Never Too Much (song)

"Never Too Much"

Side-A label of the U.S. 1981 single
Single by Luther Vandross
from the album Never Too Much
B-side "You Stopped Loving Me"
Released July 21, 1981
Genre Post-disco, R&B, soul
Length 3:50
Label Epic
Writer(s) Luther Vandross
Producer(s) Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross singles chronology
"Never Too Much"
(1981)		 "Don't You Know That?"
(1981)

"Never Too Much" is a song performed by Luther Vandross. The disco-oriented song was released in 1981, as the lead single from the album of the same name. The title track hit number one on the soul singles chart and peaked at number thirty-three on the Billboard Hot 100.[1]

The album (Vandross's first as a solo artist) was popular, although it failed to sell in large numbers initially. Sales were boosted by his other chart successes and, eventually, by his death. A remixed version of the song reached No.13 on the UK singles chart in November 1989.[2]

The single is also included on his later album Luther Vandross - The Ultimate, which was released in 2001. The single was released alongside a music video in which he is shown singing in a recording studio.

The song was used in the soundtrack for the Rockstar Games title Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the in-game radio station Emotion 98.3.

The song, sans vocals, was sampled by Will Smith (a.k.a. The Fresh Prince) in "Can't Wait To Be With You" on his 1993 hit album Code Red. Smith also used the vocal melody and lyrics from the song's chorus in "1,000 Kisses" on his 2002 album Born to Reign.

The first minute of this song is used in the WKRP In Cincinnati episode "Fire" from season four, until it is unceremoniously cut off by Les Nessman when he reports that the Flimm Building is on fire.

Cover versions

In 1996, guitarist Craig T. Cooper covered the song for his album Romantic Letter.[3] In 1997, contemporary jazz guitarist Richard Smith recorded a take for the album First Kiss.[4] In 2004, jazz guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr. recorded a cover for the Vandross tribute album Forever, For Always, For Luther.[5][6] In 2005, it was covered by Mary J. Blige for another Vandross tribute album entitled So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross.[7] In 2013, vocalist Tracy Hamlin covered the song for her album This Is My Life . In 2014, John "Jon Jon" Harreld of R&B group, Troop covered the song in tribute of Vandross and released the song as a single.[8]

Track listings

U.S. 1981 7" single
  1. "Never Too Much" – 3:50
  2. "You Stopped Loving Me" – 4:59
UK 1981 7" single
  1. "Never Too Much" – 3:50
  2. "Don't You Know That?" – 4:04
UK 1981 12" single
  1. "Never Too Much" (Extended Version) – 5:38
  2. "Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl)" – 4:57
  3. "Don't You Know That?" – 4:04
UK 1989 7" single
  1. "Never Too Much" (Remix '89 by Justin Strauss) – 4:02
  2. "The Glow of Love" – 6:10
UK 1989 12" single
  1. "Never Too Much" (Extended Remix '89 by Justin Strauss) – 6:42
  2. "Never Too Much" (Original Remix '81 a.k.a. Extended Version) – 5:38
  3. "The Glow of Love" – 6:10
UK 1989 alternative 12" single
  1. "Never Too Much" (Ben Liebrand Mix) – 7:30
  2. "Never Too Much" (Alternate Vocal Mix '89 by Justin Strauss) – 6:49
  3. "Never Too Much" (Original 7" Version) – 3:50

Charts

Chart (1981/1982/1983) Peak
position[9]
New Zealand Singles Chart[10] 47
UK Singles Chart[2] 44
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 33
U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles[11] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 4

References

  1. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles: 1955-2010 (13th ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 934. ISBN 0-89820-190-X.
  2. 1 2 "Luther Vandross in UK Singles Chart". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2014-08-26.
  3. ↑ "Craig T. Cooper". Smooth-jazz.de.
  4. ↑ "First Kiss Overview". Allmusic.com.
  5. ↑ "Song: Never Too Much". Secondhandsongs.com.
  6. ↑ "Forever, For Always, For Luther". Allmusic.com.
  7. ↑ "So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross". Allmusic.com.
  8. ↑ http://947thewave.cbslocal.com/2015/06/30/troops-jon-jon-talks-group-survival-performing-live-more/ October 2, 2015 CBSLocal
  9. ↑ Luther Vandross - Singles Chart history.Billboard.com
  10. ↑ "Never Too Much in New Zealand Singles Chart". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2014-08-26.
  11. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Book of Top 40 R&B and Hip-Hop Hits. New York, NY: Billboard Books. p. 597. ISBN 0-8230-8283-0.

External links

Preceded by
"When She Was My Girl" by The Four Tops		 U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one single
October 24–31, 1981 		Succeeded by
"I Heard it Through the Grapevine" (Part 1) by Roger
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