"I'll Say Forever My Love" is a song by American soul singer

Jimmy Ruffin Jimmy Lee RuffinRibowsky, Mark (2010), ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations'', Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, p. 89. . (May 7, 1936 – November 17, 2014) was an American soul singer, and ...

, released as a single in February 1968 and included on his 1969 album ''Ruff'n Ready''.

Release

"I'll Say Forever My Love" was recorded in October 1967 at Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. studio and was first released on February 13, 1968, in the US. It was then released in the UK a month later. It only peaked at number 77 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, continuing Ruffin's decline in popularity in the US. It failed to enter the

UK Top 50 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, instead peaking at number 2 on the 'Bubbling Under' list. After chart successes with the reissued singles " I've Passed This Way Before" and " Farewell Is a Lonely Sound", "I'll Say Forever My Love" was re-released in the UK on May 29, 1970. It fared much better this time, peaking at number 7 in August.

Reception

Reviewed in ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'': "this strong blues ballad with driving dance beat will put the fine stylist right back in the selling bag of his "I've Passed This Way Before" and "

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" is a hit single recorded by Jimmy Ruffin and released on Motown Records' Soul label in the summer of 1966. It is a ballad, with lead singer Jimmy Ruffin recalling the pain that befalls the broken-hearted who h ...

". '' Cash Box'' wrote that "Ruffin has a powerhouse outing here that should set him high in the r&b spotlight with potential for pop breakout as well". Reviewed in ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the '' NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in '' ...

'', the song was described as "another soulful plaintive ballad with plenty of catchy appeal". Derek Johnson for ''

New Musical Express ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music journalism, music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine tha ...

'' described the song as a "solid basic Motown – a heavy tambourine accentuated beat, sweeping strings and massive choral effects in the backing. Plus a bluesy and compelling solo from Jim".

Charts

References

{{David Ruffin 1968 songs 1968 singles 1970 singles Songs written by James Dean (songwriter)