"Love on a Two-Way Street" is a soul ballad written by Sylvia Robinson and Bert Keyes in 1968. The song was originally recorded by Lezli Valentine, an artist signed to All Platinum, the record label that Sylvia Robinson co-owned with her husband, Joe. The song was then recorded by the Moments, an R&B vocal group signed to All Platinum subsidiary Stang Records, as filler for their 1968 album Not on the Outside, But on the Inside, Strong!. Sylvia and Joe decided to release the song as a single in March 1970 and it went on to become one of the biggest R&B hits of that year, spending five weeks at number 1 on Billboard's Soul Singles chart and reaching number 3 on the Hot 100 chart. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 25 song of 1970.Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1970 It was also certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of one million copies.
Musical composition Willie and The Mighty Magnificents provided most of the musical backing on the song and Bert Keyes created the string arrangement that was overdubbed onto the track while also playing piano on the recording session.
According to the song's original vocalist, Lezli Valentine, she was a third contributor to the song, writing most of the song's lyrics:
Chart history
Weekly charts Chart (1970)PeakpositionCanada RPM Top Singles13U.S Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - 3U.S. Billboard R&B1U.S. Cash Box Top 100Cash Box Top 100 Singles, June 13, 19708
Year-end charts Chart (1970)RankU.S. Billboard Hot 100Musicoutfitters.com25U.S. Billboard R&B2U.S. Cash Box 69
Certifications
Stacy Lattisaw version
In 1981, 14-year-old artist Stacy Lattisaw covered "Love on a Two-Way Street." It was the lead single from her With You LP. The song peaked at number two R&B, and number 26 on the Hot 100. As well as number 19 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. This version also peaked at number 23 on the Cash Box Top 100 during August of that year. The song was her second U.S. Top 40 hit.
Charts Chart (1981)PeakpositionCanada RPM Top Singles39U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - 26U.S. Billboard R&B2U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary19U.S. Cash Box Top 100Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 29, 198123
Other cover versions American jazz guitarist Grant Green also covered the song for his 1971 album, Visions.
References
External links Lyrics of this song
Soul-patrol.com