Saturday, June 21, 1975

Captain & Tennille hit #1 with “Love Will Keep Us Together”

First posted 3/11/2021.

Love Will Keep Us Together

Captain & Tennille

Writer(s): Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield (see lyrics here)


First Charted: Arpil 5, 1975


Peak: 14 US, 12 CB, 13 HR, 16 RR, 11 AC, 32 UK, 11 CN, 14 AU (Click for codes to singles charts.)


Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, 1.0 world (includes US + UK)


Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 3.0 radio, 11.9 video, -- streaming

Awards: (Click on award for more details).

About the Song:

The Captain & Tennille had almost finished their debut album when they realized they needed one more uptempo song to show off Daryl Dragon (The Captain)’s keyboard playing. The problem was solved when Kip Cohen from A&M’s A&R department had them listen to Neil Sedaka’s “Love Will Keep Us Together.” They knew it was the right song and spent two weeks arranging it. When they played it for label heads Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, everyone knew they had a hit. BR1

Sedaka first recorded the song in 1973 and released it as a single in France. It was released in the United States on his 1974 compilation Sedaka’s Back. He said the main chord progression was lifted from the Beach Boys’ “Do It Again” with some augmented chords inspired by Al Green. In addition, the melody was written with Diana Ross in mind. WK

When the song became a hit, the duo recorded a Spanish version of “Love Will Keep Us Together.” “Por Amor Viviremos” charted on August 16, 1975, giving the Captain & Tennille the distinction of being the only act to have two versions of a #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously that were recorded by the same act in two different languages. BR1

Interestingly, Dragon – who was a former keyboardist with the Beach Boys – wanted the first single to be “I Write the Songs,” which was written by Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys. The Captain & Tennille did record the song for the album, but it wasn’t released as a single. However, Barry Manilow’s rendition of it became a #1 song in early 1976. SF Things turned out okay for the duo, though. Their version of “Love Will Keep Us Together” topped the year-end chart, was the best seller of 1975, WK and was certified by BMI as the most performed song of 1975. SF It also won a Grammy for Record of the Year.


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