Love The One You’re With – Stephen Stills

Stills-BalboaSONG OF THE DAY

“Love The One You’re With” by Stephen Stills (Stephen Stills, Atlantic Records, 1970). Written by Stephen Stills.

WHY TODAY?

Because Caiti and I are watching the Degrassi Marathon on the Nick Teen channel, and this song was just referenced. A guy can’t decide between his ex-gf in Kenya and his current gf who’s a model and has a 4 year old (oops), and he finally chooses the hottie over the humanitarian, and says “Love the one you’re with”. And hottie says back “If you can’t be with the one you love. I can’t believe you would quote that song!”. Amazing.

INTERESTING FACTS (a la wikipedia)

– It rose to the top twenty of the pop singles chart, peaking at #14.

– Stills wrote the song after being inspired by the tag line — “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with” which was a frequent remark by musician Billy Preston. Stills asked him for permission to use the line in a song which Preston immediately agreed to.

– Several acts have since covered the song. The most notable cover came in 1971 from The Isley Brothers, whose unique gospel-driven cover of the song sent it to the charts again reaching number three R&B and number eighteen pop giving the group their fifth Top 40 pop single. Other versions from 1971 include Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on their live album Four Way Street, Aretha Franklin on her album Aretha Live at Fillmore West, The Supremes along with The Four Tops on their album Dynamite, Engelbert Humperdinck on Live At The Riviera, Bobby Goldsboro and Les Humphries Singers. A version was released by early 80s UK pop trio, Tight Fit in 1983, but failed to chart. Bucks Fizz covered the song as their eighteenth single in 1986 reaching UK #47. Will Young also recorded a version for his second album, Friday’s Child. In 2006, Dennis Rollins produced a further cover on the album Big Night Out!. The Chantoozies produced another cover, releasing it as a single from their second album Gild the Lily, becoming their biggest selling single. Other live versions include The Jackson 5, Jeff Martin and Luther Vandross.

Stephen Stills version credits

  • Stephen Stills: vocals, guitar, organ, steel drum, percussion
  • Calvin “Fuzzy” Samuels: bass
  • Jeff Whittaker: congas
  • Rita Coolidge, Priscilla Jones, John Sebastian, David Crosby, Graham Nash: background vocals

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