Love Is a Beautiful Thing

Album: Your Heart's in Good Hands (1994)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was originally recorded by the duo Charles & Eddie, who released the song on their 1992 debut album Duophonic, which contained the hit "Would I Lie To You." Al Green recorded the most popular version of the song in 1994 with Arthur Baker producing. His version was used in the movies Two Weeks Notice (2002), Sorority Boys (2002), and The Pallbearer (1996). Krystal Harris recorded the song for the 2000 movie Legally Blond (2000).
  • This was written by Seth Swirsky, who wrote the song "on a gorgeous downtown New York City afternoon in the May of 1991." As a staff songwriter at Chappell Music, Swirsky also wrote Taylor Dayne's hits "Tell It To My Heart" and "Prove Your Love." In the '90s, he wrote letters to many legendary baseball players, who often wrote him back. These handwritten letters provided material for his books Baseball Letters, Every Pitcher Tells a Story, and Something to Write Home About.

    Seth says of this song: "Al's version is my favorite. A real thrill for me is at the end of the song when Al sings the titles of all of his greatest hits over the music. He sings: 'Let's Stay Together cause I'm Still in Love With You. Call Me, For the Good Times and Tired of Being Alone.' To hear him sing those songs at the end of 'Love is a Beautiful Thing' is a was one of the biggest honors I've had as a songwriter."
  • After Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997, Tina Turner recorded this song as part of the tribute album Diana, Princess of Wales, which contains 36 songs, including cuts by Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Sting and the Bee Gees.
  • In 2004, this was featured in commercials for the cosmetics company Almay.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

dUg Pinnick of King's X

dUg Pinnick of King's XSongwriter Interviews

dUg dIgs into his King's X metal classics and his many side projects, including the one with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam.

Motley Crue

Motley CrueFact or Fiction

Was Dr. Feelgood a dentist? Did the "Crüecifixion" really happen?

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal Tap

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal TapSong Writing

Based on criteria like girlfriend tension, stage mishaps and drummer turnover, these are the 10 bands most like Spinal Tap.

Sugarland

SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Meet the "sassy basket" with the biggest voice in country music.

Julian Lennon

Julian LennonSongwriter Interviews

Julian tells the stories behind his hits "Valotte" and "Too Late for Goodbyes," and fills us in on his many non-musical pursuits. Also: what MTV meant to his career.

Art Alexakis of Everclear

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.