So Much in Love

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"So Much in Love"
Single by the Tymes
from the album So Much in Love
B-side"Roscoe James McClain"
Released1963
GenreDoo-wop[1]
Length2:08
LabelParkway Records
Songwriter(s)George Williams, Bill Jackson, Roy Straigis
The Tymes singles chronology
"So Much in Love"
(1963)
"Wonderful! Wonderful!"
(1963)

"So Much in Love" is a song written by George Williams, Billy Jackson, and Roy Straigis (initially under the name John Joseph). It was originally performed by Williams's American soul vocal group the Tymes and was released in the summer of 1963 on Cameo Parkway Records, which produced many pre-Beatles hits of the 60s such as The Twist. It quickly became The Tyme's first hit single, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on August 3, 1963, and remaining there for one week,[2] as well as peaking at No. 4 on the Hot R&B Singles chart.[3]

All-4-One version[edit]

"So Much in Love"
Single by All-4-One
from the album All-4-One
Released1993 (1993)
GenreR&B
Length3:31
LabelAtlantic, Blitzz
Songwriter(s)George Williams, Bill Jackson, Roy Straigis
Producer(s)Tim O'Brien, Gary St. Clair
All-4-One singles chronology
"So Much in Love"
(1993)
"I Swear"
(1994)

American R&B vocal group All-4-One released "So Much in Love" in late 1993 as their debut single. It peaked at No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1994 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling 600,000 copies.[4][5] It also reached No. 3 in New Zealand, No. 29 in Belgium and No. 49 in the UK. All-4-One's version is based on a version by a group called AFD whose version was released not long before All-4-One's. A rare music video was also made.[6]

Background and composition[edit]

The group had not heard the original song by the Tymes before. One of the producers of the cover record, Gary St. Clair, had reached out over a call with a concept asking for the group to be a part of the new recording. "So Much in Love" was also the first work All-4-One had done together; the doo-wop sound had not been an intention stylistically for the group.[7]

Critical reception[edit]

Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report commented, "Recalling those street corner harmonies of old, this sensational cover of the Tymes' 1963 summer smash caught fire at the tail end of 1993. It's one of those songs that gets on the air and within seconds, captures the audience. Strong request activity."[8] Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times declared it as a "glorious remake", naming it "a highlight of this excellent album".[9]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[4] Gold 600,000[5]

Release history[edit]

Region Version Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States Original 1993 Cassette
United Kingdom March 21, 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[23]
Remix November 7, 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
Atlantic [24]

Other versions[edit]

The song has been covered several times:

References[edit]

  1. ^ Caputo, Salvatore (January 1, 1998). "All-4-One". In Graff, Gary; du Lac, Josh; McFarlin, Jim (eds.). MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. p. 11.
  2. ^ Bronson, Fred (1992). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits - revised & enlarged. New York: Billboard Books. pp. 134. ISBN 0-8230-8298-9.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 596.
  4. ^ a b "American single certifications – All-4-One – So Much in Love". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Best-Selling Records of 1994". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 3. January 21, 1995. p. 57. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  6. ^ "The Real "So Much In Love"" – via YouTube.
  7. ^ "All of a Sudden, All-4-One's a Group With a Hit Single : Pop music: The Antelope Valley vocal quartet was put together to record a remake of 1963's 'So Much in Love.' An album is in the works". Los Angeles Times. 1994-03-16. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  8. ^ Sholin, Dave (January 14, 1994). "Gavin Picks — Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  9. ^ Hunt, Dennis (May 29, 1994). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 12.
  11. ^ "All-4-One – So Much in Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2463." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  13. ^ "All-4-One – So Much in Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  14. ^ "All-4-One – So Much in Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  16. ^ "All-4-One Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  17. ^ "All-4-One Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  18. ^ "All-4-One Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  19. ^ * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  20. ^ "End of Year Charts 1994". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  21. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  22. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  23. ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. March 19, 1994. p. 21.
  24. ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. November 5, 1994. p. 23.
  25. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 61. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  26. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 743.