"The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" | ||||
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Single by Juice Newton | ||||
from the album Juice | ||||
B-side | "Ride 'Em Cowboy" | |||
Released | October 24, 1981 | |||
Recorded | 1981 | |||
Genre | Country, pop | |||
Length | 4:06 3:58 (7") | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Songwriter(s) | Otha Young | |||
Producer(s) | Richard Landis | |||
Juice Newton singles chronology | ||||
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"The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" is a country-pop song written by Otha Young for Juice Newton in the mid-1970s. Newton was known for charting hits on the Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and Hot Country charts - and this song has the distinction of being the only single of hers to reach the top 10 on all three of those charts, peaking at #1 on two of them.
"The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" was originally recorded and released in 1975 on Juice Newton & Silver Spur's debut album, Juice Newton and Silver Spur (RCA). The 1975 version was not issued as a single, although it was the B-side of two official singles and was issued as a promotional single to U.S. radio stations. In the meantime, Dottsy recorded a version in 1976 and took it to No. 86 on the country music charts and used it as the title track to her album The Sweetest Thing. [1] [2]
After becoming a solo artist, Newton re-recorded the song for her 1981 album, the star-making Juice , which was Newton's third solo album and featured three of her biggest pop hits: "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)", "Angel of the Morning" and "Queen of Hearts".
In early 1982, "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" reached No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart, [2] No. 1 on the Billboard country chart, [2] and No. 7 on the Billboard pop chart, where it remained in the Top 40 for eighteen weeks. [3] The single is the only of Juice Newton's to reach the Top 10 on all three charts. On Billboard's year-end Top 40 chart, the song charted at No. 21 of all the singles of 1982. The music video for the song was filmed in New York City.
The first pressings of the Juice album featured a different arrangement of the song, with a more prominent steel guitar part and no oboe. After the unexpected crossover success of "Angel of the Morning" and "Queen of Hearts", a pop version was mixed and replaced the country version on all future pressings of the album. The revamped version was also used for the single (which, somewhat ironically, became her first No. 1 Country Single). The 1981 country version can be found on the United Kingdom best-of CD Country Classics and BGO's two-CD "Juice/Quiet Lies/Dirty Looks" boxed set.
Chart (1976) | Peak position |
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US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [4] | 86 |
| Year-end charts
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Judith Kay "Juice" Newton is an American pop and country singer, songwriter, and musician. Newton has received five Grammy Award nominations in the Pop and Country Best Female Vocalist categories – winning once in 1983 – as well as an ACM Award for Top New Female Artist and two consecutive Billboard Female Album Artist of the Year awards. Newton's other awards include a People's Choice Award for "Best Female Vocalist" and the Australian Music Media's "Number One International Country Artist".
"Angel of the Morning" is a popular song written by Chip Taylor, originally recorded by Evie Sands but which first charted with a version by Merrilee Rush. The song has been covered by many artists including Chrissie Hynde, Dusty Springfield P. P. Arnold, Connie Eaton, Mary Mason, Guys 'n' Dolls, Melba Montgomery, Olivia Newton-John and most recognizably by Juice Newton.
Queen of Hearts is a country-pop song written by Hank DeVito, the pedal steel guitarist in Emmylou Harris's backing group The Hot Band. It was first recorded by Dave Edmunds on his 1979 album Repeat When Necessary. Edmunds' version was released as a single and reached number 11 in the UK and number 12 in Ireland that year, but failed to chart substantially elsewhere in the world. The most successful version of the song was recorded by Juice Newton in 1981 – her version reached number two in the United States and South Africa. Newton's version also reached the top 10 in Canada, Australia, Denmark, Switzerland and New Zealand.
"Yes, I'm Ready" is a song by Barbara Mason from her album Yes, I'm Ready (1965). It has been covered by numerous artists, and was a hit single for Teri DeSario and K.C. when they recorded a duet version in 1980.
"Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me" is a song written by Gary Burr and recorded by the American country-pop singer Juice Newton for her seventh studio album Quiet Lies (1982). The recording garnered Newton a Grammy nomination for Best Female Vocalist in the Pop category.
