Let Love Rule [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

Lenny Kravitz

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 29, 1992)
• Original Release Date: September 6, 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B000000WH0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #91,057 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #94 in

  Music > Rock > Funk Rock

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
When Lenny Kravitz made his debut album, he was known in select circles as the pierced, tattooed love boy of Lisa Bonet, the actress then riding high with a starring role on The Cosby Show. Kravitz turned out to be an artist in his own right, and a talented musician who wrote, produced, and played nearly all the instruments on Let Love Rule. He seems to know precisely what he wants to say on this album; trouble is, it's all been said before, by the likes of Prince, John Lennon, and Sly Stone. There is skill and craft at work here, but genuine inspiration is another matter. The thick patchouli scent around songs such as "I Build This Garden for Us," "Flower Child," and the title track is nearly suffocating, while the would-be protest anthem "Mr. Cab Driver" is rather undercooked. Overall, Kravitz's groovy love-generation vibe makes him rock's answer to Austin Powers. --Daniel Durchholz

Product Description

Lenny Kravitz Photos

More from Lenny Kravitz

Lenny

Greatest Hits

Are You Gonna Go My Way

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kravitz Debut, May 24, 2001

By	Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Lenny Kravitz's debut album was released in late 1989, but with its retro sounds, it could have easily have come out in 1972. Mr. Kravitz has never been shy about wearing his influences on his sleeve and Let Love Rule is full of homages to The Beatles, Prince, Elvis Costello and others. The album opens with the plucky "Sittin' On Top Of The World" and then moves into the title track which is a great song. The song starts off slowly with a strumming guitar and airy keyboard and then builds up into a frenzied ending. Mr. Kravitz was married to Lisa Bonet at the time of the recording (she shares songwriting credit on a song) and many of the songs like "My Precious Love", "I Build This Garden For Us" and "Flower Child" were obviously inspired and about their relationship. The album contains some good protest numbers like the pulsating "Mr. Cab Driver" which takes on discrimination, "Does Anybody Out There Even Care", the kinetic "Freedom Train" and the marvelous "Empty Hands". "Rosemary" may well be the best song on the album with its great lyrics and top notch vocal performance. Let Love Rule may sound like a hodgepodge of styles, but they all work together thanks to Mr. Kravitz's earnestness.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I love it, and it Rules., May 28, 2005

By	H3@+h (VT) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I became a Lenny Kravitz fan the moment I heard the song "Let Love Rule" back in 1989. I'm still a fan now, but I was obsessed with this debut and "Mama Said". He was even my first concert ever, though he opened for Tom Petty. Anyway, front to back this is one of his best, and he shows us right away that he can rock, and drop a nice slow song as well. After the title track, I especially like "I Built This Garden For Us", "Rosemary", "My Precious Love", and "Blues For Sister Someone". We also get a dose of spirituality on a few songs, like on the great "Empty Hands". I also own the LP of this, but it only has the first 10 tracks, so watch out for that. Much like The Black Crowes, Lenny wears his influences on his sleeve, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Too psychedelic for its own good, but a great way to start, December 8, 2001

By	28-year old wallflower "Eric N Andrews" (West Lafayette, IN) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

In the late 1980s, THE COSBY SHOW was the undisputed king of prime time TV & Lisa Bonet was one of its biggest stars. No doubt, her star status led to more than a little bit of condescension on the part of her new husband, musician Lenny Kravitz. The son of a TV actress (THE JEFFERSONS' Roxie Roker) himself, Lenny was just starting to even get a deal in the music business as THE COSBY SHOW was riding high in the ratings.

When his 1989 debut album LET LOVE RULE came out, musicgoers & critics had no idea quite what to make of this guy who quoted Sly Stone, Jimi Hendrix & late-period Beatles as his influences, had dreadlocks for hair & just all around seemed like a leftover from 1969. Critics were the most savage in calling Lenny the "Cuisinart of rock & roll" for him handpicking certain retro sounds for his music. While they would soon come around, LET LOVE RULE in the end was a good way to debut, if not much else.

Lenny is still searching for his main line on this album & this is also when his preachiness is at its height (he would let up a little with time). The title track is the perfect example, but the song is really a great one, phasing techniques & all. This shows if Lenny had to be a Beatle, chances are his choice would be John Lennon more than Paul McCartney. The psychedelic vibe continues through "I Build This Garden For Us" (again the psychedelia can be a little overpowering) & "Flower Child".

Elsewhere, Lenny's got his Sly Stone & James Brown vibe working on "Freedom Train" (could have used some help in the lyric department), "Sittin' On Top Of The World" & "Does Anybody Out There Even Care". The music is funky sho'nuff, but it's of a darker hue, more of THERE'S A RIOT GOIN' ON than DANCE TO THE MUSIC.

Of course, the album does have its slight snags. "Mr. Cab Driver" is a bit too confrontational, while "Fear", "Rosemary" (both written with Lisa Bonet) & "Blues For Sister Someone" go so far as to be a little naive. These songs surely are an acquired taste, but that can be expected from a first-time artist.

In the end, LET LOVE RULE seemed like an album doomed from the beginning. With his wife's career bigger than his own, any objectivity towards Lenny Kravitz's music seemed a lost cause. But he would soon mature & start to develop his own identity. So really, LET LOVE RULE's only problem was that it sounded too much like a debut. Lenny was still finding his footing maybe even as the tape was rolling, making this album every bit of a work in progress. Since then, Lenny's career has been ever more about that progress.