You Sure Love to Ball
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| cover = You Sure Love to Ball.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Marvin Gaye
| album = Let's Get It On
| B-side = Just to Keep You Satisfied
| released = January 2, 1974
| recorded = 1973, Hitsville West, Los Angeles, CA
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Soul
| length = 4:46 (album version)
3:35 (single mix)
| label = Tamla
T 54244
| writer = Marvin Gaye
| producer = Marvin Gaye
| prev_title = Come Get to This
| prev_year = 1973
| next_title = My Mistake (Was to Love You)
| next_year = 1974
| misc =
}}
"You Sure Love to Ball" is a song released by American recording artist Marvin Gaye. Released on January 2, 1974, it was the third and final single to be released from Gaye's album, Let's Get It On.
Song overview
Unlike most of the material on Let's Get It On, which focused more on romance music including a brief social plea ("Keep Gettin' It On"), this song focused entirely on the sexual portion of its subject. The song starts off with a rhythm section including guitars, a bass and drums and a saxophone solo. In the middle of the solo, induced moans can be heard from a couple before Gaye finally begins singing the lyrics. The term "ball" was slang for having sex.{{sfn|Dyson|2004|pp=152-154}}
Cash Box said it was "full of that good Marvin Gaye feel."{{cite news|title=CashBox Record Reviews|date=January 19, 1974|page=16|accessdate=2021-12-11|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1974/CB-1974-01-19.pdf|newspaper=Cash Box}} Record World said that "this tune is plaintively sung with all the soul that the master can muster."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=January 19, 1974|accessdate=2023-03-17|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/74/RW-1974-01-19.pdf}}
Chart performance
The song was issued as a single on January 2, 1974. Initial radio airplay was good enough for the song to peak at 13 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and 50 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=226}} However, "You Sure Love to Ball" soon peaked out allegedly due to the controversial nature of the track, making the song the least successful of the three tracks released on Let's Get It On. Its b-side included the solemn ballad closer of the album, "Just to Keep You Satisfied".
Covers and samples
In 1976, singer Sylvia covered the song. Singer Will Downing later covered the song for the Marvin tribute album, Marvin Is 60: A Tribute Album as did Keith Washington on his 1998 album, KW. Usher's 2001 song, "Twork It Out" from his 8701 album, featured heavy sampling of "You Sure Love to Ball".
References
{{reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EL5_I4Dkx7IC&q=marvin+gaye+janis&pg=RA1-PA164|last=Dyson|first=Eric Michael|title=Mercy Mercy Me: The Art, Loves and Demons of Marvin Gaye|publisher=New York/Philadelphia: Basic Civitas|year=2004|isbn=0-465-01769-X}}
{{Marvin Gaye}}
{{Marvin Gaye singles}}
Category:Songs written by Marvin Gaye
Category:Song recordings produced by Marvin Gaye
Category:Tamla Records singles
{{1970s-single-stub}}