Juice is the sixth studio album and third solo album by American country rock singer Juice Newton. The album was released in February 1981 and was her first major international success.
"Break It to Me Gently" is a pop song written by blues musician Joe Seneca with lyrics by Diane Lampert. Both Brenda Lee and Juice Newton met with considerable success with their versions of the song.
"Have You Never Been Mellow" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John for her 1975 fifth studio album of the same name. Written and produced by John Farrar, the song was released as the lead single from the album in January 1975.
"Husbands and Wives" is a song written and first recorded by American country music singer Roger Miller. Miller's original, from his album Words and Music, was released in February 1966 and was a crossover hit for him, reaching Top Ten on the U.S. country and Adult Contemporary charts, as well as Top 40 on the pop charts. Since the release of Miller's original, the song has been covered by several other artists, including The Everly Brothers, Ringo Starr, Neil Diamond, a duet between David Frizzell and Shelly West, Jules Shear, and Brooks & Dunn, whose version was a number-one country hit in 1998.
"Any Day Now" is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard in 1962. It has been recorded by numerous artists over the years, including notable versions by Chuck Jackson in 1962, Alan Price in 1965, Elvis Presley in 1969, Scott Walker in 1973 and Ronnie Milsap in 1982. In the lyrics, the singer predicts the imminent demise of a romantic relationship and describes the sadness this will leave.
"If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" is a song written by John Rostill that was a 1974 hit single for Olivia Newton-John. It was her second release to hit the top 10 in the United States, reaching number 5 on the pop chart and number 2 on the Easy Listening chart. It also reached number 2 on the Billboard country chart. As with her single "Let Me Be There", Mike Sammes sings a bass harmony. It was nominated for the 1974 Country Music Association Award for Single of the Year.
Otha Young was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and the longtime musical partner of country-pop artist Juice Newton.
"Hurt" is a 1954 song by Jimmie Crane and Al Jacobs. "Hurt" was originally performed by Roy Hamilton, whose version peaked at number eight on the R&B Best Seller chart and spent a total of seven weeks on the chart. A version by Ricky Denell also received considerable radio airplay in 1954 on pop radio stations. The song is considered to be the signature hit of Timi Yuro, whose version went to number four on the Billboard pop chart in 1961. Elvis Presley’s 1976 version reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart. Juice Newton's 1985 version scored number one on Billboard's Country chart.
"What Can I Do with My Heart " is a song recorded by American country music artist Juice Newton. It was released in December 1986 as the fifth single from the original version of the Old Flame album. In 1987, the song reached #9 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Notably, the song was written by Newton's long-time musical partner Otha Young, who also penned Newton's first number-one country hit, "The Sweetest Thing ".
"I Believe in Music" is a 1970 song written and recorded by Mac Davis and later included on his second album I Believe in Music. Gallery covered it in 1972 as the second of three singles off their Nice to Be with You album and the follow-up release to their title track.
Greatest Hits is the ninth album and first greatest hits collection by country pop singer Juice Newton. It was originally released by Capitol Records in 1984 with ten tracks taken from her albums Juice, Quiet Lies, and Dirty Looks. It was reissued in 1986 in an expanded 15-track edition titled Juice Newton's Greatest Hits . The album became a best seller and has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Emotion is the eighth solo studio album by American country pop singer Juice Newton. It was released by RCA Records in 1987 and was the last of Newton's albums to appear on the Billboard charts.
Emotions is a compilation album by country pop singer Juice Newton. It was released by Pair Records in 1994 and consists of 20 tracks taken from five of the six albums Newton recorded for RCA.
Anthology is a compilation album by country pop singer Juice Newton. It was originally released by Renaissance Records on October 13, 1998. The album covers her career from 1975 to 1989 and features 19 songs taken from her albums Juice Newton & Silver Spur, Juice, Quiet Lies, Can't Wait All Night, Old Flame, Emotion, and Ain't Gonna Cry. However, it includes the 1975 take of "The Sweetest Thing " from the first RCA album, not the 1981 hit version from Juice.