It's Only Love Doing Its Thing
| "It's Only Love Doing Its Thing" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Barry White | ||||
| from the album The Man | ||||
| A-side | "Your Sweetness is My Weakness" | |||
| Released | September 1978 | |||
| Recorded | 1978 | |||
| Genre | Soul, funk | |||
| Length | 4:04 | |||
| Label | 20th Century | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jimmie Cameron, Vella Cameron | |||
| Producer(s) | Barry White | |||
| Barry White singles chronology | ||||
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"It's Only Love Doing Its Thing" is a ballad featured on soul singer Barry White's 1978 album The Man. The English soul band Simply Red covered the song in 1989, under the shortened title "It's Only Love".
Elements from the song were sampled in 21 Questions by 50 Cent. In 2008, the song was featured on Grand Theft Auto IV's fictional soul/R&B radio station The Vibe 98.8.
Simply Red version
| "It's Only Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Simply Red | ||||
| from the album A New Flame | ||||
| Released | January 16, 1989 | |||
| Recorded | 1988–1989 | |||
| Genre | Blue-eyed soul | |||
| Length | 4:58 | |||
| Label | Elektra, WEA | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jimmy Cameron, Vella Cameron | |||
| Producer(s) | Stewart Levine | |||
| Simply Red singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "It's Only Love" on YouTube | ||||
In 1989, the English soul and pop band Simply Red released a cover as "It's Only Love" as the lead single of their third studio album, A New Flame (1989). This version had its greatest success by charting at number-seven in Ireland. The song was later featured in Simply Red's several greatest-hits albums and a ballad collection of the same name.
Critical reception
Robin Smith from Record Mirror wrote, "Hell, sure has been a long time since we last heard Mick Hucknall crooning blissfully, but all good things are worth waiting for. 'It's Only Love' is a magnificent slow-burning track to cherish and savour, as Hucknall side-steps his vocals around some powerful instrumentation. It's nice to hear that Simply Red aren't merely regurgitating old ideas, and I can hardly wait for the album." William Shaw from Smash Hits said, "It's a low key re-entry into the giddy world of pop, none of Mick's over-the-top wailing, just a simple, catchy piece of their old fashioned "soul" that swings along in a most acceptable manner."
Personnel
- Fritz McIntyre – keyboards and backing vocals
- Tim Kellett – trumpet and keyboards
- Chris Joyce – drums
- Tony Bowers – bass guitar
Charts
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 31 |
| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) | 11 |
| Canada (RPM) | 30 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 7 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 31 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 31 |
| Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade) | 12 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 13 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 57 |
| West Germany (Gfk Entertainment charts) | 21 |