I`m a sucker for love songs, and i think the voice is just as important as the words.
Some artists just sings a lyric, while others put their feelings in it, and make it come alive.

Here`s my favorite singers:


Frank Sinatra: Probably the best singer of love songs, "All the way" is so beautiful. (thank you Natisse for the thread...)


Aretha Franklin: Her voice is filled with emotions, "Ain`t no way" gives me chills.


Gladys Knight (and the pips): Gladys Knight has such a unique voice, she can take ANY song, and make it her own. Everyone should hear their version of "The way we were" and "One less bell to answer"


Diana Ross: Even though i`m not sure she has a heart, she can work magic with a love song. Her rendition of Stevie Wonder`s "To shy too say" is amazing.


Dionne Warwick: Her Bacharach/David years were her best, but she made many wonderful love songs after that too. The dramatic "Anyone who had a heart" is the song i think of when i hear her name.

Nat King Cole


Lionel Richie


George Michael

also...

astrid gilberto
sade
mama cass
annie lennox
nick cave
david bowie ("wild is the wind", 'nuff said)

Anx said:

ditto..thought i didn't know cave wrote love songs...well im not that keen on cave anyways..well i love the birthday party...thier songs are always violent and junkie like.

weepingwall said:

yeah...it seems like there are three different nick caves - early crazy punk nick, mid-career southern goth nick, and middle-aged academic poet nick. i love all three, though i really love how his writing has matured over the past few albums.

oh - but he recorded a spoken word album called "secret life of the love song". i've never heard it. even if i'm a big cave fan, i don't have the patience to sit through an hour of him rambling on.

Prince
Luther Vandross
Eric Benet
George Michael
Brian McKnight
Elton John
James Ingraham
Anita Baker
Chaka Khan
Regina Belle
and the list goes on

nurse said:

"Sweet love"

Stevie Wonder

funkpill said:

"Wonderful world" is beautiful

Moonbeam said:

He has written many good love songs, do you have any favorites?

Icicle said:

yup..

sure is.....

Luther Vandross, Keith Washington, Evelyn King, Teddy Pendergrass, Troop, Ready for the World, Prince, the stylistics, etc etc.

My favorite - probably Al Green or Luther.

1. Billie Holiday
2. Dusty Springfield
3. Dianne Worwick
4. Ella Fitzgerald
5. Ellis Regina

dammme said:

"Just a little lovin`" is my favorite Dusty song
I read a quote about her voice, it was Bette Midler who said it: "It was haunting, husky, full of secrets and promises,
and once you’d heard her on a ballad, you were never the same."

is dusty the one that made Son of A Preacherman popular? I always thought it was a black woman singing that song.

sosgemini said:

Maybe you`re thinking of Aretha Franklin, it was a hit for her too.

Icicle said:

I never heard about Aretha version... I heard that she just refuse to record the song and then Dusty pick it up...

From Wikipedia:

"Written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins, "Son of a Preacher Man" was originally offered to Aretha Franklin who turned it down. It was only upon hearing Dusty's version that she reconsidered and recorded the song herself."
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...eacher_Man

Never heard Aretha version...

dammme said:

I guess she felt threatened by her, personally, i think she felt threatened by many female singers, and that was the reason she recorded several songs made famous by singers like Dionne Warwick (i say a little prayer), Diana Ross (it`s my turn), Natalie Cole (You) and Dusty Springfield.

Here`s what Dusty said about Aretha Franklin:

"All Aretha ever said to me -and i died- we were in a lift (elevator), and she just put her hand on my arm and went, "Girrlll!"

Luther Vandross
Teena Marie(70's/80's especially)
Maurice White and Philip Bailey of Earth,Wind,and Fire
The Whispers
The Isley Bros (70's/80's especially)
Isaac Hayes
Chaka Khan
Marvin Gaye
Barry White
Teddy Pendergrass
Babyface
Freddie Jackson
Peabo Bryson
Rick James
Ray Parker Jr.
Midnight Star

The Ohio Players... can you dig it?