When a Man Loves a Woman (song)
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“When a Man Loves a Woman” | |||||
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Single by Percy Sledge from the album The Best of Percy Sledge |
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Released | Spring 1966 | ||||
Format | 12" vinyl | ||||
Recorded | February 17, 1966 Sheffield,AL | ||||
Genre | R&B, Soul | ||||
Length | 2:51 | ||||
Label | Atlantic | ||||
Writer(s) | Calvin Lewis, Andrew Wright | ||||
Producer | Marlin Greene, Quin Ivy | ||||
Certification | Gold (RIAA) | ||||
Percy Sledge singles chronology | |||||
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"When a Man Loves a Woman" is a song recorded by Percy Sledge in 1966 near Muscle Shoals, Alabama in Sheffield. It made number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts. It was listed 54th in the List of Rolling Stone magazine's 500 greatest songs of all time. The sidemen for this recording included Spooner Oldham, organ; Marlin Greene, guitar; David Hood, bass and Roger Hawkins, drums.
It was later remade by Michael Bolton in 1991, whose version also reached number one on the pop singles chart (Michael Bolton also received a Grammy Award for this song). Sledge's version was also a top ten hit in the UK peaking at number four on its initial release and peaking at number two in 1987 after it was featured in a Levi's Jeans commercial. The song makes use of a commonly used descending bass line chord progression as in Bach's "Air on a G String".
Other noteworthy versions of the song, besides Michael Bolton's, include renditions by Bette Midler (US #35, 1980, from her movie The Rose), Esther Phillips (US #73, 1966, in a reverse-gender version, "When A Woman Loves A Man"), and Canadian singer Luba. Also notable are versions recorded by country singer Kenny Rogers in 1997 on his multi-million selling album "Always and Forever" and a version by Spencer Davis Group featuring Steve Winwood on "Autumn 66". A version by Jerry Lee Lewis appears on his "The Hits" album. Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes released a live version as a single from his 1988 album Barnestorming that was a #3 hit in Australia.
The song was also used at the start of the critically-acclaimed 1992 film The Crying Game.
Preceded by "Monday, Monday" by The Mamas & the Papas |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Sledge version) May 28, 1966 (2 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones |
Preceded by "Cream" by Prince and the New Power Generation |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Bolton version) November 23, 1991 (1 week) |
Succeeded by "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" by P.M. Dawn |