I Love How You Love Me by The Paris Sisters

Album: Golden Hits of the Paris Sisters (1961)

Charted: 5

Get the Sheet Music License This Song

"I Love How You Love Me" was written by Barry Mann and Larry Kolber, both staff songwriters at the fabled Brill Building offices of Aldon Music.

The Paris Sisters were, in order of oldest to youngest, Albeth, Sherrell, and Priscilla. They were one of the Brill Building "girl groups" popularized by Phil Spector. Their mother was a former opera singer who started the girls off on their own career singing at Air Force shows, and they continued on to USO tours, county fairs, and nightclubs. Eventually they would sign onto the Decca label, but had limited success until this song became their breakout hit.
According to Rich Podolsky's book Don Kirshner: The Man with the Golden Ear, Larry Kolber was a veteran with journalism experience, having written for Stars and Stripes (yes, the same newspaper mentioned in the film Full Metal Jacket!). But his post-veteran career found him as a whiskey salesman - an unpredictable twist. While talking with a fellow veteran, he learned by chance that he was a songwriter. Kolber was amazed that people actually earned money just for writing songs, and decided to try his hand at it. Through his veteran friend, he met Don Kirshner of Aldon Music. Kolber's first song for Kirshner was "Forget Me Not," a minor hit for the Kalin Twins.

Kolber was having lunch at a cafe across the street from Aldon Music when he literally jotted down the lyrics to "I Love How You Love Me" on a napkin! Seven minutes later, he was back across the street looking for somebody to set it to music. Barry Mann happened to be in the Aldon offices just at that moment. Tony Orlando was originally slated to sing it, but Phil Spector happened to have dropped by and asked for the song for one of his girl groups. Kolber was disappointed, thinking that he'd lost a shot at fame without Orlando's voice. Kirshner and Spector were acquainted by common partners, the legendary songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, so Kirshner let him have it.

The sisters Paris rehearsed the song at home, then recorded with Spector in Hollywood, at Goldstar Studios at the corner of Santa Monica and Vine. They reported that Spector was difficult to work with.
The Paris Sisters next visit to the Hot 100 was the Phil Spector production "Be My Boy" later in 1961, which went to #56. In 1962, they made #34 with "He Knows I Love Him Too Much," which was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Another Larry Kolber/Barry Mann song, "Let Me Be The One," hit #87 that year, and their cover of "Dream Lover" checked in at #91 in 1964.
Bobby Vinton's version of this song made #9 US in 1968.

Comments: 3

Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm
Larry Kolber, co-writer of "I Love How You Love Me" (#5-1961 for the Paris Sisters and #9-1968 for Bobby Vinton) died* after a short illness at the age of 84. Larry, an original Brill Building composer, also wrote "Patches" (#6-1962 by Dickey Lee) and "Forget Me Not" (#12 in 1958 by the Kalin Twins)...
May he R.I.P.
* Unable to find exact day of death on the internet...
Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm
It's been learned that Albeth Paris (Grass), alto singer and oldest member of the Paris Sisters, died December 5th, 2014. The San Francisco native was most likely in her upper '70s. Most recently she had been handling Publicity for the Coachella Valley, California Repertory Theatre Company. Initially an "Andrews Sisters" clone, Albeth and her sisters Priscilla and Sherrell were the youngest group signed by Decca Records when they were inked to a contract in 1954. Despite singing with Gary Crosby and Frank Sinatra, they achieved little success. That is, until the girls came to the attention of producer Phil Spector, who signed them to Gregmark Records in 1961. Phil's production of their first single, "Be My Boy," was a modest hit (#56-1961) but their second record, "I Love How You Love Me" (#5-1961), not only was a big hit for the girls but established Phil's credentials as a producer. The patented "Wall of Sound" included eight over-dubbed violins. Yet the followup, "He Knows I Love Him Too Much," only reached #34 the next year and Phil began concentrating on other "girl groups" like the Ronettes and Crystals. The sisters appeared twice more in the lower reaches of the charts before disappearing completely in 1964. The group appeared in the British film, "It's Trad Dad" ("Ring A Ding Rhythm" in the U.S.) in 1962.
May she R.I.P.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 8th, 1968, "I Love How You Love Me" by Bobby Vinton peaked at #9 (for 3 weeks) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, it stayed on the chart for 14 weeks...
Eight years earlier on September 4th, 1961 the Paris Sisters entered the Top 100 with the original version; and on October 30th, 1961 it reached #5 (for one week) and spent 15 weeks on the Top 100...
And in 1979 Lynn Anderson covered it, her version peaked at #10 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.

see more comments

Desmond ChildSongwriter Interviews

One of the most successful songwriters in the business, Desmond co-wrote "Livin' La Vida Loca," "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" and "Livin' On A Prayer."

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Mike CampbellSongwriter Interviews

Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

Boy BandsFact or Fiction

From NKOTB to 1D, how well do you know your boy bands?

16 Songs With a HeartbeatSong Writing

We've heard of artists putting their hearts into their music, but some take it literally.