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"Another Sad Love Song" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Toni Braxton Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. ...
. Written and produced by
Daryl Simmons Daryl L. Simmons is an American R&B musician, songwriter and record producer, who worked with the production duo of L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. In 1977–1980 Daryl, with Manchild (band) recorded 2 soul & funk albums & the minor h ...
and
Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
, featuring additional production from
L.A. Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...
, it was released as the lead single and its opening track from Braxton's self-titled debut album on June 29, 1993, by
LaFace Records LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment from 2008 to 2011 and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achie ...
and
Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...
. Lyrically, "Another Sad Love Song" talks about Braxton complaining that every song played on the radio is a reminder of her ex-boyfriend. "Another Sad Love Song" received widespread acclaim from music critics and earned Braxton her first-ever
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (previously called Best Rhythm and Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female) was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards ...
at the
36th Annual Grammy Awards The 36th Annual Grammy Awards were held on March 1, 1994. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Whitney Houston was the Big Winner winning 3 awards including Record of the Year and Album of the Year while opening t ...
. It proved to be a success, giving Braxton her first top ten hit on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the
Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
, while narrowly missing the top position of ''Billboard''s
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
by peaking at number two. Internationally, the song reached the top twenty in Canada and the United Kingdom, the top thirty in Iceland and the Netherlands, and the top forty in Scotland and on a composite
Eurochart Hot 100 The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by '' Billboard'' and ''Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately ...
. Three different music videos for the song were produced. The first version was filmed in 1992 in
black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
and featured the original music. The second version was filmed in May 1993 and was shown in color with exterior scenes from the first version. The third version was
remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
ed to appeal to a wider audiences and was primarily shown in Europe. "Another Sad Love Song" has been performed at most of Braxton's concerts, and is featured on many of her
greatest hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
collections, including ''
Ultimate Toni Braxton Ultimate Toni Braxton, released in 2003, is the first greatest hits collection by Contemporary R&B, R&B singer Toni Braxton. It features many of her greatest hits, and includes all the singles from her debut ''Toni Braxton (album), Toni Braxton'' ...
'' (2003), '' Platinum & Gold Collection'' (2004), ''
The Essential Toni Braxton ''The Essential Toni Braxton'' is a compilation album by the American recording artist Toni Braxton in Sony BMG's ''The Essential'' series. Released in February 2007, it follows the earlier compilations ''Ultimate Toni Braxton'', released in 2003, ...
'' (2007) and '' Breathe Again: The Best of Toni Braxton'' (2009).


Background and composition

After Braxton released her first solo single, "
Love Shoulda Brought You Home "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" is the debut solo single by American singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Daryl Simmons, and Bo Watson and produced by Edmonds and Simmons along with L.A. Reid. Originally written for s ...
", in 1992, as the soundtrack of the film ''
Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...
'', which became her first top-40 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, she released "Another Sad Love Song" as the lead single from her self-titled debut album, ''
Toni Braxton Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. ...
'', on June 11, 1993. "Another Sad Love Song" was written and produced by
Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
and
Daryl Simmons Daryl L. Simmons is an American R&B musician, songwriter and record producer, who worked with the production duo of L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. In 1977–1980 Daryl, with Manchild (band) recorded 2 soul & funk albums & the minor h ...
, with
L.A. Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...
also producing it. Lyrically, "Another Sad Love Song" talks about Braxton complaining that every song played on the radio is a reminder of her ex-boyfriend. In the chorus, she sings, "It’s just another sad love song/Rackin’ my brain like crazy/Guess I’m all torn up/Be it fast or slow/It doesn’t let go/Or shake me/And it’s all because of you."


Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from the majority of the
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. Ron Wynn of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
picked it as a highlight from the album, writing that "Braxton's husky, enticing voice sounds hypnotic on the dismayed track." Daryl Easlea of ''
BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio o ...
'' praised that it "showed how well an accomplished production team could perform when married with a superior vocalist."
Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...
from ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' commented, "Braxton cleanly proves herself as a future diva on this slow and rhythmic urban
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
". He added, "The cool thing about Toni is that she's clearly not afraid to get vocally raw and raspy, even when the instrumentation is as smooth as it is here. That kind of edge places this already delicious jam head-and-shoulders above the ever-crowded competitive ranks." Mitchell May of ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' was very positive, writing that on the track, "the ache in her voice is all too real." Dave Sholin from the ''
Gavin Report The ''Gavin Report'' was a San Francisco-based radio industry trade publication. The publication was founded by radio performer Bill Gavin in 1958. Its Top 40 listings were used for many years by programmers to decide content of programs. The pu ...
'' described it as "another L.A., Babyface and Daryl Simmons masterpiece by an artist with a great future". Connie Johnson of ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' praised Braxton for "going to town on the
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
-infused track." Ralph Tee from ''
Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...
s ''RM'' Dance Update stated that she "steps out with a vocal
Whitney Whitney may refer to: Film and television * ''Whitney'' (2015 film), a Whitney Houston biopic starring Yaya DaCosta * ''Whitney'' (2018 film), a documentary about Whitney Houston * ''Whitney'' (TV series), an American sitcom that premiered i ...
would be proud of on a stylish, medium-paced two stepper that grows on you." Editor James Hamilton deemed it a "superb sultry slinky jogger". A reviewer from ''
People Magazine ''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC (company), IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People ...
'' called its intro "coiling, almost eerie", "bolstered by her full-throated alto." John McAlley of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' was extremely positive, writing that, "Another Sad Love Song – with its dynamic vocal, gargantuan hook and clever song-with-in-a-song lyric – surely ranks with ' End of the Road,' '
I'm Your Baby Tonight ''I'm Your Baby Tonight'' is the third studio album by American singer Whitney Houston released on November 6, 1990, by Arista Records. The album has been certified quadruple platinum in the US by the RIAA. Background By 1989, Whitney Hou ...
' and '
Every Little Step "Every Little Step" is a 1989 single by American singer Bobby Brown, written by L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and released by MCA Records. Released as the fourth single on his second album ''Don't Be Cruel'' it reached number three on ...
' as one of
LaFace LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment from 2008 to 2011 and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achie ...
's greatest triumphs." McAlley also wrote the song "reinforces Braxton's lovelorn persona, as do several other midtempo ballads that L.A., Babyface and Daryl Simmons have front-loaded into Toni Braxton." "Another Sad Love Song" became Braxton's first song to receive a Grammy Award nomination in 1994, for the category "
Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (previously called Best Rhythm and Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female) was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards ...
", ultimately winning the award.


