Love Is a Beautiful Thing (Phil Vassar song)

"It's a Beautiful Thing", also known as "Love Is a Beautiful Thing", is a country music song co-written by American songwriters Jeffrey Steele and Craig Wiseman. The first version of this song was released on September 14, 1999 by Canadian singer Paul Brandt from his 1999 album That's the Truth, from which it was released as a single in both Canada and the United States. Eight years later, American singer Phil Vassar covered the song under the title "Love Is a Beautiful Thing" on his album Prayer of a Common Man. Vassar's version reached its peak of #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in mid-2008.

"It's a Beautiful Thing"
Single by Paul Brandt
from the album That's the Truth
B-side"Add 'em All Up"[1]
ReleasedSeptember 14, 1999[2]
GenreCountry
Length4:27
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)Jeffrey Steele
Craig Wiseman
Producer(s)Chris Farren
Paul Brandt singles chronology
"That's the Truth"
(1999)		 "It's a Beautiful Thing"
(1999)		 "That Hurts"
(2000)

Content

The song is a moderate up-tempo detailing the various events of a wedding. The verses primarily list actions by the various relatives who have gathered for the event, such as young children horseplaying in the pews, and an aunt who arrived because her "sister's girl" is getting married. In the chorus, the narrator observes that "love is a beautiful thing".

Paul Brandt version

The first version of this song was released as by Canadian singer Paul Brandt under the title "It's a Beautiful Thing". It was included on Brandt's 1999 album That's the Truth, and was his last Top 40 country hit in the United States. It was also a #13 hit for him on the Canadian country charts.

Chart performance
Chart (1999–2000) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[3] 13
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[4] 38

Year-end charts
Chart (1999) Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[5] 89

Phil Vassar version
"Love Is a Beautiful Thing"
Single by Phil Vassar
from the album Prayer of a Common Man
ReleasedOctober 30, 2007 (2007-10-30)
GenreCountry
Length3:57
LabelUniversal South
Songwriter(s)Jeffrey Steele
Craig Wiseman
Producer(s)Phil Vassar
Mark Wright
Phil Vassar singles chronology
"This Is My Life"
(2007)		 "Love Is a Beautiful Thing"
(2007)		 "I Would"
(2008)

Phil Vassar covered the song in 2007 under the title of "Love Is a Beautiful Thing". His rendition was the second single released from his 2008 album Prayer of a Common Man. His version includes a few minor lyrical changes, such as "Uncle Joe and Uncle Jake / Haven't spoken since '98", instead of "…haven't spoken since '88." Also, while Brandt's version ends in a fade-out, with him still singing, Vassar's version ends with a cold piano outro.

Chart performance
Chart (2007–2008) Peak
position[6]
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[7] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 48

Year-end charts
Chart (2008) Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[9] 6

Music video

The music video for Vassar's version features scenes of him playing a piano in front of various wedding pictures. This video was directed by Peter Zavadil.

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 58. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
  2. http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/brandt_paul/163192/album.jhtml
  3. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 10004." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 20, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  4. "Paul Brandt Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  5. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1999". RPM. December 13, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  6. "Chart listings for "Love Is a Beautiful Thing"". Billboard. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  7. "Phil Vassar Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  8. "Phil Vassar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  9. "Best of 2008: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2008.
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