Love's Theme

"Love's Theme" is an instrumental piece written by Barry White around 1965.^{[citation needed]} Recorded and released as a single by White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973, it was one of the few instrumental and purely orchestral singles to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, which it did in early 1974.^[2] Billboard ranked it as #3 on the Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1974.

"Love's Theme"
Side A of the New Zealand single
Single by The Love Unlimited Orchestra
from the album Under the Influence of... Love Unlimited and Rhapsody in White
B-side	"Sweet Moments"
Released	November 1973
Recorded	1973
Genre	Philly soul proto-disco[1]
Length	(Single) 3:30 (Album) 4:08
Label	20th Century/Pye International
Songwriter(s)	Barry White
Composer(s)	Barry White
Producer(s)	Barry White
The Love Unlimited Orchestra singles chronology
"Love's Theme" (1973) "Rhapsody in White" (1974)
Music video
Love Unlimited Orchestra – Love's Theme (live at TopPop) on YouTube

The song was included on two albums: 1973's Under the Influence of... Love Unlimited (by the vocal group Love Unlimited) and 1974's Rhapsody in White by the Love Unlimited Orchestra. Love Unlimited would re-release the song for their subsequent album, In Heat (1974), only this time with different orchestral arrangements and lyrics written by Aaron Schroeder.

The recording (with a large string orchestra, modified guitar and big rhythm) was considered to be an influence on the disco sound, which would increase popularity the following year. The song was also popular on the Adult Contemporary chart in the United States (spending two weeks at #1) and was also a #1 on Cash Box. For several years, a shortened version of the original instrumental release was used in the opening sequence of the television golf PGA Tour on ABC broadcasting program.^{[citation needed]}

In Canada, the single was similarly successful, being a #1 on the RPM 100 National Singles Chart on March 2, 1974.^[3] "Love's Theme" was sampled by the Italian group Black Box in their 1989 song "Ride on Time".^[4]

In 1975–76, WPIX-TV in New York would end its 10:00pm broadcast of Harper News (later Action News) with "Love's Theme".^[5]

It was also used as the boarding music for Cathay Pacific during the 1980s^[6] and as the theme song of the Brazilian soap opera Celebridade.

The 2024 PBS series Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution explores the importance of "Love's Theme" to the history of disco music.^[7]

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

The Love Unlimited Orchestra Chart (1973–1974) Peak position Argentina[8] 8 Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] 7 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[12] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 7 New Zealand (Listener)[14] 12 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[15] 1 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 10 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 1 US Easy Listening (Billboard)[18] 1 US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard)[19] 10 Andy Williams Chart (1974) Peak position US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 16

Year-end charts Chart (1974) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[20] 66 Canada [21] 25 South Africa [22] 10 US Billboard Easy Listening[23] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 3 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United States (RIAA)[25] Gold 1,000,000^ ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1974 (U.S.)
• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1974 (U.S.)
• List of RPM number-one singles of 1974 (Canada)

References

1. The Best of Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra - Love Unlimited Orchestra | Songs, Reviews, Credits at AllMusic
2. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 518.
3. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2011-07-16.
4. Breihan, Tom (2019-05-08). "The Number Ones: The Love Unlimited Orchestra's "Love's Theme"". Stereogum. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
5. Action News close with the Harpers, followed by Editorial Feedback, 7/10/75, 12 March 2015, retrieved 2023-06-27
6. Lee, Cobaj (22 May 2019). "6 Hongkongers share 'what Cathay means to me'".
7. "Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution | Rock the Boat | Episode 1 | PBS". PBS.
8. "Cash Box - International Best Sellers" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 29 June 1974. p. 41.
9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (doc). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
10. "The Love Unlimited Orchestra – Love's Theme" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
11. "CAN Charts > The Love Unlimited Orchestra". RPM. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
12. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1974-02-16. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
13. "The Love Unlimited Orchestra – Love's Theme" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
14. Flavour of New Zealand, 10 August 1974
15. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
16. "Love Unlimited Orchestra: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
17. "Love Unlimited Orchestra Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
18. "Love Unlimited Orchestra Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
19. "Love Unlimited Orchestra Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
20. "National Top 100 Singles for 1974". Kent Music Report. December 30, 1974. Retrieved January 15, 2022 – via Imgur.
21. Canada, Library and Archives (January 16, 2018). "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada.
22. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1974". Retrieved 2 September 2018.
23. Top 50 Adult Contemporary Hits of 1974
24. Musicoutfitters.com^{[permanent dead link]}
25. "American single certifications – Love Unlimited – Love's Theme". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• Rhapsody in White at AllMusic
• Under the Influence of Love Unlimited at AllMusic
• "Love's Theme" at Discogs (list of releases)
• "Love Theme" conducted by Ray Conniff on YouTube
• "Love Theme" conducted by Gerhard Narholz (as Norman Candler) on YouTube