Minnie Riperton, Lovin’ You | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the 14^th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful , we highlight “Lovin’ You” performed by Minnie Riperton.

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy ! On 1 Hit WONDERful , we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  To be fair, it is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, it’s that ONE hit that earned them recognition. So, in the 14^th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful , we dive into “Lovin’ You”,  the one hit wonder by Minnie Riperton.

“Lovin’ you is easy cause you’re beautiful / Makin’ love with you is all I wanna do.” Those memorable lyrics appear on a once-in-a-lifetime classic, “Lovin’ You”.  “Lovin’ You” was a no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for the late, great Minnie Riperton.  While Riperton would reach the Hot 100 one additional time, the one song that she’s noted for is “Lovin’ You,” a lullaby for her daughter, Maya Rudolph (who gets a shout out at the end), and a love song addressed to her husband, Richard Rudolph, whom she co-wrote the song with.  In addition to writing, Richard played guitar on the track, which appears on Riperton’s 1974 album, Perfect Angel.  Guess who produced and played piano on the song? Stevie Wonder!

“No one else can make me feel / The colors that you bring,” Riperton sings, beautifully in the second verse, later adding, “Lovin’ you, I see your soul come shinin’ through / and every time that we, ooh, I’m more in love with you.”  The ooh should be self-explanatory .  Clearly, the amour is lit .  So is the chorus, despite its simplicity: “La la la la la, la la la la la / Do do do do do, ooh.” Riperton’s voice is angelic, with the high notes being the most celestial.  Even more amazing is how effortless the singer, who sadly, lived to only be 31 years young, vocals sound.  The backdrop is calm, cool, and collected, fitting for a lullaby. “Lovin’ You” was Riperton’s sole pop hit, but it has proven to be more than enough to solidify her legacy, approaching fifty years later.

Minnie Riperton • Perfect Angel • Capitol • 1974

Minnie Riperton, Lovin’ You: 1 Hit WONDERful No. 14 (2023) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Julia Larsen, Kurchakto, RDNE Stock project, Victor Terrell from Pexels; Andrew Martin from Pixabay]