History
Sylvia had originally hoped the song would be recorded by Al Green, who turned it down as he thought it was too risqué and against his religious beliefs. She eventually recorded "Pillow Talk" and released it in 1973. The drums on the recorded version seem to have been influenced by the productions of Willie Mitchell for Green.
"Pillow Talk" spent two weeks at number one on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and is an early example of prototypical disco music. The vocals are replete with moaning and heavy breathing, predating Donna Summer's orgasmic moans on 1975's "Love to Love You Baby". The drumming rhythm would reappear in 1985 on Kate Bush's "Running Up that Hill", then again in 1987 on Fleetwood Mac's "Big Love". In 1983, an Italo-Disco version of the song was released by Lustt. In 2006, R&B singer Miki Howard recorded a cover version for her album, Pillow Talk. Joss Stone covered the song on her 2012 album The Soul Sessions Vol. 2.
Read more about this topic: Pillow Talk (song)
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