Loving Arms
{{Short description|1973 single by Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Loving Arms
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge
| album = Full Moon
| B-side = I'm Down (But I Keep Falling)
| released = 1973
| recorded = August 1973
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Country|soft rock}}
| length = {{Duration|m=03|s=50}}
| label = A&M Records
| writer = Tom Jans
| producer = David Anderle
| prev_title = A Song I'd Like to Sing
| prev_year = 1973
| next_title = Rain
| next_year = 1974
}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Lovin' Arms
| cover =Elvis_Lovin_Arms_PS.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Elvis Presley
| album = Good Times
| B-side = You Asked Me To
| released = March 27, 1981
| recorded = December 13, 1973
| studio =
| genre = Country
| length =
| label =RCA Records
| writer = Tom Jans
| producer =Felton Jarvis
| prev_title = Guitar Man
| prev_year = 1981
| next_title = There Goes My Everything
| next_title2 = You'll Never Walk Alone
| next_year = 1982
}}
"Loving Arms" is a song written by Tom Jans and first recorded as a duet by Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge for their 1973 album Full Moon.
The song was notably covered by Dobie Gray that same year, then by a number of artists including Elvis Presley and Petula Clark in 1974.
History
"Loving Arms" was written by Tom Jans.{{cite book|author=Steven Blanton|title=The Songwriter's Toolkit: From Pen to Push Play|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oXyBjHgHfPkC&q=%22Loving+Arms%22+%22Dobie+Gray%22&pg=PA45|year=2010|publisher=Tate Publishing|isbn=978-1-61663-349-3|pages=45–}} Jans recorded the song and released his version on his 1974 self-titled album.
Dobie Gray's version of the song peaked at number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of October 6, 1973.{{cite book|author=Ace Collins|title=All About the Dixie Chicks|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cpYzCgAAQBAJ&q=%22Loving+Arms%22+%22Dobie+Gray%22&pg=PT118|date=8 September 2015|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-1-250-09758-3|pages=118–}}
Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge's version was released as a single in late 1973, and became a minor Billboard Hot 100 hit in the spring of 1974.{{cite book|author=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Kollington – Morphine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cgwKAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Elvis+Presley%22+%22Loving+Arms%22|year=2006|publisher=MUZE|isbn=978-0-19-531373-4}} The song first appeared on their 1973 duet album Full Moon.
Elvis Presley's version was first released on his 1974 album Good Times. In 1975, it was included as a B-side on some editions of his "My Boy" single. In 1981, it appeared on Presley's posthumous album Guitar Man and was released as the second single from it, with "You Asked Me To" on side B. In the UK, the song spent 6 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 47 for the week of April 14. In the United States, the single charted as a double A-side ("Lovin' Arms"/"You Asked Me To") on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, peaking at number 8 on the week of June 20.
Petula Clark's version reached number 12 on the US AC chart and number 9 on the Canadian AC/Pop charts on February 1, 1975.{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.3909.pdf| title=RPM Top 50 AC Singles - February 1, 1975}}
In total, the song has been covered over 50 times. Other notable covers include ones by Olivia Newton-John, Etta James, the Dixie Chicks, and Demis Roussos.
Personnel
- Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge – vocals
- Sammy Creason – drums
- Leland Sklar – bass
- Jerry McGee – guitar, harmonica
- Bobbye Hall – percussion
- Randy Scruggs – guitar
- Booker T. Jones – keyboards
Personnel on Dobie Gray's version
- Dobie Gray, vocals
- David Briggs, keyboards
- Mike Leech, bass
- Kenny Malone, drums
- Troy Seals, acoustic and electric guitar
- Reggie Young, acoustic and electric guitar, banjo
- Weldon Myrick, pedal steel guitar
- Buddy Spicher, violin
- Charlie McCoy, harmonica Gray, Dobie, Dobie Gray: Drift Away, Loving Arms, Hey Dixie, BGO Records, liner notes, 2011
Musical style and lyrics
Charts
= Dobie Gray version =
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" |
| Chart (1973)
! Peak |
|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/301049/dobie-gray/chart|title=Dobie Gray – Chart history|publisher=Billboard}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 61 |
| Canada (RPM){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.4907.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - September 29, 1973}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 67 |
= Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge version =
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" |
| Chart (1974)
! Peak |
|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-04-13|title=Music: Top 100 Songs – Billboard Hot 100 Chart (1974-04-13)|publisher=Billboard|access-date=2016-12-15}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 86 |
| Canada (RPM){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5006b.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - April 13, 1974}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 83 |
| Canada AC (RPM){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.50525006b.pdf| title=RPM Top 50 AC/Pop Singles - June 15, 1974}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 9 |
= Elvis Presley version =
: * as "Lovin' Arms"/"You Asked Me To"
References
{{reflist}}
{{Elvis Presley}}
{{Elvis Presley singles}}
{{Kris Kristofferson}}
{{Rita Coolidge}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Kris Kristofferson songs
Category:Male–female vocal duets