Love Hangover
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Love Hangover” | ||
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| Single by Diana Ross from the album Diana Ross |
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| B-side | "Kiss Me Now" | |
| Released | March 16, 1976 | |
| Format | 7", 12" | |
| Genre | Soul, disco | |
| Length | 7:49 (full version) 3:40 (single edit) 10:20 (Disconet re-edit) |
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| Label | Motown | |
| Writer(s) | Marilyn McLeod, Pamela Sawyer | |
| Producer | Hal Davis | |
"Love Hangover" was a single for Motown singer Diana Ross, released in 1976. It rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Soul Singles and Hot Dance Club Play charts simultaneously.
The song was written by Pamela Sawyer and Marilyn McLeod and had been originally recorded by Sylvester. While Sylvester's version was becoming an underground club smash, the song was given to The Fifth Dimension as a disco number. However, when the Motown staff got a hold on it, they insisted that it would be perfect if Ross recorded it. Ross, like most of her soul contemporaries Aretha Franklin and fellow Motown label mate Marvin Gaye, resented the new musical movement until finally agreeing at the eleventh-hour to record the song.
In order to get into the song, she and the song's producer, Hal Davis loosened up in the studio by drinking alcoholic beverages. Davis also instructed the song's engineer, Russ Terrana, to install a strobe light so that Ross could be in the " disco" mindset.[1] As the song changed from being a ballad to uptempo, Ross became more comfortable with herself and the material; she hummed, sang bit parts, laughed, danced around and even imitated Billie Holiday. [2] The carefree and sensual nature of Ross' vocals and the music's direction helped to sell the song.
When The Fifth Dimension and Ross went toe-to-toe with the song (releasing it at the same time), Ross charted higher. By the time "Love Hangover" went to number one, Ross had reinvented herself as a disco diva and the 5th Dimension's version had peaked at number eighty. It won Ross a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Female Vocal Performance.
Motown released remixed versions of Ross version in 1988 (remixed by British team PWL) and 1993 (remixed by Frankie Knuckles for the album Diana Extended: The Remixes and by Joey Negro for a single).
[edit] Other versions
As well as the Fifth Dimension covering it, the song was also released as a single by the Associates, a British New-wave band. It reached #21 on the UK chart in 1982.
British soul singer Pauline Henry (former lead vocalist of "The Chimes") recorded a contemporary version of the the track in 1995, which was released as a single.
Mariah Carey performed the song in the concert by VH1 Divas Live 2000 Tribute To Diana Ross.
Singer Jody Watley recorded a downtempo version of the song for her 2006 album, The Makeover.
The song would become part of the hip-hop lexicon via sampling by everyone from Will Smith to Monica to Janet Jackson.
The song has also been sampled by Emily King in her 2007 debut album, East Side Story, in the song "Walk in My Shoes."
On the sixth season of American Idol, Stephanie Edwards sang this song during Diana Ross week.
Australian singer Tina Arena covered the song on her 2007 album Songs of Love & Loss.
| Preceded by "Silly Love Songs" by Wings |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Diana Ross version) May 29 - June 5, 1976 |
Succeeded by "Silly Love Songs" by Wings |
| Preceded by "Movin' " by Brass Construction |
Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number one single (Diana Ross version) May 15, 1976 |
Succeeded by "Kiss and Say Goodbye" by The Manhattans |
| Preceded by "Turn the Beat Around" by Vicki Sue Robinson |
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (Diana Ross version) April 17 - April 24, 1976 |
Succeeded by "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It" by Donna Summer |
