Loving Arms

"Loving Arms" is a song written by Tom Jans and first recorded and released by Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge as a duet in 1973 on their album Full Moon.[1]

"Loving Arms"
Single by Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge
from the album Full Moon
B-side"I'm Down (But I Keep Falling)"
Released1973
RecordedAugust 1973
GenreCountry, soft rock
Length3:50
LabelA&M Records
Songwriter(s)Tom Jans
Producer(s)David Anderle
Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge singles chronology
"A Song I'd Like to Sing"
(1973)		 "Loving Arms"
(1973)		 "Rain"
(1974)
"Loving Arms"
Single by Elvis Presley
from the album Good Times
A-side"Loving Arms"
B-side"You Asked Me To"
Released1981
RecordedDecember 13, 1973
Songwriter(s)Tom Jans
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"Guitar Man"
(1981)		 "Loving Arms"
(1981)		 "There Goes My Everything" / "You'll Never Walk Alone"
(1981)

It was covered by Dobie Gray shortly after, and then by a number of artists the following year including Elvis Presley, Petula Clark and Jody Miller. Millie Jackson and Olivia Newton-John also covered the song in 1975.

History

"Loving Arms" was written by Tom Jans.[2] Jans recorded the song himself and released his version on his 1974 self-titled album.[3]

Dobie Gray's version of the song peaked at number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of October 6, 1973.[4][5]

Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge's version was released as a single in late 1973, and became a minor Billboard Hot 100 hit in the spring of 1974.[6][7] The song first appeared on their 1973 duet album Full Moon.

Elvis Presley's version was first released on his 1974 album Good Times. In 1975, it was included as a B-side on some editions of his "My Boy" single. In 1981, it appeared on Presley's posthumous album Guitar Man and was released as the second single from it, with "You Asked Me To" on side B.[8] In the UK, the song spent 6 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 47 for the week of April 14.[9] In the United States, the single charted as a double A-side ("Lovin' Arms"/"You Asked Me To") on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, peaking at number 8 on the week of June 20.

In March 1977, the song turned up in an episode of the TV show Starsky and Hutch (season 2, "Long Walk Down a Short Dirt Road") when David Soul as "Hutch" performed it with guest star Lynn Anderson in the show's tag.

In total, the song has been covered over 50 times.[2] Other notable covers include ones by Olivia Newton-John, Etta James[2] and The Dixie Chicks.[5] French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday covered it in French (under the title "J'ai pleuré sur ma guitare") on his 17th studio album Je t'aime, je t'aime, je t'aime (1974).[10]

Personnel

Musical style and lyrics

As Steven Blanton notes in his book The Songwriter's Toolkit: From Pen to Push Play, "[t]he song is written using the method of holding the title until the last line effectively."[2]

Charts

Dobie Gray version
Chart (1973) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[4] 61

Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge version
Chart (1974) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 86

Elvis Presley version
Chart (1981) Peak
position
UK (Official Charts Company)[9] 47
US Billboard Hot Country Singles[11] 8*
* as "Lovin' Arms"/"You Asked Me To"
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References
  1. "Error report: Loving Arms (Canary) (ORIGINAL ? – SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com.
  2. Steven Blanton (2010). The Songwriter's Toolkit: From Pen to Push Play. Tate Publishing. pp. 45–. ISBN 978-1-61663-349-3.
  3. "Cover versions of Loving Arms by Tom Jans – SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com.
  4. "Dobie Gray – Chart history". Billboard.
  5. Ace Collins (8 September 2015). All About the Dixie Chicks. St. Martin's Press. pp. 118–. ISBN 978-1-250-09758-3.
  6. Colin Larkin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Kollington – Morphine. MUZE. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
  7. "Music: Top 100 Songs – Billboard Hot 100 Chart (1974-04-13)". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  8. "Elvis Presley – Lovin' Arms / You Asked Me To (Vinyl) at Discogs". Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  9. "Elvis Presley – full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
  10. "Johnny Hallyday – Je T'aime, Je T'aime, Je T'aime (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  11. "Elvis Presley – Chart history (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
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