Another Sad Love Song

"Another Sad Love Song" is a song by American singer-songwriter Toni Braxton. Written and produced by Daryl Simmons and Babyface, featuring additional production from L.A. Reid, it was released as the lead single from Braxton's self-titled debut album on June 29, 1993. The song fused R&B, pop, and new jack swing music with flourishes of downtempo and hip hop music. Lyrically, "Another Sad Love Song" talks about Braxton complaining that every song played on the radio is a reminder of her ex-boyfriend.

"Another Sad Love Song"
Single by Toni Braxton
from the album Toni Braxton
ReleasedJune 29, 1993
Recorded1992
Genre
Length5:01
LabelLaFace
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Toni Braxton singles chronology
"Love Shoulda Brought You Home"
(1992)		 "Another Sad Love Song"
(1993)		 "Breathe Again"
(1993)
Music video
"Another Sad Love Song" on YouTube

"Another Sad Love Song" received widespread acclaim from music critics and earned Braxton her first-ever Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards. It proved to be a success, giving Braxton her first top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary, while narrowly missing the top position of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs by peaking at number two. Internationally, the song reached the top twenty in Canada and the United Kingdom, the top thirty in Iceland and the Netherlands, and the top forty in Scotland and on a composite Eurochart Hot 100.

Three different music videos for the song were produced. The first version was filmed in 1992 in black-and-white and featured the original music. The second version was filmed in May 1993 and was shown in color with exterior scenes from the first version. The third version was remixed to appeal to a wider audiences and was primarily shown in Europe. "Another Sad Love Song" has been performed at most of Braxton's concerts, and is featured on many of her greatest hits collections, including Ultimate Toni Braxton (2003), Platinum & Gold Collection (2004), The Essential Toni Braxton (2007) and Breathe Again: The Best of Toni Braxton (2009).[1]

Background and composition

After releasing her first solo single, "Love Shoulda Brought You Home", in 1992, as the soundtrack of the film Boomerang, which became her first top-forty on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Braxton released "Another Sad Love Song" as the lead-single from her self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton, on June 28, 1993.[2] According to Braxton, the song is a take-off of "Love Shoulda Brought You Home".

"Another Sad Love Song" was written and produced by Babyface and Daryl Simmons, with L.A. Reid also producing it.[1] Lyrically, "Another Sad Love Song" talks about Braxton complaining that every song played on the radio is a reminder of her ex-boyfriend. In the chorus, she sings, "It’s just another sad love song/Rackin’ my brain like crazy/Guess I’m all torn up/Be it fast or slow/It doesn’t let go/Or shake me/And it’s all because of you."[3]

Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from the majority of the music critics. Ron Wynn of Allmusic picked it as a highlight from the album, writing that "Braxton's husky, enticing voice sounds hypnotic on the dismayed track."[4] Daryl Easlea of BBC Music praised that the it "showed how well an accomplished production team could perform when married with a superior vocalist."[5] Larry Flick from Billboard commented, "Braxton cleanly proves herself as a future diva on this slow and rhythmic urban ballad". He added, "The cool thing about Toni is that she's clearly not afraid to get vocally raw and raspy, even when the instrumentation is as smooth as it is here. That kind of edge places this already delicious jam head-and-shoulders above the ever-crowded competitive ranks."[6] Mitchell May of Chicago Tribune was very positive, writing that on the track, "the ache in her voice is all too real."[7] Dave Sholin from Gavin Report described it as "another L.A., Babyface and Daryl Simmons masterpiece by an artist with a great future".[8] Connie Johnson of Los Angeles Times praised Braxton for "going to town on the soul-infused track."[9] People Magazine called its intro "coiling, almost eerie", "bolstered by her full-throated alto."[10] John McAlley of Rolling Stone was extremely positive, writing that, "Another Sad Love Song – with its dynamic vocal, gargantuan hook and clever song-with-in-a-song lyric – surely ranks with 'End of the Road,' 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' and 'Every Little Step' as one of LaFace's greatest triumphs." McAlley also wrote the song "reinforces Braxton's lovelorn persona, as do several other midtempo ballads that L.A., Babyface and Daryl Simmons have front-loaded into Toni Braxton."[11]