Chart performance

"Another Sad Love Song" became Braxton's first top-10 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, peaking at number seven, while on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
, the song reached higher, peaking at number 2. The single sold 500,000 copies domestically, earning a
gold certification Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
from the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. In 1993, the song charted on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, reaching a peak of number 51, on September 18. However, in 1994, the song peaked at number 15, becoming its official peak position, on April 2. Elsewhere, the song performed modestly, reaching number 23 on the
Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 ( nl, Nederlandse Top 40) is a weekly music chart compiled by ''Stichting Nederlandse Top 40''. It started as a radio program titled "Veronica Top 40", on the offshore station Radio Veronica in 1965. It remained "The Veronica ...
chart and number 44 on the
New Zealand Singles Chart The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...
.


Music video

The
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
was released in three different versions. The first version was directed by
Antoine Fuqua Antoine Fuqua (born May 30, 1965) is an American filmmaker, known for his work in the action and thriller genres. He was originally known as a director of music videos, and made his film debut in 1998 with ''The Replacement Killers''. His critica ...
and filmed in 1992 in
black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
and featured the original music. The second version was directed by Fuqua and Ralph Ziman and filmed in May 1993 and was shown in color with exterior scenes from the first version. The third version was
remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
ed to appeal to a wider audiences and was primarily shown in Europe. On her DVD, " From Toni with Love... The Video Collection", two versions of the video are also featured: the "black and white" and the "colorful version". Braxton commented that she "was really feeling the song, because I was ending a relationship," she said.


Track listings

* US CD single # "Another Sad Love Song" (remix radio edit) – 4:40 # "Another Sad Love Song" (extended remix) – 5:27 # "Another Sad Love Song" (Smoothed Out version) – 4:23 # "Another Sad Love Song" (remix instrumental) – 5:01 # "Another Sad Love Song" (album version) – 5:01 * UK CD single (1993) # "Another Sad Love Song" (radio edit) – 3:53 # "
Give U My Heart "Give U My Heart" is a song recorded by American R&B singers Babyface and Toni Braxton for the soundtrack to the 1992 film ''Boomerang'', starring Eddie Murphy. The collaboration was released as a single the same year, reaching No. 29 on the US ...
" (album radio edit) (
Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
featuring Toni Braxton) – 4:09 # "Another Sad Love Song" (Smoothed Out version) – 4:23 # "Another Sad Love Song" (album version) – 5:01 * UK CD single (1994) # "Another Sad Love Song" (album version) – 5:01 # "Another Sad Love Song" (remix radio edit) – 4:43 # "Another Sad Love Song" (extended remix) – 5:28 # "Another Sad Love Song" (Smoothed Out version) – 4:23 * German CD single # "Another Sad Love Song" (radio edit) – 3:53 # "Another Sad Love Song" (Smoothed Out version) – 4:23 # "Another Sad Love Song" (extended remix) – 5:28 # "Another Sad Love Song" (album version) – 5:01 * UK collectors EP # "Another Sad Love Song" (album version) – 5:01 # "
Breathe Again "Breathe Again" is a song by American R&B singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and produced by Edmonds, L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons for Braxton's self-titled debut album (1993). Its lyrics evokes a sense of nostal ...
" (live from
The Apollo The Apollo Theater is a music hall at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue) in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is a not ...
) – 4:30 # "Best Friend" (album version) – 4:28 # "Give U My Heart" (''
Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...
'' version) (Babyface featuring Toni Braxton) – 5:04


Charts and certifications


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Release history


References

{{Authority control 1992 songs 1993 songs 1993 singles Arista Records singles LaFace Records singles Music videos directed by Antoine Fuqua Song recordings produced by Babyface (musician) Song recordings produced by Daryl Simmons Song recordings produced by L.A. Reid Songs about heartache Songs about music Songs written by Babyface (musician) Songs written by Daryl Simmons Toni Braxton songs