Love Train

"Love Train" is a hit single by The O'Jays, written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Released in 1972, it reached number one on both the R&B Singles and the Billboard Hot 100, in February and March 1973 respectively,[2] number 9 on the UK Singles Chart and was certified gold by the RIAA. It was The O'Jays' first and only number-one record on the US pop chart.

This article is about the song by the O'Jays. For the song by Wolfmother, see Love Train (Wolfmother song). For the song by Holly Johnson, see Love Train (Holly Johnson song). For the EP by Meghan Trainor, see The Love Train.
"Love Train"
Single by The O'Jays
from the album Back Stabbers
B-side"Who Am I"
Released20 December 1972[1]
RecordedSummer 1971 to 1972
GenreR&B, Philly soul, Disco
Length6:15 (extended version); 2:50 (single version)
LabelPhiladelphia International
Songwriter(s)Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
Producer(s)Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
The O'Jays singles chronology
"992 Arguments"
(1972)		 "Love Train"
(1972)		 "Time to Get Down"
(1973)

"Love Train" entered the Hot 100's top 40 on January 27, 1973,[3] the same day that the Paris Peace Accords were signed. The song's lyrics of unity mention a number of countries, including England, Russia, China, Egypt and Israel, as well as the continent of Africa.

Recorded at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios, the house band MFSB provided the backing. Besides its release as a single, "Love Train" was the last song on The O'Jays' album Back Stabbers. The O'Jays' "Love Train" was a 2006 inductee into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[4]

Music video

The music video shows a group of people forming a human chain near a railroad station, while at the same time, some railroad cars are shown in motion. Throughout the video, more people join in the chain, which they call the "Love Train". It was most likely filmed around the Northeast Corridor, as Long Island Rail Road MP75 railcars appear throughout the music video (in which the words "LONG ISLAND" are clearly visible), as well as Amtrak railcars, Penn Central railcars, and other railcars. Not much is known about the music video, although it was recorded in 1973.[5]

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[13] Gold 1,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Cover versions

By early 1974, The Supremes' line up (Wilson, Birdsong and Payne) adopted the song to perform in live appearances. Hall & Oates covered the song for the 1989 soundtrack to the film Earth Girls Are Easy, as well as Daryl Hall and his band joining the 2016 version of the O'Jays in a live version on Hall's Live from Daryl's House television show. The Rolling Stones played Love Train on their worldwide Licks Tour during 2002 and 2003.[14] Roots rock 'n' roll band The Yayhoos' cover appeared on their 2006 release, "Put The Hammer Down." Gospel Group Doc McKenzie and the Hi-Lites covered this song in 2003. In 2006 Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee performed a cover of the song for the ending credits of Final Destination 3.[15]

An Australasian cover version was recorded in 1973 by Dalvanius Prime.[16] Australian singer Kylie Minogue performed a cover of the song during her 1991 Let's Get to It Tour.

A cover version was sung by Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, James Corden and Ron Funches in the opening of Trolls Holiday. Australian band Human Nature covered the song on their 2018 album Romance of the Jukebox.

  • In Part 7 of the manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, a stand ability was named after the song (under the name "D4C Love Train").
  • The song was used frequently on the Arsenio Hall Show as Arsenio's favorite song
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See also

References
  1. "Love Train / Who Am I - O'Jays". 45cat. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 438.
  3. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  4. https://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame#l
  5. "Love Train - The O' Jays". September 8, 2008 – via YouTube.
  6. David Kent's "Australian Chart Book 1970-1992" Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  7. Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly".
  8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Love Train". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  9. "Cash Box Top 100 3/31/73". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2016-11-12.
  10. Bac-lac.gc.ca
  11. "Top 100 Hits of 1973/Top 100 Songs of 1973". musicoutfitters.com.
  12. "British single certifications – O'jays – Love Train". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 21, 2019. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Love Train in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  13. "American single certifications – O'jays – Love Train". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 21, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  14. "Love Train - The Rolling Stones". YouTube. October 12, 2012.
  15. Final Destination 3 (2006), retrieved 2019-02-28
  16. "Dalvanius & The Fascinations – Love Train / Chapel Of Love". Discogs.
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