In the fall of 1994, the music industry was obsessed with grunge and West Coast rap. Then came Luther. He didn't care about trends. He cared about the "Velvet Voice." When he dropped his album Songs, it was basically a love letter to the records he grew up with. But the opening track, a cover of Stephen Stills' Love the One You're With, caught everyone off guard.
It wasn't a folk-rock anthem anymore. Not even close.
Luther Vandross took a hippie-era philosophy and turned it into a sophisticated, gospel-infused R&B masterclass. Some critics at the time, like Dennis Hunt from the Los Angeles Times, actually found it a bit "leaden." They missed the point. Honestly, Luther wasn't trying to recreate the 1970 original. He was trying to "urbanize" it, as the Gavin Report aptly noted. He took the grit of Stephen Stills and replaced it with the satin finish of a man who spent his early years backing up David Bowie and Bette Midler.
The Story Behind the Reimagining
Most people think of this song and see Stephen Stills playing a steel drum. You know the vibe—it's very "free love" and 1970s sunshine. But the phrase itself actually came from Billy Preston. Stills "pinched" the line at a party. When Luther got his hands on it for his ninth studio album, he wasn't looking for a beach party. He was looking for a choir.
He brought in the heavy hitters. We’re talking:
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- Lisa Fischer (a legend in her own right)
- Tawatha Agee
- Jim Gilstrap
The arrangement, produced by Walter Afanasieff—the same guy who helped Mariah Carey conquer the world—is dense. It’s got these block synth chords and a rhythm that feels almost like a New Orleans second-line march, but polished for a New York penthouse. It’s funky, but in that "expensive" way only Luther could pull off.
A Grammy Nomination Before It Was Even a Single
Here’s a fun fact most people forget: Love the One You're With earned Luther a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1995 before it was even officially released as a single. Think about that. The industry heard the album track and immediately knew it was special.
It peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. It did even better in the UK, hitting the top 10 on their R&B charts. But the charts don't really tell the whole story. The song became a staple of his live shows. If you've ever seen the Always and Forever concert at the Royal Albert Hall, you've seen the definitive version. He stretches it. He plays with the "Love the one, love the one" refrain until the audience is basically in a trance.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Lyrics
There’s this weird misconception that the song is purely about being unfaithful or settling. "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with." It sounds a bit cynical, right?
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But Luther sang it with such joy. To him, it felt more like a celebration of the present moment. It was about finding the beauty in who is standing right in front of you. Given how private Luther was about his own love life—and the loneliness many of his biographers, like Dawn Porter, have pointed out—there’s a bit of irony there. He was the king of romance who often went home to an empty house. When he sings this song, it feels less like a pick-up line and more like a directive to himself to find happiness wherever he could.
The music video reinforces this. It’s shot in stark black and white. It’s elegant. There are no gimmicks. It’s just Luther and the music. It stripped away the "hippie" baggage of the 1970s and made the sentiment timeless.
The Technical Brilliance
Let's talk shop for a second. Luther’s vocal control on this track is ridiculous.
He starts in that signature mid-range that feels like warm honey. Then, as the gospel choir kicks in, he starts to push. He doesn't scream. Luther never screamed. He propelled his voice. He used these intricate "runs" that contemporary singers still try to copy today. The way he interacts with the background singers isn't just a lead-and-response; it’s a conversation. He was a background singer first, so he knew exactly how to weave his lead vocal into the tapestry of the group.
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The production by Afanasieff is a bit "90s" in its drum programming—I'll admit that. But those live-sounding flourishes and the sheer wall of vocal talent make it hold up better than most R&B from 1994.
Why You Should Listen to It Again Today
If you haven't heard it in a while, go back and listen to the five-minute album version, not the radio edit. Pay attention to the bridge.
The way he handles the line "There’s a rose in a fisted glove" is pure Vandross. He finds the softness in a hard metaphor. In 2026, music often feels over-processed or, frankly, a bit thin. Luther’s version of Love the One You're With is the opposite. It is maximalist soul.
Next Steps for the Luther Fan:
- Watch the Royal Albert Hall performance. It’s on YouTube. The chemistry between Luther and Lisa Fischer is better than most romantic movies.
- Compare the Isley Brothers version. If you want to see how this song became a "Black music" staple, listen to the Isleys' 1971 cover. It’s the bridge between Stills and Vandross.
- Check out the "Songs" album credits. Look at the sheer number of legends who played on that record. It was the end of an era for big-budget, high-concept cover albums.
Luther didn't just sing songs. He inhabited them. He took a folk-rock hit and gave it a soul that will probably outlast us all.