Are You Ready for Love

"Are You Ready for Love" is a song recorded by Elton John in 1977 and first released in the UK in 1979 on the EP The Thom Bell Sessions. It was written by Leroy Bell, Thom Bell and Casey James, and was originally produced in Philadelphia by Thom Bell (who had already produced a series of hits for The Spinners, The Delfonics and The Stylistics). While the song, "Mama Can't Buy You Love" from the EP charted in 1979, this song and the other track on the three-track 12-inch vinyl disc, "Three Way Love Affair", were only minor footnotes at the time.

"Are You Ready for Love"
Single by Elton John
from the album The Thom Bell Sessions
B-side"Three Way Love Affair"
Released2003, 31 May 1979
RecordedOctober 1977
Genre
LabelSouthern Fried, Universal Records, Ultra Records
Songwriter(s)Thom Bell, LeRoy Bell, Casey James
Producer(s)Thom Bell
Elton John singles chronology
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
(2002)		 "Are You Ready for Love"
(2003)		 "Heart of Every Girl"
(2004)

In 1989, MCA released a 6-track CD, The Complete Thom Bell Sessions, which contained a different mix of "Are You Ready for Love" in place of the one that appeared on the original 1979 EP. (The original "Thom Bell Sessions" EP mix did, however, surface — along with the EP's other two original tracks — as a b-side to a UK CD-single of "The Last Song" in 1992, issued as Rocket/Phonogram EJSCB-30).

In 2003, it was remixed by Ashley Beedle and released as a 12" vinyl single on 25 August 2003.[1] It gave John another No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart on its first week of its 2003 re-release,[2] following his performing the song in a television advertisement promoting the new 2003–2004 football season for Sky Sports. It scored John his fifth UK No.1.[3]

The 2003 single's B-side is "Three Way Love Affair" (from the original EP) and also the full-length 1979 Version of "Are You Ready for Love". On some CD versions, the CD also contains a QuickTime version of a video for the song, with recording studio footage from 1977 with Elton recording his vocals.

Various hit R&B vocalists of the late 1970s, including Bell and James, MFSB and The Spinners with lead singer John Edwards, contribute backing and accompanying lead vocals, most prominent on the Thom Bell Sessions mixes of the song. In 1979, The Spinners also recorded a version of the song which charted at #25 on the US Billboard R&B chart.

The music video, produced in a 1970s retro style, was directed by Kate Dawkins.

Track listing (2003 remix)

UK CD single
  1. 1979 radio edit
  2. Full length 1979 version
  3. "Three Way Love Affair"
  4. Music video

Covers

In 2003, The Spinners reissued "Are You Ready for Love", featuring them on backing vocals. In 1977, The Spinners had recorded two versions of the track. One had all of the Spinners, the other with only lead singer John Edwards on vocals. Finally in 1979, the John Edwards version was released making it to number 42 in the UK Singles Chart.

It was also covered by SAWA on her EP "Time&Space" in 2008.

"Are You Ready for Love" was featured on the European version of Donkey Konga 2.[4]

Charts and certifications

See also

References
  1. Fletcher, Harry; Embley, Jochan (17 May 2019). "Elton John's 15 greatest songs of all time, ranked". Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  2. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  3. "Dance Club Songs : January 10, 2004 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  4. Kosmina, Ben (27 May 2005). "Donkey Konga 2 PAL song list REVEALED!". nintendoworldreport.com. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Are You Ready for Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  7. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  8. "Austriancharts.at – Elton John – Are You Ready for Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  9. "Ultratop.be – Elton John – Are You Ready for Love" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  10. "Ultratop.be – Elton John – Are You Ready for Love" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  11. "Danishcharts.com – Elton John – Are You Ready for Love". Tracklisten. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  12. "Hits of the World – Eurochart" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 115 no. 37. 13 September 2003. p. 43. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  13. "Lescharts.com – Elton John – Are You Ready for Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – Are You Ready for Love". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  15. "Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 4 September 2003". GfK Chart-Track. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  16. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  17. "Swisscharts.com – Elton John – Are You Ready for Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  18. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  19. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  20. "Elton John Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  21. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Club Chart 2003". ARIA. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  22. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2003" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  23. "British single certifications – Elton John – Are You Ready for Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 November 2019. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Are You Ready for Love in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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