Alive & Kicking is the fifth and final album by American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 soul

Soul music

Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...

 group The Delfonics

The Delfonics

The Delfonics are a pioneering Philadelphia soul singing group, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La ", "Didn't I ", "Break Your Promise," "I'm Sorry," and "Ready or Not Here I Come "...

, produced by Stan Watson and released in 1974 on the Philly Groove

Philly Groove Records

Philly Groove Records was a soul music label started by Stan Watson and Sam Bell in 1967, with noted producer Thom Bell doing A&R. The label's best-known artists were male vocal group, the Delfonics and female group, First Choice. Both acts enjoyed a run of hits during the late 60s and early 70s,...

 label. The album received a lukewarm reception, with critical opinion tending to the view that by this time The Delfonics were hampered by weaker material than that being produced contemporaneously by other Philadelphia soul

Philadelphia soul

Philadelphia soul, sometimes called the Philadelphia Sound or Sweet Philly, is a style of soul music characterized by funk influences and lush instrumental arrangements, often featuring sweeping strings and piercing horns. The subtle sound of a glockenspiel can often be heard in the background of...

 groups such as Blue Magic

Blue Magic (band)

Blue Magic is an American soul music group, one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972, they were originally composed of lead Ted Mills, Vernon Sawyer, Wendell Sawyer, Keith Beaton, and Richard Pratt...

 and The Stylistics

The Stylistics

The Stylistics are a soul music vocal group, and were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and were composed of lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads, graced by the...

. Three singles were released with moderate success. The group in its original form would split up soon after the release of Alive & Kicking.

Track listing

(All tracks written by William Hart unless stated)

1. "Lying to Myself" – 4:05
2. "I Told You So" – 3:14
3. "First Thing on My Mind" – 4:32
4. "Hey Baby" – 3:26
5. "Think It Over" – 4:41
6. "Pardon Me Girl" – 2:51
7. "Seventeen (And in Love)" – 4:24
8. "I Don't Want to Make You Wait" – 3:17
9. "Love Is" – 2:20
10. "Can't Go on Living" (Norman Harris
    Norman Harris
    Norman Harris was an American guitarist, producer, arranger and songwriter associated with Philly soul. He was a founding member of MFSB and one-third of the production trio of Baker-Harris-Young...
    
    , Al Felder) – 3:14
11. "Start All Over Again" – 4:23
12. "Don't Leave Me" – 2:51

Singles

• "I Don't Want to Make You Wait" (US Pop
  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...
  
   #91, US R&B
  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,...
  
   #22)
• "I Told You So" (US R&B #26)
• "Lying to Myself" (US R&B #60)

Personnel

• Ronald Baker
  Ronnie Baker
  Ronnie Baker was a famous record producer, bassist, arranger and songwriter. He participated on many Gamble and Huff recordings and was one-third of the production team of Baker-Harris-Young. He was one of The Trammps, who had a #5 UK/#35 US hit with Hold Back The Night....
  
   – bass
• Tony Bell – arranger
• Joel Brodsky
  Joel Brodsky
  Joel Lee Brodsky was an American photographer, best known for his photography of musicians, particularly his iconic "Young Lion" photographs of Jim Morrison. In his lifetime, he is credited with photographing over 400 album covers.Brodsky was born in Brooklyn, New York and graduated from Syracuse...
  
   – photography
• Bobby Eli
  Bobby Eli
  Bobby Eli is a Grammy Award winning musician, arranger, composer and record producer from Philadelphia, USA. He is a founding member and lead guitarist of Philadelphia studio group MFSB.-Biography:...
  
   – guitar
• Norman Harris
  Norman Harris
  Norman Harris was an American guitarist, producer, arranger and songwriter associated with Philly soul. He was a founding member of MFSB and one-third of the production trio of Baker-Harris-Young...
  
   – guitar
• Wilbert Hart – vocals
• William "Poogie" Hart – vocals
• Cotton Kent – keyboards
• Jay Mark – engineer
• Vince Montana – arranger
• Tom Moulton
  Tom Moulton
  Tom Moulton is an American record producer, and originator of the remix, the breakdown section, and the 12-inch single vinyl format.-Life and career:Thomas Jerome Moulton was born in Schenectady, New York, United States....
  
   – compilation executive producer
• Don Murray – engineer
• Stan Watson – producer
• Beverly Weinstein – art direction
• Reid Whitelaw – compilation executive producer
• Earl Young
  Earl Young (drummer)
  Earl Young is a Philadelphia-based drummer who rose to prominence in the early 1970s as part of the Philly Soul sound. Young is best known as the founder and leader of The Trammps who had a hit record with "Disco Inferno". Young, along with Ronnie Baker and Norman Harris, was the owner of the...
  
   – drums