Sea of Love (song)
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“Sea of Love”
"Sea of Love" sheet music
Song by Phil Phillips
Published	1959
Released	1959
Recorded	1959
Genre	rock and roll, pop, rhythm and blues
Length	2:30
Label	Mercury Records
Writer	Phil Phillips, George Khoury
Composer	Phil Phillips, George Khoury

"Sea of Love" is a song written by John Phillip Baptiste (aka Phil Phillips) and George Khoury. Phillips' 1959 recording of the song peaked at #1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, Marty Wilde covered the song, and Phillips' version failed to chart there. It was the first and only top 40 chart song for Phillips, who never recorded another hit.¹

The song has been covered by a number of artists since then, most notably by The Honeydrippers, whose version (from the album The Honeydrippers: Volume One) reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the adult contemporary chart in 1984. Tom Waits gave the song a darker twist for the soundtrack to the 1989 Harold Becker film Sea of Love starring Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin and Tom Waits included it on his 2006 collection Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards.

Background

Baptiste, who was working as a bellboy in Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA, 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.¹

Usage in film and television

The song was the subject of the 1989 Harold Becker film Sea of Love starring Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin. The 2007 film, Juno, features a cover version of the song by Cat Power in its soundtrack. The song was featured at the end of an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Future-Drama" in 2005. A skipping record of the song is played during a scene in the 2000 film Frequency.

Cover versions

• Marty Wilde (1959); reached No 3 in the UK charts. This version was engineered by British record producer Joe Meek.
• The Heptones; available on On Top (Studio One, 1968)
• Kevin Coyne; available on re-release of "Marjory Razorblade" (1973)
• The Persuasions (2:27); available on Live In The Whispering Gallery (1976)
• Iggy Pop (3:37); available on Party (1981)
• Del Shannon (2:36); available on Drop Down And Get Me (1982)
• The Honeydrippers (3:03); available on Volume One (1984)
• Shakin' Stevens (3:12) ; Available on A Whole Lotta Shaky (1988)
• Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (3:05); available on Ka 'Ano'i (1990)
• John Fahey (2:08); available on Old Girlfriends and Other Horrible Memories (1992)
• The Fire Ants; available on the Stripped EP (Dekema, 1993)
• Horace Andy; available on "Wicked Dem a Burn: Best of Horace Andy" (2001)
• Cat Power (2:19); available on The Covers Record (2000)
• Robert Plant (3:04); available on Sixty Six to Timbuktu (2003)
• Tom Waits (3:43); available on Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards (2006)
• Cat Power (2:23); available on Music from the Motion Picture Juno (2007)
• Jim & Shirley (3:07); Tareco 1001, B-side of 45 rpm single, Country Girl, I Miss You

U.S. chart succession

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Hamilton, Andrew (undated). "Phil Phillips Biography". allmusic/Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-04-13.

See also

• One-hit wonders in the United States