Barbara Mandrell – (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right

About The Song

“(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right” is a soulful country crossover hit by Barbara Mandrell, released in May 1979 as the second single from her ABC Records album Moods. Written by Homer Banks, Carl Hampton, and Raymond Jackson, it was originally a 1972 R&B hit by Luther Ingram, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Mandrell’s version soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart for one week in July 1979, her second No. 1, and peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, charting for 11 weeks. The 3:05 track, with its bold declaration—“If loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right / If being right means being without you, I’d rather live a wrong-doing life”—embraces forbidden love with unapologetic passion. Mandrell’s powerful, emotive vocals, blending country twang with R&B grit, deliver a standout performance, as Billboard noted: “Barbara’s voice owns this song, crossing genres effortlessly.” She told CMT in 2012, “It was risky, but I felt every word—love like that doesn’t care about rules.” The song’s provocative theme helped solidify her crossover appeal.

Recorded in early 1979 at Woodland Sound Studios in Nashville, the track was produced by Tom Collins, with uncredited Nashville A-Team players likely including Bobby Thompson on guitar, Charlie McCoy on harmonica, and The Jordanaires on backing vocals, per Discogs. The lush arrangement—swirling strings, steady rhythm, and soulful guitar—leans into the song’s R&B roots while keeping a country core, as AllMusic praises: “It’s a bold fusion, with Barbara’s vocals stealing the show.” The album Moods hit No. 8 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 132 on the Billboard 200. The C-G-Am chord progression and “I don’t wanna be right” refrain, per Chordify, gave it radio and dancefloor appeal. Its inclusion on Spotify’s Ultimate Barbara Mandrell collection and a 2015 live version from her Live at the Opry set highlight its staying power.

Barbara Mandrell, born December 25, 1948, in Houston, Texas, was a multi-instrumentalist and country-pop icon whose 1970s and 1980s hits, like “Sleeping Single in a Double Bed” (No. 1, 1978), blended traditional country with pop and R&B influences. Her NBC show Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters (1980–1981) showcased her versatility, per Wikipedia. A 1984 car accident sidelined her, but she returned to perform until retiring in 1997, later acting in Sunset Beach. “(If Loving You Is Wrong)” was a live favorite, performed on The Tonight Show in 1979 and at her 1980 Grand Ole Opry shows, with a YouTube clip capturing her commanding presence. Covers include Millie Jackson (1974), Rod Stewart (1977), and Rhonda Vincent (2008), per SecondHandSongs. Reddit fans on r/country in 2023 called it “a fearless take,” praising its “soulful edge.”

The song appeared in no major films but thrives on streaming platforms, with Shazam users tagging its sultry melody. Its theme of illicit love stirred mild controversy in 1979 country circles, as No Depression notes: “It was daring, but Barbara’s conviction made it undeniable.” Mandrell, a 2009 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, shared its impact on X in 2021: “Still love singing this one—it’s all heart.” The song remains a bold testament to her genre-blending legacy, radiating passion and defiance.

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Lyric

If loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right
If being right means being without you, I’d rather live a wrong-doing life
Your mama and daddy say it’s a shame, it’s a downright disgrace
Long as I got you by my side, I don’t care what your people say

Your friends tell you there’s no future in loving a married man
If I can’t see you when I want to, I’ll see you when I can
If loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right
If loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right

Am I wrong to fall so deeply in love with you
Knowing I got a wife and two little children depending on me too
Am I wrong to hunger for the gentleness of your touch
Knowing I got somebody else at home who needs me just as much

If loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right
If being right means being without you, I’d rather live a wrong-doing life
You’re my reason for living, you’re my reason to be
If loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right