What You Won't Do for Love (song)

Background and release

After gaining a reputation in Miami clubs as a talented musician, Caldwell was signed to an exclusive contract with TK Records in 1978 by TK Records president Henry Stone. Heading to the studio, Caldwell recorded his first album, which was given a redo after Stone felt the album was good but "didn't have a hit". Caldwell returned to the studio and came up with the final product, which included "What You Won't Do for Love". The song's horn arrangement was written and recorded by Miami arranger Mike Lewis. The song is in the key of F-sharp minor (although the pitch of the commercial track is slightly flat – i.e., below concert pitch – perhaps due to tape machine speed variation).

Caldwell wanted the song to be the sixth track on the album since he figured his debut album's second track, "My Flame", which featured him playing guitar, would be the hit. However, TK Records felt confident that "What You Won't Do for Love" would be the breakout hit. When it was released to R&B radio, TK Records did their best to hide Caldwell's racial identity, hoping not to alienate their predominantly African American audience. However, when Caldwell began making performances live onstage, demand only increased.

Chart performance

The song would become Caldwell's most successful single and also his signature song, reaching number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100, number six on the Hot Selling Soul Singles chart, and number ten on the Easy Listening chart. In Canada the song reached number 16 on the pop charts, and number 24 on the AOR charts.

According to the broadcast of American Top 40 for the week ending February 3, 1979, the week in which the song debuted at No. 38 on the Top 40, a heart-shaped pressing of the single was the most expensive single up to that point. The heart-shaped single was originally released as a promotional item only, but public demand led to 50,000 copies being pressed in time for Valentine's Day 1979 with a retail price of $7.98—about the price of a full LP album at the time.

After Caldwell's death on March 14, 2023, "What You Won't Do for Love" saw an increase in popularity. In the United Kingdom, the song charted at number 86 on the Singles Downloads Chart Top 100 on March 17, 2023.

Personnel

• Bobby Caldwell – lead and backing vocals, keyboards, bass guitar
• Benny Latimore – keyboards
• Alfons Kettner – guitar
• Harold Seay - drums
• Steve Mele – guitar

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Roy Ayers version

American jazz-funk composer and producer Roy Ayers released his version on his 1979 album No Stranger to Love.

Charts

Go West version

| B-side = "Masque of Love" (Schoolhouse mix)

• Bobby Caldwell
• Alfons Kettner English pop duo Go West recorded a version of "What You Won't Do for Love" on their third studio album, Indian Summer (1992), and released it as a single on January 4, 1993 by Chrysalis Records.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Boyz II Men version

Vocal R&B group Boyz II Men released a cover of the song on their 2004 album Throwback, Vol. 1, featuring rapper MC Lyte.

Charts

In popular culture

The song plays over the ending of the Black-ish episode "Love, Boat" to both punctuate a romantic scene as well as make reference to an earlier line in the episode where Dre recalls the time he comforted his mother after she learned Bobby Caldwell was white.

In 2024, the song gained a resurgence of popularity after a TikTok video was released with a video of chocolate-covered strawberries went viral. At that time, when it is edited, it received over 50 million likes and over 450 million views, making it one of the most liked TikTok videos. This caused the song to surge to number #1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for one week.

References

References

1. Molanphy, Chris. (July 31, 2021). "What a Fool Believes Edition". [[Slate (magazine).
2. Whitburn, Joel. (2004). "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004". Record Research.
3. "RPM Magazine - March 31, 1979 - page 7".
4. "RPM Magazine - April 28, 1979 - page 23".
5. "American Top 40," Week Ending February 3, 1979, replayed February 8, 2014, SiriusXM Radio
6. (17 March 2023). "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100 17 March 2023 - 23 March 2023".
7. (7 April 1979). "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada".
8. (4 May 1979). "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada".
9. ''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990'' - {{ISBN. 0-89820-089-X
10. [http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19790324.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, March 24, 1979]
11. (17 July 2013). "Top 100 Singles (1979)". [[RPM (magazine).
12. [http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1979.htm Musicoutfitters.com]
13. [http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1979YESP.html Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 29, 1979]
14. (December 26, 1992). "New Releases: Singles".
15. "Go West ARIA chart history complete to 2024". ARIA.
16. (February 6, 1993). "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles".
17. (February 13, 1993). "EHR Top 40".
18. (February 18, 1993). "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (19.–25. febrúar)". [[DV (newspaper).
19. (February 6, 1993). "Top 50 Airplay Chart".
20. ''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990'' - {{ISBN. 0-89820-089-X
21. Whitburn, Joel. (1993). "Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993". Record Research.
22. (May 1, 1993). "Top 100 Pop Singles".
23. (17 July 2013). "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". [[Library and Archives Canada]].
24. (17 July 2013). "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". [[Library and Archives Canada]].
25. (December 25, 1993). "The Year in Music 1993".
26. Whitburn, Joel. (1993). "Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993". Record Research.
27. (2024-02-23). "This video of chocolate-covered strawberries has gone mega-viral — but why?".
28. Rutherford, Kevin. (2024-02-22). "Bobby Caldwell Rides Food Trend to No. 1 on TikTok Billboard Top 50".