Lovin' You
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"Lovin' You" is a song recorded by American singer Minnie Riperton from her second studio album, '' Perfect Angel'' (1974). It was written by Riperton and her husband, Richard Rudolph, produced by Rudolph and
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
, and released as the album's third single on November 29, 1974. The song peaked at number one on the US ''Billboard''
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
on April 5, 1975. Additionally, it reached number two on the UK Singles chart, and number three on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart. In the US, it ranked number 13 on the ''Billboard'' Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1975. On April 8, 1975, "Lovin' You" was certified
gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
in the United States by the
RIAA 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 ...
for sales in excess of 1,000,000 units. It was also certified
silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
in the UK by BPI on May 1, 1975, for sales of 250,000 units.


Background

Richard Rudolph began composing "Lovin' You" in 1971, while he and Riperton were living in Chicago. The couple later moved to Florida, where work on the song continued after their daughter was born in 1972. Riperton developed the final melody, while Rudolph wrote the lyrics and the bridge. Riperton was offered a contract with
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), cong ...
a few years later, and the couple moved to Los Angeles to record the album ''Perfect Angel''. When Epic asked Riperton whom she wanted to produce the album, she named
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
. Wonder, by then one of the biggest names in American popular music, was a fan of Riperton's work, and agreed to the collaboration. However, Wonder was signed to
Motown Records Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
; so to avoid contract conflicts he was credited under the pseudonym "El Toro Negro", Spanish for "Black Bull", as Wonder's astrological sign is Taurus. For the same reason, Wonder only agreed to be a producer for the project as co-producer along with Rudolph, resulting in the production company Scorbu Productions being created specifically for the project.


Composition

"Lovin' You" was originally published in the key of
A major A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor. The A major scale is: Changes needed for the ...
in
common time A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates the ...
with a
tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...
of 72 beats per minute. Riperton's vocals span from C4 to F6 (277–1480 Hz). According to the liner notes from Riperton's compilation album ''
Petals Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''coroll ...
'', the melody for "Lovin' You" was created as a distraction for her baby daughter (
Maya Rudolph Maya Khabira Rudolph (born July 27, 1972) is an American actress and comedian. In 2000, she became a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). During her tenure on the show, she appeared in supporting roles in ...
) so that Minnie and her husband Richard could hang out. Maya was in the studio with Riperton on the day it was recorded and Riperton can be heard singing her daughter's name at the end, but only in the unedited or album version. The song fades out early in the radio edit because the disc jockeys felt that the repeated "Maya" was being overdone and that it would be misunderstood as a religious chant.


Instrumentation

The original single version released to radio contained only Riperton's vocals, accompanied by electric piano and acoustic guitar. As with the rest of the album, the piano backing is played by Wonder. Rudolph played acoustic guitar for the track. After the single became popular, an alternative single version was created which added effects from an Arp string synth, likely in an effort to increase the complexity and depth of the otherwise simple-sounding song. This alternate 7" single version was released on the 2017 re-issue of the album, as ''Perfect Angel: Deluxe Edition''. "Lovin' You" was one of the first songs to top the US ''Billboard''
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
without the help of a percussion instrument. The song is especially known for Riperton's use of the high whistle register in the song's bridge, and for the chirping songbirds heard throughout. Riperton stated that during the recording of the song's demo, the bird chirping was recorded accidentally. She said that it was kept in the song since it "seemed to work", and was included on the song's final version.


Release

Rudolph and Riperton wanted Epic to release "Lovin' You" as a single, after seeing the song's effect on people while on tour to promote the album. Rudolph recalled: "We found ourselves performing in Portland one night during a huge blizzard. We look around and see that people are putting their arms around each other and having a great time as we're playing 'Lovin' You.'" Epic initially refused, because they had planned to market Riperton as an R&B singer. However, Rudolph and Riperton prevailed, rejecting the R&B label and insisting that " iperton isa singer, period". The song was released on November 29, 1974, as the third single from ''Perfect Angel''. It went on to become the album's most successful track, and Riperton's biggest hit. With "Lovin' You", Riperton became the first female artist on the Epic label with a debut song that reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.


Chart performance

In the US, "Lovin' You" made its debut on the ''
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 advertis ...
''
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
on January 18, 1975; twelve weeks later, on April 5, 1975, it peaked at number one. The song remained on the Hot 100 for a total of eighteen weeks. Ten weeks after entering the ''Billboard''
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 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
chart, the song peaked at number four, on March 29, 1975, spending a total of fourteen weeks on the chart. Ten weeks after entering the ''Billboard''
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 ...
chart, the song peaked at number three, on March 29, 1975. It remained on the R&B chart for a total of seventeen weeks. In Canada, the song reached number 3 on the pop charts (12 weeks total), number 5 on the AC charts (9 weeks total), and was number 56 on the year-end chart.


