Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2016) |
| "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Four Tops | ||||
| from the album On Top | ||||
| B-side | "I Like Everything About You" | |||
| Released | May 9, 1966[1] | |||
| Recorded | April 5, 1966[1] | |||
| Venue | Hitsville U.S.A., Detroit | |||
| Genre | Soul, pop | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ivy Jo Hunter, Stevie Wonder | |||
| Producer(s) | Ivy Jo Hunter | |||
| Four Tops singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" is a 1966 song written by Ivy Jo Hunter and Stevie Wonder. It was performed by the Four Tops via the Motown label.[2] In addition to co-writing the song, Wonder also instrumentally contributed drums to the track.
Cash Box described the song as a "hard-pounding, rhythmic, pop-R&B romancer all about a lucky guy who has finally found the gal that he’s always dreamed about."[3] Record World described it as a "teen beat love ode."[4]
Credits
[edit]- Lead vocals by Levi Stubbs
- Background vocals by Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson & Lawrence Payton
- Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
- Drums by Stevie Wonder
Chart performance
[edit]The song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart and number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5]
Cover versions
[edit]- Nick Kamen released a version in 1987, where it went to number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.[6] Lola Borg of Smash Hits panned the song she described as an "outrage" to the original version and a "shocking business", adding it was "murdered" by Kamen who "reduce[d] it to utter mush".[7]
- The Band covered the song on the bonus disc of their 1972 concert album Rock of Ages.[citation needed]
- Kiki Dee and Elton John did a duet cover on Dee's 1981 album Perfect Timing.[8]
- Susan Tedeschi covered it on her 2005 album Hope and Desire.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Hughes, Keith (2018). "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever". Don't Forget the Motor City. Ritchie Hardin. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
- ^ "Four Tops – Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever / I Like Everything About You". Discogs. discogs.com. 9 May 1966. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. May 28, 1966. p. 14. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Record World. May 28, 1966. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 212.
- ^ Brown, Tony.; Warwick, Neil (2004). The Complete Book of the British Charts. Omnibus Press. p. 426. ISBN 1-84449-058-0.
- ^ Borg, Lola (11–24 February 1987). "Singles reviewed by Lola Borg" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 9, no. 3. p. 62. ISSN 0260-3004. Retrieved 20 November 2023 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Perfect Timing". Record Collector Magazine. 31 May 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
External links
[edit]
 | This 1960s R&B/soul music song-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |