"A Groovy Kind of Love" is a song written by Toni Wine and Carole Bayer Sager based on a melody by the classical composer Muzio Clementi.
The original rendition was recorded by American singing duo Diane & Annita[1] and released as "Groovey Kind of Love" on the French EP One by One, in 1965.
"A Groovy Kind of Love" consists of lyrics written by Bayer Sager and Wine, with music by Muzio Clementi.
Composition of the song took place at Bayer Sager's home in New York City, only a few blocks away from the Brill Building and 1650 Broadway.
Even though Wine and Sager claim full songwriting credits, they mainly wrote the lyrics and just slightly modified Clementi's music.
[6] Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders had enjoyed a cross-atlantic hit with the song "The Game of Love", which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number two in the UK's Record Retailer.
[11][12] In search of new material, Shelby Singleton handed the song "A Groovy Kind of Love" to the group after rejecting to record it with Lesley Gore.
[6] However, in an interview with Keith Altham from New Musical Express, Mindbenders bassist Bob Lang claimed he found a demo of "A Groovy Kind Of Love" on their manager Danny Betesh's desk.
[13] Alternatively, other sources claim Jack McGraw, who ran the Screen Gems offices in London, discovered the song and thought it was a perfect match for Stewart's voice.
[19] Upon the single reaching the top-ten in the US, Toni Wine phoned her mother, stating that she "was quitting her job" due to the success.
[25] In Cashbox magazine, the staff writer describes the single as a "soft, slow telling of a souching love tale", noting it to be a "sweet sweeping ork".
While filming the movie Buster (1988), Collins suggested the song as a potential love theme for the title character and his wife.
Unlike the Mindbenders' version, which is an upbeat guitar-based pop song, Collins' is a slow ballad with a prominent keyboard and strings.