50 Fun Facts About Love Song

Who wrote and originally recorded "I Will Always Love You" in 1973?

She wrote it as a farewell to her mentor Porter Wagoner when she left his show to go solo.

How many weeks did Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' spend at number one on the Hot 100?

It was a record at the time and made it the best-selling single ever by a female solo artist, with over 25 million copies sold.

Which Beatles song did Frank Sinatra call "the greatest love song of the past 50 years"?

It was written by George Harrison and became the first Harrison composition issued as a Beatles A-side.

George Harrison said the inspiration for his 1969 ballad on Abbey Road was which person?

He imagined the composition in the style of Ray Charles, but the muse was his wife at the time.

"Unchained Melody" was originally written as the theme for what kind of 1955 film?

The film was simply called Unchained, and Todd Duncan sang the song on its soundtrack; it earned an Oscar nomination.

Which member of the Righteous Brothers sang the 1965 recording of "Unchained Melody" as a solo?

The duo's most famous record features only one of them singing; it later became the jukebox standard and is considered the definitive version.

The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" returned to the charts in 1990 thanks to which film?

The revival sent the original 1965 recording to number one in the UK, where it became the year's top-selling single.

Who wrote and produced "Endless Love", the 1981 duet with Diana Ross?

It was written for the film of the same name starring Brooke Shields, and Billboard has called it the greatest song duet of all time.

Who composed the music for Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On"?

It grew out of his instrumental motif for Titanic; Will Jennings wrote the lyrics and the song won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" was written about which person?

She was his wife-to-be; the song went on to become the 2017 UK Christmas number one.

Who co-wrote "Thinking Out Loud" with Ed Sheeran?

The Wales-based singer-songwriter had known Sheeran since his teens; the song won Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.

"At Last" was written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for which 1941 film?

Glenn Miller's orchestra took it to number two in 1942, long before it became Etta James's signature song.

Whose 1960 recording turned "At Last" into her signature song?

Beyoncé later sang it at the Neighbourhood Ball for the Obamas' first dance on inauguration night in 2009.

Elvis Presley recorded "Can't Help Falling in Love" in 1961 for which film?

It became his standard concert closer and was the last song he performed live, in Indianapolis in June 1977.

"Can't Help Falling in Love" is based on "Plaisir d'amour", a 1784 love song from which country?

Jean-Paul-Égide Martini's tune was borrowed by writers Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore and George David Weiss.

Which reggae band's 1993 "Can't Help Falling in Love" spent seven weeks atop the Hot 100?

It also topped the charts of 11 other countries and featured in the film Sliver.

Who wrote the lyrics to Elton John's "Your Song"?

He says he scribbled them on a lined notepad at breakfast at Elton's mother's flat in 1969.

Who wrote "Nothing Compares 2 U", the 1990 hit for Sinéad O'Connor?

He recorded a demo in 1984 and first gave it to his side project The Family, whose 1985 album included it.

Sinéad O'Connor said her real tears in the "Nothing Compares 2 U" video were for whom?

The video, mostly a single close-up of her face, was directed by John Maybury; her mother had died in a car accident in 1985.

"Crazy in Love" is built on a horn sample from a 1970 track by which soul group?

Sampling "Are You My Woman (Tell Me So)" earned the group's Eugene Record a writing credit; the song won two Grammys.

Robert Smith of The Cure wrote "Lovesong" as what?

The 1989 Disintegration single reached number two in the US, the band's biggest American hit; Adele later covered it on 21.

Which jazz musician plays the saxophone solo on Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are"?

Joel wrote the song for his first wife Elizabeth Weber and rarely performed it live for years after their divorce.

Whose 1983 comeback single was a cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together"?

Green's original was his only Hot 100 number one; Barack Obama famously sang a line of it at the Apollo Theater in 2012.

In the United States, how was "Careless Whisper" credited on its 1984 release?

Steve Gregory won the sax part because he could play the main phrase in one breath; the single topped charts in 25 countries.

Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" became a US number one after being featured in which 1995 film?

Seal wrote it in 1987 and was so embarrassed he threw the tape in a corner; it went on to win Record and Song of the Year Grammys.

