Love T.K.O.
{{short description|1980 single by David Oliver}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Love T.K.O.
| image = Love tko by teddy pendergrass side-a.png
| caption = Side A of the US single
| type = single
| artist = Teddy Pendergrass
| album = TP
| B-side = I Just Called to Say
| released = November 1980
| recorded = 1980
| genre = Soul
| length = 4:58
3:39 (single version)
| label = Philadelphia International Records
| writer = Cecil Womack
Gip Noble, Jr.
| producer = Dexter Wansel, Cecil Womack, Cynthia Biggs
| prev_title = Can't We Try
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = Two Hearts
| next_year = 1981
}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Love T.K.O.
| cover =
| caption = David Oliver's version preceded Teddy Pendergrass in 1980.
| type = single
| artist = David Oliver
| album = Here's To You
| A-side = My Lady
| released = 1980
| recorded = 1980
| genre = Soul
| length = 4:36
| label = Mercury (45-76067)
| writer = Cecil Womack
Gip Noble, Jr.
| producer = Wayne Henderson
| prev_title = Summer Love
| prev_year = 1979
}}
"Love T.K.O." is a song written by Cecil Womack and Gip Noble, Jr.{{cite web|title=secondhandsongs.com|url=https://www.https://secondhandsongs.com/work/21494|website=secondhandsongs.com|accessdate=January 7, 2021}} Standing for technical knockout, it was written for soul singer David Oliver,{{cite web|title=www.discogs.com|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6535418-David-Oliver-Love-TKO|website=discogs.com|accessdate=February 14, 2023}} and appeared first on his album Here's to You in 1980. Cecil and Linda Womack recorded the song themselves as Womack & Womack and it appeared simply as "T.K.O." on their debut album Love Wars in 1983.{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r22182|pure_url=yes}}
Teddy Pendergrass recording
"Love T.K.O." is mainly associated with R&B and soul artist Teddy Pendergrass, who recorded the song for his 1980 album TP, releasing it as a single the same year. Arranged by Dexter Wansel, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=455}}
Charts
=Teddy Pendergrass version=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1980)
!Peak |
|---|
| US Billboard R&B
|align="center"|2 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=Love+T.K.O.+by+Teddy+Pendergrass&id=40646 US Charts]. MusicVF.com. Retrieved March 3, 2020
|align="center"|44 |
=Regina Belle version=
Regina Belle recorded and released her version in 1995 and included on her Reachin' Back LP.
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1995)
!Peak |
|---|
| US Billboard R&B{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/regina-belle/chart-history/bsi/|title=Regina Belle US chart history|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=March 3, 2020}}
|align="center"|29 |
Other recordings
"Love TKO" has been covered by several artists, including:
- Deborah Harry
- Hall & Oates
- Bette Midler
- Boz Scaggs
- Lambchop
- Michael McDonald
- Seal
- Fourplay
- Womack & Womack (as just "T.K.O.") on their 1983 album Love Wars
- Modern Man (Pittsburgh R&B/dance/cover band){{Cite web |url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=love+tko&btnG=Google+Search |title=Google Search |access-date=2008-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020813214541/http://www.google.com/search?hl=en |archive-date=2002-08-13 |url-status=dead }}
- Tatsuro Yamashita on his 1999 album On the Street Corner 3
Samples
- In 1994, American rapper Ahmad sampled it for his hit single “Back in the Day ”.
- In 1995, R&B group Xscape sampled it for their remix of "Who Can I Run To".
- In 1996, the song was sampled by Kenny Lattimore on "I Won't Let You Down".
- Total as well as featured in the 2015 motion picture Concussion.
Popular culture
- In 2006, Pendergrass' version of the song was featured in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories on fictional radio station VCFL.
- It was used in 2005 video game Fahrenheit (a.k.a. Indigo Prophecy).
- DJ Spooky referenced the song in his essay titled "Groove Theory" in URB.
- Artist Ahmad Lewis used the melody for a remix of his 1994 song "Back in the Day" from his self-titled album Ahmad.
- In 2025, Pendergrass’ version was used in an Air Jordan commercial about Jalen Hurts after the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory in Super Bowl LIX.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Teddy Pendergrass}}
{{Regina Belle}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Philadelphia International Records singles
Category:Songs written by Cecil Womack
Category:Teddy Pendergrass songs