Someone That I Used To Love by Natalie Cole

Album: Don't Look Back (1980)

Charted: 21

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Songfacts®:

This is a sad song about a woman whose boyfriend was never satisfied with the love she gave him, but rather than hold on and keep trying, she decides to walk away and stop throwing her heart away on him. >>
Suggestion credit:
Mike - Santa Barbara, CA
This was written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser. After divorcing his wife and songwriting partner Carole King, with whom he wrote a number of big pop hits in the '60s, Goffin teamed up with various composers, including Masser (the song's producer). They wrote the #1 hits "Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" and "Saving All My Love For You."
Bette Midler was the first artist to record this, but her version was shelved at the insistence of her manager, Aaron Russo. Goffin and Masser first pitched the ballad to Brooks Arthur, who was producing Midler's 1977 album, Broken Blossom. Arthur was sure it would be a big hit for the singer, and they rushed her to the studio to record the song before anyone else could snag it.

But Midler called him a couple days later and said she didn't want to release it because Russo thought the album needed more energy, not another "gushy ballad." They argued about it for days until Russo got Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegun involved. He agreed the album opener should be replaced with a high-spirited number, which ended up being a cover of Sarah Vaughan's 1954 hit "Make Yourself Comfortable." Three years later, Cole debuted the ballad on her Don't Look Back album.
Barbra Streisand covered this for her 1989 compilation, A Collection: Greatest Hits...and More, which also featured the Michael Bolton/Diane Warren-penned ballad "We're Not Makin' Love Anymore." Her version peaked at #25 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Kanye West sampled a piano riff from this on his 2005 hit single "Heard 'Em Say."

Comments: 4

Clivemusic2024 from AustraliaThis song has similar pattern with 'Nocturne No. 2 E flat' by Frederic Chopin.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm
Natalie Cole, daughter of the late Nat 'King' Cole who charted five times in the top ten on her own, died in a Los Angeles hospital Thursday (December 31st, 2015) of congestive heart failure - a complication of hepatitis C and a previous kidney transplant due to drug use, she was 65...
Born Stephanie Natalie Cole in Los Angeles in 1950, she was only 15 when her father died of lung cancer. Her mother had sung with Duke Ellington's orchestra. She started performing while still in college but struggled to get out from under her father's shadow. It was singer Chuck Jackson and producer Marvin Yancy (whom she later married) who saw her performing in Chicago in 1975 and recorded her first album, "Inseparable," with her, eventually getting her signed to Capitol Records - her father's old label. The result was "This Will Be," a #6 single that year. The next year she won Grammys for "Best New Artist" and "Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Female"- the first of nine she would eventually win...
In 1977 she reached the top ten again with "I've Got Love On My Mind" (#5) and the following year with "Our Love" (#10). Other hits included "Pink Cadillac" (#5-1988) and "Miss You Like Crazy" (#7-1989). She is also remembered for "Unforgettable" #14)- a "duet" with her late father in 1991...
Her autobiography, "Angel On My Shoulder" was published in 2000, detailing her recovery from addiction and was turned into a made-for TV movie. She has appeared several times on TV herself, notably in "Grey's Anatomy" and "Touched By An Angel". She was also married at times to Rufus drummer Andre Fischer and gospel singer Andrae Crouch. She is survived by a 38 year-old son...
May she R.I.P.
John from Nashville, TnThis song was written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin, the same team that wrote "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To?)". It was later recorded by Barbra Streisand on the anthology THE COLLECTION...GREATEST HITS AND MORE, VOLUME 3.
Mike from Santa Barbara, CaThis song was inspired by Cole's divorce from her then-husband, Marvin Yancy.

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