After the Love Has Gone
Encyclopedia
"After the Love Has Gone" is a 1979 hit single for Earth, Wind & Fire
, written by David Foster
, Jay Graydon
, and (Chicago
band member) Bill Champlin
for the album I Am
. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
singles chart.
and won for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. The song also won a Best R & B Song Grammy Award for Foster, Graydon and Champlin as its composers. After the Love Has Gone has been placed on Bruce Pollock's list of The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944-2000.
"After the Love Has Gone" was very successful commercially, selling over a million copies. It has been certified Gold as up until the RIAA lowered the sales levels for certified singles in 1989, a Gold single equaled 1 million units sold.
It was used to particularly haunting effect when played by Venus Flytrap, the night DJ on the television series WKRP in Cincinnati
(played by Tim Reid
), shortly after the announcement that numerous youngsters were killed and wounded by a stampede of concertgoers at a Who
concert where the tickets were not for designated seating. The song was also heard on an earlier episode, during a scene where staffer Bailey Quarters
was brooding over being stood up on a planned date with morning drive DJ Johnny Fever.
and Foster
) covered the song on the only album release by their band Airplay
in 1980, making it probably the first commercially released cover of the song.
UK boyband Damage
has covered the song, as well as artists such as Donny Osmond
on his album Somewhere in Time and 112
on the album New York Undercover: A Night at Natalie's. The song was sampled by Ryan Shaw
in 2008.
Norman Brown
also covered the song in his 1996 smooth jazz album Better Days Ahead. The band Steps version is different which just the title is the same.
Kurt Elling, Chicago-based Grammy-winning jazz vocalist, has recorded this song on his 2011 release 'The Gate'.
Filipino R&B singer Jay R covered the song from his 2008 album, Soul In Love.
After The Love Has Gone
reached #2 in the U.S., kept off the top spot by My Sharona
by The Knack
. It also peaked at #4 in the U.K.
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
, written by David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
, Jay Graydon
Jay Graydon
Jay Graydon is a Los Angeles songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards with twelve Grammy nominations, among them the title "Producer of the Year" and "Best Engineered Recording". Jay Graydon has mastered many...
, and (Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
band member) Bill Champlin
Bill Champlin
William Bradford "Bill" Champlin is an American singer, guitarist, keyboard player, arranger, producer, and songwriter. His performance work is principally associated with the bands Chicago and the Sons of Champlin...
for the album I Am
I Am (Earth, Wind & Fire album)
I Am is the ninth studio album by the R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1979 on Columbia Records. The album features the singles "Boogie Wonderland" with The Emotions and "After the Love Has Gone". Also recorded in the I Am sessions were "September" and "Love Music" which were both included...
. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
singles chart.
Reception
"After the Love Has Gone" was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the YearRecord Of The Year
Record of the Year may refer to:*Grammy Award for Record of the Year*The Record of the Year, a British award based on public polling...
and won for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. The song also won a Best R & B Song Grammy Award for Foster, Graydon and Champlin as its composers. After the Love Has Gone has been placed on Bruce Pollock's list of The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944-2000.
It was used to particularly haunting effect when played by Venus Flytrap, the night DJ on the television series WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
(played by Tim Reid
Tim Reid
Timothy L. "Tim" Reid is an American actor, comedian and film director best known for his roles in prime time American television programs, such as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati , Marcel "Downtown" Brown on Simon & Simon , Ray Campbell on Sister, Sister and William Barnett on That 70's Show...
), shortly after the announcement that numerous youngsters were killed and wounded by a stampede of concertgoers at a Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
concert where the tickets were not for designated seating. The song was also heard on an earlier episode, during a scene where staffer Bailey Quarters
Bailey Quarters
Bailey Quarters is a character on the television sitcom, WKRP in Cincinnati. She was played by actress Jan Smithers, and was based on creator Hugh Wilson's wife.- WKRP roles :...
was brooding over being stood up on a planned date with morning drive DJ Johnny Fever.
Covers and samples
Two of the song's authors (GraydonJay Graydon
Jay Graydon is a Los Angeles songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards with twelve Grammy nominations, among them the title "Producer of the Year" and "Best Engineered Recording". Jay Graydon has mastered many...
and Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
) covered the song on the only album release by their band Airplay
Airplay (band)
Airplay was a short-lived American band, formed by David Foster and Jay Graydon. The band released a self-titled album in 1980, containing "Nothin' You Can Do About It" and the original version of the Earth, Wind & Fire hit "After The Love Has Gone", written by Foster and Graydon with Bill...
in 1980, making it probably the first commercially released cover of the song.
UK boyband Damage
Damage (British band)
Damage were a British R&B boy band who achieved success in the 1990s with eleven hit singles, including four Top 10 successes in the UK Singles Chart.-Biography:...
has covered the song, as well as artists such as Donny Osmond
Donny Osmond
Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long...
on his album Somewhere in Time and 112
112 (band)
112 is an American R&B quartet from Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly artists on Diddy's Bad Boy Records, the group signed to the Def Soul roster in 2002. They had great success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as "Only You", "Anywhere" and "Peaches & Cream"...
on the album New York Undercover: A Night at Natalie's. The song was sampled by Ryan Shaw
Ryan Shaw
Ryan Christopher Shaw is a soul musician from Georgia, USA.-Biography:Shaw began singing in Pentecostal church at the age of three, having been raised in a deeply religious household. Shaw won a spot in a gospel musical at Georgia State University, and in 1998 he dropped out of college to take...
in 2008.
Norman Brown
Norman Brown (guitarist)
Norman Brown is a smooth jazz guitarist & singer, often compared to his contemporary George Benson.-Overview:...
also covered the song in his 1996 smooth jazz album Better Days Ahead. The band Steps version is different which just the title is the same.
Kurt Elling, Chicago-based Grammy-winning jazz vocalist, has recorded this song on his 2011 release 'The Gate'.
Filipino R&B singer Jay R covered the song from his 2008 album, Soul In Love.
Personnel
- Written and composed by - David FosterDavid FosterDavid Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
, Jay GraydonJay GraydonJay Graydon is a Los Angeles songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards with twelve Grammy nominations, among them the title "Producer of the Year" and "Best Engineered Recording". Jay Graydon has mastered many...
, and Bill ChamplinBill ChamplinWilliam Bradford "Bill" Champlin is an American singer, guitarist, keyboard player, arranger, producer, and songwriter. His performance work is principally associated with the bands Chicago and the Sons of Champlin... - Produced by - Maurice WhiteMaurice WhiteMaurice White is a Grammy Award–winning American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger. He is the older brother of Verdine White and Fred White and the leader and founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire...
- Horns arrangement By - Jerry Hey
- Strings arrangement By - David Foster
- Saxophone [Solo] - Don MyrickDon MyrickDon Myrick was a saxophonist.He played alto, tenor and soprano sax and was a member of Earth Wind & Fire's original horn section, The Phenix Horns Esq. from 1975 through 1982. Previously, Myrick had been a member of the musical group The Pharaohs...
After The Love Has Gone
After the Love Has Gone
"After the Love Has Gone" is a 1979 hit single for Earth, Wind & Fire, written by David Foster, Jay Graydon, and Bill Champlin for the album I Am. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.-Reception:...
reached #2 in the U.S., kept off the top spot by My Sharona
My Sharona
"My Sharona" is the debut single by The Knack, released in 1979 from their album Get the Knack. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart where it remained for six weeks and was #1 on Billboards Top Pop Singles of 1979 year-end chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry...
by The Knack
The Knack
The Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
. It also peaked at #4 in the U.K.
Chart positions
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
4 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
3 |