I Love Music (The O'Jays song)

"I Love Music (Part I)"
Single by The O'Jays
from the album Family Reunion
B-side "I Love Music (Part II)"
Released October 1975
Format 7" 45 RPM
Recorded 1975
Studio Sigma Sound Studios
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Genre R&B, Philadelphia soul, disco
Length

3:37 (radio edit)

6:51 (full version)
Label Philadelphia International
Songwriter(s) Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff
Producer(s) Gamble and Huff
The O'Jays singles chronology
"Let Me Make Love to You"
(1975)		 "I Love Music (Part I)"
(1975)		 "Livin' for the Weekend"
(1976)

"Let Me Make Love to You"
(1975)		 "I Love Music"
(1975)		 "Livin' for the Weekend"
(1976)

"I Love Music" is a song written by Gamble and Huff and recorded by The O'Jays. It appeared on the group's 1975 album Family Reunion. The single version went to number one on the soul singles chart and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] In the UK, the song peaked at number 13 in the Top 40 singles charts, in March 1976. The single was most successful on the US Disco File Top 20 chart, where it spent eight weeks at number one.[2]

Chart history

Rozalla version

"I Love Music"
Single by Rozalla
from the album Look No Further
Released November 1993
Format
Recorded 1993
Genre
Length 4:02
Label Sony Records
Songwriter(s) Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff
Producer(s) Jellybean
Rozalla singles chronology
"Don't Play With Me"
(1993)		 "I Love Music"
(1993)		 "This Time I Found Love"
(1994)

"Don't Play With Me"
(1993)		 "I Love Music"
(1993)		 "This Time I Found Love"
(1994)
Music video
"I Love Music" on YouTube

In 1993 the Zambian-born singer Rozalla covered "I Love Music" on her album Look No Further. Her version of the song also appeared on the soundtrack to the film Carlito's Way. "I Love Music" was the first of a series of cover versions Rozalla was to record over the years. It was also her first "new" song to be released on Sony Records, as her earlier release had all been released by British indie label Pulse 8 first.

Critical reception

The Gavin Report wrote about the song: "From the totally hot soundtrack of Carlito's Way, which features several retro classics, comes one of the best from the Gamble/Huff songbook. International sensation Rozalla and producer Jellybean extract every ounce of excitement out of this 1976 O'jays hit."[9]

Commercial performance

Rozalla's recording of "I Love Music" reached number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. It also dented the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 76 and got to number 18 on the UK Singles Chart in 1994, marking something of a comeback after various earlier singles had failed to crack the top 40 (this was still 5 places lower than the original version by The O'Jays had reached however). In Iceland the song peaked on number 5 and in Finland number 6.

Chart history

Chart (1993-94) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) 90
Canada Dance (RPM)[10] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 36
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[12] 6
Germany (Media Control Charts) 69
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[13] 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 39
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 18
US Billboard Hot 100 76
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play 1
Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[14] 9

Other cover versions

In 1976, a live cover version appears on the album LIVE performed by 3M Productions, also known as Major Harris, Blue Magic and Margie Joseph, recorded at the Latin Casino. In 1990, Chicago House music vocalist Darryl Pandy released a version of the song on Warner Bros. Records remaining faithful to the original version. The track featured a prominent keyboard riff, brass, and a driving House beat.

Trivia

The solo bongo-drum intro to this song was performed by Bill Cosby, while the "Get-it-on" chorus was sung by actor Cleavon Little, both long-time friends and admirers of the O'Jays.

Usage in film

The song appears in the 1993 film Carlito's Way and in the 2007 film Pride.

References

  1. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 438.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 193.
  3. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-01-31. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  4. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  5. ↑ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, January 24, 1976
  6. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  7. ↑ Musicoutfitters.com
  8. ↑ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December ##, 1976
  9. ↑ Sholin, Dave. "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  10. ↑ "RPM Dance". RPM (feb 21, 1994). Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  11. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 2018-03-06.
  12. ↑ "Top 10 Finland" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 2018-03-06.
  13. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (10.03.1994 - 16.03.1994)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
  14. ↑
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  • Billboard, Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & artist website
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