All in Love Is Fair#Barbra Streisand version

Recording began for "All in Love is Fair" on November 10, 1972 at 2:30 A.M., with Wonder on acoustic piano and Scott Edwards on guitar. Electric piano, vocals, and drums were recorded on April 3, 1973. However, the electric piano track was discarded in favor of a new take made the following day. The song was mixed on April 8, 1973.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-15 |title=Expanding Soul |url=https://magazine.waxpoetics.com/article/the-technological-breakthroughs-of-stevie-wonder-and-tonto/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=wax-poetics |language=en}}

"All in Love Is Fair" is taken from Stevie Wonder's sixteenth studio album, Innervisions, released on August 3, 1973, by Tamla Records.{{cite AV media notes |title=Innervisions |others=Stevie Wonder |year=1973 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Tamla |id=T 326L}} Despite not being released as a commercial single in his native country of the United States, Tapecar Records and Tamla released it as a 7" single sometime in 1974, exclusively in Brazil.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}} It was paired alongside the opener track for side one of Innervisions, "Too High", a song about drug abuse.{{cite AV media notes |title="All in Love Is Fair" / "Too High" |others=Stevie Wonder |year=1974 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Tapecar |id=CS-829}}

The song is composed in the key of C-sharp minor and features vocals that range from B₂ to G{{music|sharp}}₄.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0063622_D1|title=Stevie Wonder 'All in Love Is Fair' Digital Sheet Music|publisher=Musicnotes.com|last1=Wonder|first1=Stevie|year=1973|access-date=June 6, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606195236/https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0063622_D1|archive-date=June 6, 2023}} The vocal is accompanied by Wonder himself on Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano and drums, and by Scott Edwards on electric bass. The lyrics of the composition describe two people who are nearing the end of their relationship; Wonder purposely uses "cliché lines" to get his point across and to prove the clichés true.{{harvnb|Perone|2006|p=53}}

A pop ballad, "All in Love Is Fair" was compared to the works of Johnny Mathis by Lenny Kaye of Rolling Stone and the editors at Playboy.{{cite news|title=Innversions – Stevie Wonder|url=http://www.superseventies.com/spwonderstevie1.html|access-date=January 9, 2017|publisher=The Super Seventies|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929070314/http://www.superseventies.com/spwonderstevie1.html|archive-date=September 29, 2012}} Lawrence Gabriel, author of MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide, described the track as a "classic" pop song.{{harvnb|Graff|1996|p=837}} Janine McAdams from Billboard found "dramatic intensity" within the lyrics, "I should have never left your side / The writer takes his pen / To write the words again / That all in love is fair".{{cite magazine|last1=McAdams|first1=Janine|title=A Songbook in the Key of Life|magazine=Billboard|date=May 13, 1995|volume=107|issue=19|pages=30, 38|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vAsEAAAAMBAJ|access-date=January 9, 2017|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|issn=0006-2510}} Author Herb Jordan included the track's lyrics in his book Motown in Love: Lyrics from the Golden Era; they were placed under the section for songs in which the lyrics detail "lessons of love".{{harvnb|Jordan|2006|p=2}}

AllMusic's Matthew Greenwald found "All in Love Is Fair" to be among Wonder's "finest ballad statements", which contained "one of the most graceful and memorable hooks from the era". Brian Ives of radio.com described it as a "beautiful and sad piano ballad" that he thought could have come from the Broadway stage.{{cite web |url=http://radio.com/2013/08/02/not-fade-away-stevie-wonder-innervisions/ |title=Not Fade Away: Stevie Wonder Innervisions |last=Ives |first=Brian |date=August 2, 2013 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |work=radio.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211235557/http://radio.com/2013/08/02/not-fade-away-stevie-wonder-innervisions/ |archive-date=February 11, 2017 |df=mdy-all }} Robert Christgau disliked Wonder's balladry singing in "All in Love Is Fair", and considered his performance to be "immature". In contrast, author James E. Perone wrote that there was "no better example" of a "pure, autobiographical-sounding vocal showpiece for Stevie Wonder".

