It's Only Love (B. J. Thomas song)
{{Infobox song
| name = It's Only Love
| cover = It's_Only_Love_-_B._J._Thomas.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = B. J. Thomas
| album = Young and In Love
| B-side = "You Don't Love Me Anymore ("The Train Song")"
| released = March 1969
| format =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop, Easy Listening
| length =
| label = Scepter
| writer = {{hlist|Mark James|Steve Tyrell}}
| producer =
| prev_title = Hooked on a Feeling
| prev_year = 1968
| next_title = Pass the Apple Eve
| next_year = 1969
| misc =
}}
"It's Only Love'" is a 1969 song by B. J. Thomas from his LP Young and In Love. Elvis Presley made the song a top hit in the UK, reaching No. 3 in 1980.
Thomas' original of "It's Only Love" was released in the spring of 1969. It became a modest hit in the United States: Billboard No. 45, Cash Box No. 28 and AC No. 19,[http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19690426.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, April 26, 1969] while peaking at No. 24 in Canada.{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5963&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5963.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5963|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=1969-04-28 |access-date=2018-12-11}}
Elvis Presley cover
{{Infobox song
| name = It's Only Love
| cover = Elvis_Presley_It's_Only_Love_PS.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Elvis Presley
| album =
| B-side = "The Sound of Your Cry" (U.S.)
"Beyond the Reef" (UK)
| released = September 21, 1971
| format =
| recorded = May 20, 1971
| studio = RCA Studio B, Nashville
| venue =
| genre = Rock, easy listening
| length =
| label = RCA Victor
| writer = {{hlist|Mark James|Steve Tyrell}}
| producer =
| prev_title = I'm Leavin'
| prev_title2 = Heart of Rome
| prev_year = 1971
| title2 = The Sound of Your Cry
| next_title = Merry Christmas Baby
| next_title2 = O Come, All Ye Faithful
| next_year = 1971
}}
"It's Only Love" was covered two and a half years later by Elvis Presley in the fall of 1971, and released as a single along with "The Sound of Your Cry" on the B-side.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/view/582314|title=Elvis Presley - It's Only Love / The Sound Of Your Cry at Discogs|website=Discogs |year=1971 |access-date=2016-12-15}} Accompanying vocals were provided by the Imperials.
According to the Elvis Presley official website: "Another double-ballad selection, another Elvis pick, another sales dud. 'It's Only Love' was a legitimate listener-friendly stab at the pop market (by Mark James, author of 'Suspicious Minds'), and Elvis put real effort into it. But it sold no more than 1968’s 'A Little Less Conversation', the previous low for a regular-issue Elvis single."{{cite web|url=https://elvisthemusic.com/music/its-only-love/|title=It's Only Love|website=Elvis Presley official website "Elvis the Music"|accessdate=2020-02-15}}
In the United States, "It's Only Love" reached No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of November 6, 1971. It also charted on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.
In 1980, it was released in some countries as a single with "Beyond the Reef" on the B-side. In the UK Singles Chart the single charted as "It's Only Love / Beyond the Reef" (double-A-sided), peaking at No. 3 on the week of August 30, 1980. As of August 2017, the single "It's Only Love" / "Beyond The Reef" is Presley's nineteenth most selling single in the UK.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-50-biggest-selling-elvis-presley-singles-revealed__10564/|title=Elvis Presley's Top 50 bestselling songs|publisher=Official Charts Company|date=2017-08-16|accessdate=2021-02-11}}
Also the song "It's Only Love" was included in the 1980 box set Elvis Aron Presley (on the record 8 titled "Lost Singles").{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/view/645006|title=Elvis Presley - Elvis Aron Presley (1955-1980 - 25 Anniversary) at Discogs|website=Discogs |year=1980 |access-date=2016-12-15}}
Charts
;B. J. Thomas
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1969)
!Peak |
|---|
| Canada RPM Top Singles
| style="text-align:center;"|24 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - {{ISBN|0-89820-089-X}}
| style="text-align:center;"|45 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening
| style="text-align:center;"|37 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100
|align="center"|28 |
;Elvis Presley
Certifications
Elvis Presley version
{{certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=It's Only Love|artist=Elvis Presley|type=single|award=Silver|relyear=1980 |certyear=1980|id=3432-2984-1}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|W6VSit37Yks|Listen to "It's Only Love"}} (B.J. Thomas)
- {{YouTube|ibzqH7KlYlo|Listen to "It's Only Love"}} (Elvis Presley)
{{B. J. Thomas}}
{{Elvis Presley}}
{{Elvis Presley singles}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Scepter Records singles