Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album)

Let Love Rule is the debut studio album of American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released on September 6, 1989 by Virgin Records. Then-wife Lisa Bonet wrote the lyrics to "Fear" and co-wrote the lyrics on the song "Rosemary"; other than that the album is virtually a one-man Kravitz show, as he wrote and produced all the songs and played nearly all the instruments.[11]

This article is about the rock album. For the jazz album, see Let Love Rule (Ledisi album).

Let Love Rule
Studio album by
Lenny Kravitz
ReleasedSeptember 6, 1989
Recorded1988–1989
Genre
Length55:27
LabelVirgin
ProducerLenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz chronology
Let Love Rule
(1989)		 Mama Said
(1991)
Alternative cover
Digipak cover
Singles from Let Love Rule
  1. "Let Love Rule"
    Released: July 23, 1989
  2. "I Build This Garden for Us"
    Released: January 18, 1990
  3. "Mr. Cab Driver"
    Released: June 29, 1990
  4. "Be"
    Released: August 13, 1990
  5. "Does Anybody Out There Even Care"
    Released: February 6, 1991
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
American Songwriter[2]
Chicago Sun-Times[3]
Chicago Tribune[4]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[5]
Los Angeles Times[6]
Q[7]
Rolling Stone[8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[9]
The Village VoiceB−[10]
Kravitz performing the song at the 2016 Democratic National Convention

Let Love Rule reached number 61 on the Billboard 200, while it peaked at number 56 on the UK Albums Chart. The album is also featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[12] The video for the lead single "Let Love Rule" was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist.

Track listing

All tracks written by Lenny Kravitz, except "Fear" lyrics by Lisa Bonet, and "Rosemary" lyrics by Kravitz and Bonet.

  1. "Sittin' on Top of the World" – 3:16
  2. "Let Love Rule" – 5:42
  3. "Freedom Train" – 2:50
  4. "My Precious Love" – 5:15
  5. "I Build This Garden for Us" – 6:16
  6. "Fear" – 5:20
  7. "Does Anybody Out There Even Care" – 3:42
  8. "Mr. Cab Driver" – 3:49
  9. "Rosemary" – 5:27
  10. "Be" – 3:16

CD bonus tracks

  1. "Blues for Sister Someone" – 2:51
  2. "Empty Hands" – 4:42
  3. "Flower Child" – 2:56

American version

  1. "What The ... Are We Saying? – Live"
  2. "Stop Draggin' Around – Live"
  3. "Always on the Run – Live"
  4. "I'll Be Around – Live"

20th Anniversary Edition bonus tracks

All tracks written by Lenny Kravitz, except where noted.

  1. "Let Love Rule" (Basic Rough Mix)
  2. "Cold Turkey" (John Lennon)
  3. "Light Skin Girl from London"
  4. "Fear" (1987 demo)
  5. "Mr. Cab Driver" (home demo)
  6. "Let Love Rule" (home demo)
  • Track 16 first appeared on the single "Always on the Run", but was originally recorded on tour with "Let Love Rule".[13]

Disc 2 (Let Love Rule Live)

  1. "Flower Child"
  2. "Blues for Sister Someone"
  3. "Mr. Cab Driver"
  4. "Freedom Train"
  5. "Be"
  6. "My Precious Love"
  7. "Does Anybody Out There Even Care"
  8. "Let Love Rule"
  9. "Rosemary" (lyrics by Kravitz and Bonet)
  10. "Fear" (lyrics by Bonet)
  11. "My Flash on You" (Arthur Lee)
  12. "If 6 Was 9" (Jimi Hendrix)
  • Tracks 1–10 recorded at The Paradise, Boston, Mass. – 3/28/90
  • Tracks 11–12 recorded at The Paradiso, Amsterdam – 12/20/89

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes from the 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.[14]

Charts
Chart (1989–1990) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] 36
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] 41
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[17] 26
UK Albums (OCC)[18] 56
US Billboard 200[19] 61
Chart (2009) Peak
position
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 59

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[21] Platinum 100,000^
France (SNEP)[22] Gold 100,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[23] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[24] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[26] Gold 760,000[27]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Let Love Rule – Lenny Kravitz". AllMusic. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  2. Schlansky, Evan (July 1, 2009). "Lenny Kravitz > Let Love Rule: Deluxe Edition". American Songwriter. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  3. McLeese, Don (September 11, 1989). "Lenny Kravitz, 'Let Love Rule' (Virgin)". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  4. Kot, Greg (September 28, 1989). "Lenny Kravitz: Let Love Rule (Virgin)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  5. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  6. Willman, Chris (October 29, 1989). "The Record Industry's Big Push". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  7. Snow, Mat (December 1989). "Lenny Kravitz: Let Love Rule". Q (39).
  8. DeCurtis, Anthony (September 7, 1989). "Lenny Kravitz: Let Love Rule". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  9. Appleford, Steve (2004). "Lenny Kravitz". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 470. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  10. Christgau, Robert (March 13, 1990). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  11. Hunt, Dennis (September 27, 1989). "Rocking Beyond the Family Ties : Lenny Kravitz Isn't as Famous as Lisa Bonet--Yet". LA Times. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  12. Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (February 7, 2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 0-7893-1371-5.
  13. Let Love Rule (liner notes). Lenny Kravitz. Virgin. 2010.CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. Let Love Rule (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) (booklet). Virgin. 2009.
  15. "Australiancharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  16. "Ultratop.be – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  18. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  19. "Lenny Kravitz Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  20. "Swisscharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  21. "Canadian album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – Let love rule". Music Canada.
  22. "French album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – Let love rule" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  23. "Dutch album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – Let love rule" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Let love rule in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  24. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Lenny Kravitz; 'Let love rule')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  25. "British album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – let love rule". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type let love rule in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  26. "American album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – let love rule". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
  27. Basham, David (August 27, 2001). "Calling All Chart Freaks: Michael, Lenny, Bush Under The Microscope". Mtv. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
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