After its initial release in 1973, Wonder placed "All in Love Is Fair" on several of his later albums. It was included on the Motown compilation Baddest Love Jams, Vol. 2: Fire & Desire in 1995.{{cite AV media notes |title=Baddest Love Jams, Vol. 2: Fire & Desire |others=Various artists |year=1995 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Motown |id= 530573}} Wonder's fourth box set, At the Close of a Century (1999), also featured the song.{{cite AV media notes |title=At the Close of a Century |others=Stevie Wonder |year=1999 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Motown |id= 1539922}} In that same year it was featured on Ballad Collection,{{cite AV media notes |title=Ballad Collection |others=Stevie Wonder |year=1999 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Motown |id= 1539282}} and in 2005 it was selected for inclusion on The Complete Stevie Wonder.{{cite AV media notes |title=The Complete Stevie Wonder |others=Stevie Wonder |year=2005 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Motown |id= B00006JSS8}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Brazil 7" single

| total_length = 8:27

| title1 = All in Love Is Fair

| length1 = 3:41

| title2 = Too High

| length2 = 4:36

}}

Information is based on the album’s liner notes

• Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, drums
• Scott Edwards – electric bass

{{Infobox song

| name = All in Love Is Fair

| cover = File:Barbra Streisand "All in Love Is Fair".jpg

| alt = A red-orange vinyl record of the single appears

| type = single

| artist = Barbra Streisand

| album = The Way We Were

| B-side = Medley: "My Buddy"/"How About Me"

| released = March 1974

| recorded = December 14, 1973

| studio = United Recorders
(Los Angeles, California)

| venue =

| genre =

| length = {{duration|m=3|s=50}}

| label = Columbia

| writer = Stevie Wonder

| producer = Tommy LiPuma

| prev_title = The Way We Were

| prev_year = 1973

| next_title = Guava Jelly

| next_year = 1974

}}

American vocalist Barbra Streisand recorded a version of "All in Love Is Fair" for her fifteenth studio album, The Way We Were (1974). Shortly following the commercial success of her previous single, "The Way We Were", Columbia Records began compiling tracks for the singer's then-upcoming fifteenth studio album (The Way We Were). Since time was limited, the majority of the tracks were taken from material recorded by Streisand as much as seven years previously.{{cite web|last1=Ruhlmann|first1=William|title=Barbra Streisand – The Way We Were|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-way-we-were-mw0000650840|access-date=November 14, 2016|website=AllMusic|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126065634/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-way-we-were-mw0000650840|archive-date=January 26, 2017}} According to the liner notes of her 1991 greatest hits album Just for the Record, the only tracks specifically created for the album were "All in Love Is Fair", "The Way We Were", "Being at War with Each Other", and "Something So Right".{{cite AV media notes |title=Just for the Record |others=Barbra Streisand |year=1991 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Columbia |id=C4K-44111}} "All in Love Is Fair" was recorded on December 14, 1973, at United Recorders Studios in Los Angeles.{{cite AV media notes |title=The Way We Were |edition=CD release |others=Barbra Streisand |year=1974 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Columbia |id=C4K 44111}} It was released in March 1974 as a 7" single through Columbia Records,{{harvnb|Popoff|2010|p=1136}} and would later be paired alongside Streisand's previous single, "The Way We Were", on a 7" single released in 1975, also by Columbia, in the United States and Canada.{{cite AV media notes |title="The Way We Were" / "All in Love Is Fair" |edition=United States release |others=Barbra Streisand |year=1975 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Columbia |id=13-33262}}{{cite AV media notes |title="The Way We Were" / "All in Love Is Fair" |edition=Canada release |others=Barbra Streisand |year=1975 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Columbia |id=13-33262}}

The staff at Billboard described Streisand's cover as a "musical gem",{{cite magazine|title=Billboard's Top Album Picks|magazine=Billboard|date=February 9, 1974|volume=86|issue=6|page=61|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1ycEAAAAMBAJ|access-date=January 9, 2017|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|issn=0006-2510}} while author Allison J. Waldman enjoyed Streisand's personal take on it.{{harvnb|Waldman|2001|p=54}} Record World said that "the ballad beauty from Stevie Wonder's Innervisions album gets its definitive female reading from the superstar."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=March 23, 1974|accessdate=2023-03-17|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/74/RW-1974-03-23.pdf}} Greenwald from AllMusic liked the singer's cover and wrote of the song's hook, "Streisand's performance – particularly her phrasing of this line – is unforgettable".{{cite web|last1=Greenwald|first1=Matthew|title=Barbra Streisand – All in Love Is Fair|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/all-in-love-is-fair-mt0036284278|access-date=January 10, 2017|website=AllMusic|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110091858/http://www.allmusic.com/song/all-in-love-is-fair-mt0036284278|archive-date=January 10, 2017}} Stephen Holden from Rolling Stone compared her rendition to Wonder's version, describing it "almost as interesting as the original".{{cite news|title=The Way We Were – Barbra Streisand: Columbia PC 32801|url=http://www.superseventies.com/spstreisandbarbra.html|access-date=February 11, 2017|publisher=The Super Seventies|date=April 11, 1974|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923154835/http://www.superseventies.com/spstreisandbarbra.html|archive-date=September 23, 2016}}

