Percy Sledge, When a Man Loves a Woman | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 142^nd edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “When A Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge. 

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 142^nd edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2023), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “When A Man Loves a Woman”, performed by 🎙 Percy Sledge.

“When a man loves a woman / Can’t keep his mind on nothin’ else / He’d change the world for the good thing he’s found.” Those lyrics hail from one soul’s greatest songs, 🎵 “When A Man Loves a Woman” (💿 When a Man Loves a Woman).  The 🎙 Percy Sledge classic is one of the most easily recognizable songs of all-time, regardless of genre.  Unsurprisingly, the 1966 gem peaked at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (the pop charts), Sledge’s sole top-10 hit.  Two years later, Sledge would just miss the top-10 with 🎵 “Take Time To Know Her”.  While his expressive, powerful vocals make “When A Man Loves a Woman” the masterpiece that it is, the songwriting is credited solely to  🎼 ✍ Andrew Wright and Calvin Lewis. However, according to Sledge, he is a co-writer… the narrative, and heartbroken nature of this soul staple were based on Sledge’s own experiences, with the raw draft of the song, performed in Quin Ivy’s sound studio/record store, being improvised and impromptu. Even when reworking the record as the song we know,  the late soul singer may be an uncredited writer… interesting 🤔.

Also interesting is the recording itself.  The production is superb and benefits from being non troppo.  The accompaniment suits him perfectly, with its soulful stylings.  The backdrop includes organ, guitar, bass, drums, backing vocals, and of course, glorious, articulated horns 🎺 🎷. According to Rhino, two versions were recorded, due to out of tune horns.  Ultimately, the tapes were mixed up and the first version, with those out of tune horns, was the version released.  No harm, no foul, all told!  Regardless, the backdrop never overshadows Sledge, who is always the focal point, sharing love pain marvelously.

“When a man loves a woman

He can do her no wrong

He can never want

Some other girl.”

🎵 “When A Man Loves a Woman” – a soul joint for all time!

🎙 Percy Sledge • 💿 When a Man Loves a Woman • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 1966

Percy Sledge, When a Man Loves a Woman: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 142 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic; John Alan Sperry, PIRO via  Pixabay]