Love the One You're With
"Love the One You're With" is a song by folk rock musician Stephen Stills. It was released as the lead single from his debut self-titled studio album in November 1970. The song, inspired by a remark Stills heard from musician Billy Preston, became his biggest hit single, peaking at No. 14 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in early 1971. David Crosby and Graham Nash, Stills' fellow members of Crosby, Stills & Nash, provide background vocals on the song. The song was also covered by a number of artists, notably the Isley Brothers, The  Meters, Bucks Fizz, Luther Vandross and Richard Clapton. Background. Stills wrote the song after being inspired by the tag line — "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" which was a frequent remark by musician Billy Preston. Stills explained in 1991: "This song has been very good to me. The title came from a party with Billy Preston. I asked him if I could pinch this line he had, and he said, 'Sure. ' So I took the phrase and wrote a song around it. It's a good times song, just a  bit of fun. My favorite part is the steel drums. I played them before a little bit but I just kept diddling around till I found the right notes." "Cash Box" said that Stills' "unique melodic work, the harmonies and a booming rhythm track make this a bright attraction for top forty as well as FM playlists." A live version by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young appears on their album "4 Way Street". A solo version by Stills appears on the Crosby, Stills and Nash CD "Demos". Chart history. Weekly charts Year-end charts Isley Brothers version. Several acts have  since covered the song. The most notable cover came in 1971 from the Isley Brothers, whose unique gospel-driven cover of the song sent it to the charts again reaching number three R&B and number 18 pop, giving the group their fifth US top 40 pop single. It also reached number 10 US "Cash Box". On the Canadian charts, their version reached No. 41. Bucks Fizz version. UK pop group Bucks Fizz covered the song as their eighteenth single in 1986. The single, released in August, was the follow-up to the group's comeback top ten hit "New Beginning  (Mamba Seyra)" and was seen as a make or break release. Ultimately the song peaked at a low No.47 in the UK Singles Chart during a three-week run. In a review, music magazine "Number One" said that the song lacked bass and sounded rather "tinny" but predicted that it would be a hit. Member Mike Nolan puts the song's failure down to the decision to showcase other male member Bobby G as the lead singer. Their previous single had featured all the group equally and was a hit, while earlier flops had featured G on lead and this  was a return to that format. A promotional video for the song was filmed featuring the group performing the song in a blue-toned studio accompanied by backing musicians. The single was released on 7" and 12" on Polydor Records with an extended mix on the latter, the B-side was a Bobby G composition, "Too Hard". Also included on the 12" was an extended mix of earlier single "I Hear Talk". A second 12" single was released featuring a dance edit of "Love the One You're With", backed by another alternate mix of "I Hear Talk". "Love the  One You're With" was included on the group's fifth studio album "Writing on the Wall" released at the end of the year. It has subsequently been included on re-issues of the album in alternate mixes. Chantoozies version. Australian group, Chantoozies released a version in February 1991. The song was the second single from the group's second studio album "Gild the Lily". The song peaked at number 21 on the Australian charts. Track listings. CD single (D11002) 12" single (X 14962) Luther Vandross version. American singer Luther Vandross released a cover of the song on his 1994  album "Songs". It peaked in the top 30 on the "Billboard" Hot R&B Singles, 33 on the "Billboard" Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks; and earned Vandross a 1995 Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Critical reception. M.R. Martinez from "Cash Box" described "Love the One You’re With" as "an optimistic celebration of love and music as Vandross is backed by an all-star choir that includes Lisa Fischer, Tawatha Gee, Jim Gilstrap and others." Pan-European magazine "Music & Media" commented, "Hailed the King of silky ballads, Luther also knows how to speed it up. In a New Orleans  way, and challenged by a gospel group, this Stephen Stills cover shows him at his toughest." In culture. In 2012, the song was featured in Ridley Scott's sci-fi movie "Prometheus". Idris Elba sings a short phrase from the song after describing a possibly fictional account of how his squeezebox used to belong to Stills.