It's Only Love Doing Its Thing

"It's Only Love"
"It's Only Love"
Single by Simply Red
from the album A New Flame
Released	16 January 1989
Recorded	1988–1989
Genre	Blue-eyed soul
Length	4:58
Label	Elektra, WEA
Songwriter(s)	Jimmy Cameron, Vella Cameron
Producer(s)	Stewart Levine
Simply Red singles chronology

"It's Only Love Doing Its Thing"
"It's Only Love Doing Its Thing"
Single by Barry White
from the album The Man
A-side	"Your Sweetness is My Weakness"
Released	1978
Recorded	1978
Genre	Soul, funk
Length	4:04
Label	20th Century
Songwriter(s)	Jimmie Cameron, Vella Cameron
Producer(s)	Barry White
Barry White singles chronology

"It's Only Love Doing Its Thing" is a track featured on Barry White's album The Man. English soul band Simply Red later covered the song, under the shortened title "It's Only Love", as the lead single for their third studio album, A New Flame. The Simply Red cover had its greatest success by charting at number one in Italy. The song was later featured in several greatest-hits albums and a ballad collection of the same name, and it remains a live favorite.

Elements from the song were sampled in "21 Questions" by 50 Cent. In 2008, the song was featured on Grand Theft Auto IV's fictional soul/R&B radio station The Vibe 98.8.

Overview[]

The song is a ballad performed by Soul singer Barry White on his 1978 album The Man, Elements from the song were sampled in 21 Questions by 50 Cent. In 2008, the song was featured on Grand Theft Auto IV's fictional soul/R&B radio station The Vibe 98.8.

Simply Red version[]

In 1989, English soul band Simply Red Released a cover as "It's Only Love" as the lead single of their third studio album, A New Flame. This version had its greatest success by charting at number-one in Italy. The cover was later featured in several greatest-hits albums and a ballad collection of the same name, and it remains a live favorite.

Critical reception[]

Robin Smith from Record Mirror wrote, "Hell, sure has been a long time since we last heard Mick Hucknall crooning blissfully, but all good things are worth waiting for. 'It's Only Love' is a magnificent slow-burning track to cherish and savour, as Hucknall side-steps his vocals around some powerful instrumentation. It's nice to hear that Simply Red aren't merely regurgitating old ideas, and I can hardly wait for the album."^[1]

Chart performance[]

This version mainly charted in Italy and had its success there.

Personnel[]

Fritz McIntyre - keyboards and backing vocals
Tim Kellett - trumpet and keyboards
Chris Joyce - drums
Tony Bowers - bass guitar

References[]

^ Smith, Robin (21 January 1989). "45". Record Mirror. p. 30. Retrieved 25 August 2021.

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[1] Smith, Robin (21 January 1989). "45". Record Mirror. p. 30. Retrieved 25 August 2021.

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show v t Simply Red
Mick Hucknall Ian Kirkham Kenji Suzuki Kevin Robinson Dave Clayton Roman Roth Fritz McIntyre Tim Kellett Tony Bowers Chris Joyce David Fryman Sylvan Richardson Aziz Ibrahim Heitor Pereira Gota Yashiki Shaun Ward Dee Johnson Velroy Bailey Sarah Brown Tim Vine John Johnson Mark Jaimes Wayne Stobbart Chris De Margary Andy Wright Pete Lewinson
Studio albums	Picture Book Men and Women A New Flame Stars Life Blue Love and the Russian Winter Home Simplified Stay Big Love Blue Eyed Soul
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits It's Only Love The Very Best of Simply Red Simply Red 25: The Greatest Hits Songs of Love Song Book 1985–2010
Related articles	Discography Mick Hucknall discography The Montreux EP Simply Red Farewell – Live in Concert at Sydney Opera House

show v t Simply Red singles
Picture Book	"Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" "Come to My Aid" "Holding Back the Years" "Jericho" "Open Up the Red Box"
Men and Women	"The Right Thing" "Infidelity" "Maybe Someday..." "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" "I Won't Feel Bad"
A New Flame	"It's Only Love" "If You Don't Know Me by Now" "A New Flame" "You've Got It"
Stars	"Something Got Me Started" "Stars" "For Your Babies" "Thrill Me" "Your Mirror"
Life	"Fairground" "Remembering the First Time" "Never Never Love" "We're in This Together"
Greatest Hits	"Angel"
Blue	"Night Nurse" "Say You Love Me" "The Air That I Breathe" "Ghetto Girl" "To Be Free"
Love and the Russian Winter	"Ain't That a Lot of Love" "Your Eyes"
Home	"Sunrise" "Fake" "You Make Me Feel Brand New" "Home"
Simplified	"Perfect Love" "Something Got Me Started/A Song for You"
Stay	"Stay" "So Not Over You"

show v t Barry White
Studio albums	I've Got So Much to Give (1973) Stone Gon' (1973) Can't Get Enough (1974) Just Another Way to Say I Love You (1975) Let the Music Play (1976) Is This Whatcha Wont? (1976) Barry White Sings for Someone You Love (1977) The Man (1978) I Love to Sing the Songs I Sing (1979) The Message Is Love (1979) Sheet Music (1980) Beware! (1981) The Right Night & Barry White (1987) The Man Is Back! (1989) Put Me in Your Mix (1991) The Icon Is Love (1994) Staying Power (1999)
Compilations	Barry White's Greatest Hits (1975) The Collection (1988) All-Time Greatest Hits (1994) The Ultimate Collection (2000) White Gold: The Very Best of Barry White (2005)
Singles	"In the Ghetto" "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" "I've Got So Much to Give" "Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up" "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" "What Am I Gonna Do with You" "You See the Trouble with Me" "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" "Just the Way You Are" "It's Only Love Doing Its Thing" "Louie Louie" "Practice What You Preach" "The Longer We Make Love" (with Lisa Stansfield & Chaka Khan)
Featured singles	"The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)" (with Quincy Jones, Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, & El DeBarge) "Slow Jams" (with Quincy Jones, Babyface, Tamia, & Portrait) "In Your Wildest Dreams" (with Tina Turner)
Related articles	Discography Love Unlimited The Love Unlimited Orchestra