About The Song
“A Very Special Love Song” is a country ballad single by American singer Charlie Rich, released in January 1974 by Epic Records. Written by producer Billy Sherrill and songwriter Norro Wilson, the duo who had previously penned Rich’s 1973 crossover smash “The Most Beautiful Girl,” the track was issued as the follow-up single to that hit. The song draws musical inspiration from Michel Legrand’s “The Summer Knows,” the theme from the 1971 film Summer of ’42, with Sherrill adapting its melody into a countrypolitan framework. Rich’s version clocks in at 2:58 and features his signature smooth baritone delivery, layered over lush orchestral arrangements typical of Nashville’s mid-1970s sound.
The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 62 in late February 1974, propelled by crossover airplay from both pop and country stations. It steadily ascended, entering the Top 20 by mid-March and reaching its peak position of No. 11 during the week of April 6, 1974, where it held for two weeks before descending. The track spent a total of 15 weeks on the Hot 100. On the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, it performed even stronger, debuting at No. 58 in early March and topping the chart for three consecutive weeks starting May 18, 1974, marking Rich’s fifth No. 1 country hit. It remained on the country chart for 16 weeks. Additionally, “A Very Special Love Song” dominated the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, spending two weeks at No. 1 beginning in April 1974, securing Rich’s second AC chart-topper after “The Most Beautiful Girl.”
Recording took place in late 1973 at Columbia Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, under Sherrill’s production helm. As Epic’s staff producer, Sherrill assembled a core group of session musicians known as the “Nashville A-Team,” including steel guitarist Pete Drake, fiddler Buddy Spicher, and pianist Hargus “Pig” Robbins. The arrangement emphasized sweeping strings orchestrated by Bergen White, gentle acoustic guitar strums, and subtle pedal steel swells that underscored the song’s romantic introspection. Rich handled lead vocals with minimal overdubs, his phrasing drawing on jazz influences from his earlier career. Background harmonies were provided by The Jordanaires, adding a gospel-tinged warmth. The B-side, “Peace on You,” a mid-tempo original by Sherrill and Wilson, did not chart independently but complemented the A-side’s theme of devotion.
The single was rush-released to capitalize on the momentum from “The Most Beautiful Girl,” which had topped both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles charts in December 1973. Epic Records, a Columbia subsidiary that signed Rich in 1971 after his stints at Sun, Phillips International, and RCA, promoted it through trade ads in Billboard and Cashbox, highlighting Rich’s crossover potential. Distribution reached over 500,000 copies in initial U.S. shipments, with international licensing via CBS for markets like the UK, where it peaked at No. 9 on the Singles Chart in June 1974. In Canada, it hit No. 2 on the RPM Top Singles and No. 1 on the Country chart, while Australia’s Kent Music Report placed it at No. 14.
The accompanying album, Very Special Love Songs, was released on February 25, 1974, and debuted at No. 41 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. It climbed to No. 4 overall, spending 37 weeks on the list and earning gold certification from the RIAA for 500,000 units sold. The LP featured 10 tracks, including covers like David Gates’ “If” and Kris Kristofferson’s “Why, Oh Why,” alongside originals such as “A Field of Yellow Daisies.” Produced entirely by Sherrill, the album showcased Rich’s versatility, blending ballads with uptempo numbers, and was nominated for Album of the Year at the 1974 Country Music Association Awards, which Rich ultimately won as Entertainer of the Year.
From a technical perspective, the mono single mix prioritized vocal intimacy on AM radio, while the stereo LP version expanded the soundstage with panned strings and reverb on the pedal steel. Mastered at 45 RPM, the pressing used Epic’s distinctive red-and-gold label design. Sales figures exceeded 1 million units globally by mid-1974, contributing to Rich’s streak of five No. 1 country hits that year. The track’s structure follows a verse-verse-bridge format, with a key modulation in the final chorus for dramatic lift, adhering to countrypolitan conventions of the era.
Reissues have preserved the original recording on compilations like Epic/Legacy’s 1999 Charlie Rich: 16 Biggest Hits and the 2011 box set The Essential Charlie Rich. Covers include a 1974 rendition by Swedish country artist Kikki Danielsson on her album Shine and a 2005 version by American bluegrass outfit IIIrd Tyme Out. The single’s 7-inch vinyl remains collectible, with first pressings valued for their gatefold sleeve featuring Rich in a tailored suit. In archival releases, the session tapes reveal outtakes where Rich experimented with scatting, nodding to his jazz roots from Air Force band days in the 1950s.
During promotion, Rich performed the song on network TV, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in March 1974 and the Grand Ole Opry in May, often backed by his touring band featuring wife Margaret Ann on piano. Epic’s strategy emphasized AC radio playlists, leading to over 200,000 additional sales from that format alone. The song’s melody, borrowed from Legrand, was legally cleared through BMI publishing, with royalties split among ASCAP affiliates. By 1975, it had been licensed for inclusion in the film soundtrack Benji, though not featured prominently.
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Lyric
[Verse 1]
Babe, somewhere I know I’m gonna find it, babe
It’ll have my love behind it
And it will be a symphony of all you mean to me
A very special love song[Verse 2]
And babe, if there’s a way you know I’m gonna say it, babe
If there’s a melody, I’ll play it
And I’ll play it through, especially for you
And all the words are true
A very special love song[Verse 3]
So don’t be surprised if you’re sittin’ alone and you hear it
‘Cause I’m gonna sing it to the whole big lonely world
So turn your radio way down low and get near it
And I’ll tell the world, I love you girl[Verse 4]
Babe, if there’s an ounce of love, I’m gonna give it to you, babe
If there’s a breath of life, I’m gonna live it
Every day for you and all the whole night through
Singin’ just for you
A very special love song, for you