Pure Love
Encyclopedia
"Pure Love" is a song made famous by country music
singer Ronnie Milsap
. Originally released in 1974, the song became Milsap's first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
chart in the late spring of the year. Although Milsap had two previous top 15 hits—"I Hate You" and "That Girl Who Waits on Tables," both 1973—"Pure Love" is largely credited as being his career-breaking hit.
The song also marked the first country chart-topping single by its writer, Eddie Rabbitt
, who had tasted previous success with 1970's "Kentucky Rain
" by Elvis Presley
. In the song, Rabbitt compares "pure love" to such things as milk, honey and the Cap'n Crunch
breakfast cereal, before pointing out that the love shared between the protagonist and his/her object of affection is "99 44/100 percent pure" (borrowing from the old Ivory soap advertising slogan).
Rabbitt would later record the song as the b-side to his 1975 single "Forgive and Forget."
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
. Originally released in 1974, the song became Milsap's first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart in the late spring of the year. Although Milsap had two previous top 15 hits—"I Hate You" and "That Girl Who Waits on Tables," both 1973—"Pure Love" is largely credited as being his career-breaking hit.
The song also marked the first country chart-topping single by its writer, Eddie Rabbitt
Eddie Rabbitt
Edward Thomas "Eddie" Rabbitt was an American singer-songwriter and musician. His career began as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after composing hits such as "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley in 1970 and "Pure Love" for Ronnie Milsap in 1974...
, who had tasted previous success with 1970's "Kentucky Rain
Kentucky Rain
"Kentucky Rain" was a 1970 hit song for Elvis Presley. Featuring then-unknown pianist Ronnie Milsap and written by Eddie Rabbitt and Dick Heard, the single peaked at number 16 on the pop charts....
" by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. In the song, Rabbitt compares "pure love" to such things as milk, honey and the Cap'n Crunch
Cap'n Crunch
Cap'n Crunch is a product line of sweetened corn and oat breakfast cereals introduced in 1963 and manufactured by Quaker Oats Company. Quaker Oats has been a division of PepsiCo since 2001. The product line is heralded by a cartoon mascot named Cap'n Crunch, a sea captain .-Development:Pamela Low,...
breakfast cereal, before pointing out that the love shared between the protagonist and his/her object of affection is "99 44/100 percent pure" (borrowing from the old Ivory soap advertising slogan).
Rabbitt would later record the song as the b-side to his 1975 single "Forgive and Forget."
Chart performance
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 2 |