The song was written by Ann Nesby and musically composed and produced by the team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and James "Big Jim" Wright. The song became one of the singer's most popular hit singles in the 1990s reaching number 56 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 12 R&B Singles chart in the summer of the year. A dance remix of the song helped to bring the song to number-one on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart, making it the fourth number-one dance single in LaBelle's career. The video featured LaBelle playing a teacher giving a "class" about love. LaBelle and her students later dance in the song featuring the singer doing a then-popular dance step at the time called the "Bankhead Bounce" created in Atlanta. The song borrows heavily from Al Green's "Love & Happiness". Both songs have the same vibe and the organ riffs are nearly identical. In addition, the cadence chant of the background singers shouting "Patti Patti" after she asks "what's my name" was taken from the Alexander O'Neal hit, "Fake".
"When You Talk About Love" was issued on a two song cd single in 1997 from MCA records. Hex Hector & Gomi remixed the second track on the single.
When You Talk About Love
Patti LaBelle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is just a test, tell me
What do you know about love
This is just a test, it ain't your life
Tell me
I'd like to give you a test
So darling, prepare yourself
What pictures pop in your brain
Cause when you talk about love
Say when you think about love
When you talk about love
You should be talking 'bout me
Now if you need to be taught
Don't make me an after thought
For every lesson that's wrong
You can bet my good loving will be gone
So let's erase any doubt
Take a second or two to figure out
Speak from your lips to my ears
Yes, I know you know what I wanna hear
When you talk about love
When you think about love
When you talk about love
You should be talking 'bout me
No, I'm not gonna play tit for tat
When it comes to affairs of the heart
But if I love you, I want love back
And I know that I love you so just do your part
When you talk about love
I said, when you think about love
When you talk about love
You should be talking 'bout me
So when you talk about love
When you think about love
So when you talk about love
You should be talking 'bout me
I say, say my name, Patti, Patti, that's right
Say, say my name, Patti, Patti[Incomprehensible]
Say, say my name, Patti, Patti, what's my name?
My name is love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
My name is love, that's my name
You gotta talk about me
Say, when you talk about love
Say, when you think about love
Say, when you talk about love
You, should be talking 'bout love
Love, love, love, love
In Patti LaBelle's song When You Talk About Love, she challenges her lover to determine how well he knows and understands what love truly means. The singer is insistent that her lover needs to recognize her as the embodiment of love when he speaks of it, as she is the only worthy subject of such grandiose emotion. To probe her lover's understanding, she tasks him to explain what comes to mind when he thinks about love, knowing that everything he perceives will revolve around her. She also emphasizes her willingness to leave him if he fails the test, and how his lack of understanding will cause him to lose her great love, which is plainly evident through the soaring emotionality of the song.
The song is a testament to the strength of the singer's love and the depth of her emotion, which she sees as the embodiment of love itself. She understands that it takes more than just saying, "I love you" to fully experience the beauty and grandeur of love. Instead, love is revealed through the small acts of caring and devotion, that be a powerful adhesive that bring people together. To Patti, true love is powerful, infinitely patient, and enduring through thick and thin.
Line by Line Meaning
This is a test, sugar, sugar, boo boo
This song is a test to see if you truly understand what love is
This is just a test, tell me
This song is a way to assess how you feel about love
What do you know about love
What is your understanding of love?
This is just a test, it ain't your life
This song is not meant to judge your worth, it's just to see where you're at with love
I'd like to give you a test
I want to see if you understand love
So darling, prepare yourself
Get ready to open up about your thoughts on love
When I say 'Love', please explain
What does the word 'love' mean to you?
What pictures pop in your brain
When you think about love, what comes to mind?
Cause when you talk about love
If you're talking about love
Say when you think about love
If you're thinking about love
When you talk about love
If love is the topic of conversation
You should be talking 'bout me
You should be including me in the conversation because love is my specialty
Now if you need to be taught
If you need to learn more about love
Don't make me an after thought
Don't think of me as an afterthought when it comes to love
For every lesson that's wrong
If you don't understand love
You can bet my good loving will be gone
I won't stick around if you don't understand love
So let's erase any doubt
Let's clear up any confusion about love
Take a second or two to figure out
Take some time to think about what love means to you
Speak from your lips to my ears
Tell me honestly what you think about love
Yes, I know you know what I wanna hear
I have expectations for what understanding of love you should have
No, I'm not gonna play tit for tat
I won't try to manipulate you in this conversation about love
When it comes to affairs of the heart
When it comes to matters of love
But if I love you, I want love back
If I love you, I expect you to return my love
And I know that I love you so just do your part
I know I have genuine love for you, so reciprocate it
I say, say my name, Patti, Patti, that's right
I want you to remember me as the expert in love
Say, say my name, Patti, Patti[Incomprehensible]
Remember that my name represents love
Say, say my name, Patti, Patti, what's my name?
Remember that I am love
My name is love, love, love
I am synonymous with love
Love, love, love
Again, I am synonymous with love
My name is love, that's my name
I am love, I am what you should think of when it comes to love
You gotta talk about me
If you're talking about love, you should be talking about me
So when you talk about love
If love is the topic of conversation
When you think about love
If you're thinking about love
So when you talk about love
If you're talking about love
You should be talking 'bout me
Include me in the conversation because love is what I represent
Love, love, love, love
Again, I am synonymous with love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: AL L GREEN, JAMES SAMUEL III HARRIS, JAMES HARRIS III, MABON LEWIS HODGES, TERRY LEWIS, JAMES QUENTON WRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brianhines1452
This is another great back in the day joint from Patti LaBelle! This came out in 2000, right? I was so young, I turned 21 on January 6, 2000! Now there are people born AFTER 2000 saying they love the old music better than what they grew up on. Patti LaBelle looks so flawless in all her videos! She is one of my oldest celebrity crushes because I think her face is very attractive!
😍😍😍😍😍😍🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧💃💃💃💃💃💃
@patgorden5002
This came out in 1997, FLAME ALBUM
@brianhines1452
It's sad that a lot of Patti LaBelle's joints were severely underrated!
@sarahsimpkins1311
This use to be play on the Radio back in 97
@isaacortiz4617
Yeah this song should have went to number one on Billboard.
@patgorden5002
This album was nominated twice for a Grammy this city was this album this album was
@vintxgegirl-xd3yd
Shut up hater. She still the queen. Show some respect. She's one of the greats! Darling..❤
@essiejoneslove1622
An amazing live legend, still going strong. Ms Patti. "Say my name."
@angholloway5091
She sure is!!!
@karenbowers5027
Her voice is nothing short of AMAZING!!!! Please RE-RELEASE this Patti! It IS CLASSIC!!!!