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 Hot 100, in February and March 1973 respectively,^[1] and was certified gold by the RIAA.

It was The O'Jays' first and only number-one record on the U.S. pop chart. 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 Philly'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.

Music video

The music video shows a group of people forming a 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 and other railcars. Not much is known about the music video, although it was recorded in 1973.^[2]

Cover versions

Hall & Oates covered the song for the 1989 soundtrack to the film Earth Girls Are Easy. In 2011, Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Chipettes covered the song as a bonus track on the Target limited edition of the soundtrack Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked: Music from the Motion Picture.^[3]

See also

• List of anti-war songs
• Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1973 (USA)

References

External links

• Song review on AllMusic