"L-O-V-E" is a song written by Bert Kaempfert and Milt Gabler, recorded by Nat King Cole for his 1965 studio album L-O-V-E.

Composition and background

The song was composed by Bert Kaempfert with lyrics by Milt Gabler, and produced by Lee Gillette. The trumpet solo was performed by Bobby Bryant. The song had previously appeared as an instrumental track on Kaempfert's album Blue Midnight (1964). For international versions of his L-O-V-E album, Nat King Cole also recorded versions of "L-O-V-E" and other songs, in Japanese (mixed with English words), Italian, German, Spanish and French. In this last language, the song was renamed "Je Ne Repartirai Pas" and translated by Jean Delleme.

Joss Stone version

English singer Joss Stone recorded a cover of "L-O-V-E" for the soundtrack to a commercial for Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle fragrance. The ad, starring Keira Knightley and directed by Joe Wright, debuted on September 24, 2007, on E!, Bravo, and VH1. Stone's version was released digitally on September 18, 2007, reaching number 100 on the UK singles chart and number 75 on the Swiss Hitparade. It was later included as a bonus track on the deluxe version of her third studio album, Introducing Joss Stone (2007), as well as on her compilation album The Best of Joss Stone 2003–2009 (2011). Stone performed a duet of the song with Natalie Cole at Frosted Pink, a benefit concert to raise awareness of women's cancer, which took place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, on October 6, 2007, and aired on ABC on October 14.

Yōko Oginome version

"L-O-V-E" was covered in Japanese by Yōko Oginome as her 41st single, released on October 24, 2011, by Victor Entertainment. Based on the 1965 version recorded by Hibari Misora, the song was used by TBS as the theme song of the drama series Love & Fight. The B-side is a cover of the 1944 song "Candy".

Track listing

In popular culture

The song appears in the opening credits of the 1998 film The Parent Trap. A version by Michael Feinstein is the theme song for season 1 of the series Why Women Kill. In the talent show scene of the 1994 film The Little Rascals, Blake McIver Ewing's Waldo performs the song as a duet with Brittany Ashton Holmes' Darla. Natalie Cole sang the song with Luann de Lesseps in the season four finale of The Real Housewives of New York City.

Charts

Nat King Cole version

Joss Stone version

Certifications