Loves Me Like a Rock

"Loves Me Like a Rock"
Single by Paul Simon
from the album There Goes Rhymin' Simon
B-side "Learn How to Fall"
Released July 19, 1973
Format 7" (45 rpm)
Genre Pop rock
Length 3:32
3:27 (7" version)
Label Columbia
Writer(s) Paul Simon
Producer(s) Paul Simon, Phil Ramone, Muscle Shoals Sound
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Paul Simon singles chronology
"Kodachrome"
(1973)		 "Loves Me Like a Rock"
(1973)		 "American Tune"
(1973)

"Loves Me Like a Rock" is a 1973 song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. The song appears on his solo album There Goes Rhymin' Simon.

It features background vocals from the Dixie Hummingbirds, a Southern black gospel group. These vocals add a different texture to the song as compared to many of his previous solo recordings ("Mother and Child Reunion", "Kodachrome") and his duets with his frequent collaborator, Art Garfunkel, as the pop duo Simon & Garfunkel ("The Sounds of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson"). Although the lyrics are not typically associated with gospel music, the Dixie Hummingbirds were eager to record the song with Simon, and they recorded their own version of the song soon afterward.[1]

Paul Simon's version of "Loves Me Like a Rock" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week of October 6, 1973, kept from the summit by Cher's "Half-Breed".[2] It remained in the Top 40 for 14 weeks and was certified a gold record.[3] It also spent two weeks atop the Billboard easy listening chart in September 1973.[1] It reached the Top 40 in the United Kingdom, peaking at No. 39 on the UK Singles Chart.[4]

The gospel version of "Loves Me Like a Rock" by the Dixie Hummingbirds reached No. 72 on the Billboard R&B chart[1] and won the group a Grammy for Best Soul Gospel performance in 1974.

Paul Simon performed the song with the Muppets during his guest appearance on The Muppet Show.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1973) Peak
position
Australia (Go-Set)[5] 19
Canada (RPM)[6] 5
Canada Pop Music Playlist (RPM)[7] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 27
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[9] 39
US Easy Listening (Billboard)[10] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (1973) Rank
Canada 100 RPM[12] 50
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 27
US Cash Box[14] 22

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[15] Gold 1,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of No. 1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications)
  2. ↑ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of No. 1 Hits, 5th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  4. ↑ UK Singles Chart info at chartstats.com
  5. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. ↑ "RPM100: Singles" (PDF). RPM. Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada. 20 (7). September 29, 1973. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  7. ↑ "The Programmers' Pop Music Playlist" (PDF). RPM. Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada. 10 (29). October 13, 1973. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Paul Simon – Loves Me Like a Rock" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  9. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 499. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  10. ↑ "Paul Simon - Chart history". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Paul Simon – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Paul Simon. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  13. ↑ http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1973.htm
  14. ↑ http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1973YESP.html
  15. ↑ "American single certifications – Paul Simon – Loves Me Like a Rock". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 16, 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH


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