"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 Town ...

released in 1973 on

Sussex Records Sussex Records Inc. was an American, Los Angeles-based record label, founded by music executive and businessman Clarence Avant, that existed from 1969 to 1975. Its catalog is now controlled by Universal Music. History Sussex Records was launch ...

. 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. A prol ...

. The single's

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...

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 (abbreviated as EW&F or EWF) is an American band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1969. Their music spans multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling ba ...

covered the song under the title of ''Can't Hide Love''. This tune was released as a single in 1976 by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

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 Maurice White (December 19, 1941 – February 4, 2016) was an American musician, best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter and chief producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, also serving as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey. ...

and

Charles Stepney Charles Stepney (March 26, 1931May 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 sta ...

. The single's

was "Gratitude." Both studio recordings came from the band's 1975 live album

Gratitude Gratitude, thankfulness, or gratefulness is a feeling of appreciation (or similar positive response) by a recipient of another's kindness. This kindness can be gifts, help, favors, or another form of generosity to another person. The word come ...

Critical reception

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of three major weekly music industry trade magazines in the United States, with ''Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 as ''Music Vendor''. In 1964, it was changed to ''Record World'' under the ...

'' said that it achieves "just the right mix of vocal harmonies." Within his review of

Alex Henderson of

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

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 The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

nominated in the category of

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) The Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals (including its previous names) has been awarded since 1963. The award is presented to the arranger of the music, not to the performer, except if the performer is also the arranger. Th ...

. 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. The ...

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

Manhattan, New York Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

Samples

EWF's rendition was sampled by

Raheem DeVaughn Raheem DeVaughn (born May 5, 1975) is an American singer and songwriter. His debut album, '' The Love Experience'' (2005), reached No. 46 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 album chart. It featured the singles "Guess Who Loves You More" and "You". His ...

on the song "Guess Who Loves You More" from his 2005 album '' The Love Experience.'' Along with

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...

on his 2009 tune Beautiful Life and

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. An influential figure in modern Hip-hop, hip hop music, Rick Ross has become known for his "Wiktionary:booming, booming" vocal perfor ...

on the song Capone Suite from the

soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...

of the 2018 feature film Superfly. As well the song was sampled by

Lucky Daye David Debrandon Brown (born September 25, 1985), known professionally as Lucky Daye, is an American R&B singer-songwriter from New Orleans. He signed with Keep Cool Records and RCA Records to release his first two extended plays, ''I'' (2018) ...

feat. EW&F on his song “You Want My Love”. What's more, Can't Hide Love was interpolated by rapper Prodigy and duo

Silk Sonic Silk Sonic is an American Supergroup (music), musical superduo composed of musicians Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. The duo released their debut single, "Leave the Door Open", in March 2021. They later released "Skate (song), Skate" in July 2 ...

Covers

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 Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, poet, writer, and actor. He is known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop, and for his lead roles in the 1998 independent film ''Slam ( ...

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 saxophonist and flautist. Early life Najee was born in the lower west side of Manhattan in New York City and lived his teenage years ...

, Jaye P. Morgan,

Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick ( ; born Marie Dionne Warrick; December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. During her career, Warwick has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards. She has been inducted into the Hollywood Wa ...

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

, Kenny Thomas, Bobby Tench with

Hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the Family (biology), biological family Trochilidae. With approximately 366 species and 113 genus, genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but most species are found in Cen ...

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 interpretati ...

and

D'Angelo Michael Eugene Archer (born February 11, 1974), better known by his stage name D'Angelo (), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" ...

Charts

References

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