Song of the Week – I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know, Blood Sweat & Tears

Ignored           Obscured            Restored

“I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know” is my favorite song from one of my favorite albums – Child is Father to the Man by Blood Sweat & Tears.  Child… is the first BS&T album from the time that Al Kooper led the band.  But he was one and done with the band he founded.

A blues in 6/8 time (I’ve never met a song in 6/8 that I didn’t love), ILYMTYEK packs an emotional punch – both lyrically and musically.

If I ever leave you… you can say I told you so
And if I ever hurt you, baby … you know I hurt myself as well

Is that any way for a man to carry on
Do you think he wants his little loved one gone
I love you
More than you’ll ever know

Steve Katz’s guitar tone in the opening riff is perfect!  And those horns!!!  The arrangement is beautiful, especially in the modulated bridge where they build to an emotional peak.  Then there’s that sax solo by Fred Lipsius.  Magnificent!

In his autobiography, Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards, Kooper claimed that he was attempting to channel Otis Redding when he cut the vocal.  Not known as a great singer, he pulls off a gem on this one.  Although his voice is straining at the cut’s climax, it only adds to the sense of pain he’s struggling to convey.

The great Donny Hathaway laid down a wonderful cover version of ILYMTYEK that’s worth tracking down.

Enjoy… until next week.

2 thoughts on “Song of the Week – I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know, Blood Sweat & Tears

  1. I’ve posted about a few other tracks from this album on the site here. It’s a great record with a crazy sound but fantastic songs that don’t quit. And so telling about the personel changes from album one to album two means something.

    But this clip from 1970 is something else. Watch it.

    https://youtu.be/DgHnqTmKhoc

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