Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album)

This article is about the Lenny Kravitz album. For the Ledisi album, see Let Love Rule (Ledisi album).

Let Love Rule
Studio album by Lenny Kravitz
Released	September 6, 1989
Recorded	1988–1989
Genre	Psychedelic rock[1] psychedelic soul[1]
Length	55:27
Label	Virgin
Producer	Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz chronology
Let Love Rule (1989) Mama Said (1991)
Alternative cover
Digipak cover
Singles from Let Love Rule
"Let Love Rule" Released: July 23, 1989 "I Build This Garden for Us" Released: January 18, 1990 "Mr. Cab Driver" Released: June 29, 1990 "Be" Released: August 13, 1990 "Does Anybody Out There Even Care" Released: February 6, 1991

Kravitz performing "Let Love Rule" the 2016 Democratic National Convention

Let Love Rule is the debut studio album of American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released on September 6, 1989, by Virgin Records. Then-wife Lisa Bonet wrote the lyrics to "Fear" and co-wrote the lyrics on the song "Rosemary"; other than that the album is virtually a one-man Kravitz show, as he wrote and produced all the songs and played nearly all the instruments.^[2]

Let Love Rule reached number 61 on the Billboard 200, while it peaked at number 56 on the UK Albums Chart. The album is also featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.^[3] The video for the lead single "Let Love Rule" was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
American Songwriter	[5]
Chicago Tribune	[6]
Los Angeles Times	[7]
Mojo	[8]
NME	8/10[9]
Q	[10]
Record Collector	[11]
Rolling Stone	[12]
The Village Voice	B−[13]

The Globe and Mail concluded that Kravitz is "still a little raw and the lyrics ... are forgettable, but there are enough good ideas here—even if a few of them were borrowed wholesale from the Beatles—to make Let Love Rule a satisfying debut."^[14]

Track listing

All tracks written by Lenny Kravitz, except "Fear" lyrics by Lisa Bonet, and "Rosemary" lyrics by Kravitz and Bonet.

1. "Sittin' on Top of the World" – 3:16
2. "Let Love Rule" – 5:42
3. "Freedom Train" – 2:50
4. "My Precious Love" – 5:15
5. "I Build This Garden for Us" – 6:16
6. "Fear" – 5:20
7. "Does Anybody Out There Even Care" – 3:42
8. "Mr. Cab Driver" – 3:49
9. "Rosemary" – 5:27
10. "Be" – 3:16

CD bonus tracks

11. "Blues for Sister Someone" – 2:51
12. "Empty Hands" – 4:42
13. "Flower Child" – 2:56

American version

14. "What The ... Are We Saying? – Live"
15. "Stop Draggin' Around – Live"
16. "Always on the Run – Live"
17. "I'll Be Around – Live"

20th anniversary edition bonus tracks

All tracks written by Lenny Kravitz, except where noted.

14. "Let Love Rule" (Basic Rough Mix)
15. "Cold Turkey" (John Lennon)
16. "Light Skin Girl from London"
17. "Fear" (1987 demo)
18. "Mr. Cab Driver" (home demo)
19. "Let Love Rule" (home demo)

• Track 16 first appeared on the single "Always on the Run", but was originally recorded on tour with "Let Love Rule".^[15]

Disc 2 (Let Love Rule Live)

1. "Flower Child"
2. "Blues for Sister Someone"
3. "Mr. Cab Driver"
4. "Freedom Train"
5. "Be"
6. "My Precious Love"
7. "Does Anybody Out There Even Care"
8. "Let Love Rule"
9. "Rosemary" (lyrics by Kravitz and Bonet)
10. "Fear" (lyrics by Bonet)
11. "My Flash on You" (Arthur Lee)
12. "If 6 Was 9" (Jimi Hendrix)

• Tracks 1–10 recorded at The Paradise, Boston, Mass. – 3/28/90
• Tracks 11–12 recorded at The Paradiso, Amsterdam – 12/20/89

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes from the 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.^[16]

