By magicman
Take me right back to when I was a ten-year old boy in a tiny village in East Sussex. The Love Affair’s hit record blasted out of the radio with the energy of a Motown single. The part that still makes me prickle are the bvs “need a love that lasts forever…”
I feel that we all need that, and sometimes that is all we need.
So welcome to the A-List of songs about Everlasting Love. This game has been variously played now for nearly 18 years, every week a ‘new’ topic although I suggest we could play Everlasting Love once a year, so many were the offerings. And never in that time has any guru playlist-maker seen fit to include a song by the late great Barry White, proto-disco maestro, writer, arranger and singer, sex god and Walrus of Love. Welcome Barry. And our humble apologies.
Jockstrap are a London duo: Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye, who make very interesting stuff. Acid is from 2020, and somewhere in there towards the end they pledge love forever.
I first came across this song in the 1980s covered by Aaron Neville – here is the original by the late great Johnny Ace (two down, four to go) who shot himself in the head proving the gun wasn’t loaded and did not live to see what a huge hit this became.
A beautiful cover of a 90s hit by Londoner Joy Crookes who brings a playful gentle and very moving sincerity to a power pop anthem.
Barbara Lewis one great hit Baby I’m Yours in 1965 written by Van McCoy and it is one of those songs where she lists rivers running dry and stars falling from the sky as unlikely events which prove her eternal love.
Eddi Reader made an LP of Robert Burns poems in 2012 and it is a thing of beauty around centrepiece John Anderson my jo (my sweetheart) a woman tells her aging partner that although his hair is now white they will be together until they both die.
Randy Newman is a god in my country and this is an early blast of cynical sentiment from the old git, he can make you cry and smile in the same song such is his genius. Again his protagonists will fade away into the infinite eternal together, eventually.
The video for (La Villa) Mon Amour delivered by Stromae & Cabilla Cabello takes us to a very modern sexy people Reality TV show where the winner ends up alone despite pledging eternal love as they all do. Meta.
Is eternal love a fantasy? Sadly it is for some people. Never give up. This is one of the greatest arrangements ever created. It’s by Earth, Wind & Fire.
Brett Anderson made a new Suede LP last year. This song is about undying love for one who has passed, his mother, who still inspires him.
The Love Affair were represented by 16-year old singer Steve Ellis in the recording studio with the crème of London session players including Clem Cattini on drums, Kiki Dee, Madeline Bell and Lesley Duncan on bvs, all arranged by Keith Mansfield who also has the Grandstand theme tune on his CV. Bottled lightning.
Adele was number one with this Dylan song when my god-daughter Delilah Rose was born and it makes me weep tears of love. It is her second appearance on our sister A-Z dictionary of Song aka The Marconium.
This is Anne Murray’s first appearance just like Barry and Heatwave, Barbara Lewis, Jockstrap, Johnny Ace and Joy Crookes. The first time I heard the song I had a lump in my throat and didn’t need much more convincing. When country music is direct and emotional I become weak.
Heatwave were a British soul band with Cleethorpes boy Rod Temperton on keys, who wrote Always & Forever, an absolute classic. He would go on to write songs for Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall, Thriller and Rock With You.
To complete our journey through everlasting love, Trinity College Choir sing an hugely emotional arrangement of James Ingram & Patti Austin’s 1982 song “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?” It’s all about the love.
The Everlasting A-List Playlist:
Barry White – Never Never Gonna Give You Up
Jockstrap – Acid
Johnny Ace – Pledging My Love
Joy Crookes – You and Me Song
Barbara Lewis – Baby I’m Yours
Eddi Reader – John Anderson My Jo
Randy Newman – Love Story
Stromae ft. Cabilla Cabello – Mon Amour
Earth Wind & Fire – Fantasy
Suede – She Still Leads Me On
The Love Affair – Everlasting Love
Adele – Make You Feel My Love
Anne Murray - Could I Have This Dance
Heatwave* – Always & Forever
Choir of Trinity College – How Do You Keep The Music Playing?
* Heatwave distinguished from The Heatwave (who are listed as Heatwave in the A-Z.)
B Forever B-List Playlist:
Barry White – You’re The First My Last My Everything
The Bangles – Eternal Flame
Jon Lucien – Love Everlasting
Whitney Houston – Lover For Life
Sault – Little Boy
Elbow – The Everthere
Bonnie Raitt & Jackson Browne – Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
Randy Travis – Forever & Ever Amen
Shirley Bassey – Never, Never, Never
Captain & Tenille – Love Will Keep Us Together
Hozier – Work Song
Los Chunguitos – Me Quedo Contigo
Al Green – Stay With Me Forever
Nina Simone – Ne Me Quitte Pas
Barbra Streisand - Evergreen
Generous Guru’s G-List:
Wynonna Judd – She Is His Only Need
Ray Charles – Come Rain Or Come Shine
Randy Newman – A Wedding In Cherokee County
Van Morrison – Have I Told You Lately
John Legend – Stay With You
Aaron Neville – Ten Commandments of Love
Paul Simon – Love Is Eternal Sacred Light
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: Song Bar Seventh Birthday Special: songs about everlasting love. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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