Sea of Love (Phil Phillips song) explained

Sea of Love
Cover:	Sea of Love sheet music cover.jpg
Border:	yes
Caption:	"Sea of Love" sheet music
Type:	Single
Artist:	Phil Phillips
Album:	Sea of Love
Published:	1959
Released:	July 1959
Recorded:	1959
Genre:	Rhythm and blues swamp pop^[1]
Length:	2:30
Label:	Mercury

"Sea of Love" is a song written by John Philip Baptiste (better known as Phil Phillips) and George Khoury. It was the only top-40 chart-maker for Phillips, who never recorded another hit.^[2]

Background

Baptiste, who was working as a bellboy in Lake Charles, Louisiana, wrote "Sea of Love" for a love interest. He was introduced to local record producer George Khoury, who took Baptiste into his studio to record it. At Khoury's request, Baptiste took the stage name of Phil Phillips. The song, originally credited to Phil Phillips with The Twilights, was released on a small record label owned by Khoury, but due to its success it was eventually leased to Mercury Records. Despite the success of "Sea of Love", Phillips claimed that he only ever received US$6,800 for recording it.^[2]

Chart performance

Phil Phillips' 1959 recording of the song peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart^[3] and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. "The Three Bells" by The Browns kept it from the No.1 spot.^[4] In 1959, it sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.^[5]

Weekly charts

Phil Phillips

Chart (1959)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100^[6]	2
US Billboard R&B	1
US Cash Box Top 100^[7]	2

Marty Wilde

Del Shannon

Chart (1981–1982)	Peak position
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary^[9]	28
US Billboard Hot 100	33
US Billboard Adult Contemporary	36
US Cash Box Top 100	33

The Honeydrippers

Chart (1984–1985)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[10]	5
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary	1
Canada RPM Top Singles^[11]	1
UK^[12]	56
US Billboard Hot 100	3
US Billboard Adult Contemporary^[13]	1
US Cash Box Top 100^[14]	3

Phil Phillips & the Twilights/Marty Wilde

Year-end charts

The Honeydrippers

Chart (1985)	Rank
Australia	62
Canada^[16]	58
US Billboard Hot 100^[17]	34
US Cash Box ^[18]	65

Notable cover versions

The song has been covered by a number of artists since the first 1959 recording. Among the most notable versions are the following:

• Later in 1959, in the UK, Marty Wilde covered the song which subsequently peaked at No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart.^[8] The original Phil Phillips rendition failed to chart there. This version is also featured in Chanel No. 5: La Star (1990)^[19] ad.
• B. J. Thomas recorded the song on his 1975 album Reunion.
• Iggy Pop recorded the song for his 1981 album Party.
• Robert Plant's Honeydrippers included it on their 1984 album, . This version went on to reach No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1985^[20] and No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart in 1984.^[13]
  • Tom Waits's version was first available on the 1989 soundtrack for the movie Sea of Love and later on his 2006 album Orphans Cat Power recorded it on her 2000 album, The Covers Record. The 2007 film Juno featured her version in its soundtrack.^[21] Power’s cover was certified gold in Canada^[22] and gold in United States.^[23]

In popular culture

• The song shares a title with, and features prominently in the plot-line of, the 1989 Harold Becker film Sea of Love starring Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin.^[24]
• "Sea of Love" was used in the 2000 film Frequency starring Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel.
• "Sea of Love" was used to close out The Simpsons season 16 episode "Future-Drama".
• "Sea of Love" was used in the Futurama season 7 episode Naturama in 2012
• Kraken Rum began using "Sea of Love" in commercials in 2014.

See also

• List of 1950s one-hit wonders in the United States
• List of number-one R&B singles of 1959 (U.S.)
• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1984 (U.S.)
• List of RPM number-one singles of 1984

Notes and References

1. News: What Is Swamp Pop Music?. ThoughtCo. October 28, 2018.
2. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p365574/biography|pure_url=yes}} Phil Phillips Biography]. Hamilton. Andrew. AllMusic. April 13, 2008.
3. [Joel Whitburn|Whitburn, Joel]
4. https://web.archive.org/web/20180219093547/https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1959-08-24
5. Book: Murrells , Joseph . 1978. The Book of Golden Discs. 2nd. Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. London. 116–117. 0-214-20512-6. registration.
6. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 -
7. Web site: Cash Box Top Singles 9/19/59. Tropicalglen.com. April 26, 2021.
8. Web site: Official Charts Company . Officialcharts.com . October 1, 1959 . February 4, 2019.
9. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . January 19, 1985 . February 7, 2019.
10. Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W . 1993. 0-646-11917-6.
11. Web site: RPM 100 Singles . . . December 22, 1984 . March 20, 2022.
12. Web site: Official Charts Company . Officialcharts.com . January 26, 1985 . February 4, 2019.
13. Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications), page 289.
14. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 1/12/85. Tropicalglen.com. April 26, 2021.
15. Web site: Official Charts Company . Officialcharts.com . March 2, 1991 . February 4, 2019.
16. RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985 . . 43 . 16 . December 28, 1985 . February 18, 2018 .
17. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1985/Top 100 Songs of 1985. Musicoutfitters.com. April 26, 2021.
18. Web site: Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1985. Tropicalglen.com. April 26, 2021.
19. Web site: Chanel No. 5: La Star (1990) . IMDB.
20. Web site: Music: Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart . Billboard.com . January 5, 1985 . August 29, 2016.
21. Web site: Juno (2007) . Internet Movie Database. August 29, 2016.
22. Canada. single. Cat Power. October 21, 2023.
23. United States. single. Cat Power. August 3, 2024.
24. Web site: Sea of Love (1989) . Internet Movie Database. August 29, 2016.