Sea of Love (song)
"Sea of Love" is a song written by Philip Baptiste and George Khoury. It was the only top-40 chart song for Phillips, who never recorded another hit.
Background
Baptiste, who was working as a bellboy in Lake Charles, Louisiana, wrote "Sea of Love" for a love interest. He was introduced to local record producer George Khoury, who brought Baptiste into his studio to record the song. At Khoury's request, Baptiste took the stage name of Phil Phillips. The song, originally credited to Phil Phillips with The Twilights, was released on a small record label owned by Khoury, but due to its success was eventually leased to Mercury Records. Despite the song's success, Phillips claims that he has only ever received US$6,800 for recording it.Chart performance
Phil Phillips' 1959 recording of the song peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. "The Three Bells" by The Browns kept it from the No.1 spot. In 1959 it sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.Cover versions
The song has been covered by a number of artists since the first 1959 recording:- Later in 1959, in the UK, Marty Wilde covered the song, his version peaked at No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart. The original Phil Phillips' version failed to chart there. This version is also featured in Chanel No. 5: La Star ad.
- This song is a Heptones classic, from the album On Top and recorded at Studio One.
- The Guess Who released a version of the song on their 1972 album, Rockin, although on the album the song is incorrectly credited to Don McGinnis. In this version the song is played in the background while a spoken conversation takes place in the foreground.
- Kevin Coyne included a cover of the song as a bonus track on some release versions of his 1973 album Marjory Razorblade.
- The song was also covered by Iggy Pop in 1981 from his Party album.
- in 1981, "Sea of Love" made the Top 40 once again when Del Shannon took his version to No. 33 on the Hot 100.
- In 1981 Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber covered the song on their The Holy Modal Rounders album Going Nowhere Fast.
- Robert Plant's Honeydrippers did a cover of this song in 1984, on '. This version went on to reach No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1985 and No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart in 1984.
- Tom Waits gave the song a darker twist for the soundtrack to Harold Becker's film of the same name in 1989, and Waits included it on his 2006 collection .
- Fingerstyle guitarist John Fahey covered the song on his 1992 album Old Girlfriends and Other Horrible Memories.
- In 1990, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole did a cover of this song on his Ka'Ano'I album.
- Cat Power recorded it in 2000 on her album The Covers Record. The 2007 film Juno featured her version in its soundtrack.
- Tony Hadley covered the song on his 2006 album Passing Strangers''.
Chart history
Weekly charts
;Phil Phillips| Chart | Peak position |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| US Billboard R&B | 1 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 2 |
;Marty Wilde
| Chart | Peak position |
| UK | 3 |
;Del Shannon
| Chart | Peak position |
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary | 28 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 33 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary | 36 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 33 |
;The Honeydrippers
| Chart | Peak position |
| Australia | 5 |
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles | 4 |
| - | |
| UK | 56 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 3 |
;Phil Phillips & the Twilights/Marty Wilde
| Chart | Peak position |
| UK | 100 |
Year-end charts
In popular culture
- The song shares a title with, and features prominently in the plot-line of, the 1989 Harold Becker film Sea of Love starring Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin.
- The song was featured at the end of an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Future-Drama" in 2005. It also can be heard in the 2008 episode "The Burns and the Bees".
- Kraken Rum began using Sea of Love in commercials in 2014