"My Love" is a R&B song written by American singer-songwriter Kenny Greene

Kenny Greene

Kenny Greene was an Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter who was also a member of the R&B group Intro.-Career:...

, and record producer Dave Hall

Dave Hall (record producer)

David "Dave" Hall is a record producer. He is famous for working on Mary J. Blige's debut album What's the 411? ; with Madonna, co-writing and co-producing several tracks from her 1994 album Bedtime Stories, including the single "Human Nature," for working with R&B harmony group Brownstone, and for...

, and was produced by Hall. The song is performed by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige

Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...

 off of her debut album, What's the 411?

What's the 411?

What's the 411? is the debut album by American recording artist Mary J. Blige, released July 28, 1992. Upon being signed to Uptown Records, she began working with record producer Puff Daddy. The album spawned six singles, including "You Remind Me" and "Real Love".What's the 411? peaked at number...

(1992).

Lyrics and composition

"My Love" is a R&B/hip-hop song written by Kenny Greene

Kenny Greene

Kenny Greene was an Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter who was also a member of the R&B group Intro.-Career:...

, with production by record producer Dave Hall

Dave Hall (record producer)

David "Dave" Hall is a record producer. He is famous for working on Mary J. Blige's debut album What's the 411? ; with Madonna, co-writing and co-producing several tracks from her 1994 album Bedtime Stories, including the single "Human Nature," for working with R&B harmony group Brownstone, and for...

, the song's co-writer and producer. "My Love" contains uses of synthseziers and beats that heavily resemble the new jack swing

New jack swing

New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...

 music of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The lyrics talks about the protagonist's relationship with her lover, after a failed relationship, after she leaves her lover to wonder "what you're gonna do without my love?".

Main version

The original version contains the original lyrics, and is featured on Blige's debut album

What's the 411?

What's the 411? is the debut album by American recording artist Mary J. Blige, released July 28, 1992. Upon being signed to Uptown Records, she began working with record producer Puff Daddy. The album spawned six singles, including "You Remind Me" and "Real Love".What's the 411? peaked at number...

.

Alternate versions

The second, which actually does not contain the original lyrics, and was released a promotional single in 1994

1994 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....

 features background vocals from Teddy Riley on the vocoder

Vocoder

A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...

, portraying a male lover, alongside a Blige vocal loop repeating the line "Now that my love is gone away from you". Under the title "My Love (Mary and TR Mix)".

And the third version runs over 7 minutes contains an alternate version, with the original lyrics, and a guest rap by Heavy D. This one is found on her Remix album

What's the 411? Remix

-Chart performance:- References :...

. The beat used for the third version would become the main beat in SWV

SWV

Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....

's "Right Here/Human Nature" the same year, which samples Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

's top ten hit, "Human Nature

Human Nature (Michael Jackson song)

"Human Nature" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was written and composed by Steve Porcaro and John Bettis, and produced by Quincy Jones. It is the fifth single from the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller . Initially, Porcaro had recorded a rough demo of the song on a...

".

Chart performance

The song peaked at #23 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...

 and at #29 on the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

, in 1994, becoming her second single to reach the Top 40 in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, the first being "You Don't Have to Worry

You Don't Have to Worry (Mary J. Blige song)

"You Don't Have to Worry" is a hip hop soul–R&B song written by American songwriters Kenny Greene, Edward Ferrell, Darrin Whittington and Kevin Kornegay and produced by rapper Craig Mack, and performed by American singer Mary J...

", which reached #36 on the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

 in 1993.

Formats and track listings

CD Single & 12" Vinyl #1

1. "My Love" (Radio Version) - 3:56
2. "My Love" (On Da Street) - 6:35
3. "Reminisce" (Uno Clio Mix) - 6:14
4. "Reminisce" (Sure Is Pure Dub Two) - 7:16

12" Vinyl - #2

1. "My Love" (Album Version) - 4:11
2. "Reminisce" (D & D Dub) - 6:20
3. "Reminisce" (S.D.A. Dub)
4. "Reminisce" (Sure Is Pure Dub One)

Charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...	29
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...	23