Then Came You (Dionne Warwick and the Spinners song)

"Then Came You" is a 1974 song recorded by American soul singer Dionne Warwick and American R&B group The Spinners. It was credited to Dionne Warwicke and the Spinners (from 1971 to 1975, Warwick added a final 'e' to her last name). The track was written by Sherman Marshall and Phillip T. Pugh, and produced by Thom Bell.

"Then Came You"
One of side-A labels of the US single
Single by Dionne Warwick & the Spinners
from the album Then Came You (Dionne Warwick) & New and Improved (Spinners)
B-side	"Just As Long As We Have Love"
Released	July 13, 1974
Recorded	April 2, 1974
Genre	Philadelphia soul[1] proto-disco[1]
Length	3:53
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Sherman Marshall Phillip Pugh
Producer(s)	Thom Bell
Dionne Warwick singles chronology
"I'm Just Being Myself" (1973) "Then Came You" (1974) "Take It From Me" (1975)
Official audio
"Then Came You (Remastered)" on YouTube
The Spinners singles chronology
"I'm Coming Home" (1974) "Then Came You" (1974) "Love Don't Love Nobody (Part 1)"

Released during a time that Warwick's chart fortunes were at an ebb after moving to Warner Bros. Records in 1972, the Philadelphia soul single was a rare mid-1970s success for the singer. Sung as a duet with Spinners main lead singer Bobby Smith and the Spinners, who were one of the most popular groups of the decade, the song became Warwick's first ever single to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100^[2] and also became her highest-charting R&B record of the 1970s, reaching number two on that chart, behind Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" (itself a Hot 100 number-one single). It was also the first number-one pop hit for the Spinners. It became an RIAA gold record,^[3] and was nominated for a Grammy.^[4]

Background

Spinners member Phillippe Wynne took over lead duties at the very end of the song, as he did on another one of the group's big hits, "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love".

While Warwick was signed to Warner Bros. at the time, this release actually came out on Atlantic Records, which was the Spinners' label, but also a sister label to Warner Bros.

Warwick eventually left Warner Bros. for Arista Records in 1978 where she regrouped and found consistent success again as an artist.

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1974) Peak position Australia KMR 59 Canada RPM Top Singles[5] 7 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[6] 6 UK Singles Chart (Official Charts Company)[7] 29 US Billboard Hot 100[8] 1 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[9] 3 US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[10] 2 US Cashbox Top 100[11] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1974) Rank Canada[12] 40 US Billboard Hot 100[13] 47 US Cash Box Top 100[14] 41

References

1. Molanphy, Chris (March 25, 2022). "Killing Me Softly Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
2. "Music lyrics, charts, Games, & more". Top40db.net. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
3. "Dionne Warwick & The Spinners - Then Came You - RIAA Gold Certification". RIAA. October 8, 1974. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
4. "Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus - 17th Annual GRAMMY Awards (1974)". The Recording Academy. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
5. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
6. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
7. "UK Official Singles Chart". UK Official Charts Company. October 19, 1974. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
8. "The Spinners Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
9. "The Spinners Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
10. "The Spinners Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
11. Archived August 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
12. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
13. "Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
14. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1974". cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 17 January 2015.

External links

• Lyrics of this song
• Dionne Warwick and the Spinners - Then Came You on YouTube