Lookin' for a Love

Last updated
"Lookin' for a Love"
Lookin' for a Love - The Valentinos.jpg
Single by the Valentinos
B-side "Somewhere There's a Girl"
ReleasedMarch 1962
Recorded1962
Genre Doo-wop, R&B, soul
Length3:15
Label SAR
Songwriter(s) J. W. Alexander, Zelda Samuels
Producer(s) Sam Cooke
"Looking for a Love"
Looking for a Love - The J. Geils Band.jpg
Single by the J. Geils Band
from the album The Morning After
B-side "Whammer Jammer" (US) "What's Your Hurry" (Intl.)
ReleasedNovember 1971
RecordedRecord Plant West, Los Angeles
Genre Blues rock, rock and roll
Length3:47
Label Atlantic Records
Songwriter(s) J.W. Alexander, Zelda Samuels
Producer(s) Bill Szymczyk
The J. Geils Band singles chronology
"Wait"
(1971)
"Looking for a Love"
(1971)
"I Don't Need You No More"
(1972)
"Lookin' for a Love"
Lookin' for a Love - Bobby Womack.jpg
Single by Bobby Womack
from the album Lookin' for a Love Again
B-side "Let It Hang Out"
ReleasedJanuary 1974
Recorded1973
Genre R&B, soul, funk
Length2:37
Label UA
Songwriter(s) J. W. Alexander, Zelda Samuels
Producer(s) Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack singles chronology
"I'm Through Trying to Prove My Love to You"
(1973)
"Lookin' for a Love"
(1974)
"You're Welcome, Stop On By"
(1974)

"Lookin' for a Love" is a song written by J. W. Alexander and Zelda Samuels and was the debut hit of the family group the Valentinos, which featured Bobby Womack. The song was a hit for the Valentinos, climbing to number eight on the R&B chart and crossing over to number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962, released on Sam Cooke's SAR label. The song became a much bigger hit when Womack issued a solo version in 1974; this version reached number one on the R&B chart and number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. As well, an interim version of "Lookin' for a Love" by the J. Geils Band in 1971 was a top-40 hit for them, peaking at number 39.

Contents

Background

The melody originally came from a gospel hymn titled, "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray," recorded and released in 1961 when they were still known as the Womack Brothers. Sam Cooke produced that session as well as the sessions for "Lookin' For a Love". Following the release of "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" and convinced that 17-year-old Bobby Womack would "go places", Cooke hired his staff writers J. W. Alexander and Zelda Samuels to rewrite the song as a doo-wop dance number, basing the song's chord structure on the melodic motif found in "Pray".

When the brothers were presented with the song, they protested initially fearing a backlash from their minister father, Friendly Womack. However, Cooke convinced them that the song would be a hit and guarantee the Womacks some financial success as well as commercial. Like "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray", the song featured Bobby on lead. Prior to its release, Cooke suggested a name change, thinking the change would do wonders for their career as it had done for him. Cooke settled on the Valentinos and released the song that spring.

Chart performance

After its success, the group opened for James Brown & The Famous Flames where they won fans. In 1973, Bobby used "Lookin' for a Love" as a warm-up song to help loosen up his vocal cords during a recording session. Womack recorded one take of the song - with his brothers again providing background vocals - but had no plans of putting it out as a single. However, after some convincing, he released the song in early 1974 and the song went on to be his most successful single to date, and was his second number-one single on the Hot Soul Singles chart (after "Woman's Gotta Have It" in 1972, which only got to number 60 on the Hot 100) and his first and only top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 10. [1] It also reached number eight on the Cash Box Top 100. The single was later certified gold by the RIAA for sales of one million copies. This resulted in the song later selling more than two million copies. The song's success was bittersweet, however: the song's background vocalist Harry Womack later died from stab wounds from his girlfriend the week before it hit number one.

Charts

Valentinos original
Chart (1962)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [2] 72
US Billboard R&B 8
US Cash Box Top 100 [3] 63

Credits (Bobby Womack versions)

1962 original

1974 version

Charts

Bobby Womack version
J. Geils Band cover
Chart (1971–72)Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles25
US Billboard Hot 100 [2] 39
US Cash Box Top 10037

Cover Versions

See also

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  3. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 29, 1962
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  7. Musicoutfitters.com
  8. "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 28, 1974". Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  9. "Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 13, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-04-10.