The Love I Lost

Album: Greatest Hits (1973)
Charted: 21 7
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was originally a slow, painful ballad. It was sped up as an experiment, and a major hit ensued. Co-writer Kenny Gamble recalled to Mojo magazine March 2012: "It was a ballad when we wrote it. We got in the studio and said, This is dragging, it's too slow. We told Karl (Chambers, drummer) to put that 'tsh-up, tsh-up,' that sock cymbal in there and that was the beginning of that whole Philly disco sound."
  • Karl Chambers was used solely on the sock cymbal. Philadelphia-based drummer Earl Young played the full kit. He is best known as the founder and leader of The Trammps, who had a hit record with "Disco Inferno."
  • American R&B/pop singer Sybil had a #3 hit in the UK with her 1993 cover of this song. It was billed as West End featuring Sybil.

Comments: 2

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 26, 1974, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes performed "The Love I Lost" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV Saturday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at position #75 on Billboard's Top 100, and that was also it's eighteenth and last week on the chart, seven weeks earlier it had peaked at #7 {for 1 week}...
    And on November 18th, 1973 it reached #1 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart...
    Between 1960 and 1984 the Philadelphia soul group had twenty-three records on the Hot R&B Singles chart, ten made the Top 10 with four reaching #1...
    Besides "The Lost I Lost", their other three #1 records were "If You Don't Know Me By Now" for 2 weeks in 1972, "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon"* for 1 week in 1975, and "Wake Up Everybody" for 2 weeks in 1975...
    Harold Melvin passed away at the young age of 57 on March 24th, 1997...
    May he R.I.P.
    * "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon" was a duet with Sharon Paige.
  • Dave from Cardiff, WalesIn 1993, dance act West End reached number 3 in the UK charts with a cover of this song, featuring soul singer Sybil (who was herself quite big in the late 80s/early 90s) on vocals
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Lita Ford

Lita FordSongwriter Interviews

Lita talks about how they wrote songs in The Runaways, and how she feels about her biggest hit being written by somebody else.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Jimmy Jam

Jimmy JamSongwriter Interviews

The powerhouse producer behind Janet Jackson's hits talks about his Boyz II Men ballads and regrouping The Time.

Charlie Benante of Anthrax

Charlie Benante of AnthraxSongwriter Interviews

The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.

Adam Young of Owl City

Adam Young of Owl CitySongwriter Interviews

Is Owl City on a quest for another hit like "Fireflies?" Adam answers that question and explains the influences behind many others.