Love Sneakin' Up On You

"Love Sneakin' Up On You"
Single by Bonnie Raitt
from the album Longing in Their Hearts
B-side	"Hell to Pay"
Released	March 1994 (1994-03)
Genre	Rock [1] blues [2] pop [2]
Length	3:39
Label	Capitol EMI
Songwriter(s)	Jimmy Scott Tom Snow
Producer(s)	Don Was Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt singles chronology
"All at Once" (1993) "Love Sneakin' Up On You" (1994) "You" (1994)
Music video
"Love Sneakin' Up On You" on YouTube

"Love Sneakin' Up On You" is a song by American blues singer Bonnie Raitt. Released in March 1994 by Capitol and EMI from her 12th album, Longing in Their Hearts (1994), the song topped Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart for three weeks and reached number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song also charted in Germany and the United Kingdom. In 1995, it was nominated for both the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. ^[3] Irish director Meiert Avis directed the song's music video, ^[4] which was nominated for Best Clip of the Year in the category for Pop/AC at the 1994 Billboard Music Video Awards. ^[5]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard magazine described the song as "a familiar, uptempo stomper that rides on the strength of her well-worn vocal style and funky instrumentation." He added, "With so few things to count on in life, it's comforting to know that you can always rely on Raitt to serve up a tasty blend of well-lubed guitar licks over a steamy blues/pop ditty. Watch her friends at top 40, album rock, and AC radio gobble this one up within moments." ^[2] Fell and Rufer from the Gavin Report wrote, "Bonnie gets up and down with this funky preface to her next album, Longing in Their Hearts . How great it is to have a beat-driven fresh track from one of our format's icons." ^[6] Pan-European magazine Music & Media stated, "This mid-tempo rocker with a hell of a slide guitar proves that truck loads of Grammy awards couldn't kill the beast inside." ^[1]

Track listings

• US 7-inch and cassette single; Japanese mini-CD single ^{[7] [8] [9]}

1. "Love Sneakin' Up On You" – 3:39
2. "Hell to Pay" – 4:02

• European CD single ^[10]

1. "Love Sneakin' Up On You" – 3:39
2. "Nick of Time" – 3:52
3. "Baby Mine" – 3:14
4. "Hell to Pay" – 4:02

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1994) Peak position Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [11] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [12] 1 Germany (GfK) [13] 71 Scotland (OCC) [14] 90 UK Singles (OCC) [15] 69 US Billboard Hot 100 [16] 19 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [17] 2 US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [18] 25 US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [19] 15 US Cash Box Top 100 [20] 10

Year-end charts Chart (1994) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM) [21] 14 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) [22] 26 US Billboard Hot 100 [23] 94 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) [24] 15

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	February 28, 1994	Top 40 adult contemporary album rock album alternative radio	Capitol	[25]
	March 1994	7-inch vinyl cassette		[26]
United Kingdom	March 28, 1994	CD cassette	Capitol EMI	[27]
Japan	March 30, 1994	Mini-CD	EMI Japan	[28]

References

1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 14. April 2, 1994. p. 11. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
2. Flick, Larry (March 5, 1994). "Single Reviews: Pop" (PDF). Billboard . p. 59. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
3. "The 37th Grammy Nominations". LA Times. January 6, 1995. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
4. Russell, Deborah (March 19, 1994). "MN, Blockbuster Plan 'Corner Store' Concept". Billboard . Vol. 106, no. 12. p. 45. The set's debut clip, 'Love Sneakin' Up On You,' directed by Meiert Avis...
5. Russell, Deborah (October 15, 1994). "Music Video Award Nominees Named" (PDF). Billboard . p. 12. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
6. Fell, Ron; Rufer, Diane (February 25, 1994). "Gavin A/C — New Releases" (PDF). Gavin Report . Retrieved March 14, 2022.
7. Love Sneakin' Up On You (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Bonnie Raitt. Capitol Records. 1994. S7-17818.
8. Love Sneakin' Up On You (US cassette single sleeve). Bonnie Raitt. Capitol Records. 1994. 4KM 7243 8.
9. Love Sneakin' Up On You (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Bonnie Raitt. EMI Music Japan. 1994. TODP-2444.
10. Love Sneakin' Up On You (European CD single liner notes). Bonnie Raitt. Capitol Records, EMI Records. 1994. 7243 8 81264 2 7.
11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2456." RPM . Library and Archives Canada.
12. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2481." RPM . Library and Archives Canada.
13. "Bonnie Raitt – Love Sneakin' Up On You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
15. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
16. "Bonnie Raitt Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
17. "Bonnie Raitt Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
18. "Bonnie Raitt Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
19. "Bonnie Raitt Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
20. "U.S. Cash Box Charts" (PDF). popmusichistory. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
21. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM . Retrieved April 7, 2018– via Library and Archives Canada.
22. "RPM Top 100 AC tracks of 1994". RPM. Retrieved April 7, 2018– via Library and Archives Canada.
23. "Billboard Top 100 – 1994". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
24. "The Year in Music: Hot Adult Contemporary Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. YE-68. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
25. Newman, Melissa (February 19, 1994). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 8. p. 17. 'Love Sneakin' Up On You,' which goes to adult contemporary, top 40, album rock, and album alternative Feb. 28.
26. McCaib, Kevin (March 19, 1994). "No More Longing for New Raitt Set". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 12. p. 85. All points are from radio, as the commercial single just arrived in stores.
27. "Single Releases". Music Week . March 26, 1994. p. 23.
28. "恋が生まれるとき | ボニー・レイット" [When Love Is Born | Bonnie Raitt] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved September 10, 2023.