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Best of My Love (The Emotions song)

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"Best of My Love"
Single by the Emotions
from the album Rejoice
B-side"A Feeling Is"
ReleasedJune 9, 1977 (1977-06-09)
Genre
Length3:42
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Emotions singles chronology
"I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love"
(1976) 		"Best of My Love"
(1977) 		"Don't Ask My Neighbors"
(1977)
Music video
"Best of My Love" on YouTube

"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.

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

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The 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

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The song has an upbeat vibe, with a prominent bass line and horns accenting the drums between the verses and chorus.

Composition

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"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

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Craig 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]

Covers and samples

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Best of My Love has been covered by Mary J Blige, Ella Eyre, Sheena Easton, Unchain and Samantha Jade.[17]

The tune has been sampled by De La Soul, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, & Kylie Minogue. It has also been sampled by C+C Music Factory, Keyshia Cole, Mariah Carey and Tamia.[17]

Commercial performance

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The single achieved huge success, remaining on top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for five non-consecutive weeks.[18] On the disco chart, "Best of My Love" peaked at number 11.[19] 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

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Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "Best of My Love"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[37]
Physical release 		Silver 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[38]
Digital release 		Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[39] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

C. J. Lewis version

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"Best of My Love"
Single by C. J. Lewis
from the album Dollars
ReleasedSeptember 26, 1994
Recorded1994
GenreReggae fusion
Length3:47
LabelBlack Market International, MCA
Songwriter(s)Maurice White, Al McKay
Producer(s)C. J. Lewis, Phillip Leo
C. J. Lewis singles chronology
"Uptight (Everything's Alright)"
(1994) 		"Best of My Love"
(1994) 		"Dollars"
(1994)

British reggae singer C. J. Lewis covered "Best of My Love" and released it as a single on September 26, 1994.[40] His version reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart, and peaked at number 11 in New Zealand.[41][42]

Track listings

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7" Single

  1. Best Of My Love (Phil's New Mix) 3:47
  2. Two Timer (Album Version) 3:54

Charts

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Chart (1994) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[43] 28
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[44] 11
UK Singles (OCC)[45] 13

Other cover versions

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Canadian 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".[46]

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "American Music Award: Favourite Soul/R&B Single". Rock on the Net. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2009.
  5. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (90-81)". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved October 4, 2008.
  6. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 of 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
  7. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs of 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
  8. ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
  9. ^ "Top 500 Songs of the 1970s". Bradboard. Archived from the original on October 28, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  10. ^ "The Top 100 Seventies Singles". Super Seventies. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  11. ^ "Top 40 Biggest Girl Group Songs of All Time on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. March 2, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  12. ^ "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  13. ^ Ryan, Sean (24 September 2018). "Top 51 Best Love Songs: The Heavy Power List". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  14. ^ "The Emotions - Best of My Love". musicnotes.com. 25 March 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  15. ^ Lytle, Craig. "The Emotions: Rejoice". allmusic.com. AllMusic.
  16. ^ Hilburn, Robert (October 2, 1977). "International Disk Derby: Emphasis on Rock 'n' Roll". Los Angeles Times. p. 82.
  17. ^ a b "Best of My Love: The Emotions". genius.com. Genius.com.
  18. ^ "Best of My Love - The Emotions". AllMusic. Retrieved April 13, 2008.
  19. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 89. ISBN 978-0898201567.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ "Emotions – Best of My Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  22. ^ "Emotions – Best of My Love" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  23. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5417a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  24. ^ "Emotions – Best of My Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  25. ^ "Emotions – Best of My Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  26. ^ "UK Official Singles Chart". UK Official Charts Company. September 10, 1977. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  27. ^ "Hot 100 Chart - Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  28. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart - Billboard", Billboard, retrieved January 6, 2018
  29. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 89. ISBN 978-0898201567.
  30. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 3, 1977". Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  31. ^ "Top 100 Músicas Mais Tocadas em 1977" [Top 100 Most Played Songs of 1977]. 17 March 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  32. ^ "Top 200 Singles of '77 – Volume 28, No. 14, December 31 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  33. ^ 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.
  34. ^ "Billboard Year-End Hot 100 chart - 1977". Music Outfitters. 1977. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  35. ^ "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.
  36. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  37. ^ "British single certifications – Emotions – Best of My Love". British Phonographic Industry.
  38. ^ "British single certifications – Emotions – Best of My Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  39. ^ "American single certifications – Emotions – Best of My Love". Recording Industry Association of America.
  40. ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. September 24, 1994. p. 25.
  41. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. October 4, 1994. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  42. ^ "CJ Lewis – Best of My Love". charts.nz. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  43. ^ Zealand singles charts
  44. ^ "CJ Lewis – Best of My Love". charts.nz. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  45. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. October 4, 1994. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  46. ^ "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.
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