"You Can't Hide Love" is a single by soul group

Creative Source Creative Source was an American R&B group from Los Angeles, who had several funk and disco hits during the 1970s. History Creative Source was formed in 1972 by several veterans of the West Coast recording studios. They were managed by Ron Tow ...

released in 1973 on

Sussex Records Sussex Records, Inc. was a Los Angeles-based record label, founded by music executive and businessman Clarence Avant, that existed from 1969 through 1975. History Sussex Records was launched in December 1969 by Avant, who had previously set up a ...

. The song reached No. 48 on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B Singles chart.

Overview

"You Can't Hide Love" was produced by Michael Stokes and composed by

Skip Scarborough Clarence Alexander "Skip" Scarborough (November 26, 1944 – July 3, 2003) was an American songwriter, best known for romantic ballads. Biography Scarborough was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He lived in Los Angeles most of his life. He died o ...

. The single's B-side was "Lovesville". Both songs came from Creative Source's 1973 self-titled debut studio album.

Charts

Earth, Wind & Fire version

Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million reco ...

covered the song under the title of ''Can't Hide Love''. This tune was released as a single in 1976 by Columbia Records and reached No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 39 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Overview

EWF's version was produced by Maurice White and

Charles Stepney Charles Stepney (March 26, 1931– May 17, 1976) was an American record producer, arranger, songwriter and musician. Stepney is noted for his work with artists such as The Dells, Ramsey Lewis, Rotary Connection and Earth, Wind & Fire. Career He ...

. The single's B-side was "Gratitude." Both songs came from the band's 1975 studio album

Gratitude Gratitude, thankfulness, or gratefulness is from the Latin word ''gratus,'' which means "pleasing" or "thankful." Is regarded as a feeling of appreciation (or similar positive response) by a recipient of another's kindness. This can be gifts, h ...

Critical reception

Within his review of

Alex Henderson 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 databa ...

called Can't Hide Love "haunting". Jason Elias of

wrote in his review of the song "While on the face this seems like a well-meaning plea, "Can't Hide Love" is filled with teasing, taunts, and a sense of bitterness that gives the song its emotional weight. Maurice White's insinuating lead was great enough, and near the end of the song Phillip Bailey does some great vocal runs. Bailey's riffs near the fade became the rite of passage for all fledging high tenor/falsettos."

Accolades

"Can't Hide Love" was Grammy nominated in the category of

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) The 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 ...

. During 2008

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...

gave a live performance of "Can't Hide Love" on stage at the Hotel Gansevoort in

Manhattan, New York Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

Samples

EWF's rendition has also been sampled by artists such as Raheem DeVaughn on the song "Guess Who Loves You More" from his 2005 album ''

The Love Experience ''The Love Experience'' is the debut studio album by American singer Raheem DeVaughn. It was released on June 28, 2005 by Jive Records. DeVaughn who wrote or co-wrote every track on the album, worked with a variety of musicians on the album, i ...

'',

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...

on his 2009 tune Beautiful Life and Rick Ross on the song Capone Suite from the

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack ...

of the 2018 feature film Superfly.

Esperanza Spalding Esperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984) is an American bassist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Her accolades include five Grammy Awards, a Boston Music Award, and a Soul Train Music Award. A native of Portland, Oregon, Spalding ...

quoted part of the song in her arrangement of "Jazz Ain't Nothin But Soul" that appears on her 2012 album ''

Radio Music Society ''Radio Music Society'' is the fourth studio album by Esperanza Spalding, which was released through the record label Heads Up International on March 20, 2012. The album earned Spalding Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Instrumental ...

''. In 2021, the song was sampled by

Lucky Daye David Debrandon Brown (born September 25, 1985), professionally known as Lucky Daye, is an American singer-songwriter from New Orleans. He is signed to Keep Cool Records and RCA Records. He released his first EP, ''I'' on November 9, 2018 and his ...

on his song “You Want My Love” which features Earth, Wind and Fire.

Charts

Other cover versions

The artists who have covered "You Can't Hide Love" include

Victor Wooten Victor Lemonte Wooten (born September 11, 1964) is an American bassist, songwriter, and record producer. He has been the bassist for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones since the group's formation in 1988 and a member of the band SMV with two other ...

, Nancy Wilson, Saul Williams and

Wayman Tisdale Wayman Lawrence Tisdale (June 9, 1964 – May 15, 2009) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and a smooth jazz bass guitarist. A three-time All American at the University of Oklahoma,

, as well as

Najee Jerome Najee Rasheed (born November 4, 1957, New York City), known professionally as Najee, is an American Jazz-Smooth Jazz saxophonist and flautist. Early life Najee was born in the lower west side of Manhattan in New York City and lived his te ...

, Jaye P. Morgan, Dionne Warwick,

John Tropea John Tropea (pronounced 'tro-pay'; born January 7, 1946) is an American guitarist. Career Tropea began guitar studies at the age of 12. His musical education continued at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied jazz guitar, harmo ...

, Kenny Thomas,

Bobby Tench Robert Tench (born 21 September 1944) is a British vocalist, guitarist, sideman, songwriter and arranger. Tench is best known for his work with Freddie King and Van Morrison, as well as being a member of The Jeff Beck Group, Humble Pie, Street ...

with Hummingbird and

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpre ...

and D'Angelo.

References

{{Authority control 1973 songs 1973 debut singles 1976 singles Earth, Wind & Fire songs Songs written by Skip Scarborough Columbia Records singles American rhythm and blues songs 1970s ballads