Studio album · No. 6
Power of Love Songwriting Credits by Luther Vandross
Produced by Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller · Engineered by Ray Bardani, Fred Bova, Brian Cowieson, Carrie McConkey, Michael Morongell, Shelly Yakus, Steve Hall, Dave Collins
Epic
R&BSoulAdult contemporary
Artist
90%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 9 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 10 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Luther Vandross carries a lyricist or composer credit.
9 trackswritten by Luther Vandross
1 trackoutside writers
Luther Vandross's roles on this album
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist90%
Composer90%
Producer100%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
10
Tracks
10
Lyricists
2
Producers
1991
Released
Data Insight
Vandross has a writing credit on nine of the ten songs here and a sole credit on none of them. Every one of those nine pairs him with the musician who built the track: Marcus Miller on four, Hubert Eaves III on two, and Reed Vertelney, Nat Adderley Jr. and John "Skip" Anderson on one apiece. The lead single is the clearest case against reading his name as full authorship. "Power of Love/Love Power" is a medley, and the second half is a 1967 Sandpebbles record written by Teddy Vann, so the copyright pays three people and the Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues Song went to all three. The closing track pays him nothing at all: "I (Who Have Nothing)" is an English rewrite of Carlo Donida and Mogol's Italian song "Uno dei tanti", with the English lyric by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and Martha Wash sings half of it.
Luther Vandross cut his seventh studio album between September 1990 and January 1991 across four rooms: A&M and The Village in Los Angeles, Right Track and the Hit Factory in New York. He produced it with Marcus Miller, who also played most of the bass and keyboards and arranged the rhythm tracks. Nine of the ten songs are Vandross co-writes with a keyboard player, and the closer hands the lead over to Martha Wash on a 1963 standard.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
She Doesn't Mind
|
Luther VandrossReed Vertelney | Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.Reed Philip Vertelney | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals, backing vocals, vocal arrangement)Marcus Miller (keyboards, synthesizer programming, rhythm arrangement)Reed Vertelney (synthesizer programming)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming)Tawatha Agee (backing vocals)Lisa Fischer (backing vocals)Cissy Houston (backing vocals)Darlene Love (backing vocals)Paulette McWilliams (backing vocals)Fonzi Thornton (backing vocals, vocal contractor)Brenda White King (backing vocals) |
| 2 |
Power of Love/Love Power
#4
|
Luther VandrossMarcus MillerTeddy Vann | Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.William Henry Marcus Miller Jr.Theodore Williams | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals, backing vocals, vocal arrangement)Marcus Miller (keyboards, synthesizer programming, bass guitar, backing vocals, rhythm arrangement)Nat Adderley Jr. (acoustic piano)Paul Jackson Jr. (guitars)Paulinho da Costa (wind chimes)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming)Tawatha Agee (backing vocals)Lisa Fischer (backing vocals)Cissy Houston (backing vocals)Darlene Love (backing vocals)Paulette McWilliams (backing vocals)Fonzi Thornton (backing vocals, vocal contractor)Brenda White King (backing vocals)Genobia Jeter (backing vocals)Pat Joyner (backing vocals)Kevin Owens (backing vocals)Tamira C. Sanders (backing vocals) |
| 3 |
I'm Gonna Start Today
|
Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals, backing vocals, vocal arrangement)Marcus Miller (keyboards, synthesizer programming, bass guitar, rhythm arrangement)Paul Jackson Jr. (guitars)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming)Tawatha Agee (backing vocals)Cissy Houston (backing vocals)Paulette McWilliams (backing vocals)Brenda White King (backing vocals) |
| 4 |
The Rush
#73
|
Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals, backing vocals)Marcus Miller (keyboards, synthesizer programming, bass guitar, rhythm arrangement)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming) |
| 5 |
I Want the Night to Stay
|
Luther VandrossNat Adderley Jr. | Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.Nathaniel Edwin Adderley Jr. | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals, backing vocals, vocal arrangement)Nat Adderley Jr. (keyboards, synthesizer programming, rhythm arrangement, string arrangement)Paul Jackson Jr. (guitars)Paulinho da Costa (percussion)Joe Soldo (string contractor)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming)Tawatha Agee (backing vocals)Cissy Houston (backing vocals)Fonzi Thornton (backing vocals, vocal contractor)Brenda White King (backing vocals)Cindy Mizelle (backing vocals) |
| 6 |
Don't Want to Be a Fool
#9
|
Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals, backing vocals)Marcus Miller (keyboards, synthesizer programming, bass guitar, rhythm arrangement)Paul Jackson Jr. (guitars)Paulinho da Costa (wind chimes)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming)Tawatha Agee (backing vocals)Cissy Houston (backing vocals)Paulette McWilliams (backing vocals)Brenda White King (backing vocals)Cindy Mizelle (backing vocals) |
| 7 |
