Following hot on the heels of “Le Freak,” “I Want Your Love” was the second single from Chic’s second album, C’est Chic. Initially written for Sister Sledge, the song eschews the usual “dance/party” disco themes for the deeper topic of love and longing. From Nile Rodgers’ excellent memoir:

“I'd soon break up with my wonderful girlfriend Nefertiti, after I'd fallen hook, line, and sinker for her best friend, Michelle. I even dreamt the entire Chic song ‘I Want Your Love’ while lusting after Michelle in my slumber.”

I mean, it’s Chic, so I could go on forever about great moments, but this particular one repeats throughout the song: the horn stab between the second “I want” and “your love” in the chorus.

Honestly? Because it’s there. If the arrangement didn’t have that horn stab, you probably wouldn’t have missed it, and the song still would have been a top ten hit. But it IS there, and textural details like that are what made Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards masterful writers, arrangers, and producers.

Music video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpuPCcw-cDU

Full album version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBMYzO0Fv4M

BONUS BREAKDOWN:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTSXF1tDL/