"Another Sad Love Song" became Braxton's first song to receive a Grammy Award nomination in 1994, for the category "Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female", ultimately winning the award.[12]

Chart performance

"Another Sad Love Song" became Braxton's first top-ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number seven. It was also the peak position on the Pop Songs chart, while on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the song reached higher, peaking at number 2.[12] The single sold 500,000 copies domestically, earning a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.[13][14] In 1993, the song charted on the UK Singles Chart, reaching a peak of number 51, on September 18. However, in 1994, the song peaked at number 15, becoming its official peak position, on April 2.[15] Elsewhere, the song performed modestly, reaching number 23 on the Dutch Top 40 chart[16] and number 44 on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[17]

Music video
Braxton in the video, singing the song, while rain is falling down her window.

The music video was released in three different versions. The first version was directed by Antoine Fuqua and filmed in 1992 in black-and-white and featured the original music.[18] The second version was directed by Fuqua and Ralph Ziman and filmed in May 1993 and was shown in color with exterior scenes from the first version.[19] The third version was remixed to appeal to a wider audiences and was primarily shown in Europe.[20]

On her DVD, "From Toni with Love... The Video Collection", two versions of the video are also featured: the "black and white" and the "colorful version".[21] Braxton commented that she "was really feeling the song, because I was ending a relationship," she said.[21] Cover Version in 1994, Hong Kong singer Sally Yeh covered this song in Cantonese.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[41] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Another Sad Love Song - Toni Braxton | Allmusic". Allmusic. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  2. "Another Sad Love Song [CD Single]". Allmusic. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  3. "Single Review: Toni Braxton "Another Sad Love Song"". Bland Is Out There. September 14, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  4. Wynn, Ron. Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  5. Easlea, Daryl (2010). "BBC - Music - Review of Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton". BBC Music. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  6. Flick, Larry (July 17, 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 106. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  7. May, Mitchell (October 7, 1993). "Toni Braxton Toni Braxton (LaFace)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2013-04-08.
  8. Sholin, Dave (July 23, 1993). "Gavin Picks: Albums" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 50. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  9. Johnson, Connie (September 5, 1993). "Record Rack / In Brief (Toni Braxton, "Toni Braxton")". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  10. "Picks and Pans Review: Toni Braxton". People Magazine. August 23, 1993. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  11. McAlley, John (November 25, 1993). "Toni Braxton: Toni Braxton : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-07-09. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  12. "Toni Braxton > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  13. "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard. BPI Communications. 106 (3): 73. January 15, 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  14. "American certifications – Braxton, Toni – Another Sad Love Song". Recording Industry Association of America.
  15. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21–1994". Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved 2009-10-18.
  17. "Charts.nz – Toni Braxton – Another Sad Love Song". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  18. "Toni Braxton - Another Sad Love Song". YouTube. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  19. "Toni Braxton - Another Sad Love Song (Int'l Version)". YouTube. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  20. "Toni Braxton - Another Sad Love Song (Remix)". YouTube. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  21. "From Toni With Love...The Video Collection - Sony Music Entertainment Germany". Sony Music. Archived from the original on December 5, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  22. "Toni Braxton - Another Sad Love Song (UK CD)". Discogs. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  23. "Toni Braxton - Another Sad Love Song Collectors EP". Discogs. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  24. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  25. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2270." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  26. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2298." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  27. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. May 7, 1994. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  28. "Offiziellecharts.de – Toni Braxton – Another Sad Love Song". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  29. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (28.10.1993 - 03.11.1993)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  30. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  31. "Dutchcharts.nl – Toni Braxton – Another Sad Love Song" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  32. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  33. "Toni Braxton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  34. "Toni Braxton Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  35. "Toni Braxton Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  36. "Toni Braxton Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  37. "Toni Braxton Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  39. "Billboard Top 100 - 1993". Archived from the original on 2006-11-10. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  40. "Jaarlijsten 1994" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  41. "American single certifications – Toni Braxton – Another Sad Love Song". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 25, 2017. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.