This post is inspired by a request from Vinnie M., a Lost Songs Project listener and paid subscriber. You can request a song right here!
Peak: #11 on the Hot 100
Streams: 9.7 million
Before he sang “Superfly” Curtis Mayfield was in The Impressions, a vocal group that helped created the template of doo-wop and R&B. While he was with the group, he not only sang songs in his gorgeous tenor, but also wrote all-time classics like “People Get Ready. “ This alone would make The Impressions an essential part of pop music history.
But The Impressions didn’t have just one genius in the group. They had two. Along with Mayfield, the original lineup also featured Jerry Butler. He’s the one with the smoky lower register who both wrote and sings lead on “For Your Precious Love.” It was the group’s first hit, and it many ways, it’s the perfect distillation of the crooning R&B sound that I will always associate with movies about the 50s.
Granted, this song is very reminiscent of “Unchained Melody,” which was released a few years before, but it’s also got a swooning romanticism of its own. That’s largely because Butler is such a good singer. He sounds like he’s not even trying — like these buttery notes pour out of him without the slightest effort. It’s enchanting.
Shortly after this song hit, Butler left The Impressions for a successful solo career, and then several decades after that, he became a fixture in the Illinois government. How many of our local politicians are also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? (Butler’s still alive, and I hope he’s enjoying his varied legacy. )
Meanwhile, even though “For Your Precious Love” is somewhat forgotten today — especially compared to “Unchained Melody” or “People Get Ready” — it enjoyed several decades as a standard. That brings me to the request I got from TLSP reader Vinnie M. He asked me to highlight the 1972 version by Linda Jones, which hit #15 on the R&B charts and #74 on the Hot 100.
Her version is also great! She spends a lot of time just talking, delivering a monologue dedicated to all the lonely people in the world. But when she interrupts the monologue to sing “For Your Precious Love”? Y’all, she sings every note in the world. High notes? Yes, she has them. Low notes? Yep, those too. And just in case you want them, she’s got some extremely high notes for you as well. It’s over the top and ludicrous, which is why it all works.
Thanks to Vinnie for the excellent suggestion!
Jerry “The Iceman” Butler is one of my favorite singers and this is one of my favorite songs. I’m really loving Linda Jones’ version now too. Great choice!
This is easily one of my favorite songs of all time -- I cry every time that call and response section happens... it's so wonderful.