Higher Love

For the movie also known as 'Uncorked' and 'Trade Winds', see At Sachem Farm.

"Higher Love"
Single by Steve Winwood
from the album Back in the High Life
Released	June 20, 1986
Recorded	Unique Recording Studio New York, 1985
Genre	R&B, Soul
Length	5:45 (Album Version) 4:14 (Single Version)
Label	Island - IS 288
Writer(s)	Steve Winwood Will Jennings
Producer	Russ Titelman
Music sample "Higher Love"

"Higher Love" is a 1986 number-one hit song by Steve Winwood. It was the first single released from his fourth solo LP, Back in the High Life. It was written by Winwood and Will Jennings, and produced by Russ Titelman and Winwood. The female vocals on the song were performed by Chaka Khan, who also appeared in the promotional music video.

"Higher Love" was Winwood's first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, topping the chart for one week. It was preceded by Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" and followed by "Venus" by Bananarama. The song also spent four weeks atop the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. It peaked at number 13 in the United Kingdom, his highest charting solo hit there. It also earned two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Music video

The music video was shot in June 1986 by directors Peter Kagan and Paula Greif. The same duo shot an almost identical video for Duran Duran's "Notorious" in November of that year; coincidentally, both videos were nominated for several awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards. Neither won.

Appearances in other media

• The song was used in the closing credits of the hit 1988 film Big Business.
• It was also featured in an episode of the television drama Cold Case, "Time to Crime".
• In a 1988 episode of The Young And The Restless, Danny and Lauren sang the song to prep for a concert.
• Later the song was covered by Whitney Houston for her I'm Your Baby Tonight album, but it was eventually dropped from the tracklist and only appears on the Japanese edition as a bonus track. The song was performed as the closing piece during her Feels So Right Tour.
• Nick Jonas covered this song for his solo album, Nicholas Jonas.
• The song was used in an episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia titled "Sweet Dee Has A Heart Attack" which aired 30 October 2008.
• Luke Benward covered this music for his EP Let Your Love Out
• This song was used in the 1987 film Stakeout.
• Indie duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. began covering this song live in 2011.

Track listing

7": Island / IS 288 United Kingdom

1. "Higher Love" - 4:14
2. "And I Go" 4:12

12": Island / 12 IS 288 United Kingdom

1. "Higher Love" (Remix) - 7:45
2. "Higher Love" (Instrumental) - 6:05
3. "And I Go" 4:12

• Tracks 1 and 2 remixed by Tom Lord-Alge

12": Island / PRO-A-2507 United States

1. "Higher Love" (Edit) - 4:08
2. "Higher Love" (LP Version) - 5:45

• US Promo 12"

James Vincent McMorrow version

"Higher Love"
Song by James Vincent McMorrow from the album Silver Lining
Released	May 2011
Length	3:35
Label	Believe Digital

James Vincent McMorrow recorded a cover of the song for a charity album called Silver Lining recorded and produced by the students of Sound Training Centre in Dublin for Headstrong charity. McMorrow's cover version used as the soundtrack for television advertisements in autumn 2011 by LoveFilm.

Chart performance

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Scotland (Official Charts Company)	22
UK Indie (Official Charts Company)	1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	21

External links

• Steve Winwood website album details
• Songfacts - Back In The High Life Again entry

Preceded by "Papa Don't Preach" by Madonna	Billboard Hot 100 number-one single August 30, 1986	Succeeded by "Venus" by Bananarama
Preceded by "Mad About You" by Belinda Carlisle	Canadian RPM number-one single September 13, 1986	Succeeded by "Friends and Lovers" by Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson