"Love Is" is a duet written by Tonio K, Michael Caruso, and John Keller, originally recorded and released by American recording artists Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight. The single originally appeared on the soundtrack to the television drama series Beverly Hills, 90210; and was also used in the spin-off series Melrose Place. After this exposure, the song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming McKnight's breakthrough hit and another hit for Williams. The song topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, where it spent three weeks at the summit and ended 1993 as the most successful adult contemporary song.
There were two different versions released to radio: the more common mix includes energetic electric guitar performing the solo in the bridge; an alternate, lesser-known mix presents melodic solo piano, performed by Philippe Saisse at the bridge. The edit version was that of the guitar mix, which presented a fade out during the second of the two ending chorus refrains. This mix appears on McKnight's greatest hits album, From There to Here: 1989-2002 without the fade, although the piano solo ending is slightly trimmed. The "piano mix" was used in the official video for "Love is" and also appears on Williams's Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years album.
Critical reception A reviewer from Music & Media commented "What is love? Find out through this dramatic ballad on the right side of kitsch." Head of music Karsten Bendix at Radio Roskilde/Denmark enthused, "I love those harmonies. There are so many ballads around, but these two people can really sing." Alan Jones from Music Week wrote, "This intense, brooding duet is no award winner, issuing every cliche in the book and then some. But it has a certain insidious quality, and the fact that it is featured on Beverly Hills 90210 may be enough to tip the scales in its favour." At the Grammy Awards in 1994, the song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1993)PeakpositionCanada Retail Singles (The Record) 6Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 9US Cash Box Top 100 2
Year-end charts Chart (1993)PositionCanada Top Singles (RPM) 30Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) 35US Billboard Hot 100 21US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 1US Cash Box Top 100 20
Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)United StatesMarch 16, 1993United KingdomApril 19, 1993MercuryAustraliaJune 21, 1993Giant
Cover versions In 1994, jazz fusion saxophonist Nelson Rangell covered the song for his album Yes, Then Yes.
References
The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition, 1996
External links Discogs