Critical reception

Ed Hogan 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 ...
noted that Riperton's work is known for its simplicity, and that "Lovin' You" was consistent with this feature, stating that the song's "simple declaration of love" is enhanced by the "sparse, airy backdrop of chimey electric piano" in combination with "gentle acoustic guitar". Daryl Easlea of the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
felt that "Lovin' You" was "one of the tenderest ongsever to grace the U.S. top spot". Easlea referenced Riperton's chant-like repetition of young daughter
Maya Maya may refer to: Ethnic groups * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Mayan languages, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (East Africa), a p ...
's name at the end of the song, and declared that the song was "still as affecting now as when it was first heard". '' Classic Pop'' said that the song showcased Riperton's voice, being "virtually a capella" with no percussion and sparse instrumentation. The reviewer defined Riperton as a "brilliantly uncategorisable artist", and thought that the song was a perfect example of how difficult it would have been to define and thus market her as an artist. Marcus J. Moore of ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'' described "Lovin' You" as "remarkably affectionate" and a "sweet, acoustic lullaby that Riperton delivers wistfully". He felt that the song was an excellent example of Riperton's impressive five-and-a-half-octave vocal range, and praised Riperton's voice as a "dynamic, heart-rendering instrument that imparts love, caring, and tender romanticism in equal measure". Stevie Chick of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' noted the song's "smartly spare production", with "dizzy electric piano" and "gentle acoustic guitar". He felt that Riperton's "effortless" vocals not only showed off her five-octave range, but also revealed "the sound of Riperton luxuriating in joy". "Lovin' You" was ranked number forty-six on ''Billboard''s Top 50 Love Songs of All Time.


In popular culture

In the 1996 comedy film '' The Nutty Professor'', Sherman Klump, under the guise of his alter ego Buddy Love, sings the first part of the song to his love interest Carla Purdy (while humorously twisting his rival Reggie Washington's hand to achieve the high singing note at the end of the chorus). In the 1997 comedy film '' Vegas Vacation'', Ellen Griswold and Wayne Newton sing the song in duet. In season 1 episode 4 of ''
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand the ...
'', "Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride", a bomb is armed to blow up the opposing football team using a sonic triggering device as Richard Stamos hits the high F-sharp note in the song. They attach the bomb to Middle Park's mascot. At halftime, Richard Stamos fails to hit the note, upsetting Jimbo and Ned, who shout that he is not as talented as his brother. At the end of the episode, Richard finally hits the high note causing
detonation Detonation () is a type of combustion involving a supersonic exothermic front accelerating through a medium that eventually drives a shock front propagating directly in front of it. Detonations propagate supersonically through shock waves with ...
. In the early 2000s, Visa used a clip of the song in a TV commercial where the song was played during a
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
game. To the dismay of many of the players and fans, in the middle of the commercial it cuts to a scene at a music store where an employee of the stadium sound crew was trying to buy a copy of " Who Let the Dogs Out" by using a check. In the 2004 film '' Johnson Family Vacation'' characters Dorothy Johnson and Destiny Johnson sing the tune in the bathtub In 2006, the
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
film '' The Wild'' features the song for a few seconds. In 2009, the music appeared in OSS 117: Lost in Rio, a French comedy, the song was played for a few moments. In 2010, the
DreamWorks Animation DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios or simply DreamWorks) is an American animation studio, owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal as part of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios, Inc, Universal Stud ...
film '' Megamind'', it is played a couple of times throughout the film. In 2019, it was used in the film ''
The Angry Birds Movie 2 ''The Angry Birds Movie 2'' is a 2019 animated comedy film based on the ''Angry Birds'' video game series. It is the second installment in the Angry Birds film series, and was directed by Thurop Van Orman from a screenplay by Peter Ackerman, ...
''. Riperton's daughter
Maya Rudolph Maya Khabira Rudolph (born July 27, 1972) is an American actress and comedian. In 2000, she became a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). During her tenure on the show, she appeared in supporting roles in ...
voiced Matilda in the film. In 1977 The Barron Knights use the song on one of their comic duel version, with someone firing at the birds in the trees. In 2025, the song was used in the first episode of the 7th season of
Black Mirror ''Black Mirror'' is a British anthology series, anthology television series created by Charlie Brooker. Most episodes are set in near-future dystopias containing Science fiction, sci-fi technology—a type of speculative fiction. The series i ...
, "
Common People A commoner, also known as the ''common man'', ''commoners'', the ''common people'' or the ''masses'', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially a member of neithe ...
". In the 2007 movie Disturbia, the song is played by Shia LaBeouf’s character during a scene.


