This Top 10 Barry White Songs list presents 10 classic Barry White Songs that anyone growing up in the 1970s would recognize immediately. Barry White stands as one of the most successful solo artists in music history. The man earned twenty gold records and multiple Grammy awards throughout his career. His low voice that graced the openings of so many of his songs with his passionate spoken words and delivery of messages of love was his distinctive trademark.
Barry White could sing with such soul and passion that he earned the love of millions. Barry White was also a brilliant musician, songwriter, and producer. Most of his output was composed and produced by himself. With multiple number one records and a body of outstanding work, it was tough to just choose ten Barry White songs to present here in this article. We hope you enjoy our selections and encourage you to check out the rest of Barry White’s outstanding catalog.
# 10 – Man Ain’t Nothing
We open up our Top 10 Barry White Songs list with a bit of nostalgia. Presented here is Barry White’s first solo single release of his career. The song “Man Ain’t Nothing,” was released in 1966 as a single only on Downey Records. Barry White released the song under the name Lee Barry. The man sounds great on this soulful ballad. It’s ‘s just so interesting to hear this when comparing it to his big time 1970s records.
# 9 – Super Lover
Continuing with our Top 10 Barry White songs, we present Barry White’s late 80s style. The song “Super Lover,” was released in 1989 on the album entitled The Man Is Back! It’s Barry White with a Janet Jackson style backing track.
# 8 – Practice What You Preach
There it is, that deep voice, those spoken words setting it all up. This is a great one! The song “Practice What You Preach,” was released on the album The Icon Is Love. Barry White was back. For the first time since the 1970s, Barry White had another number one single on his hands as “Practice What You Preach,” hit number one on the Billboard R&B charts in 1994. The album was also nominated for a Grammy Award. The song “Practice What You Preach,” was written by Barry White, Gerald Levert and Edwin Nicholas.
# 7 – Let The Music Play
Barry White’s classic “Let The Music Play,” starts out not just with that traditional dialogue at the start but he adds some characters to the introduction. “Hey, what’s going on man? Yeah, she’s at home.” Oh, that does hurt. It just feels so real when he says it. Barry White’s “Let The Music Play,” is one of his best. The song stood as the title track to his 1976 album Let The Music Play. The track mixes a wonderful blend of R&B, soul, and disco. The song became a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
# 6 – It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me
Barry White’s “It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me,” was released right in the middle of the Disco era. The song was issued on the album Barry White Sings for Someone You Love. Fueled with a to die for bass groove, some killer horns, sultry strings and of course, Barry White’s legendary voice, “It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me,” remains one of the hallmarks of the Disco era.
# 5 – I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby
Breaking into the second half of our top 10 Barry White songs list we present the track “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby.” The opening on this one is pretty hot! If you’re trying to set the mood right with your lady or man, putting this song on will surely help you out. “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby” was a first for Barry White on many fronts. It was Barry White’s first charting single. It was his first record to break the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10 as the song peaked all the way up to number three.
It was also his first number one record as “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby” hit number one on the Billboard R&B charts on 1973. It would also become Barry White’s first Gold Record. In very simple terms, the song “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby” is the one that put Barry White on the map and into the living room and bedrooms of many soon to become adoring fans.
The song was released on Barry White’s first album entitled I’ve Got So Much to Give. The album was released in 1973. It was the first of three singles released from the album. The song “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby” was written by Barry White.
# 4 – Never Gonna Give You Up
Barr White’s follow up to his debut album was a record entitled Stone Gon’. The first single released from the album was the song below titled “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Barry White proved he was no one hit wonder with this gorgeous single. The song broke the Billboard Hot 100’s top ten in 1974. It was also a top 10 hit on the Billboard R&B Charts. Twenty three years later. Lisa Stanfield recorded the song and landed a number one single on the Billboard Dance charts in 1997 with her version of Barry White’s great song “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
# 3 – Love Theme
At number three on our top 10 Barry White songs list is the great instrumental entitled “Love Theme.” The song was recorded and released by The Love Unlimited Orchestra which was Barry White’s backing group. A 40-piece orchestra is quite a backing group. “Love Theme,” would hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It is very difficult for any artist to score a number one record. However, scoring a number one record with an instrumental is even more rare and also a very significant achievement. The song was written by Barry White.
# 2 – You’re the First, the Last, My Everything
In 1974, it was rare to put on the radio and not hear this one playing as you strolled through the channels. Barry White’s “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything,” was a huge hit that year. The song just missed hitting number one as Elton John’s hit remake of The Beatles “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” would not give up the number one spot. Nonetheless, the song did hit number one on the U.S. Billboard R&B Charts. The song sold well earning Barry White another Gold Record.
# 1 – Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe
We close out our top 10 Barry White songs list with the man’s most successful hit song of his career. Barry White’s song “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” was released on the album Can’t Get Enough in the summer of 1974. The song hit number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard R&B charts in 1974.
The song was written by Barry White who also produced the single and entire album. The song was covered in the early 1990s by Long Island singer Taylor Dayne who also had a hit with the song. Over the years, Barry White’s original version of “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” has infiltrated pop culture making appearances in multiple motion pictures and television shows.
Feature Photo at the top of the page -Photo: Fotograaf Onbekend / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Updated September 23, 2023
Top 10 Barry White Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me is, obviously, patterned after Love Hangover by Diana Ross. It starts out the same, goes into the disco middle and ends…all three exactly like Love Hangover…which only goes to show, Ross started it, big time, with Love Hangover, and the rest of the Industry played catch-up.