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Wikipedia: “Love the One You’re With” is a song by 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 Billy Preston, became his biggest hit single, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1971.”
When this song was released, I recall that Stills got a lot of flak from women who thought he was being cavalier about relationships with women. But I don’t hear anything in the song that says “Hey, guys.” Women can love the one they’re with as well. Although that said, in 1970, the double standard was high – men who slept around were studs, women sluts. I’m not saying that that attitude has entirely disappeared but we are certainly in a different era.
Truthfully, I was never really that fond of the song in the first place. It was only when I heard cover versions that I started to dig it. But I’ll get to that.
Stills sings and plays guitar, organ, and percussion. He’s got some cream-of-the-crop background singers: Rita Coolidge, David Crosby, Priscilla Jones (Coolidge’s sister), Graham Nash, and John Sebastian.
I find that occasionally a song needs someone else to find the funk in it. It isn’t necessarily a Black artist covering a White artist. Joe Cocker found the funk in “Little Help From My Friends.” The Isley Brothers found it in this tune. (Isleys were the first band I ever saw live at an AM radio-sponsored concert).
Ernie Isley plays some nice driving acoustic guitar under this. Ernie is still very much with us at the young age of 71 and was heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix who toured with the Brothers through much of 1964.*
In May of 1971, Aretha Franklin released Aretha Live at Fillmore West. The album features “Aretha’s take on many ‘hippie’ anthems as Aretha and Atlantic Records executive/album producer Jerry Wexler wanted to reach out to the expected hippie audience in San Francisco.”
The musicians include the ubiquitous Billy Preston as well as Duane Allman’s favorite saxman, King Curtis (who died a few months later, two months before Duane.)
If you’re down and confused
And you don’t remember who you’re talkin’ to
Concentration slip away
Because your baby is so far away
Well, there’s a rose in a fisted glove
And the eagle flies with the dove
And if you can’t be with the one you love, honey
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Don’t be angry, don’t be sad
Don’t sit cryin’ over good times you’ve had
There’s a girl right next to you
And she’s just waitin’ for something to do
And there’s a rose in a fisted glove
And the eagle flies with the dove
And if you can’t be with the one you love, honey
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Turn your heartache right into joy
‘Cause she’s a girl and you’re a boy
Get it together, make it nice
You ain’t gonna need any more advice
And there’s a rose in a fisted glove
And the eagle flies with the dove
And if you can’t be with the one you love, honey
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
Love the one you’re with
*We recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. The Isleys and Jimi were watching on TV.
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