"Set Your Loving Free" is a song by British singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield from her second album, Real Love (1991). It was written by her with Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney and Morris. The song was released as the fourth European single on 25 May 1992. It included "Whenever You're Gone", featured on the Japanese edition of Real Love only. The Nick Brandt-directed music video, starring Linus Roache, was also released. The song reached number 28 in the United Kingdom and number 20 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart, where it was released as B-side of "A Little More Love." "Set Your Loving Free" was remixed by Masters at Work (Little Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez). In 2003, it was included on Biography: The Greatest Hits. In 2014, the remixes of "Set Your Loving Free" and "Whenever You're Gone" were also included on the deluxe 2CD + DVD re-release of Real Love and on People Hold On ... The Remix Anthology (also on The Collection 1989–2003).

Chart performance

"Set Your Loving Free" was a notable hit on the charts, although not commercially as successful as the previous singles from Real Love. The song entered the top 30 in the UK, peaking at number 28 in its first week at the UK Singles Chart on 31 May 1992. It spent one more week within the UK Top 40 (32), before leaving, and did also peak at number 18 on the UK Dance Singles Chart. Additionally, the single entered the top 40 in the Netherlands (42) and the top 60 in Germany (57), as well as peaking at number 75 on the Eurochart Hot 100. Outside Europe, "Set Your Loving Free" was quite successful in the US, reaching number 20 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart, with a total of eight weeks within the chart. In Australia, it peaked at number 164.

Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from many music critics. AllMusic editor Alex Henderson described it as "sleek". Asbjørn Bakke from Norwegian Arbeiderbladet declared it as "magnificent". A reviewer from Lennox Herald viewed it as "another hit". Scott Sterling from The Michigan Daily felt that "this high-energy workout rivals even the O'Jays at their best." Robbert Tilli from Music & Media wrote that Stansfield's "soulful voice—a UK equivalent of Mariah Carey's and Whitney Houston's—is made for slow love songs" like "Set Your Loving Free". Alan Jones from Music Week commented, "After the pent-up passion of "Time to Make You Mine", it's a much lighter and immediately accessible song, perfectly suited to lazy, summer days." James Hamilton from the RM Dance Update stated that the song is "sexily teased and crooned" by the singer. Stephen Holden from Rolling Stone described it as "the inspirational lover's promise".

Track listings

Charts