Never Knew Love Like This Before

"Never Knew Love Like This Before"
Single by Stephanie Mills
from the album Sweet Sensation
B-side	"Still Mine"
Released	August 31, 1980
Recorded	1979
Genre	Disco, R&B
Length	5:30 (album version) 3:28 (single edit)
Label	20th Century Fox
Songwriter(s)	James Mtume Reggie Lucas
Producer(s)	James Mtume Reggie Lucas
Stephanie Mills singles chronology
"Sweet Sensation" (1980) "Never Knew Love Like This Before" (1980) "Two Hearts" (1980)
Audio
"Never Knew Love Like This Before" on YouTube

"Never Knew Love Like This Before" is a 1980 song written and produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, and recorded by American R&B singer Stephanie Mills for her fourth studio album Sweet Sensation (1980). The song was inspired by the birth of Lucas' daughter Lisa.^[1]

The song became Mills' most successful song in the United States, peaking at number six on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, outperforming "What Cha' Gonna Do with My Lovin'", which peaked at 22 in 1979. "Never Knew Love Like This Before" also charted on the R&B and Adult Contemporary charts, peaking at number 12 and five, respectively.^[2] The song was a bigger commercial success in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number four.^[3]

"Never Knew Love Like This Before" won Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 23rd Annual Grammy Awards in 1981,^[4] beating fellow nominees including Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, and Minnie Riperton.^[5]

The track received a renewed interest after the song title was used for the fourth episode of the second season of the American drama series Pose, which aired on 9 July 2019. The episode concludes with the character of Candy, portrayed by Angelica Ross, lip-synching to the song; the scene received critical acclaim.^[6]

Personnel

• Howard King – drums
• Basil Fearington – bass
• James Mtume – keyboards
• Hubert Eaves III – keyboards
• Reggie Lucas – guitar
• Ed Moore – guitar
• James Mtume – percussion
• Ed Walsh – synthesizer programming
• Tawatha Agee, Gwen Guthrie, Brenda White King, James Mtume & Reggie Lucas  – background vocals
• Gene Blanco – String and horn arrangements

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1980–81) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 14 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 11 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 2 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 32 Ireland (IRMA)[11] 12 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 9 South Africa (Springbok)[15] 4 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 4 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 6 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[18] 5 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[19] 12 US Cash Box Top 100[20] 8

Year-end charts Chart (1980) Rank Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[21] 32 Brazil[22] 92 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 31 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 28 UK[25] 46 Chart (1981) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[26] 60 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[27] 41 U.S. Cash Box[28] 59

Cover versions

• In 1999, French band Organiz' covered the song. The track reached on number five on French Singles Chart, and 6 on Belgian Singles Chart.^[29]
• Thomas Anders covered the song for his 1995 album Souled.^{[citation needed][30]}
• In 2013, Jessie Ware covered the song for the soundtrack to the film I Give It a Year.^[31]

Composition

The Intro and Verse chords are [B E F#/A# D#m7 G#m7 C#m9 E/F#], cycling through the diatonic Circle of fifths in the key of B major. The Chorus section chords are [Emaj7 D#m7 C#m7 Emaj7 D#m7 C#m7 Emaj7 D#m7 C#sus4 C#7 E].^{[citation needed]}

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[32]	Silver	250,000^^
United States (RIAA)[33]	Gold	500,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Breen, Kerry (22 June 2020). "Lisa Lucas discovered that her dad's famous song was about her". Today. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
2. "Stephanie Mills". Billboard. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
3. "Never Knew Love Like This Before". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
4. "23rd Annual Grammy Awards". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 2023-11-24. R&B Vocal Performance, Female - winner - "Never Knew Love Like This Before" - Stephanie Mills - Best Rhythm & Blues Song - winner - "Never Knew Love Like This Before" - Reggie Lucas & James Mtume, songwriters (Stephanie Mills)
5. Wilson, Kimberley (4 November 2020). "Here's the hidden history behind this famous Stephanie Mills song". Essence. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
6. Cobb, Kayla (10 July 2019). "'Pose' turned the murder of one of its trans characters into a reflection on beauty". Decider. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 202. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
8. "Stephanie Mills – Never Knew Love Like This Before" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
9. "Stephanie Mills – Never Knew Love Like This Before" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0288." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Never Knew Love Like This Before". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Stephanie Mills" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
13. "Stephanie Mills – Never Knew Love Like This Before" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
14. "Stephanie Mills – Never Knew Love Like This Before". Top 40 Singles.
15. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (M)". rock.co.za. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
16. "Stephanie Mills: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
17. "Stephanie Mills Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
18. "Stephanie Mills Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
19. "Stephanie Mills Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
20. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 8, 1980". Cash Box magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-10-22. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
21. "Jaaroverzichten 1980". Ultratop. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
22. "Songs from the Year 1980". Tsort.info. 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
23. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980". www.top40.nl. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
24. "Jaaroverzichten - Single 1980". www.dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
25. "Chart File". Record Mirror. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 21 March 1981. p. 37.
26. "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report. 4 January 1982. p. 7. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Imgur.
27. "Top Selling Singles of 1981 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 1981-12-31. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
28. "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1980". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-10-22. Retrieved 2015-07-22.
29. Steffen Hung. "Organiz' - I Never Knew Love Like This Before". lescharts.com. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
30. Never Knew Love Like This Before - Thomas Anders. Universal Music Group. 1995.
31. Never Knew Love Like This Before, 2013-01-01, retrieved 2022-10-06
32. "British single certifications – Stephanie Mills – Never Knew Love Like This Before". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
33. "American album certifications – Stephanie Mills – Never Knew Love Like This Before". Recording Industry Association of America.