"Love's Theme" is an instrumental piece written by Barry White around 1965.[citation needed] Recorded and released as a single by White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973, it was one of the few instrumental and purely orchestral singles to reach #1 on the BillboardHot 100 chart in the United States, which it did in early 1974.[2]Billboard ranked it as the #3 song for 1974.[3]
The song was included on two albums: 1973's Under the Influence of... Love Unlimited (by the vocal group Love Unlimited) and 1974's Rhapsody in White by the Love Unlimited Orchestra. Love Unlimited would re-release the song for their next album, In Heat, only this time with different arrangements and lyrics written by Aaron Schroeder.
The recording (with a large string orchestra, modified guitar and big rhythm) was considered to be an influence on the disco sound, which would increase popularity the following year. The song was also popular on the Adult Contemporary chart in the United States (spending two weeks at #1) and was also a #1 on Cash Box.
In Canada, the single was similarly successful, being a #1 on the RPM 100 National Singles Chart on March 2, 1974.[4] "Love's Theme" was sampled by the Italian group Black Box in their 1989 song "Ride on Time".[5]
In 1975-76, WPIX-TV in New York would end its 10:00pm broadcast of "Harper News" (later "Action News") with the "Love's Theme."[6]