Which producer, famous for Buggles and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, produced Seal's "Kiss from a Rose"?

Seal credited that production with turning a song he was unsure of into another eight million record sales.

John Legend dedicated "All of Me" to which person?

It became his first US number one in 2014, and a Tiësto remix won a Grammy for Best Remixed Recording.

Adele's "Make You Feel My Love" is a cover of a song written by whom?

Billy Joel actually released it a month before the writer's own 1997 version on Time Out of Mind.

The Goo Goo Dolls' 1998 hit written for City of Angels was named after which country-folk singer?

John Rzeznik spotted the name in an LA Weekly concert listing; the song, written for City of Angels, spent 18 weeks atop the airplay chart.

Savage Garden, who took "Truly Madly Deeply" to number one in 1998, come from which country?

The song was a rework of an earlier track called "Magical Kisses" and its video was shot in Paris.

Bryan Adams's "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" was the theme to which 1991 film?

It spent a record sixteen consecutive weeks at number one in the UK and sold more than 15 million copies.

Who composed "Take My Breath Away", Berlin's Oscar-winning ballad from Top Gun?

He has said that of every song he ever produced, this is the one he is proudest of.

Which Beach Boy sings lead on "God Only Knows"?

Brian gave him the song because he was looking for tenderness and sweetness; Paul McCartney has called it the greatest song ever written.

Paul McCartney wrote "Maybe I'm Amazed" in 1969 about which person?

He played every instrument on the 1970 recording, and a Wings live version reached the US top ten in 1977.

The title of Derek and the Dominos' "Layla" comes from a 12th-century Persian poem by which poet?

Clapton wrote it as a ballad; Duane Allman's riff turned it into a rocker, and the 1992 acoustic version won a Grammy.

Who wrote Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", the band's only US number one?

The Armageddon theme debuted at number one, and Steven Tyler's daughter Liv starred in the film.

Which Journey ballad prompted a worried call from Prince over its similarity to "Purple Rain"?

Jonathan Cain started it on a napkin on the tour bus and reassured Prince the two songs only shared four chords.

Which actress co-starred with Enrique Iglesias in the music video for "Hero"?

Mickey Rourke played the villain; the song became an unofficial anthem in New York after the September 11 attacks.

Whose 1991 cover of "When a Man Loves a Woman" reached number one on the Hot 100?

Percy Sledge's 1966 original was the first number one recorded around Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Sledge said he deserved a writing credit he never got.

Christina Perri wrote "A Thousand Years" for which film's soundtrack?

It only reached number 31 on the Hot 100 but became a wedding staple and is certified diamond in the US.

Adele co-wrote "Someone Like You" with which American songwriter, best known as Semisonic's frontman?

It was the first strictly voice-and-piano ballad to top the Billboard Hot 100 and won the first-ever Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance.

Lonestar's "Amazed" was the first country song to top the pop chart since which 1983 duet?

It held number one on the country chart for eight straight weeks before a pop remix crossed it over.

Cyndi Lauper borrowed the title "Time After Time" from a TV Guide listing for what?

She meant it only as a placeholder; the song became her first number one and Miles Davis later recorded it.

Which singer joined Taylor Swift on the 2019 duet remix of "Lover"?

The waltz-tempo original is one of only three songs on the album that Swift wrote entirely alone.

Lady Gaga's 2024 hit "Die with a Smile" is a duet with which singer?

It closes her album Mayhem and spent eighteen weeks atop the Billboard Global 200.

Who wrote The Temptations' "My Girl"?

He was inspired by his wife Claudette; it was David Ruffin's first lead vocal for the group and their first number one.

Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" wakes Bill Murray every morning in which film?

The 1965 original spent three weeks at number one; a 1985 remake with Chrissie Hynde topped the UK chart.

Boyz II Men's "I'll Make Love to You" was written and produced by whom?

Its 14 weeks at number one tied the record set by Whitney Houston two years earlier.

Who wrote the lyrics to "La Vie en rose"?

The music was by Louiguy; Louis Armstrong recorded it in 1950 and Grace Jones made a bossa nova version in 1977.

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's Oscar-winning duet "Shallow" comes from which 2018 film?

It won Grammys for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media, and topped the Hot 100.