Love the One You're With
"Love the One You're With" | |
---|---|
Single by Stephen Stills | |
from the album Stephen Stills | |
B-side | "To a Flame" |
Released | November 1970 |
Genre | Folk rock |
Songwriter(s) | Stephen Stills |
Producer(s) | Stephen Stills |
Official audio | |
"Love the One You're With") on YouTube |
"Love the One You're With" is a song by 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' fellow members of Crosby, Stills & Nash, provide background vocals on the song. The song was also covered by a number of artists, notably the Isley Brothers, The Meters, Bucks Fizz, Luther Vandross, Bob Seger and Richard Clapton.
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]
Cash Box said that Stills' "unique melodic work, the harmonies and a booming rhythm track make this a bright attraction for top forty as well as FM playlists."[3]
Chart history
Weekly charts
Chart (1970–71) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada 100 (RPM) Top Singles[4] | 6 |
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[5] | 17 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6] | 9 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7] | 18 |
UK Singles (OCC)[8] | 37 |
US Easy Listening (Billboard)[9] | 32 |
US Hot 100 (Billboard)[10] | 14 |
US Singles (Cash Box)[11] | 16 |
US Singles (Record World)[12] | 10 |
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] | 29 |
Finland Singles Chart[14] | 28 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1971) | Rank |
---|---|
Canada Year End[15] | 85 |
Isley Brothers version
"Love the One You're With" | |
---|---|
Single by the Isley Brothers | |
B-side | "He's Got Your Love" |
Released | 1971 |
Length | 3:27 |
Label | T-Neck |
Songwriter(s) | Stephen Stills |
Producer(s) | The Isley Brothers |
Several acts have since covered the song. The most notable cover came in 1971 from the Isley Brothers, whose unique gospel-driven cover 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.[16] It also reached number 10 US Cash Box. On the Canadian charts, their version reached No. 41.[17]
Bucks Fizz version
"Love the One You're With" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Bucks Fizz | ||||
B-side | "Too Hard" | |||
Released | 20 August 1986 | |||
Label | Polydor | |||
Songwriter(s) | Stephen Stills | |||
Bucks Fizz singles chronology | ||||
|
UK pop group Bucks Fizz covered the song as 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.[18] 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.[19] 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.[20] A promotional video for the song was filmed featuring the group performing the song in a blue-toned studio accompanied by backing musicians.[21] 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".[22] 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".[23]
Chantoozies version
"Love the One You're With" | |
---|---|
Single by Chantoozies | |
from the album Gild the Lily | |
Released | February 1991 |
Songwriter(s) | Stephen Stills |
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.[24]
Charts
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[25] | 21 |
Luther Vandross version
"Love the One You're With" | |
---|---|
Single by Luther Vandross | |
from the album Songs | |
Released | 1994 |
Genre | R&B |
Label | Epic |
Songwriter(s) | Stephen Stills |
American singer Luther Vandross released a cover of the song on his 1994 album Songs. It peaked in the top 30 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles, 33 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks; and earned Vandross a 1995 Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.[26]
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."[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 Stephen Stills 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
- Gino Soccio covered the song in 1988 and reached #79 in Canada.[34]
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.[35]
Notes
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 606.
- ^ "CSN Box Set Tracklist". albumlinernotes.com. Retrieved 25 Jan 2021.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. December 5, 1970. p. 26. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
- ^ "RPM Top Singles Chart" (PDF). RPM. RPM archives. Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada. January 30, 1971. OCLC 352936026. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1971-02-06. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
- ^ "Stephen Stills – Love the One You're With" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Stephen Stills" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Stephen Stills Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Stephen Stills Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "CASH BOX MAGAZINE: Music and coin machine magazine 1942 to 1996". worldradiohistory.com. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
- ^ "RECORD WORLD MAGAZINE: 1942 to 1982". worldradiohistory.com. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
- ^ "Go-Set Australian charts - 23 May 1970". www.poparchives.com.au. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
- ^ Timo (12 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit STEP – SUE". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. 17 July 2013.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 278.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - August 21, 1971" (PDF).
- ^ Chart Stats - Bucks Fizz - Love The One You're With
- ^ Number One, Single reviews, 26 August 1986
- ^ The Bucks Fizz Story, Glassbeach Media DVD. October 2010
- ^ Raffem. 1986 - Love the One You're With
- ^ Raffem. "Love the One You're With" single
- ^ "Love the One You're With" Special 12" edition
- ^ "australian-charts.com > Chantoozies in Australian Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ^ "Chantoozies – Love the One You're With". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 597.
- ^ Martinez, M.R. (October 8, 1994). "Urban — Reviews: Pick of the Week" (PDF). Cash Box. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. December 10, 1994. p. 9. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
- ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 12 Mar 1995". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - May 1, 1995" (PDF).
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 27 November 1994 - 03 December 1994". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
- ^ "Official Charts > Luther Vandross". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ^ Luther Vandross - Singles Chart history.Billboard.com
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - August 27, 1988" (PDF).
- ^ Ives, Brian (11 June 2012). "'Prometheus' Reveals Stephen Stills' 'Love The One You're With' Still A Hit In 2093". WCBS-FM. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 2013-09-22.