Musicians Lenny Kravitz – lead and backing vocals, all other instruments Alfred Brown – viola (tracks 6, 10) Tisha Campbell – additional background vocals (track 5) Eric Delente – violin (tracks 5, 12) Karl Denson – saxophone (tracks 2–4, 7, 8, 11, 13) Lou Elex – violin (track 6) Henry Hirsch – bass (tracks 5, 12), Fender Rhodes (tracks 5–7), harmonium (track 12), organ (tracks 2, 4, 5, 9), piano (tracks 4, 10, 13) Nancy Ives – cello (tracks 5, 12) Lee Jaffe – harmonica (tracks 9, 12) Jean McClain – additional background vocals (track 5) Kermit Moore – cello (tracks 6, 10) Gene Orloff – violin (track 6) Yolanda Pittman – additional background vocals (track 5) Matthew Raimondi – violin (tracks 6, 10) Maxine Roach – viola (track 6) Mark Shuman – cello (tracks 6, 10) John Tintaualle – violin (track 6) Adam Widoff – 2nd guitar (track 6) Winterton Yarvey – violin (track 6)

Production Lenny Kravitz – producer, mixing (tracks 15, 16) Henry Hirsch – recording engineer (tracks 2–13, 16), mixing (tracks 1–13, 16) David Domanich – recording engineer (tracks 2–13) Jeff Goodman – recording engineer (track 1), mixing (track 14) Greg Calbi – mastering Mathieu Bitton – producer (20th anniversary deluxe edition) Gavin Lurssen – remastering (20th anniversary deluxe edition) Ruben Cohen – remastering assistant (20th anniversary deluxe edition) Let Love Rule Live Lenny Kravitz – vocals, guitar Kenneth Crouch – keyboards Zoro – drums Adam Widoff – guitar Lebron Scott – bass Karl Denson – saxophone Steven Remote – recording engineer and mixing engineer (tracks 1–10) Tom "Bone" Edmonds – recording engineer and mixing engineer (tracks 11, 12), original mixing (tracks 1–10) Mathieu Bitton – editing Gabriel Wallach – editing

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Let Love Rule Chart (1989–1990) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[17] 45 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[18] 26 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[19] 32 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 12 UK Albums (OCC)[21] 56 US Billboard 200[22] 61

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for Let Love Rule Chart (1990) Position Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[23] 87

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Let Love Rule

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[24]	Platinum	100,000^^
France (SNEP)[25]	Gold	100,000^*
Netherlands (NVPI)[26]	Gold	50,000^^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[27]	Gold	25,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[28]	Gold	100,000^^
United States (RIAA)[30]	Gold	760,000[29]
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Breihan, Tom (October 29, 2021). "The Number Ones: Madonna's "Justify My Love". Stereogum. Retrieved December 19, 2023. In 1989, Kravitz released Let Love Rule, a debut album full of starry-eyed soul-rock psychedelia.
2. Hunt, Dennis (September 27, 1989). "Rocking Beyond the Family Ties". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
3. Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (February 7, 2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 0-7893-1371-5.
4. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Let Love Rule – Lenny Kravitz". AllMusic. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
5. Schlansky, Evan (July 1, 2009). "Lenny Kravitz > Let Love Rule: Deluxe Edition". American Songwriter. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
6. Kot, Greg (September 28, 1989). "Lenny Kravitz: Let Love Rule (Virgin)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
7. Willman, Chris (October 29, 1989). "Lenny Kravitz, 'Let Love Rule,' Virgin". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
8. Aizlewood, John (April 2024). "Krav Hitz". Mojo. No. 365. p. 31.
9. Morton, Roger (November 25, 1989). "Ruling Class". NME. p. 35.
10. Snow, Mat (December 1989). "Righteous". Q. No. 39.
11. Al-Kaisy, Laith (August 2009). "Let Love Rule: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition | Lenny Kravitz". Record Collector. No. 365. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
12. DeCurtis, Anthony (September 7, 1989). "Lenny Kravitz: Let Love Rule". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
13. Christgau, Robert (March 13, 1990). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
14. Dafoe, Chris (November 23, 1989). "Let Love Rule Lenny Kravitz". The Globe and Mail. p. C12.
15. Let Love Rule (liner notes). Lenny Kravitz. Virgin. 2010.
16. Let Love Rule (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) (booklet). Virgin. 2009.
17. "Australiancharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
18. "Dutchcharts.nl – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
19. "Swedishcharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
20. "Swisscharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
21. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
22. "Lenny Kravitz Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
23. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1990". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
24. "Canadian album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule". Music Canada.
25. "French album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
26. "Dutch album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Let Love Rule in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1991 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
27. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Let Love Rule')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
28. "British album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule". British Phonographic Industry.
29. Basham, David (August 27, 2001). "Calling All Chart Freaks: Michael, Lenny, Bush Under The Microscope". Mtv. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
30. "American album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• Lenny Kravitz interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' July 2009
• Let Love Rule on cduniverse.com