Caravan of Love
"Caravan of Love" is a 1985 R&B hit originally recorded by Isley-Jasper-Isley, the second half of The Isley Brothers' 3 + 3 lineup of the 1970s.
"Caravan of Love" | |
---|---|
Single by Isley-Jasper-Isley | |
from the album Caravan of Love | |
B-side | "I Can't Get over Losin' You" |
Released | 1985 |
Recorded | East Orange, New Jersey, 1985 |
Genre | R&B, soul |
Length | 5:42 |
Label | Epic |
Songwriter(s) | Ernie Isley, Chris Jasper and Marvin Isley |
Producer(s) | Ernie Isley, Chris Jasper and Marvin Isley |
Original Isley-Jasper-Isley version
After breaking away from the legendary family group, the group (notably Chris Jasper) wrote and produced this single, which was Jasper's interpolation intending to reach audiences by presenting Christian beliefs in his music. The song became the trio's biggest hit going to #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart and #51 on the Billboard pop chart in 1985;[1] it would be their only prominent hit before they splintered into solo careers in 1988. The music video was filmed on-location in New York City.
Personnel
- Chris Jasper: Keyboards, lead vocals, piano, production
- Ernie Isley: Guitar, backing vocals, production
- Marvin Isley: Bass, backing vocals, production
7" vinyl single
Side one
- "Caravan of Love" – 4:15
Side two
- "I Can't Get over Losin' You" – 4:05
12" vinyl single
Side one
- "Caravan of Love" – 5:43
Side two
- "I Can't Get over Losin' You" – 4:05
Chart performance
Chart (1985) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot 100[2] | 51 |
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[2] | 1 |
Chart (1986) | Peak position |
Dutch Top 40[3] | 21 |
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[2] | 16 |
The Housemartins version
"Caravan of Love" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Housemartins | ||||
B-side | "When I First Met Jesus" | |||
Released | November 1986 | |||
Recorded | 1986 | |||
Genre | A cappella | |||
Length | 3:40 | |||
Label | Go! Discs (UK) Elektra (US) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Ernie Isley, Chris Jasper and Marvin Isley | |||
Producer(s) | John Williams | |||
The Housemartins singles chronology | ||||
|
British indie band The Housemartins released "Caravan of Love" in November 1986. The a cappella song was a success, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart on 16 December 1986 (only the second a cappella recording to do so, after "Only You" by the Flying Pickets in 1983), before being denied the Christmas number one single by a posthumous re-release of Jackie Wilson's "Reet Petite".[4]
The song was released on the greatest hits compilation Now That's What I Call Quite Good.
7" vinyl single
Side one
- "Caravan of Love" – 3:40
Side two
- "When I First Met Jesus" – 2:46
12" vinyl single
Side one
- "Caravan of Love"
- "We Shall Not Be Moved"
Side two
- "When I First Met Jesus"
- "So Much in Love"
- "Heaven Help Us All (Sermonette)"
Chart performance
Chart (1986) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles Chart[5] | 1 |
Irish Singles Chart | 1 |
Chart (1987) | Peak position |
Australian (Kent Music Report) | 24[6] |
Austrian Singles Chart[7] | 7 |
Dutch Top 40[8] | 3 |
German Top100 Singles[9] | 2 |
New Zealand Singles Chart | 2 |
Norwegian Singles Chart[10] | 2 |
Spain (AFYVE)[11] | 4 |
Swedish Singles Chart[12] | 1 |
Swiss Singles Chart[13] | 2 |
Other versions
- On The Rippingtons 1996 album Brave New World, featuring the vocals of The Whispers.
- Gospel singer Marvin Sapp with Christian contemporary singer Bob Carlisle and jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum from the WOW Gospel 2000 compilation.
- Jazz artist Terry Callier on his 2002 album, Speak Your Peace.
- In 2003, Australian born Irish singer Johnny Logan recorded the song on his album, We All Need Love.
- In 2004, German pop group Preluders covered the song on their album Prelude to History.
- In 2010, Croatian pop-singer and Eurovision Song Contest veteran, Martina Majerle recorded the song, together with Chrisma Project and Mr. B.
- British pop singer Pixie Lott released in November 2014 a charity version of the song as the lead single from her first hits collection Platinum Pixie. The song charted at #129 in the UK.[14]
- Italian a cappella group Neri per caso covered the song on their album Neri per caso 2.0, published in 2016.
References
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 279.
- "Billboard charts at Allmusic". Retrieved November 22, 2008.
- "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 8, 1986". Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 469. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- "everyhit.com search results". Archived from the original on July 18, 2007. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 142. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "austriancharts.at". Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 7, 1987". Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- "Suchergebnis — Suche nach: "Housemartins" UND "Caravan" UND "of" UND "Love" — Suche in: Deutsche Single-Charts ab 1956". Retrieved December 10, 2008.
- "norwegiancharts.com". Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- "swedishcharts.com". Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- "hitparade.ch". Archived from the original on June 28, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- http://zobbel.de/cluk/141115cluk.txt