"Yearning for Your Love" is a 1980 ballad recorded and released by The Gap Band on Mercury Records. The single was the third release off the band's fifth album, The Gap Band III (1980). Four different singles, each with a different B-side, were released in 1981.
| "Yearning for Your Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Gap Band | ||||
| from the album The Gap Band III | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | January 1981 | |||
| Recorded | 1980 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:59 (single) 5:43 (album version) | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| The Gap Band singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song became a modest hit on the US and UK charts when it was released; it arose to number five on the Hot Soul Singles chart and number sixty on the Billboard Hot 100. Written by Gap Band keyboardist Oliver Scott and keyboardist Ronnie Wilson, it was a romantic love song dedicated to Wilson's wife at the time and was performed by Ronnie's brother Charlie Wilson.
Structure
editThe song was markedly different in style from the past few hits,[2] with less emphasis on synthesizers, instead on "light slices of guitar, smooth keyboard pads and soft percussion". It is said,[by whom?] Charlie Wilson's smooth baritone take on the song helped the song become influential to contemporary R&B singers, such as Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill and Gerald Levert.
Releases
editPersonnel
edit- Lead vocals by Charlie Wilson
- Background vocals by Oliver Scott, Ronnie Wilson and Robert Wilson
- Drums by Ronnie Kaufman
- Guitars by Fred Jenkins, Glenn Nightingale
- Bass by Robert Wilson
- Synthesizers by Ronnie Wilson
- Keyboards by Oliver Scott
Charts
edit| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 60 |
| US Hot Soul Singles Chart | 5 |
Cover versions
editIn 1989, Swiss pianist Alex Bugnon covered the song for his album, Love Season.[7]
In 1990, Guy also covered the song on their 1990 album, The Future.[8]
In 2001, keyboardist Kevin Toney covered the song on his album Strut. The song featured Evelyn "Champagne" King on vocals.[9]
In 2019, singer PJ Morton covered the song from his album Paul.[10]
Sampling
editThe song has been sampled several times including some of the following:
- "Giants vs. Giants" by Askari X (1991)
- "Gank Move" by Big Mello (1992)
- "Always On My Mind" by SWV (1993)
- "Life's a Bitch" by Nas feat. AZ and Olu Dara (1994)
- "Outta My Life" by Paris (1994)
- "My Woman" by Coop MC (1995)
- "Sacramento Summertime" by Gangsta Dre (1996)
- "Keep Hustlin" by WC feat. E-40 and Too Short (1998)
- "Pad & Pen" by A Tribe Called Quest (1998)
- "Keep It Comin'" by Heavy D (1997)
- "Watcha Wanna Do" by Mia X feat. Charlie Wilson (1998)
- "It's Going Down by Parle (2000)
- "I-95" by Styles P feat. Tre Williams (2007)
- "Touch My Body" by Mariah Carey (2007)
- "Love Like This" by Natasha Bedingfield feat. Sean Kingston (2008)
- "Lifes a Bitch" by Elzhi feat. Royce da 5'9 & Stokley Williams (2011)
- "Real" by Common feat. Elijah Blake (2014)
- "Yernin" by Sevyn Streeter (2018)
- "Only God Knows" by D-Flexx (1997)
References
edit- ^ Harvey, Eric (May 19, 2012). "The Quiet Storm". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
- ^ "Yearning for Your Love - The Gap Band | Song Info | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "Gap Band – Yearning For Your Love / Burn Rubber (1980, 72 - PRC, Richmond Pressing, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "Gap Band – Yearning For Your Love / Humpin' (1980, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "The Gap Band – Yearning For Your Love / When I Look In Your Eyes (1980, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "The Gap Band - Yearning For Your Love / Oops Upside Your Head". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "Love Season overview". AllMusic.
- ^ "Strut overview". AllMusic.
- ^ "Contempo October 2001". SmoothVibes.com.
- ^ Reese, Alexis (24 July 2019). "PJ Morton Teases Forthcoming 'PAUL' Album With New "Ready" Visual". Vibe.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.