I Can Tell You That
|
Luther VandrossHubert Eaves III | Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.Hubert Barclay Eaves III | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals, backing vocals)Hubert Eaves III (keyboards, synthesizer programming, rhythm arrangement)Marcus Miller (additional keyboards)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming)Tawatha Agee (backing vocals)Cissy Houston (backing vocals)Paulette McWilliams (backing vocals)Brenda White King (backing vocals) |
| 8 |
Sometimes It's Only Love
#9
|
Luther VandrossSkip Anderson | Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.John Verson Anderson | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals, backing vocals)John "Skip" Anderson (keyboards, synthesizer programming, rhythm arrangement)Marcus Miller (synthesizer programming)Paulinho da Costa (percussion)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming) |
| 9 |
Emotional Love
|
Luther VandrossHubert Eaves III | Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.Hubert Barclay Eaves III | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals, backing vocals)Hubert Eaves III (keyboards, synthesizer programming, rhythm arrangement)Marcus Miller (additional keyboards)Paul Jackson Jr. (guitars)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming)Darlene Love (backing vocals)Paulette McWilliams (backing vocals)Brenda White King (backing vocals)Genobia Jeter (backing vocals)Michelle Cobbs (backing vocals) |
| 10 |
I (Who Have Nothing)
|
MogolJerry LeiberMike Stoller | Carlo Donida LabatiGiulio RapettiJerome LeiberMichael Stoller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (lead vocals)Martha Wash (lead vocals, backing vocals)Nat Adderley Jr. (keyboards, synthesizer programming, rhythm arrangement, string arrangement)Marcus Miller (bass guitar)Kirk Whalum (saxophone solo)Paulinho da Costa (percussion)Alfred Brown (string contractor)Jason Miles (synthesizer sound programming) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 42 contributors
LV
Luther Vandross
Writer · Producer · Vocals
LR
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.
Writer
MM
Marcus Miller
Writer · Producer · Vocals
WH
William Henry Marcus Miller Jr.
Writer
HB
Hubert Barclay Eaves III
Writer
HE
Hubert Eaves III
Writer · keyboards
CD
Carlo Donida Labati
Writer
GR
Giulio Rapetti
Writer
JL
Jerome Leiber
Writer
JL
Jerry Leiber
Writer
JV
John Verson Anderson
Writer
MS
Michael Stoller
Writer
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Frequently Asked Questions Power of Love
Did Luther Vandross write everything on Power of Love?
No. He co-wrote nine of the ten tracks and wrote none of them alone. The tenth, "I (Who Have Nothing)", is a cover he had no hand in writing.
Why does "Power of Love/Love Power" have three writers?
It is a medley of two songs. "Power of Love" is by Vandross and Marcus Miller. "Love Power" was a 1967 single by the Sandpebbles written by Teddy Vann, so his copyright is paid alongside theirs.
Who wrote "I (Who Have Nothing)"?
The music is by Carlo Donida and the original Italian lyric, for the 1961 song "Uno dei tanti", is by Giulio "Mogol" Rapetti. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote the English words in 1963 for Ben E. King.
How much of the album did Marcus Miller work on?
He co-produced all of it with Vandross, co-wrote four songs, played bass on five tracks and keyboards on seven, and arranged the rhythm tracks for the first four and track six.
What did the album win?
Two Grammys at the 34th ceremony in 1992: Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for the album, and Best Rhythm & Blues Song for "Power of Love/Love Power", credited to Miller, Vandross and Vann.
How well did it sell?
The RIAA certified it double platinum in the United States, and it was certified gold in Canada and silver in the United Kingdom. No publisher has released an actual units-sold figure, so the certifications are the only public measure.
Data note: Track 10 is a cover and carries no Vandross writing credit: the music is Carlo Donida's, the original Italian lyric for "Uno dei tanti" is Giulio "Mogol" Rapetti's, and the English lyric is Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller's. Track 2 is a medley whose second half, "Love Power", is Teddy Vann's 1967 song, so his name sits beside Vandross and Miller on the copyright. Teddy Vann's legal name is given as Theodore Williams by Discogs; MusicBrainz records no legal-name alias for him.
Sources
Wikipedia: Power of Love (Luther Vandross album)
Wikipedia: Power of Love/Love Power
Wikipedia: Don't Want to Be a Fool
Wikipedia: The Rush
Wikipedia: Sometimes It's Only Love
Wikipedia: I (Who Have Nothing)
Wikipedia: The Sandpebbles (R&B group)
Wikipedia: Marcus Miller
Wikipedia: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Wikipedia: 34th Annual Grammy Awards
Discogs: Power Of Love, US CD (Epic EK 46789)
Discogs: Power Of Love, European LP (Epic 468012 1)
Discogs: Teddy Vann artist profile
MusicBrainz: Power of Love release group
MusicBrainz: Power of Love release, recordings and work relations
MusicBrainz work: Power of Love / Love Power
MusicBrainz work: I (Who Have Nothing)
MusicBrainz work: She Doesn't Mind
MusicBrainz work: Sometimes It's Only Love
MusicBrainz artist search: legal-name aliases for Donida, Mogol, Adderley, Vertelney, Eaves and Anderson
Cover Art Archive: Power of Love front cover
Cover Art Archive: Power of Love by Luther Vandross