I Love Music (The O'Jays song)

"I Love Music" is a song by American R&B group The O'Jays. It was written by production team Gamble and Huff. The song appeared on The O'Jays 1975 album, Family Reunion. The single reached number five on the US US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the soul singles chart.^[3] In the UK, the song peaked at number 13 in the Top 40 singles charts in March 1976. The single spent eight weeks at number one on the US Disco File Top 20 chart.^[4]

"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
Recorded	1975
Studio	Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genre	Philadelphia soul[1] disco[1][2]
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)

Because of the song's length of 6:51, only the first part of the song received the airplay of 3:37. This song is noteworthy for the use of the Bongos, heard in the intro, as well as the electric guitar solo, heard in the instrumental second part of the song. Also, the saxophone solos are heard between the choruses and the verses and bridges. Strings, trumpets, bass, piano, vibes, and drums dominate the accompaniment of the song.

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "I Love Music" by The O'Jays Chart (1975–1976) Peak position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] 9 UK Singles (OCC) 13 US Billboard Hot 100[6] 5 US Disco (Billboard) 1 US R&B (Billboard) 1 US Cash Box Top 100[7] 7

Year-end charts 1976 year-end chart performance for "I Love Music" by The O'Jays Chart (1976) Rank Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 104 US Billboard Hot 100[9] 52 US Cash Box Top 100[10] 73

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 which remained faithful to the original version. The track featured a prominent keyboard riff, brass, and a driving House beat.

Rozalla version

"I Love Music"
Single by Rozalla
from the album Look No Further
Released	November 1993
Recorded	1993
Genre	Dance-pop dance
Length	4:02
Label	Sony Records
Songwriter(s)	Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff
Producer(s)	Jellybean
Rozalla singles chronology
"Are You Ready to Fly" (1992) "I Love Music" (1993) "This Time I Found Love" (1994)
Music video
"I Love Music" on YouTube

In November 1993, the Zambian-born singer Rozalla covered "I Love Music" for her second album, Look No Further (1995). Her version of the song also appeared on the soundtrack to the 1993 film Carlito's Way, starring Al Pacino. The single 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 releases had all been first put out by British indie label Pulse 8. Rozalla's recording of "I Love Music" reached number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US. It also dented the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 76. In Europe, the song 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). The song also peaked at number five in Iceland, number six in Finland and number nine in Zimbabwe.^[11]

Critical reception

The song received favorable reviews from music critics. Barry Walters from The Advocate deemed it a "respectful rendering".^[12] Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a "spirited reading of the O'Jays classic". He noted that Rozalla "has developed a smoother, more soulful vocal quality".^[13] Gil L. Robertson IV from Cash Box named it a "standout track" of the Look No Further album.^[14] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report wrote, "International sensation Rozalla and producer Jellybean extract every ounce of excitement out of this 1976 O'Jays hit."^[15] Alan Jones from Music Week said, "Though she acquits herself well, not one of the mixes approaches the classy exaltation of the original. For all that, this is sure to give Rozalla yet another hit."^[16] In 1994, another Music Week editor, Andy Beevers, rated it four out of five, noting it as a "rather routine Jellybean-produced cover".^[17] Wendi Cermak from The Network Forty named it "a fabulous remake".^[18]

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "I Love Music" by Rozalla Chart (1993–94) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[19] 90 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[20] 1 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[21] 36 Europe (European Dance Radio)[22] 3 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[23] 6 Germany (Media Control Charts) 69 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[24] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 39 UK Singles (OCC) 18 UK Dance (Music Week)[25] 6 UK Club Chart (Music Week)[26] 11 US Billboard Hot 100 76 US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard) 1 US Cash Box Top 100[27] 67 Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[11] 9

Year-end charts 1994 year-end chart performance for "I Love Music" by Rozalla Chart (1994) Position Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[28] 13 Europe (European Dance Radio)[29] 19 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[30] 59 US Hot Dance Music Club/Play (Billboard)[31] 20

Usage in film

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

References

1. Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 345. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
2. Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (October 15, 1996). "The Sound of Philadelphia: Philly Soul". Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 52. ISBN 031214704X.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 438.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 193.
5. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-01-31. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
6. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
7. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, January 24, 1976
8. "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
9. Musicoutfitters.com
10. "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December ##, 1976". Archived from the original on 2018-10-20. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
11. • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
12. Walters, Barry (1994-09-20). "Reviews: Music". The Advocate. p. 68. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
13. Flick, Larry (1993-11-20). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 61. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
14. Robertson IV, Gil L. (1995-07-22). "Urban: Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
15. Sholin, Dave (1993-11-19). "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
16. Jones, Alan (1993-12-18). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
17. Beevers, Andy (1994-01-15). "Market Preview: Dance" (PDF). Music Week. p. 13. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
18. Cermak, Wendi (1993-11-12). "Crossover: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. p. 32. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
19. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 240.
20. "RPM Dance". RPM. 1994-02-21. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
21. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 7. 1994-02-12. p. 15. Retrieved 2018-03-06.
22. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 12. 1994-03-19. p. 25. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
23. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 7. 1994-02-12. p. 14. Retrieved 2018-03-06.
24. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (10.03.1994 - 16.03.1994)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 2018-02-04.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
25. "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 1994-02-05. p. 30. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
26. "The RM Club Chart 22.1.94" (PDF). Music Week, in RM (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 1994-01-22. p. 4. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
27. "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVII, no. 21. 1994-02-12. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
28. "Canada Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1994". RPM. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
29. "1994 in Review: European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 52. 1994-12-24. p. 8. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
30. "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 1995-01-02. p. 25. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
31. "The Year in Music: Hot Dance Music Club Play Singles". Billboard. December 24, 1994. p. YE-74. Retrieved April 3, 2022.

• Billboard, Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & artist website

External links

• Song review on Allmusic
• The O'Jays - I Love Music on YouTube