Song Lyric Sunday – Love Hangover

The prompt from Jim:

Our theme this week is Delightful, Pleasant, Sweet suggested by Paula Light of Light Motifs II.

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The 70s were all about Disco in America, but Motown was slow to move into the Disco arena. Several online sources make the statement that “Love Hangover” was the first Motown Disco hit. Written by Marilyn McLeod and Pamela Sawyer, Diana Ross recorded the song in 1975 and it was released in 1976. But there is more to the story.

When I find multiple sources that are almost identical in nature, it is hard to know who the original source is for the information, so I selected the source that seemed to be the most reliable. This quote comes from an online article by Sterogum journalist and senior editor Tom Breihan:

In the J. Randy Taraborelli biography Diana, Davis says, “Nobody really liked disco here at Motown… [Ross] was used to singing more lush songs by producers like Michael Masser, and the public sort of identified her with arrangements like ‘Touch Me In The Morning.’ She liked the lyric to ‘Love Hangover,’ but people thought I was a little off for even suggesting that Diana do this song.” So Davis figured out how to make the conditions right. He recorded her at night, served her vodka, and brought red lights and strobes into the studio. And he pretty much got Ross to do whatever she wanted, whatever felt right. So when “Love Hangover” really kicks in, it hits like a drug.“

Breihan, Tom. “The Number Ones: Diana Ross’ ‘Love Hangover.’” Stereogum.com, Stereo Gum Media, 5 Sept. 2019, 9:54 am, http://www.stereogum.com/2057118/the-number-ones-diana-ross-love-hangover/columns/the-number-ones/

There is something somewhat disturbing about the methods they used – specifically the alcohol – but there is no doubt the recording produced a hit song. This was Diana Ross’ take on the recording according to this quote from Songfacts.com so maybe I read more into it than existed:

Ross’ thoughts on the recording session are noted in the 2007 biography Diana by J. Randy Taraborrelli: “It was a spontaneous thing that we captured on record and if I had to go back in and do it again, I couldn’t have. The music was me and I was the music. Things came out of my mouth that I didn’t even expect.”

The Fifth Dimension also recorded and released this as a single.  Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. left the Fifth Dimension in 1975 so their vocals are absent from this recording. I read in several places that Diana Ross’ recording was only released on single as a result of the Fifth Dimension release (which only reached #80 on the charts while Ross’ single reached #1.)

I have included both videos so you can decide which one you prefer.

Love Hangover
Lyrics from songfacts.com

If there’s a cure for this
I don’t want it
I don’t want it
If there’s a remedy
I’ll run from it
From it

Think about it all the time
Never let it out of my mind
‘Cause I love you

I’ve got the sweetest hangover
I don’t wanna get over
Sweetest hangover

Yeah, I don’t wanna get over
I don’t wanna get
I don’t wanna get over

Ooh, I don’t need no cure
I don’t need no cure
I don’t need no cure

Sweet lovin’
Sweet, sweet love
Sweet, sweet love
Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet love

Don’t call a doctor (sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet)
Don’t call her momma
Don’t call her preacher (love)

No, I don’t need it
I don’t want it

Sweet love, I love you
Sweet love, need love

If there’s a cure for this
I don’t want it
I don’t want it no, no
I don’t want it
If there’s a cure for this
I don’t need it
Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet love
Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet love
Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet love
Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet love

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Song Lyric Sunday is hosted every Sunday by Jim Adams. If you would like to join in the fun, check out his blog for the rules and to take in all the other music posted by other blogger