"With a Little Love" is a song by English singer-songwriter Sam Brown, which was released in 1990 as the lead single from her second studio album ''

April Moon ''April Moon'' is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Sam Brown, released on 2 April 1990 by A&M Records. The album was produced by Sam Brown, and her brother Pete Brown. The album peaked at number 38 on the UK Albums Chart and ...

''. It was written by Margo Buchanan and Sam Brown, and produced by Pete Brown and Sam Brown. "With a Little Love" reached No. 44 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 ...

and remained in the Top 100 for four weeks.

Critical reception

On its release, ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' picked "With a Little Love" as their "Single of the Week". They described the song as "easy-going and full of melodic charm", and added, "Although it breaks no new ground stylistically, the song is extremely seductive." Stephen Lamacq of ''

New Musical Express ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' praised the song as " a stout, likeable number with an ear-bending hook and a background hint of Cyndi Lauper". Tim Jeffery of ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the ''NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in ''Re ...

'' considered the song to be a "real disappointment". He commented, "Sam's rich and exquisitely sexy voice is wasted on this rather drippy, mid-tempo song that borders on MOR country." Jeffery believed the "very safe and radio-friendly" song would do well commercially, but added "it would be nice to see Sam stretching herself on something a little more gutsy". Brett Thomas of ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' felt that despite the "overwhelming indifference" to the song's release as a single, it "shouts 'hit record'".

Track listing

;7" single #"With a Little Love" - 3:48 #"Window People" - 5:28 ;12" and CD single #"With a Little Love" - 3:48 #"Long Way Down" - 3:29 #"Window People" - 5:28 #"Dolly Mixture" - 3:20

Personnel

With a Little Love * Sam Brown - vocals * Pete Brown - guitar * Paul Bangash - guitar, backing vocals * Danny Schogger - piano * Joe Brown - mandolin *

Guy Barker Guy Jeffrey Barker, (born 26 December 1957) is an English jazz trumpeter and composer. Early life Barker was born in Chiswick, London, the son of an actress and a stuntman. He started playing the trumpet at the age of twelve, and within a year ...

- piccolo trumpet *

Matthew Seligman Matthew Seligman (14 July 1955 – 17 April 2020) was an English bassist, best known for his association with the new wave music scene of the 1980s. Seligman was a member of the Soft Boys and the Thompson Twins, and was a sideman for Thomas Do ...

- bass * Richard Newman - drums *

Martin Ditcham Martin Ditcham is an English drummer, percussionist and songwriter. Ditcham is a prolific session musician, working with artists such as Henry Cow, Status Quo, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Roger Daltrey, Sade, Mary Black, Nik Kershaw, Chris ...

- percussion * Vicki Brown - backing vocals Window People * Sam Brown - vocals * Pete Brown - guitar, backing vocals * Paul Bangash - guitar * Danny Schogger - keyboards, programming * Richard Newman - drums * Margo Buchanan - backing vocals Long Way Down * Sam Brown - vocals, organ * Pete Brown - guitar, backing vocals * Paul Bangash - guitar * Simeon Jones, Cameron Jenkins - saxophone * Matthew Seligman - bass * Richard Newman - drums * Tina Warrilow, Sara Jones, Vicki Brown, Margo Buchanan - backing vocals Dolly Mixture * Sam Brown - vocals, organ * Pete Brown - guitar, synthesiser, backing vocals * Paul Bangash - guitar, backing vocals * Ian Maidman - bass, backing vocals * Richard Newman - drums, backing vocals * Phil Saatchi - percussion, backing vocals Production * Pete Brown, Sam Brown - producers (all tracks) *

Julian Mendelsohn Julian Mendelsohn is an Australian record producer, audio engineer and mixer. Early life After completing school in Australia, Mendelsohn moved to the United Kingdom. He secured his first job in 1974 at Milner Sound Fulham Rd. Chelsea, run b ...

- mixing on "With a Little Love" * Jock Loveband - engineer (all tracks) * Pete Brown - additional engineering on "With a Little Love" and "Long Way Down", recording and mixing on "Window People" * Robin Evans - engineer on "With a Little Love", recording and mixing on "Long Way Down" and "Dolly Mixture" * James Monkman, Alan Barclay - engineers on "Window People" Other * Robert Ogilvie - photography * Jeremy Pearce - design

Charts

References

{{Sam Brown 1990 songs 1990 singles Sam Brown (singer) songs A&M Records singles Songs written by Margo Buchanan Songs written by Sam Brown (singer)