Today’s classic song of the day is the ethereal “Lovin’ You” by the late Minnie Riperton. This track was released in January of 1975 and peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and #3 on Billboard’s R&B chart) in April 5th. Billboard ranked it as the #13 song for the entire year in 1975.
“Lovin’ You” was written by singer Minnie Riperton and her husband Richard Rudolph way back in 1971, when the two were living in Chicago. Riperton wrote the main melody while Rudolph wrote the lyrics and the melody for the bridge. Riperton says the melody came about as a way to distract their newborn daughter Maya (yes, that Maya Rudolph, of SNL and movie fame). It apparently worked, and helped to instill a love of music in young Maya.
When Epic Records offered Riperton a recording contract a few years later, she insisted on including this song and requested Stevie Wonder, who was a friend, as producer. Since Stevie was tied to Motown Records at the time, he produced the album (and played electric piano) under the pseudonym El Toro Negro—Spanish for “the black bull.”
That album, Perfect Angel, peaked at #4 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and #1 on the R&B Albums chart. It sold more than a half million copies to be certified RIAA Gold. I had that album and it was terrific. Ms. Riperton had a terrific voice and an impeccable choice of song.
Most people remember “Lovin’ You” as that song with the really high vocals. Minnie Riperton had a large range and the vocals you remember from the bridge are in what’s called a whistle register. The whistle register is above the falsetto register and not one that all singers can hit. Minnie could, and for good effect.
By the way, if you listen all the way to the end of the song, you can hear Minnie chanting “Maya, Maya.” Yes, that’s for her daughter, who was just a toddler at the time it was recorded.
Unfortunately, Minnie Riperton’s success was short-lived. “Lovin’ You” was her only charting single and subsequent albums didn’t place near as high on the charts as her debut. Her career was cut short when she contracted breast cancer in 1976 and underwent a mastectomy. At that time she discovered that the cancer had spread to her lymphatic system. She continued to tour for awhile but passed away on July 12, 1979, aged 31. Daughter Maya Rudolph was just seven years old when she lost her mother.
One can only imagine what kind of career Minnie Riperton could have had, had she lived longer. Hers was a unique and uniquely special talent. As the words say, “Lovin’ you is easy ’cause you’re beautiful.”
