Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1980
Never Knew Love Like This Before
Buy Never Knew Love Like This Before now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
"'Never Knew Love Like This Before'" is a 1980 song written and produced by songwriters James Mtume and Reggie Lucas for American R&B recording artist Stephanie Mills' fourth studio album 'Sweet Sensation' (1980). According to Lucas' wife, Kay, the song was inspired by the birth of their baby daughter, Lisa.
The song became Mills' biggest hit on the US 'Billboard' Pop Singles Chart, where it peaked at number six, outperforming her previously highest charting single, "What Cha' Gonna Do with My Lovin'", which peaked at number 22. The single was also successful on the R&B and Adult Contemporary charts, peaking at No. 12 and No. five, respectively. It was a bigger success in the UK where it peaked at number four.
The record won Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 1981 Grammy Awards, vanquishing competition that included Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, and Minnie Riperton. The song gave the title to the fourth episode of the second season of FX American drama television series 'Pose'; in the episode, it was performed in playback, in the episode's final number, by the character of Candy, portrayed by Angelica Ross.
Personnel
* Howard King drums
* Basil Fearington bass
* James Mtume keyboards
* Hubert Eaves III keyboards
* Reggie Lucas guitar
* Ed Moore guitar
* James Mtume percussion
* Ed Walsh synthesizer programming
* Tawatha Agee, Gwen Guthrie, Brenda White King, James Mtume & Reggie Lucas background vocals
* Gene Blanco String and horn arrangements
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Cover versions
*In 1999, French band Organiz' covered the song. The track reached on number five on French Singles Chart, and 6 on Belgian Singles Chart.
*Thomas Anders covered the song for his 1995 album 'Souled'.
*In 2013, Jessie Ware covered the song for the soundtrack to the film 'I Give It a Year'.
Composition
The Intro and Verse chords are [B E F#/A# D#m7 G#m7 C#m9 E/F#], cycling through the diatonic Circle of fifths in the key of B major. The Chorus section chords are [Emaj7 D#m7 C#m7 Emaj7 D#m7 C#m7 Emaj7 D#m7 C#sus4 C#7 E].
References
Buy Never Knew Love Like This Before now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1980