Track listings

* 7" single (1974) # "Lovin' You" – 3:20 # "The Edge Of A Dream" – 3:34 * 7" single (1987) # "Lovin' You" – 3:20 # " Skylark
Wildflower A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, rather than being intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is any different from the native plant, eve ...
" – 3:14


Charts and certifications


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Other releases

On December 1, 2017,
Universal Music Enterprises Universal Music Enterprises (UME, stylized as UMe) is the catalogue division of Universal Music Group. It includes Hip-O Records, Universal Chronicles, and UM3 or UMC (which is the international division of the company). Under various divisions, ...
remastered and re-issued ''Perfect Angel'' as ''Perfect Angel: Deluxe Edition'', in commemoration of Riperton's 70th birthday. The album was released as a two-CD set, in both standard digital as well as
high-resolution Image resolution is the level of detail of an image. The term applies to digital images, film images, and other types of images. "Higher resolution" means more image detail. Image resolution can be measured in various ways. Resolution quantifies ...
96k/24-bit audio formats. The deluxe edition contained two alternate versions of "Lovin' You" in addition to the original. The first was a 7-inch single version that contained an Arp string synth overdub, as well as a countdown by Rudolph that was not present on the original version. The second alternate version included backing by Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove band, whereas the original "hit single" version had included only Riperton, Rudolph, and Wonder on vocals, guitar, and keyboards, respectively.


The Orb: A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules from the Centre of the Ultraworld

In 1989, English
electronic music Electronic music broadly is a group of music genres that employ electronic musical instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation. It includes both music ...
group
the Orb The Orb are an English electronic music group founded in 1988 by Alex Paterson and Jimmy Cauty. Known for their psychedelic sound, the Orb developed a cult following among clubbers "coming down" from drug-induced highs. Their influential ...
released the song, " A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules from the Centre of the Ultraworld (Loving You)", as a single on their own label WAU! Mr. Modo Records. It was later released by Big Life on the band's debut album, '' The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld'' (1991). The single version was recorded live at
Cortina D'Ampezzo Cortina d'Ampezzo (; , ; historical ) sometimes abbreviated to simply Cortina, is a town and ''comune'' in the heart of the southern (Dolomites, Dolomitic) Alps in the province of Belluno, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Situated on the ...
on October 15, 1989, and released in November 1989; it managed to reach number 78 on the UK Singles Chart despite being almost 20 minutes in length. "A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain ..." consisted of various sound effects that were built around, and formed an ambient backdrop for, musical samples of Minnie Ripertons's "Lovin' You". The song is considered to be a definitive example of
ambient house Ambient house is a downtempo subgenre of house music that first emerged in the late 1980s, combining elements of acid house and ambient music. The genre developed in chill-out rooms and specialist clubs as part of the UK's dance music scene. It ...
. The initial single release was subtitled "Loving You", and contained samples taken directly from Riperton's recording. However, the Orb had not licensed the samples they had used of Riperton's vocals, and were forced to remove them. The single was reissued using vocals from a similar-sounding singer, so that only the copies from the single's first-week release contained Riperton's vocal samples; as a result, these copies are considered valuable. Sal Cinquemani of '' Slant'' called the song "epic" and "the definitive ambient house track". He noted the "elegant tapestry of babbling brooks, crashing waves, crickets, chants, roosters, church bells, and various other modes of white noise" that was created to form a musical backdrop for the sample of Riperton's "Lovin' You". Brian Boyd of ''
The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...
'' described the song as a breakthrough and landmark moment, which "went on to influence many a band, but none who could ever come near their idiosyncratic capabilities". Within a week of the single's release, the Orb was invited by
John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...
to record a live version of the song at the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
's
Maida Vale Studios Maida Vale Studios is a complex of seven BBC sound studios, of which five are in regular use, in Delaware Road, Maida Vale, west London. It has been used to record thousands of classical music, popular music and drama sessions for BBC Radio 1, ...
(Studio 3) on December 3, 1989. Peel, the legendary DJ of
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...
, broadcast the live version on December 19, 1989, giving both the band and the song exposure to a much wider audience. The version that was played live on BBC Radio 1 included samples of Riperton's voice, and was ranked at number 10 on John Peel's year-end Festive Fifty for 1990, listed as "Loving You (Session)".


