Mama Can't Buy You Love

"Mama Can't Buy You Love"
Single by Elton John
from the album The Thom Bell Sessions
B-side "Three Way Love Affair"
Released May 1979
Recorded October 1977
Genre Soul
Length 4:02
Label MCA
Writer(s) LeRoy Bell and Casey James (of Bell and James)
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Elton John singles chronology
"Part-Time Love"
(1978)
"Mama Can't Buy You Love"
(1979)
"Victim of Love"
(1979)

"Mama Can't Buy You Love" is a hit single for British singer/songwriter Elton John from the EP The Thom Bell Sessions. The song was written by LeRoy Bell and Casey James (of Bell and James fame). Bowing at number 69 on the Hot 100 on 9 June 1979, the track became John's first US top ten hit in almost three years when it peaked at number 9 on 25 August 1979.[1] "Mama Can't Buy You Love" also spent one week at number 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In the US, it was certified gold on 17 August 1979 by the RIAA.[2]

The chord structure of the opening instrumental of "Mama Can't Buy You Love"[3] bears a strong resemblance to the chord structure of the opening instrumental of Ronnie Dyson's "One Man Band (Plays All Alone)" (after the site's short instrumental section).[4] According to the Hot 100, Thom Bell produced both records.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1979) Peak
position
Australia 82
Canada (RPM)[5] 10
Canadian RPM Top Singles[6] 10
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary[7] 19
New Zealand[8] 20
US Billboard Hot 100 9
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 1
US Cash Box Top 100[9] 10

Year-end charts

Chart (1979) Position
Canada[10] 63
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 36
US Cash Box[12] 56

See also

References

  1. "Hot 100: Week of September 1, 1979". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 128.
  3. "Elton John - Mama Can't Buy You Love (1977-1979-1989) With Lyrics!". Riffstation beta. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  4. "Ronnie Dyson - One Man Band (Plays All Alone)". Riffstation beta. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  5. Nanda Lwin (1999). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
  6. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  8. "Song artist 6 - Elton John". Tsort.info. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  9. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  10. "Top 100 Hits of 1979/Top 100 Songs of 1979". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
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