“Sweet Touch of Love,” from the aforementioned acclaimed 1970 album, Toussaint (later named From a Whisper to a Scream), would be the A-side of a 45 that appeared not to have enjoyed any Billboard chart action from what I can see:
“Sweet Touch of Love“
Allen Toussaint (1970)
“Sweet Touch of Love” (the final installment in this week’s “time walk” tribute to Allen Toussaint) would later be covered by Etta James, Esther Phillips, Irma Thomas, and Grady Tate.
Ed Ochs‘ “Soul Sauce” column for Billboard would report in its November 14, 1970 edition that “Allen Toussaint’s first for Scepter-distributed Tiffany label is ‘Sweet Touch of Love.’“
Promo 45
Funny to see history’s twists and turns — who could have predicted that Allen Toussaint’s 1970 hymn to love would be used thirty-eight years later as the centerpiece of an oddly creepy ad campaign for Axe Dark Temptation “chocolate” deodorant in 2008?
Axe Dark Temptation ad –
Featuring “Sweet Touch of Love” by Allen Toussaint:
For some people (as YouTube comments attest), Axe Dark Temptation did, indeed, bring new listeners to Allen Toussaint via “Sweet Touch of Love.” Would you be surprised to learn (as I was) that this commercial won a Gold Lion at the 2008 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (formerly International Advertising Festival)?
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Shameless Plug
Zero to 180 pieces tagged as Music in Advertising
