Caravan of Love
Encyclopedia
"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.
) wrote and produced this single, which was Jasper's interpolation with reaching audiences by presenting Christian beliefs into his music. The song became the trio's biggest hit going to number one on the Billboard R&B singles chart and fifty-one on the Billboard pop chart in 1985 . and would be their only prominent hit before they splintered into solo careers in 1988.
Side two
Side two
indie
band The Housemartins
released "Caravan of Love" in November 1986. The a cappella
song was an instant smash, 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
".
The song was not released on a Housemartins album, until the greatest hits compilation Now That's What I Call Quite Good
.
Side two
Side two
Isley-Jasper-Isley
Isley/Jasper/Isley was a splinter group of the Isley Brothers formed in 1984 by brother-in-law Chris Jasper , Ernie Isley and Marvin Isley , due to creative differences that arose among the group....
, the second half of The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper...
' 3 + 3 lineup of the 1970s.
Isley-Jasper-Isley version
After breaking away from the legendary family group, the group (notably Chris JasperChris Jasper
Chris Jasper is a former member of both the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley. He is also a successful solo artist and record producer, recording a number of his own solo albums, and producing artists, for his New York based record label, Gold City Records...
) wrote and produced this single, which was Jasper's interpolation with reaching audiences by presenting Christian beliefs into his music. The song became the trio's biggest hit going to number one on the Billboard R&B singles chart and fifty-one on the Billboard pop chart in 1985 . and would be their only prominent hit before they splintered into solo careers in 1988.
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Chris JasperChris JasperChris Jasper is a former member of both the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley. He is also a successful solo artist and record producer, recording a number of his own solo albums, and producing artists, for his New York based record label, Gold City Records...
- Background vocals by Ernie IsleyErnie IsleyErnest "Ernie" Isley is a member of the iconic American musical ensemble, The Isley Brothers.-Life and career:Ernie was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his older brothers formed The Isley Brothers, first as a gospel group, then as a secular-singing group. In 1960 his family moved to Englewood and...
and Marvin IsleyMarvin IsleyMarvin Isley was the youngest member of the family music group the Isley Brothers and its bass guitarist.... - Piano and keyboard by Chris JasperChris JasperChris Jasper is a former member of both the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley. He is also a successful solo artist and record producer, recording a number of his own solo albums, and producing artists, for his New York based record label, Gold City Records...
- Bass by Marvin IsleyMarvin IsleyMarvin Isley was the youngest member of the family music group the Isley Brothers and its bass guitarist....
- Guitar by Ernie IsleyErnie IsleyErnest "Ernie" Isley is a member of the iconic American musical ensemble, The Isley Brothers.-Life and career:Ernie was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his older brothers formed The Isley Brothers, first as a gospel group, then as a secular-singing group. In 1960 his family moved to Englewood and...
- Produced by Ernie IsleyErnie IsleyErnest "Ernie" Isley is a member of the iconic American musical ensemble, The Isley Brothers.-Life and career:Ernie was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his older brothers formed The Isley Brothers, first as a gospel group, then as a secular-singing group. In 1960 his family moved to Englewood and...
, Chris JasperChris JasperChris Jasper is a former member of both the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley. He is also a successful solo artist and record producer, recording a number of his own solo albums, and producing artists, for his New York based record label, Gold City Records...
and Marvin IsleyMarvin IsleyMarvin Isley was the youngest member of the family music group the Isley Brothers and its bass guitarist....
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 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... |
51 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 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,... |
1 |
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
21 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary | 16 |
The Housemartins version
BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
band The Housemartins
The Housemartins
The Housemartins were an English indie pop band that was active in the 1980s. Many of the Housemartins' lyrics were a mixture of Marxist politics and Christianity, reflecting singer Paul Heaton's beliefs at the time .-Formation:The band was formed in late 1983 by Paul Heaton and...
released "Caravan of Love" in November 1986. The a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
song was an instant smash, reaching number one in the 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 ...
on 16 December 1986 (only the second a cappella recording to do so, after "Only You
Only You (Yazoo song)
-Track listing:7": Mute/7 MUTE 20 # "Only You" - 3:10# "Situation" - 3:447": Sire/9 2-98447 # "Only You" - 3:10# "Winter Kills" - 4:0112": Mute/12 MUTE 20 # "Only You" - 3:10# "Situation" - 5:20CD: Mute/CD MUTE 20...
" by the Flying Pickets in 1983), before being denied the Christmas number one single
Christmas number one single
The Christmas number one single is a single that reaches number one on the national pop music charts in the week immediately prior to Christmas. It is primarily a pop culture phenomenon in the United Kingdom and in the neighboring Republic of Ireland....
by a posthumous re-release of Jackie Wilson's
Jackie Wilson
Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history...
"Reet Petite
Reet Petite
"Reet Petite " is a song made popular by Jackie Wilson...
".
The song was not released on a Housemartins album, until the greatest hits compilation Now That's What I Call Quite Good
Now That's What I Call Quite Good
Now That's What I Call Quite Good was the post-breakup greatest hits album from The Housemartins. It was released in 1988. As well as singles, the compilation includes various album tracks, B-sides and radio session recordings...
.
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 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 ... |
1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
3 |
| German Top100 Singles Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
2 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 2 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 2 |
Other versions
- Gospel singer Marvin SappMarvin SappPastor Marvin Louis Sapp is an American Gospel music singer-songwriter who recorded with the group Commissioned during the 1990s before beginning a record-breaking solo career...
with Christian contemporary singer Bob CarlisleBob CarlisleBob Carlisle is a Grammy Award and Dove Award-winning American musician who performs Christian music. He performed with several bands, most notably Allies and Billy Thermal, before launching a solo career...
and jazz saxophonist Kirk WhalumKirk WhalumKirk Whalum is an American smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. He toured as Whitney Houston's opening act for several years. Whalum has also recorded a series of well received solo albums and film soundtracks, with music ranging from pop to R&B to smooth jazz...
from the WOW Gospel 2000WOW Gospel 2000WOW Gospel 2000 is a gospel music compilation album in the WOW series. Released February 8, 2000, it features thirty-two songs on a double disc set...
compilation. - Jazz artist Terry CallierTerry CallierTerrence O. Callier, known as Terry Callier is an American jazz, soul and folk guitarist and singer-songwriter.-Life and career:...
on his 2002 album, Speak Your Peace. - German singer NenaNenaGabriele Susanne Kerner , better known by her stage name Nena, is a German singer and actress. She rose to international fame in 1983 with the New German Wave song "99 Luftballons". In 1984, she re-recorded this song in English as "99 Red Balloons". Nena was also the name of the band with whom she...
in 2006