"It's Only Love'" is a 1969 song by B. J. Thomas from his LP Young and In Love. Elvis Presley made the song a top hit in the UK, reaching No. 3 in 1980.
| "It's Only Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by B. J. Thomas | ||||
| from the album Young and In Love | ||||
| B-side | "You Don't Love Me Anymore ("The Train Song")" | |||
| Released | March 1969 | |||
| Genre | Pop, Easy Listening | |||
| Label | Scepter | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| B. J. Thomas singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Thomas' original of "It's Only Love" was released in the spring of 1969. It became a modest hit in the United States: Billboard No. 45, Cash Box No. 28 and AC No. 19,[1] while peaking at No. 24 in Canada.[2]
Elvis Presley cover
edit| "It's Only Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Elvis Presley | ||||
| B-side | "The Sound of Your Cry" (U.S.) "Beyond the Reef" (UK) | |||
| Released | September 21, 1971 | |||
| Recorded | May 20, 1971 | |||
| Studio | RCA Studio B, Nashville | |||
| Genre | Rock, easy listening | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Elvis Presley singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"It's Only Love" was covered two and a half years later by Elvis Presley in the fall of 1971, and released as a single along with "The Sound of Your Cry" on the B-side.[3] Accompanying vocals were provided by the Imperials.
According to the Elvis Presley official website: "Another double-ballad selection, another Elvis pick, another sales dud. 'It's Only Love' was a legitimate listener-friendly stab at the pop market (by Mark James, author of 'Suspicious Minds'), and Elvis put real effort into it. But it sold no more than 1968’s 'A Little Less Conversation', the previous low for a regular-issue Elvis single."[4]
In the United States, "It's Only Love" reached No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of November 6, 1971.[5] It also charted on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.[6]
In 1980, it was released in some countries as a single with "Beyond the Reef" on the B-side. In the UK Singles Chart the single charted as "It's Only Love / Beyond the Reef" (double-A-sided), peaking at No. 3 on the week of August 30, 1980.[7] As of August 2017, the single "It's Only Love" / "Beyond The Reef" is Presley's nineteenth most selling single in the UK.[8]
Also the song "It's Only Love" was included in the 1980 box set Elvis Aron Presley (on the record 8 titled "Lost Singles").[9]
Charts
edit- B. J. Thomas
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada RPM Top Singles[2] | 24 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[10] | 45 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening | 37 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100[1] | 28 |
- Elvis Presley
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada RPM Top Singles[11] | 46 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] | 51 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening[6] | 19 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 51 |
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
| UK (Official Charts Company)[7] | 3 |
Certifications
editElvis Presley version
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[12] | Silver | 250,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ a b Cash Box Top 100 Singles, April 26, 1969
- ^ a b "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1969-04-28. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
- ^ "Elvis Presley - It's Only Love / The Sound Of Your Cry at Discogs". Discogs. 1971. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
- ^ "It's Only Love". Elvis Presley official website "Elvis the Music". Retrieved 2020-02-15.
- ^ a b "Elvis Presley - Chart history (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
- ^ a b "Elvis Presley - Chart history (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
- ^ a b "Elvis Presley - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
- ^ "Elvis Presley's Top 50 bestselling songs". Official Charts Company. 2017-08-16. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
- ^ "Elvis Presley - Elvis Aron Presley (1955-1980 - 25 Anniversary) at Discogs". Discogs. 1980. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1971-11-13. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
- ^ "British single certifications – Elvis Presley – It's Only Love". British Phonographic Industry.
External links
edit- Listen to "It's Only Love" on YouTube (B.J. Thomas)
- Listen to "It's Only Love" on YouTube (Elvis Presley)