"Love of a Lifetime" is a song performed by the American rock band FireHouse. It was the band's third single and its highest-charting single in the United States, entering the Billboard Hot 100 June 29, 1991 at No. 81 and peaking at No. 5 the week of September 28, 1991. It is also the band's first and most popular power ballad. The song was written by vocalist C. J. Snare and guitarist Bill Leverty.[2]
The song is arguably what FireHouse is most known for, and has been used as a first dance song at countless weddings since its release. In a 2005 interview, Snare commented "now I have the benefit of time to look back over this and there isn't a show that goes by where people don't come up to us and are like "'Love of a Lifetime' - we got married to that song!"[3]
Origin
The song was written by C. J. Snare; he wrote it while playing solo gigs at a Holiday Inn. When the band brought the demos for their first album to Epic Records, the label felt that the album needed a stronger ballad. Snare said "I remember raising my hand sheepishly and saying 'Well, I have a song...,' so we played it for them and they absolutely loved it and it did become a big hit."[3]
Cover versions
The project Collage recorded the song in 1998 and released it as a single. It peaked at No. 4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart[4] and was the last single released by the project.
Country singer Katie Armiger recorded a cover version on her eponymous first album in 2007.