Released December 1, 1992 Genre R&B Label LaFace | Recorded May 1992 Length 4:56 | |
Format CD single, 7" single, 12" single | ||
"Love Shoulda Brought You Home" is the first solo single by American R&B singer Toni Braxton. The song was written by Babyface, Daryl Simmons, and Bo Watson, and was featured on the soundtrack to the romantic comedy film Boomerang (1992). It served as the follow-up to Braxton's duet with Babyface, titled "Give U My Heart". Those pair of songs was submitted to Anita Baker, but due to Baker's impending pregnancy, she had to decline. The single became a top 40 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and her second consecutive top five hit on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Seven months later, the song was included on Braxton's debut album, Toni Braxton.
Contents
The title is a direct line from Boomerang. In the film, Halle Berry's character, Angela Lewis, angrily tells her man, Marcus Graham (Eddie Murphy), after he spent the night with another woman, "Love should've brought your ass home last night."
The music video, directed by Ralph Ziman, showed an angry Braxton—alternating between a long sweater (worn as a dress) and a suit complete with tie. She is fed up with her boyfriend and testifies that if he really cared, then love should have brought him home last night.
The song was also used in the background of an early 1993 episode of the soap opera The Young and the Restless.
Commercial performance
In the United States, on December 5, 1992, "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" peaked number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song spent a total of twenty nine weeks on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. On January 16, 1993, the song peaked at number nineteen on the Rhythmic Songs chart and number thirty three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also peaked at number thirty six on the Radio Songs chart.
In the United Kingdom, on November 27, 1994, "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" debuted at number thirty three on the UK Singles Chart. In its second and third week the song fell to numbers forty six and seventy five. On January 14, 1995, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart charting at number ninety three before falling out the top 100 chart.
Track listings and formats
- "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" (Radio Edit) – 4:16
- "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" (Album Version) – 4:56
- "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" (Slow Sensual Mix) – 3:33
- "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" (Radio Edit) – 4:16
- "How Many Ways" (R. Kelly Radio Edit) – 4:02
- "How Many Ways" (Radio Edit Album Version) – 4:20
- "The Christmas Song" – 3:25