Sweet Love (Anita Baker song)
{{Short description|1986 single by American singer Anita Baker}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Sweet Love
| cover = Sweet Love by Anita Baker US vinyl.jpg
| alt =
| caption = A-side label of U.S. vinyl pressing
| type = single
| artist = Anita Baker
| album = Rapture
| B-side = Watch Your Step
| released = 1986
| recorded = 1985
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|R&B|soul{{cite book|first=Colin|last=Larkin|title=All-Time Top 1000 Albums|url=https://archive.org/details/alltimetop1000al0000lark_d7o0/page/179/mode/1up|archive-url=https://archive.org/details/alltimetop1000al0000lark_d7o0/mode/1up|date=1999|archive-date= October 8, 2021|publisher=Virgin Books|isbn=0-7535-0354-9|pages=111–110}}|quiet storm{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/life-and-culture/erry-2018/08/efb48829707147/80-best-love-songs-of-the-1980.html|title=80 best love songs of the 1980s|date=August 31, 2018|website=Cleveland}}{{cite book|first=Tom|last=Moon|title=1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die|chapter= Anita Baker - Rapture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zk0Z0bD2DGcC|date=28 August 2008|publisher=Workman Publishing Company|isbn=9-780761-139638|pages=39–40}}}}
| length = {{duration|m=4|s=26}}
| label = Elektra
| writer = * Anita Baker
- Louis A. Johnson
- Gary Bias
| producer = Michael J. Powell
| prev_title = Feel the Need
| prev_year = 1984
| next_title = Caught Up in the Rapture
| next_year = 1986
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative release
| type = single
| cover = Sweet_Love_-_Anita_Baker.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = Cover art for German vinyl pressings,"Sweet Love" by Anita Baker. Photo by Mark Weiss. Elektra Records. 7": catalog no. 969 557-7. 12": Catalog no. 966 845-0. "Manufactured in Germany by Record Serve GmbH." distributed in continental Europe
}} {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|2w6udgiojlE|"Sweet Love"}}}}
}}
"Sweet Love" is a song by American R&B singer and songwriter Anita Baker from her second studio album, Rapture (1986). It was written by Anita Baker, Louis A. Johnson, and Gary Bias, and produced by Michael J. Powell. It was released in May 1986 as the album's first single.
The song was Baker's first big hit single, peaking at number two on the US Billboard R&B chart, number three on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1986.Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications) In the UK, it reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 21 on Canada's Top Singles chart.
"Sweet Love" won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards (1987).
Composition
"Sweet Love" was originally published in the key of B-flat minor, and is written in common time with a tempo of 89 beats per minute.{{cite web |url=https://songbpm.com/anita-baker-sweet-love?q=Anita%20Baker%20-%20Sweet%20Love |title=Anita Baker - Sweet Love |website=songbpm.com |access-date=December 28, 2018 }} Baker's vocals span from E3 to F5.
Critical reception
Daryl Easlea of the BBC said that Baker's voice "rings like a bell", and that "Sweet Love" is one of the three most memorable tracks on Rapture. He felt that the lyrics might have sounded trite if sung by a different artist, but that Baker imbued them with "so much passion and wonderment" that they sound like "old love sonnets" brought back to life.{{cite web |last=Easlea |first=Daryl |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/wm5c/ |title=BBC Review - Baker's career high is an 80s equivalent of Dusty in Memphis. |publisher=BBC |year=2010 |access-date=April 6, 2019 }}
Awards
Baker won two Grammys at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards (1987). "Sweet Love" was selected as Best R&B Song, earning her (along with Gary Bias and Louis A. Johnson) a songwriting award.{{cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/anita-baker |title=【Best R&B Song】&【Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female】- The 29th Annual Grammy Awards (1986) |work=The Recording Academy |access-date=February 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208185958/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/anita-baker |archive-date=February 8, 2018 |url-status=dead}} Also, the album containing this song, Rapture, won in the category Best Female R&B Vocal performance.
