Love You Down

"Love You Down"
Single by Ready for the World
from the album Long Time Coming
B-side "Human Toy"
Released 1986
Genre R&B, pop
Length 3:58 (single version)

"Love You Down" is the title of an R&B song written by Melvin Riley Jr.[1] Riley's former band, Ready for the World, originally recorded the song in 1986 and released it as the lead single from their second album, Long Time Coming produced by Gary Spaniola. A slow jam, "Love You Down" was a hit on the Billboard pop and R&B charts, spending two weeks atop the R&B chart in December 1986 and peaking at #9 on the pop chart in early 1987.[2][3] This was Ready for the World's second R&B chart-topper, following the success of "Oh Sheila" in 1985. It also reached #24 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.[4][5] The song charted in the United Kingdom at #60 on the UK Singles Chart.[6] The song has been covered by artists such as R&B singer INOJ and neo soul musician Me'shell Ndegeocello.

Charts

Chart (1986-1987) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 9
U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles Sales 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles Airplay 2
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary 24
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Disco 12" Singles Sales 25
U.K. Singles Chart 60
Year-end chart (1987) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 100
U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles 7

INOJ version

"Love You Down"
Single by INOJ
from the album Ready for the World
A-side "Freak It" (Lathun)
Released 1997
Genre R&B, bass
Length 4:18
Label So So Def
Writer(s) Melvin Riley
Producer(s) Charles Roane
INOJ singles chronology
"Love You Down"
(1997)		 "Time After Time"
(1998)

Female R&B vocalist INOJ recorded a cover version of "Love You Down" in 1997 with the assistance of producer Charles "The Mixologist" Roane. Featuring a faster beat and more percussion than the original version, INOJ's cover was initially featured on So So Def Recordings' So So Def Bass All-Stars Vol. 2 compilation album. Shortly after the compilation's release in late June 1997, the song began amassing airplay, entering Billboard's Hot 100 Airplay chart on the issue dated August 2, 1997; it would go on to spend 45 weeks on that chart, becoming especially popular on rhythmic radio. A music video, directed by Eric Haywood and Rubin Whitmore in Atlanta, premiered in August. A physical single, also containing Lathun's "Freak It" from the same So So Def compilation, was later released in January 1998, making the song eligible for the Hot 100. The song ultimately reached #25 on that chart.[7] "Love You Down" was later included on INOJ's debut album, incidentally titled Ready for the World, released by So So Def/Columbia in summer 1999.

Charts

Chart (1997-1998) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 25
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales 30
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 26
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Top 40 19
U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 5
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 25
New Zealand Singles Chart 21
Year-end chart (1998) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[8] 88
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 61

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/364732/ready-world/chart
  2. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/364732/ready-world/chart
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 520.
  4. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/364732/ready-world/chart
  5. ↑ Billboard AC chart position from billboard.com Retrieved 02-16-09.
  6. ↑ UK Singles Chart data from chartstats.com Retrieved 02.16.09.
  7. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 303.
  8. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1998". Retrieved 2010-08-28.
Preceded by
"Tasty Love" by Freddie Jackson		 Billboard Hot Black Singles number-one single (Ready for the World version)
December 13, 1986 – December 20, 1986 		Succeeded by
"Girlfriend" by Bobby Brown