Love T.K.O.

"Love T.K.O."
"Love T.K.O."
	Side A of the US single
Single by Teddy Pendergrass
from the album TP
B-side	"I Just Called to Say"
Released	November 1980
Recorded	1980
Genre	Soul
Length	4:58 ; 3:39 (single version)
Label	Philadelphia International Records
Songwriter(s)	Cecil Womack; Gip Noble, Jr.
Producer(s)	Dexter Wansel, Cecil Womack, Cynthia Biggs
Teddy Pendergrass singles chronology

"Love T.K.O." is a song written by Cecil Womack and Gip Noble, Jr.^[1] It was written for soul singer David Oliver and appeared first on his album Here's to You in 1980.

Teddy Pendergrass recording[]

"Love T.K.O." is mainly associated with R&B and soul artist Teddy Pendergrass, who recorded the song for his 1980 album TP, releasing it as a single the same year. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[2]

Charts[]

Teddy Pendergrass version[]

Chart (1980)	Peak position
US Billboard R&B	2
US Billboard Hot 100^[3]	44

Regina Belle version[]

Regina Belle recorded and released her version in 1995 and included on her Reachin' Back LP.

Chart (1995)	Peak position
US Billboard R&B^[4]	29

Other recordings[]

"Love TKO" has been covered by several artists, including:

Deborah Harry
Hall & Oates
Bette Midler
Boz Scaggs
Lambchop
Michael McDonald
Seal
Cecil and Linda Womack recorded the song themselves as Womack & Womack and it appeared simply as "T.K.O." on their debut album Love Wars in 1983.
Fourplay
Modern Man (Pittsburgh R&B/dance/cover band)^[5]
Tatsuro Yamashita on his 1999 album

Samples[]

In 1995, R&B group Xscape sampled it for their remix of "Who Can I Run To".
In 1996, the song was sampled by Kenny Lattimore on "I Won't Let You Down".
Total as well as featured in the 2015 motion picture Concussion.

Popular culture[]

In 2006, Pendergrass' version of the song was featured in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories on fictional radio station VCFL.
It was used in 2005 video game Fahrenheit (a.k.a. Indigo Prophecy).
DJ Spooky referenced the song in his essay titled "Groove Theory" in URB.
Artist Ahmad Lewis used the melody for a remix of his 1994 song "Back in the Day" from his self-titled album Ahmad.

References[]

^ "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 455.
^ US Charts. MusicVF.com. Retrieved March 3, 2020
^ "Regina Belle US chart history". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2002-08-13. Retrieved 2008-11-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[1] "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.

[2] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 455.

[3] US Charts. MusicVF.com. Retrieved March 3, 2020

[billboard-4] "Regina Belle US chart history". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 3, 2020.

[5] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2002-08-13. Retrieved 2008-11-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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show v t Teddy Pendergrass
Discography
Studio albums	Teddy Pendergrass Life Is a Song Worth Singing Teddy TP It's Time for Love This One's for You Heaven Only Knows Love Language Workin' It Back Joy Truly Blessed A Little More Magic You and I This Christmas (I'd Rather Have Love)
Live albums	Live! Coast to Coast
Singles	"Close the Door" "Only You" "Turn Off the Lights" "Love T.K.O." "Hold Me" "Joy" "Make It with You" "It Should've Been You" "One Shining Moment"
Featured singles	"Two Hearts"
Related articles	Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes

show v t Regina Belle
Studio albums	All by Myself Stay with Me Passion Reachin' Back Believe in Me This Is Regina! Lazy Afternoon Love Forever Shines Higher The Day Life Began
Singles	"Without You" "Baby Come to Me" "Make It Like It Was" "A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)" "Love T.K.O." "For the Love of You" "Far Longer than Forever"
Related topics	John Battle