To Be a Lover

"To Be a Lover" is a song written by William Bell and Booker T. Jones originally as "I Forgot to Be Your Lover", but best known as a cover by Billy Idol on his 1986 album Whiplash Smile. As the album's lead single, it became Idol's second top ten hit in the US, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100[1] and No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]

"I Forgot to Be Your Lover"
Single by William Bell
B-side"Bring the Curtain Down"
ReleasedNovember 1968
Recorded1968
GenreSouthern soul
Length2:19
LabelStax
Songwriter(s)William Bell, Booker Jones
Producer(s)Booker T. Jones
William Bell singles chronology
"Private Number"
(1968)		 "I Forgot to Be Your Lover"
(1968)		 "My Baby Specializes"
(1968)

William Bell recording

The song was written by William Bell and Booker T. Jones, and originally performed by Bell as a soul ballad titled "I Forgot to Be Your Lover". It was released in late 1968 and hitting No. 45 on the Hot 100 and No. 10 on Billboard′s Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart in early 1969. This version has since been sampled by Ludacris on his song "Growing Pains" from Word of Mouf, by Jaheim on "Put That Woman First" from Still Ghetto and by Dilated Peoples on the song "Worst Comes to Worst".

Billy Idol version


"To Be a Lover"
Single by Billy Idol
from the album Whiplash Smile
B-side"All Summer Single"
Released22 September 1986
Recorded1986
GenreNew wave
Length3:52
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)William Bell, Booker T. Jones
Producer(s)Keith Forsey
Billy Idol singles chronology
"Catch My Fall"
(1984)		 "To Be a Lover"
(1986)		 "Don't Need a Gun"
(1986)
Music video
"To Be a Lover" on YouTube

In 1986, the track was reworked and became the second high-profile cover Billy Idol released as a single, after 1981's "Mony Mony". Idol would later top the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 7 in the UK), with a live version of "Mony Mony" in 1987. The single was backed by Whiplash Smile album track "All Summer Single". Two different 12″ singles were also released worldwide (one in the UK and one in Australia), featuring the aforementioned track and two extended remixes of "To Be a Lover (Mother of Mercy Mix)" (6:45) and "Rock 'n' Roll Mix" (Australia and New Zealand only). The "Mother of Mercy Mix" differs quite significantly from the single version; it is a harder sounding song, with a prominent heavy guitar riff dominating most of the track and an interlude with distorted female groans. It is this version that is featured on the 1987 US and 1988 Japan editions of the remix compilation album Vital Idol. The UK 12″ was also released as a limited-edition picture disc.[3]

7″: Chrysalis - IDOL 8 (UK)
  1. "To Be a Lover" (3:50)
  2. "All Summer Single" (4:33)

12″: Chrysalis - IDOLX 8 (UK)
  1. "To Be a Lover (Mother of Mercy Mix)" (6:45)
  2. "To Be a Lover" (3:50)
  3. "All Summer Single" (4:33)
  • Also available as a picture disc (IDOLP 8)

12″: Festival Records - X 14449 (Australia and New Zealand)
  1. "To Be a Lover (Rock 'n' Roll Mix)" (7:11)
  2. "To Be a Lover (Mother of Mercy Mix)" (6:45)
  3. "All Summer Single" (4:33)

Weekly charts
Chart (1986) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 3
Canadian RPM Top Singles[5] 7
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[6] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[1] 6

Year-end charts
Year-end chart (1987) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 34
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[8] 64

Other versions

The song was covered by Shenley Duffus And The Soul Avengers in 1972, produced by Lee Perry

In 1977, the song was covered as a more uptempo reggae number by the Jamaican singer George Faith under the amended title of "To Be a Lover (Have Mercy)" for his Lee "Scratch" Perry-produced album also called To Be a Lover.

References
  1. "Billy Idol | Awards". AllMusic. 30 November 1955. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 266. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. "To Be A Lover" at Discogs
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. Peaked on RPM 100 Singles Chart on 6 December 1986
  6. "charts.nz Billy Idol "To Be A Lover"" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  7. "Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Australian Music Report. Retrieved 11 December 2019 – via Imgur.
  8. "1987 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 99 (52). 26 December 1987.


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