This Steve Winwood Hit Was Called a “Modern Hymn” by the Songwriter
Steve Winwood's 1986 single "Higher Love" became his first solo track to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, following earlier hits such as "While You See A Chance" and "Valerie". The song, written with Will Jennings, appeared on Winwood's fourth studio album, Back In The High Life, and stands out as a reflective, spiritually tinged work that co-writer Jennings has described as a "modern hymn" rather than a straightforward pop song.
Jennings, who grew up in East Texas in a family with deep Methodist church roots, drew on childhood memories of hymn-singing to shape the song's lyrics, which plead for a "higher love" amid a chaotic world. Winwood, who also fronted bands including Traffic and Blind Faith and later scored a second US number one with "Back In The High Life Again", has downplayed his own songwriting talent, saying he isn't especially prolific and that music-making, rather than a drive to write, was his original motivation.
- "Higher Love" was Winwood's first US number one single, in 1986.
- Co-writer Will Jennings called it a "modern hymn".
- Winwood says he isn't a naturally prolific songwriter.
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Steve Winwood built his reputation as a distinctive voice in British rock and soul, first with bands such as Traffic and Blind Faith before launching a solo career that produced hits including "While You See A Chance" and "Valerie". By the mid-1980s he was an established performer but had not yet topped the US singles chart on his own, making his next release a notable milestone to watch.
"Higher Love" came from Winwood's 1986 album Back In The High Life and was co-written with lyricist Will Jennings, whose background growing up around Methodist church music in East Texas shaped the song's tone. Rather than a conventional pop love song, it was framed by its writer as something closer to a hymn, reflecting on the search for meaning and connection.
The song went on to give Winwood his first US number one as a solo artist, part of an album that produced further chart success. Understanding this background helps explain why "Higher Love" is often discussed not just as a hit single, but as a distinctive, spiritually inflected moment in Winwood's long career.