In 1993, John Michael Montgomery was enjoying an early career highlight with his top 10 hit song, "Life's a Dance," from his debut album of the same name. But it was another song on the album that would push the Kentucky-born singer into country superstardom and make him a part of wedding dances for years to come.
"I Love the Way You Love Me" was released in March of 1993 and went on to become Montgomery's first No. 1 single. The song struck a chord with audiences for its specificity and authentic look at a relationship. Rather than vague references to "the one," the song laid out everything the narrator liked about his other half, from the way she laughs to her love of sappy old movies. But all the quirks and mannerisms are just the many beautiful parts that make up the person.
If it sounds like it was written with a specific person in mind, it should come as no surprise that the sweet song was written about a true love story. "I Love the Way You Love Me" was written by Victoria Shaw ("The River," "Where Your Road Leads") and Chuck Cannon, who was inspired by his wife, the late singer-songwriter Lari White.
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The love song held the No. 1 spot on the country charts for three weeks and won the Academy of Country Music award for Song of the Year. More importantly, it became the soundtrack to countless late-night slow dances and still stands as a celebration of a once-in-a-lifetime love.
The song was introduced to new audiences by the Irish boy band Boyzone in 1998. It certainly wasn't the only Montgomery song to enjoy crossover success. In the following years, Montgomery released the smash hit ballads "I Swear" and "I Can Love You Like That," which were both covered by the pop group All-4-One.
This story previously ran on Jan. 17, 2020.
"I Love the Way You Love Me" Lyrics:
I like the feel of your name on my lips
And I like the sound of your sweet gentle kiss
The way that your fingers run through my hair
And how your scent lingers even when you're not there
And I like the way your eyes dance when you laugh
And how you enjoy your two hour bath
And how you convinced me to dance in the rain
With everyone watching like we were insane
But I love the way you love me
Strong and wild
Slow and easy
Heart and soul
So completely
I love the way you love me
I like to imitate old Jerry Lee
And watch you roll your eyes when I'm slightly off key
And I like the innocent way that you cry
At sappy old movies you've seen hundreds of times
But I love the way you love me
Strong and wild
Slow and easy
Heart and soul
So completely
I love the way you love me
And I could list a million things
I love to like about you
But they all come down to one reason I could never live without you
I love the way you love me
Strong and wild
Slow and easy
Heart and soul
So completely
I love the way you love me
Oh baby I love the way you love me
This post was originally published on July 25, 2018.
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