Shanice version

American singer-songwriter
Shanice Shanice Lorraine Wilson-Knox (née Wilson; born May 14, 1973) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and dancer. She had the ''Billboard'' hit singles "I Love Your Smile" and "Silent Prayer" in 1991 and "Saving Forever for ...
recorded a cover of "Lovin' You" for her second studio album, '' Inner Child'' (1991). The song was produced by
Narada Michael Walden Narada Michael Walden ( ; Michael Walden; born April 23, 1952) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He acquired the nickname Narada from Sri Chinmoy. He began his career as a drummer, working primarily in the jazz ...
and released by
Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
as the album's fourth and final single in August 1992. It reached number 59 on the US ''Billboard''
R&B chart 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 ...
, and peaked at number 54 on the UK Singles chart. A remake of Shanice's original cover was also included on her album '' Every Woman Dreams'' (2006). Shanice's five-octave vocal range, as well as her "rare
coloratura soprano A coloratura soprano () is a type of operatic soprano voice that specializes in music that is distinguished by agile run (music), runs, leaps and Trill (music), trills. The term ''coloratura'' refers to the elaborate ornamentation of a melody, whi ...
" abilities, were showcased by her cover of "Lovin' You".


Critical reception

Tim Greggs 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 ...
was impressed with Shanice's voice, and compared her vocal abilities to that of Minnie Riperton. Greggs felt that her version of Riperton's song was "somewhat" comparable to the original. Larry Flick 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 advertis ...
'' called it a "shimmering rendition", where "her youth gives the song a lovely, innocent quality that should prove refreshing and irresistible to
top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...
and urban radio programmers alike." He added, "Track also provides Shanice with an opportunity to flex her formidable vocal range." Clark and DeVaney from '' Cashbox'' named it a "quality" cut from the '' Inner Child'' album. A reviewer from ''
People The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' magazine described the cover as "cherubic", while Wilson & Alroy's felt it was lacking adequate emotion, though they noted that Shanice was able to handle the technical difficulties of the song. Michael Eric Dyson from ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' opined that the singer "preserves the immediacy and simplicity of the original while adding color and nuance with an altered note here, a vocal flourish there".


Track listing

* UK CD single (Motown 860 071-2) # "Lovin' You" (single version) – 4:01 # " I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone single remix) – 3:50 # "I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone club remix) – 4:21 # "Lovin' You" (instrumental) – 3:50


Personnel

* Drums and programming by Narada Michael Walden * Keyboards and programming by Louis Biancaniello * Produced by Narada Michael Walden


Charts


Release history


Other notable versions

"Lovin' You" has been covered in a variety of genres including jazz, reggae, pop, rock, electronica, indie rock, R&B, soul, and hip hop. * American jazz musician and composer
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...
recorded the song "Minnie" on May 5, 1975. "Minnie" was based on Minnie Riperton's song "Lovin' You". The song was recorded in seven
take A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production. Film In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each ...
s, with take number seven being released on Davis' posthumous album '' The Complete On the Corner Sessions'' (2007). Dominique Leone of ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'' described the song as "brief" and "strangely loungy". John Kelman of ''
All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...
'' described the song as "near-pop", and one of the only tracks on the album that had a distinct melody and musical form. * English singer Janet Kay recorded a reggae cover of "Lovin' You" in 1977, produced by Alton Ellis, which topped the UK reggae charts. Kay's version was included on the reggae compilation album ''Burning Up'' (1995); Stephen Cook 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 ...
noted that her cover was "very agreeable". * Jamaican reggae artists Alton Ellis and
the Heptones The Heptones are a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae vocal trio most active in the 1960s and early 1970s. They were one of the more significant trios of that era, and played a major role in the gradual transition between ska and rocksteady in ...
recorded a cover of the song for the album ''Mr. Skabeana'' (1980). Jimmy Wentz of
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
ranked their cover version at number three on his list of 12 More Awesome Reggae Covers Of Classic Songs. Wentz noted that unlike the original, the cover contained percussion, and that the artists also did not attempt to sing in the whistle register. * Massivo (Featuring Tracy) released a cover of "Loving You" which charted in the UK in May 1990, reached No. 25 and remained on the UK chart for 11 weeks. *The band
Her's Her's (also written as thatbandofhers) was an indie rock band from Liverpool, England composed of English guitarist and singer Stephen Fitzpatrick and Norwegian bassist and backing vocalist Audun Laading. They released a compilation album, '' ...
released a cover of "Lovin' You" in 2017.


References

{{Authority control 1974 songs 1974 singles 1992 singles Minnie Riperton songs Shanice songs Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Cashbox number-one singles Songs written by Minnie Riperton Songs written by Richard Rudolph Song recordings produced by Narada Michael Walden Soul ballads Epic Records singles Motown singles 1970s ballads