"Best of My Love" is a song by American band the Emotions from their fourth studio album Rejoice (1977). It was composed by Maurice White and Al McKay of Earth, Wind & Fire, and produced by White and Clarence McDonald.
"Best of My Love" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by the Emotions | ||||
from the album Rejoice | ||||
B-side | "A Feeling Is" | |||
Released | June 9, 1977 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:42 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | ||||
The Emotions singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Best of My Love" on YouTube |
Released as the album's lead single on June 9, 1977, the song topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 and US Billboard R&B charts. It also reached the top five in the UK and Canada, the top 10 in New Zealand, and the top 20 in Australia.
"Best of My Love" won a Grammy at the 20th Annual Grammy Awards (1977) for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals; it also won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Single.[3][4]
Overview
editThe song was ranked at number 87 on "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs".[5] It was also the third biggest pop song of 1977 and the fifth biggest R&B song of 1977.[6][7] "Best of My Love" has been certified platinum in the US by the RIAA and silver in the UK by the BPI.[8]
Recent reviews have been largely positive, and the song continues to appear on "Best of the '70s" lists.[9][10] In 2015, Billboard ranked the song at number one on their list of the Top 40 Biggest Girl Group Songs of All Time on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[11] Billboard also ranked the track at number 10 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[12] In 2018, "Best of My Love" was ranked at number six on Heavy's list of Top 51 Best Love Songs: The Heavy Power List.[13]
Song description
editThe song has an upbeat vibe, with a prominent bass line and horns accenting the drums between the verses and chorus.
Composition
edit"Best of My Love" was originally published in the key of C major in common time with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. The vocals span from C4 to A5 (although in the outro of the song, one of the Emotions hits a C6).[14]
Critical reception
editCraig Lytle of AllMusic called "Best of My Love" a "rapidly paced" song. Lytle added "This spirited cut is seasoned with a fierce arrangement, in particular the horns, and incomparable vocals."[15] Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times described the tune as "one of the year's most delightful singles".[16]
Commercial performance
editThe single achieved huge success, remaining on top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for five non-consecutive weeks.[17] On the disco chart, "Best of My Love" peaked at number 11.[18] Eventually, the single received a Platinum certification from (RIAA), becoming the Emotions' biggest hit to date and their only single to receive a certification.
”Best of My Love” was used in a Christmas 2023 commercial for Kohl’s department stores, as well as one for Campbell's Soups.
Personnel
edit- Clarence McDonald – piano, clavinet
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion
- Al McKay – guitar
- Larry Dunn – synthesizer
- Verdine White – bass
- Fred White – drums
- Tom Tom 84 (Thomas Washington) – string and horn arrangements
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
All-time chartsedit
|
Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Physical release |
Silver | 250,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[37] Digital release |
Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[38] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
C. J. Lewis version
edit"Best of My Love" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by C. J. Lewis | ||||
from the album Dollars | ||||
Released | September 26, 1994 | |||
Recorded | 1994 | |||
Genre | Reggae fusion | |||
Length | 3:47 | |||
Label | Black Market International, MCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Maurice White, Al McKay | |||
Producer(s) | C. J. Lewis, Phillip Leo | |||
C. J. Lewis singles chronology | ||||
|
British reggae singer C. J. Lewis covered "Best of My Love" and released it as a single on September 26, 1994.[39] His version reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart, and peaked at number 11 in New Zealand.[40][41]
Track listings
edit7" Single
- Best Of My Love (Phil's New Mix) 3:47
- Two Timer (Album Version) 3:54
Charts
editChart (1994) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[42] | 28 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[43] | 11 |
UK Singles (OCC)[44] | 13 |
Other cover versions
editCanadian singer, Tamia used a sample of the song on her debut album, on a track called "Falling For You".
It was sampled by rapper Paul Russell for his 2023 TikTok viral hit "Lil Boo Thang".[45]
References
edit- ^ Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (July 17, 2000). "Bar Wars: Disco". Night Moves - Pop Music in the Late 70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-312-19821-3.
- ^ a b Breihan, Tom (November 18, 2019). "The Number Ones: The Emotions' "Best Of My Love"". Stereogum. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
"Best Of My Love," like so many soul songs before it, is really just a gospel song.
- ^ "Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals - The 20th Annual Grammy Awards (1977)". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on February 6, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
- ^ "American Music Award: Favourite Soul/R&B Single". Rock on the Net. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2009.
- ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (90-81)". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved October 4, 2008.
- ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 of 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs of 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
- ^ "Top 500 Songs of the 1970s". Bradboard. Archived from the original on October 28, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
- ^ "The Top 100 Seventies Singles". Super Seventies. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
- ^ "Top 40 Biggest Girl Group Songs of All Time on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. March 2, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
- ^ "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- ^ Ryan, Sean (24 September 2018). "Top 51 Best Love Songs: The Heavy Power List". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ "The Emotions - Best of My Love". musicnotes.com. 25 March 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ Lytle, Craig. "The Emotions: Rejoice". allmusic.com. AllMusic.
- ^ Hilburn, Robert (October 2, 1977). "International Disk Derby: Emphasis on Rock 'n' Roll". Los Angeles Times. p. 82.
- ^ "Best of My Love - The Emotions". AllMusic. Retrieved April 13, 2008.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 89. ISBN 978-0898201567.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Emotions – Best of My Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ "Emotions – Best of My Love" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5417a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ "Emotions – Best of My Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ "Emotions – Best of My Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ "UK Official Singles Chart". UK Official Charts Company. September 10, 1977. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ "Hot 100 Chart - Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart - Billboard", Billboard, retrieved January 6, 2018
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 89. ISBN 978-0898201567.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 3, 1977". Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- ^ "Top 100 Músicas Mais Tocadas em 1977" [Top 100 Most Played Songs of 1977]. 17 March 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
- ^ "Top 200 Singles of '77 – Volume 28, No. 14, December 31 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- ^ Hunter, Nigel; Scaping, Peter, eds. (1978). "Top 100 Singles in 1977". BPI Year Book 1978 (3rd ed.). London, England: The British Phonographic Industry Ltd. pp. 216–17. ISBN 0-906154-01-4.
- ^ "Billboard Year-End Hot 100 chart - 1977". Music Outfitters. 1977. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. December 31, 1977. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- ^ "British single certifications – Emotions – Best of My Love". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "British single certifications – Emotions – Best of My Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
- ^ "American single certifications – Emotions – Best of My Love". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. September 24, 1994. p. 25.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. October 4, 1994. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "CJ Lewis – Best of My Love". charts.nz. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ Zealand singles charts
- ^ "CJ Lewis – Best of My Love". charts.nz. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. October 4, 1994. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "This rapper's song went viral before it was even available to stream. The full version is out now". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 12, 2023.