydor Records with an extended mix on the latter, the B-side was a Bobby G composition, "Too Hard".[20] Also included on the 12" was an extended mix of earlier single "I Hear Talk". A second 12" single was released featuring a dance edit of "Love the One You're With", backed by another alternate mix of "I Hear Talk".[21]

Chantoozies version

Love the One You're With
Cover:Love_the_One_You're_With_by_Chantoozies.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Chantoozies
Album:Gild the Lily
Released:February 1991
Label:Mushroom

Australian group Chantoozies released a version in February 1991. The song was the second single from the group's second studio album, Gild the Lily. The song peaked at number 21 on the Australian charts.[22]

Charts

Luther Vandross version

Love the One You're With
Cover:Luther Vandross-Love the One You're With.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Luther Vandross
Album:Songs
Released:[23]
Length:5:04
Label:Epic
Producer:Walter Afanasieff
Prev Title:Always and Forever
Prev Year:1994
Next Title:Going in Circles
Next Year:1995

American singer Luther Vandross released a version of the song on his ninth album, Songs (1994). It peaked within the top 30 of the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, and earned Vandross a 1995 Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.[24]

Critical reception

M.R. Martinez from Cash Box described "Love the One You’re With" as "an optimistic celebration of love and music as Vandross is backed by an all-star choir that includes Lisa Fischer, Tawatha Gee, Jim Gilstrap and others."[25] Fell and Rufer from the Gavin Report wrote, "This 25-year-old Stephen Stills song was urbanized before by the Isley Brothers, but Luther turns it into a gospel hoot complete with the original Hammond organ effects from Stills's take. This is the song that garneredVandross a Grammy nomination even before it was released as a single."[26] Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times felt Vandross "gives a leaden feel to the normally joyous "Love the One You're With", undercutting a breezy, gospel-style arrangement."[27] Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Hailed the King of silky ballads, Luther also knows how to speed it up. In a New Orleans way, and challenged by a gospel group, this [...] cover shows him at his toughest."[28]

Charts

Chart (1994–1995)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[29] 56
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[30] 40
Scotland (OCC)[31] 41
UK Singles (OCC)[32] 31
US Billboard Hot 100[33] 95

Other notable versions

In culture

In 2012, the song was featured in Ridley Scott's sci-fi movie Prometheus. Idris Elba, playing Janek, sings a short phrase from the song after claiming his squeezebox once belonged to Stephen Stills.[36]

In 2022 the song featured in the season finale of BBC series Blue Lights.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Whitburn, Joel . The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition . Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 606.
  2. Web site: CSN Box Set Tracklist . . albumlinernotes.com . January 25, 2021 . June 20, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170620075014/http://aln3.albumlinernotes.com/CSN_Box_Set_Tracklist.html . dead .
  3. News: CashBox Record Reviews. December 5, 1970. 26. December 9, 2021. Cash Box.
  4. Picks of the Week. Record World. December 12, 1970. 1. 2023-04-23.
  5. Web site: RPM Top Singles Chart. RPM. January 30, 1971. RPM archives. 14. 24. Ottawa

    Library and Archives Canada

    . 352936026. September 3, 2016.
  6. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . February 6, 1971 . January 4, 2022.
  7. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=Stephen Stills|chart=Adult Contemporary}} Stephen Stills Chart History]. September 3, 2016. Billboard.
  8. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=Stephen Stills|chart=Hot 100}} Stephen Stills Chart History]. September 3, 2016. Billboard.
  9. Web site: Cash Box Magazine: Music and coin machine magazine 1942 to 1996. October 25, 2020. worldradiohistory.com.
  10. Web site: Record World Magazine: 1942 to 1982. October 25, 2020. worldradiohistory.com.
  11. Web site: Go-Set Australian charts - 23 May 1970. October 25, 2020. www.poparchives.com.au.
  12. Web site: Timo. August 12, 2015. Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit STEP – SUE. October 12, 2020. Sisältää hitin.
  13. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada. collectionscanada.gc.ca. July 17, 2013.
  14. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 278.
  15. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - August 21, 1971.
  16. https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Bizarre%20Love%20Triangle Chart Stats - Bucks Fizz - Love The One You're With
  17. Number One, Single reviews, August 26, 1986
  18. The Bucks Fizz Story, Glassbeach Media DVD. October 2010.
  19. http://raffem.com/BucksFizz85till2003.htm Raffem. 1986 - Love the One You're With
  20. http://raffem.com/images/Bucks_Fizz2/P1020211.JPG Raffem. "Love the One You're With" single
  21. http://raffem.com/images/Bucks_Fizz2/P1020214.JPG "Love the One You're With" Special 12" edition
  22. Web site: australian-charts.com > Chantoozies in Australian Charts. Hung Medien. February 9, 2017.
  23. Single Releases. Music Week. 23. November 12, 1994.
  24. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 597.
  25. M.R.. Martinez. Urban — Reviews: Pick of the Week. Cash Box. October 8, 1994. March 6, 2022.
  26. Ron. Fell. Diane. Rufer. Gavin A/C: New Releases. Gavin Report. March 10, 1995. 26. January 20, 2023.
  27. Hunt, Dennis (September 18, 1994). "Record Rack". Los Angeles Times.
  28. New Releases: Singles . . December 10, 1994 . 9 . March 16, 2021 .
  29. Web site: The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 12 Mar 1995. ARIA. Imgur. February 9, 2017.
  30. RPM Top 100 Singles. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. May 1, 1995.
  31. Web site: Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 27 November 1994 - 03 December 1994. Official Charts Company. March 16, 2021.
  32. Web site: Official Charts > Luther Vandross. The Official UK Charts Company. February 9, 2017.
  33. https://www.billboard.com/artist/luther-vandross/chart-history/ Luther Vandross - Singles Chart history
  34. Web site: www.allmusic.com. allmusic.com. February 15, 2023.
  35. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - August 27, 1988.
  36. News: 'Prometheus' Reveals Stephen Stills' 'Love The One You're With' Still A Hit In 2093 . Ives . Brian . . June 11, 2012 . September 22, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150518091412/http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2012/06/11/prometheus-reveals-stephen-stills-love-the-one-youre-with-still-a-hit-in-2093/ . May 18, 2015 . dead .