Personnel
- Lead vocals: Anita Baker
- Backing vocals: Anita Baker, Jim Gilstrap, Bunny Hull and Daryl Phinnessee
- Drums: Ricky Lawson
- Percussion: Paulinho da Costa
- Bass: Freddie Washington
- Guitar: Greg Moore
- Keyboards, arrangements: Sir Gant
Track listings
7" single {{font |text=Elektra 969 557, 8/1/1986 |size=90%}} {{cite web |url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Anita+Baker&titel=Sweet+Love&cat=s |title=Anita Baker - Sweet Love (Song) |publisher=Hung Medien |access-date=April 17, 2019 }}
- "Sweet Love" – 4:26
- "Watch Your Step" – 4:56
Limited edition gatefold - 7" single {{font |text=Elektra EKR 44F [UK], 9/30/1986 |size=90%}}
7" single 1:
- "Sweet Love" – 4:26
- "No One in the World" – 4:10
7" single 2:
- "Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)" (Live) – 4:01
- "You Bring Me Joy" (Live) – 4:31
{{font |text=(Extras: Live tracks recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, July 26 & 27) |size=90%}}
7" single {{font |text=Elektra EKR 44 [UK], 11/3/1986 |size=90%}}
- "Sweet Love" – 4:26
- "No One in the World" – 4:10
Chart performance
{{col-begin|width=75%}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1986–1987) !Peak |
| {{singlechart |Canadaadultcontemporary |2 |song=Sweet Love |artist=Anita Baker |chartid=8219 |date=19861018 }} |
| {{singlechart | Canadatopsingles | 21 | chartid=0751 | date=November 8, 1986 | access-date=June 13, 2024 | refname="CanadaRPMSingle"}} |
| {{singlechart|Ireland2|10|song=Sweet Love|accessdate=December 26, 2017}} |
| {{singlechart |Dutch100 |47 |song=Sweet Love |artist=Anita Baker |accessdate=April 18, 2019 }} |
| {{singlechart | UKsinglesbyname | 13 | artistid=23569 | artist=Anita Baker | song=Sweet Love | date=August 16, 1986 | access-date=June 13, 2024 | refname="OCC"}} |
| US Billboard Hot 100{{citation|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1986-11-01|title=Billboard Hot 100 - Week of November 1, 1986 | date=November 1, 1986 | magazine=Billboard | access-date=June 13, 2024}}
|align="center"|8 |
| {{singlechart | Billboardadultcontemporary | 3 | artist=Anita Baker | song=Sweet Love | date=October 11, 1986 | access-date=June 13, 2024}} |
| {{singlechart | Billboardrandbhiphop | 2 | artist=Anita Baker | song=Sweet Love | date=August 16, 1986 | access-date=June 13, 2024}} |
| US Cash Box Top 100
| align="center"|12 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable" |
| Chart (1986)
! Position |
|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100{{cite web |url=https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1986.htm |title=Billboard Year-End Hot 100 chart - 1986 |publisher=Music Outfitters |year=1986 |access-date=April 24, 2018 }}
| style="text-align:center;"|90 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Anita Baker|title=Sweet Love|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|id=20470-1587-1|access-date=November 6, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}
Other versions
=M-Beat version=
British jungle musician M-Beat covered the song in 1994 with singer Nazlyn on vocals. This version peaked at No. 18 on the UK Singles Chart.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/5779/m-beat-featuring-nazlyn/|title=M-Beat feat. Nazlyn | website=Official Charts }}
=Fierce version=
British R&B female trio Fierce covered the song in 1999 which appears on their debut album Right Here Right Now. It was released as a single in 2000 with new production by Stargate, titled "Sweet Love 2K". This version peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite web|title=Fierce - Full Official Chart History|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/34699/fierce/|website=Official Charts Company|accessdate=19 January 2016}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1192|pure_url=yes}} AMG Allmusic]
{{Anita Baker}}
{{Grammy Award for Best R&B Song}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Anita Baker
Category:Contemporary R&B ballads
Category:Elektra Records singles