"Then Came You" is a 1974 Grammy-nominated hit for American
soul singer Dionne Warwick and American R&B group The
Spinners, and credited to
Dionne Warwicke and Spinners(from 1971–1975, Warwick
added a final 'e' to her last name). The track was written by
Sherman Marshall and Phillip T. Pugh, and produced by Thom
Bell.
Released during a time that Warwick's chart fortunes were at
an ebb after moving to Warner Bros. Records in the early-1970s,
the Philadelphia soul single was a rare mid-1970s success for
the singer. Sung as a duet with Spinners main lead singer Bobby
Smith and the Spinners, who were one of the most popular groups
of the decade, the song became Warwick's first ever single to
reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and also became her
highest-charting R&B record reaching number two on that
chart. It was also the first number-one pop hit for the
Spinners. Spinners member Phillippe Wynne took over lead duties
at the very end of the song, as he did on another one of the
group's big hits, "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love".
It should be noted that while Warwick was signed to Warner
Bros. at the time, this release actually came out on Atlantic
Records, which was the Spinners' label, but also a sister label
to Warner Bros..
Warwick eventually left Warner Bros. for Arista Records in
1978 where she regrouped and found consistent success again as
an artist.
"Then Came You" is tied with the record that preceded it at
the top of the Billboard Hot 100, "Nothing From Nothing" by
Billy Preston, for the biggest fall from number one in the
history of the Hot 100. Both "Nothing From Nothing" and "Then
Came You" spent only one week at number one and then dropped
all the way to number 15 the week afterward.
After recording "Then Came You" Bell quoted 'that Dionne
made a face after the session and didn't care for the songs
very much. So, Thom ripped a dollar in two and signed each half
and exchanged them. Bell told her that if the song doesn't go
to number one, I'll send you my half. 'Then Came You' b/w 'Just
As Long As We Have Love' shot straight to number one spot on
Billboard's Top 100 list and No. 2 R&B (Kool & the
Gang's 'Higher Plane' prevented it from the number one spot)
making this Dionne's first No. 1 and the Spinners first and
only No. 1 pop hit in October 1974. Dionne sent back the half
torn dollar bill to Thom Bell with an apology.