Written and first recorded by Jerry Williams (1979).
Hit version by Delbert McClinton (US #8/MOR #35/CAN #10 1981).
From the wiki: “Jerry Lynn Williams’ big break as a songwriter came when Delbert McClinton recorded a cover of ‘Givin’ It Up For Your Love’, first recorded by Williams in 1979 for his album Gone. Williams would go on to write for Eric Clapton, B.B. King and Clint Black, and contributed two songs, ‘Real Man’ and ‘I Will Not Be Denied’, to Bonnie Raitt’s 1989 Grammy Award-winning album Nick of Time. Williams also helped Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan write the song ‘Tick Tock’.
“Born in 1948, Williams had dropped out of school at age 14, working Texas roadhouses with his own band, The Epics. He later toured with Little Richard’s band until authorities discovered Williams’ age and sent him home. Williams says he learned to play lead guitar from a fellow band member, Jimmy James – better known as Jimi Hendrix.
“McClinton was born in Lubbock, Texas. As a teenager, he worked in a bar band, the Straitjackets, who played backing Sonny Boy Williamson II, Howlin’ Wolf, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and Jimmy Reed. McClinton recorded several regional singles before hitting the national chart in 1962, playing harmonica on Bruce Channel’s ‘Hey! Baby’. While on a tour with Channel in the United Kingdom, McClinton instructed John Lennon on the finer points of blues harmonica playing.
“Relocating to Los Angeles in 1972, McClinton partnered with fellow Texan Glen Clark to perform a combination of country and soul music. They achieved a degree of artistic success, releasing two albums before splitting and McClinton embarked on a solo career. Emmylou Harris had a #1 hit in 1978 with her recording of McClinton’s composition ‘Two More Bottles of Wine’.
“McClinton’s 1980 album, The Jealous Kind, contained his only solo Top 40 hit single, ‘Giving It Up for Your Love’, although he did win a Grammy Award in 1991 for his duet with Bonnie Raitt, ‘Good Man, Good Woman’, and reached the Top 5 of the Country chart with ‘Tell Me About It’, a duet with Tanya Tucker.”
Delbert McClinton, “Giving It Up For Your Love” (1981):