Streisand's version of "All in Love Is Fair" achieved moderate commercial success in the United States and Canada. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 30, 1974, at number 81, becoming the week's "Hot Shot Debut", or the publication's highest entry position for that particular listing.{{cite magazine|title=The Hot 100 – The Week Of March 30, 1974|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-03-30|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 9, 2017|date=March 30, 1974|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110114227/http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-03-30|archive-date=January 10, 2017}} It climbed the chart for an additional three weeks before reaching its peak position on April 20 of the same year, at number 63.{{cite magazine|title=The Hot 100 – The Week Of April 20, 1974|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-04-20|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 9, 2017|date=April 20, 1974|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110114755/http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-04-20|archive-date=January 10, 2017}} The following week, Streisand's rendition dropped to number 75, after which it left the Hot 100.{{cite magazine|title=The Hot 100 – The Week Of April 27, 1974|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-04-27|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 9, 2017|date=April 27, 1974|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228193844/http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-04-27|archive-date=December 28, 2016}}{{cite magazine|title=The Hot 100 – The Week Of May 4, 1974|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-05-04|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 9, 2017|date=May 4, 1974|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110114352/http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-05-04|archive-date=January 10, 2017}} On the Adult Contemporary chart, which was then titled the Easy Listening chart, "All in Love Is Fair" peaked at number 10. On Canada's official chart, compiled by RPM, it debuted at number 99 for the week of April 6, 1974.{{cite web|title=Top RPM Singles: Issue 5000b|date = 17 July 2013|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5000b&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5000b.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5000b|publisher=RPM. Library and Archives Canada|access-date=January 9, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161127090627/http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5000b&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5000b.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5000b|archive-date=November 27, 2016}} It soared twenty places the following week,{{cite web|title=Top RPM Singles: Issue 5006b| date=17 July 2013 |url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5006b&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5006b.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5006b|publisher=RPM. Library and Archives Canada|access-date=January 9, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110090914/http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5006b&URLjpg=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2Fobj%2F028020%2Ff4%2Fnlc008388.5006b.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5006b|archive-date=January 10, 2017}} and two weeks later, on April 27, it reached its peak position at number 60. It also lasted a total of five consecutive weeks in this country.{{cite web|title=Top RPM Singles: Issue 5017b| date=17 July 2013 |url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5017b&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5017b.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5017b|publisher=RPM. Library and Archives Canada|access-date=January 9, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110090739/http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5017b&URLjpg=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2Fobj%2F028020%2Ff4%2Fnlc008388.5017b.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5017b|archive-date=January 10, 2017}}

"All in Love Is Fair" has been included on numerous albums released by Streisand. Its first appearance after The Way We Were was on Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1978).{{cite AV media notes |title=Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Volume 2 |others=Barbra Streisand |year=1978 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Columbia |id=FCA 35679 }} She also included it on Just for the Record (1991) and The Essential Barbra Streisand (2002).{{cite AV media notes |title=The Essential Barbra Streisand |others=Barbra Streisand |year=2002 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Columbia |id=C2K 86123 }}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

;United States and United Kingdom 7" single{{cite AV media notes |title="All in Love Is Fair" / "My Buddy"/"How About Me" |others=Barbra Streisand |year=1974 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Columbia |id=4-46024}}

• A1 "All in Love Is Fair" – 3:50
• B1 Medley: "My Buddy"/"How About Me" – 4:09

{{col-2}}

;United States promotional 7" single{{cite AV media notes |title="All in Love Is Fair" / "All in Love Is Fair" |edition= Promotional |others=Barbra Streisand |year=1974 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Columbia |id=4-46024}}

• A1 "All in Love Is Fair" (Stereo) – 3:50
• B1 "All in Love Is Fair" (Mono) – 3:50

{{col-end}}

File:Cleo Laine.jpg recorded a cover of "All in Love Is Fair" in 1974]]

