{{short description|1980 single by David Oliver}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2017}} {{Infobox song | name = Love T.K.O. | image = Love tko by teddy pendergrass side-a.png | caption = Side A of the US single | type = single | artist = Teddy Pendergrass | album = TP | B-side = I Just Called to Say | released = November 1980 | recorded = 1980 | genre = Soul | length = 4:58 <br />3:39 (single version) | label = Philadelphia International Records | writer = Cecil Womack<br />Gip Noble, Jr. | producer = Dexter Wansel, Cecil Womack, Cynthia Biggs | prev_title = Can't We Try | prev_year = 1980 | next_title = Two Hearts | next_year = 1981 }} {{Infobox song | name = Love T.K.O. | cover = | caption = David Oliver's version preceded Teddy Pendergrass in 1980. | type = single | artist = David Oliver | album = Here's To You | A-side = My Lady | released = 1980 | recorded = 1980 | genre = Soul | length = 4:36 | label = Mercury (45-76067) | writer = Cecil Womack<br />Gip Noble, Jr. | producer = Wayne Henderson | prev_title = Summer Love | prev_year = 1979 }}
"'''Love T.K.O.'''" is a song written by Cecil Womack and Gip Noble, Jr.<ref>{{cite web|title=secondhandsongs.com|url=https://www.https://secondhandsongs.com/work/21494|website=secondhandsongs.com|accessdate=January 7, 2021}}</ref> Standing for technical knockout, it was written for soul singer David Oliver, and appeared first on his album ''Here's to You'' in 1980. Cecil and Linda Womack recorded the song themselves as Womack & Womack and it appeared simply as "T.K.O." on their debut album ''Love Wars'' in 1983.<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r22182|pure_url=yes}}</ref>
==Teddy Pendergrass recording== "Love T.K.O." is mainly associated with R&B and soul artist Teddy Pendergrass, who recorded the song for his 1980 album ''TP'', releasing it as a single the same year. Arranged by Dexter Wansel, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 44 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.<ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=455}}</ref>
==Charts== ===Teddy Pendergrass version=== {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !Chart (1980) !Peak<br />position |- |US Billboard R&B |align="center"|2 |- |US Billboard Hot 100<ref>[https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=Love+T.K.O.+by+Teddy+Pendergrass&id=40646 US Charts]. ''MusicVF.com''. Retrieved March 3, 2020</ref> |align="center"|44 |}
===Regina Belle version=== Regina Belle recorded and released her version in 1995 and included on her Reachin' Back LP. {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !Chart (1995) !Peak<br />position |- |US Billboard R&B<ref name="billboard">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/regina-belle/chart-history/bsi/|title=Regina Belle US chart history|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=March 3, 2020}}</ref> |align="center"|29 |}
==Other recordings== "Love TKO" has been covered by several artists, including: *Deborah Harry *Hall & Oates *Bette Midler *Boz Scaggs *Lambchop *Michael McDonald *Seal *Fourplay *Womack & Womack (as just "T.K.O.") on their 1983 album ''Love Wars'' *Modern Man (Pittsburgh R&B/dance/cover band)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=love+tko&btnG=Google+Search |title=Google Search |access-date=2008-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020813214541/http://www.google.com/search?hl=en |archive-date=2002-08-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> *Tatsuro Yamashita on his 1999 album ''On the Street Corner 3''
==Samples== *In 1994, American rapper Ahmad sampled it for his hit single “Back in the Day ”. *In 1995, R&B group Xscape sampled it for their remix of "Who Can I Run To". *In 1996, the song was sampled by Kenny Lattimore on "I Won't Let You Down". *Total as well as featured in the 2015 motion picture ''Concussion''.
==Popular culture== *In 2006, Pendergrass' version of the song was featured in the popular video game ''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories'' on fictional radio station VCFL. *It was used in 2005 video game ''Fahrenheit'' (a.k.a. ''Indigo Prophecy''). *DJ Spooky referenced the song in his essay titled "Groove Theory" in ''URB''. *Artist Ahmad Lewis used the melody for a remix of his 1994 song "Back in the Day" from his self-titled album ''Ahmad''. *In 2025, Pendergrass’ version was used in an Air Jordan commercial about Jalen Hurts after the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory in Super Bowl LIX.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Teddy Pendergrass}} {{Regina Belle}}
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Category:1980 singles Category:Philadelphia International Records singles Category:Songs written by Cecil Womack Category:Teddy Pendergrass songs Category:1980 songs Category:Mercury Records singles Category:Regina Belle songs