• Nancy Wilson recorded it as the title track for her 1974 studio album All in Love Is Fair. Wilson's recording has been described as "sensual" and it "wouldn't be out of place on Motown or Philadelphia International".{{cite web|last1=Ankeny|first1=Jason|title=Nancy Wilson – All in Love Is Fair|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-in-love-is-fair-mw0000842617|access-date=January 9, 2017|website=AllMusic|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110091948/http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-in-love-is-fair-mw0000842617|archive-date=January 10, 2017}}
• Cleo Laine released the song as a standalone 7" promotional single in 1974, enlisting the help of Mike Berniker for production.{{cite AV media notes |title="All in Love Is Fair" / "All in Love Is Fair" |edition=Promotional |others=Cleo Laine |year=1974 |type=Liner notes |publisher=RCA |id=JH-10068}} It was included in her 2001 compilation album At Her Finest.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-her-finest-mw0000011494|title=Cleo Laine - At Her Finest (2001) album credits & releases | AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=9 November 2018}}
• Billy Eckstine's rendition was featured on his 1974 album If She Walked Into My Life.{{cite AV media notes |title=If She Walked Into My Life |others=Billy Eckstine |year=1974 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Enterprise |id= ENS-7503}}
• Cher performed the song on the first episode of the Cher show in February 1975.
• Shirley Bassey recorded the song for her 1975 album Good, Bad but Beautiful.
• Dionne Warwick included the song in her live repertoire, with a performance featured on her video release Dionne Warwick: Live in Cabaret July 18th 1975.[https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-cabaret-july-18th-1975-mw0001636976 Dionne Warwick - Live in Cabaret July 18th 1975 (released 2008) DVD credits & releases] at AllMusic
• Brook Benton recorded a version for his 1976 album This Is Brook Benton.{{cite AV media notes |title=This Is Brook Benton |others=Brook Benton |year=1976 |type=Liner notes |publisher=All Platinum |id=AP-3015}}
• Vibraphonist Cal Tjader and jazz singer Carmen McRae recorded it on their 1982 studio album Heat Wave, Tjader's final studio recording on Concord Jazz in 1982. The album peaked at 25 on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.[https://www.allmusic.com/album/heatwave-mw0000188826 Cal Tjader / Carmen McRae - Heatwave (1982) album review by Scott Yanow, credits & releases] at AllMusic{{cite web|title=Cal Tjader / Carmen McRae - Heatwave (1982) - Awards|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/heat-wave-mw0000188826/awards|access-date=June 19, 2019|website=AllMusic|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140917090129/https://www.allmusic.com/album/heat-wave-mw0000188826/awards|archive-date=September 17, 2014}}
• Latin vocal group, Barrio Boyzz recorded a version for their English language album debut, How We Roll, in 1995.{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/how-we-roll-mw0000177027 | title=The Barrio Boyzz - How We Roll Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic | website=AllMusic }}
• American trombonist Slide Hampton and The World of Trombones recorded his own instrumental version of "All in Love Is Fair" for his 28th studio album, Spirit of the Horn (2002) which was recorded live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on May 3–5, 2002.{{harvnb|Anderson|Campbell|2011|p=62}}[https://www.allmusic.com/album/spirit-of-the-horn-mw0000019622 Slide Hampton - Spirit of the Horn (2002) album review by Richard S. Ginell, credits & releases] at AllMusic
• The song is included on Michael McDonald's 2003 album Motown,{{cite web|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/motown-mw0000035250 |title=Michael McDonald - Motown (2003) album review, credits & releases | AllMusic |website=AllMusic |access-date=2015-09-23}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/71108/mcdonald-recharges-with-motown-set |title=McDonald Recharges with 'Motown' Set |magazine=Billboard |date=December 5, 2003 |access-date=September 23, 2015}}{{YouTube|3Cb3PqaTkmo|Michael McDonald - "All in Love Is Fair" (2003)}} and was included in his 2009 concert at the Royal Albert Hall, prompting John L Walters of The Guardian to write: "Surely you can't go wrong with songs as fantastic as Stevie Wonder's "I Believe" and "All in Love Is Fair".{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/may/13/popandrock.artsfeatures|title=Michael McDonald, Royal Albert Hall, London|first=John L.|last=Walters|date=13 May 2003|website=The Guardian}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

Works cited

• {{cite book|last1=Anderson|first1=William M.|last2=Campbell|first2=Patricia Shehan|title=Multicultural Perspectives in Music Education, Volume 1|date=January 16, 2011|publisher=R&L Education |isbn= 978-1607095415 |edition=third, illustrated }}
• {{cite book|last1=Graff|first1=Gary|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|date=1996|publisher=Visible Ink Press|isbn=0787610372|url=https://archive.org/details/musichoundrockes0000unse}}
• {{cite book|last1=Jordan|first1=Herb|title=Motown in Love: Lyrics from the Golden Era|date=2006|publisher=Pantheon |isbn= 0375422005 }}
• {{cite book|last1=Perone|first1=James E.|title=The Sound of Stevie Wonder: His Words and Music|date=2006|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=027598723X|edition=illustrated, annotated|url=https://archive.org/details/soundofsteviewon00pero}}
• {{cite book|last1=Popoff|first1=Martin|title=Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records: 1948–1991|date=August 5, 2010|publisher=Krause Publications |isbn= 978-1440216213 |edition= revised }}
• {{cite book|last1=Waldman|first1=Allison J.|title=The Barbra Streisand Scrapbook|date=2001|publisher=Citadel Press|isbn= 0806522186 |edition= illustrated, revised}}

{{Stevie Wonder}}

{{Barbra Streisand songs}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1970s ballads

Category:1973 songs

Category:1974 singles

Category:Pop ballads

Category:Songs written by Stevie Wonder

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:Tamla Records singles