Love Can't Turn Around
Encyclopedia
"Love Can't Turn Around" was a 1986 single by Farley "Jackmaster" Funk featuring Darryl Pandy. It holds an important place in the history of house music
as the first record in that genre to cross over from the clubs into the UK Singles Chart
.
", the lead single from Isaac Hayes
' 1975 album Chocolate Chip. This album was notable for being the first on which Hayes moved on from funk
to embrace the then fashionable disco
sound. Hayes' original version remained a club favourite for many years and was often played at The Warehouse
, the influential Chicago
nightclub which was the focus of the house music scene in the mid-1980s.
In 1986, Steve "Silk" Hurley, working under the name J.M. Silk, recorded a house version of the song with vocalist Keith Nunnally, which reached number one on the Billboard magazine Hot Dance Club Play chart. However, the record did not cross over onto any other chart.
Hearing Hurley's version of the song, Farley Keith, who was living with Hurley at the time, teamed up with Jesse Saunders
to make his own version which would move even further away from Hayes' original. Keeping much of Hurley's instrumental arrangement, Farley changed the hook from "I Can't Turn Around" to "Love Can't Turn Around" and dropped the rest of Hayes' original lyric, substituting new words by Vince Lawrence
. The new words completely changed the outlook of the song; where Hayes' lyric had been about finding lasting love, with "I Can't Turn Around" being a declaration of intent to stay with a partner, the new lyric described a break-up, with "Love Can't Turn Around" now implying that the affair was over and would not be renewed. Vocals were performed by Darryl Pandy, who had been a lead performer with the acclaimed choir of Chicago's Church of Universal Awareness. Pandy died on June 10, 2011.
The record was a club hit, but also crossed over into the mainstream in the UK, where it was released by London Records
. The track entered the UK Singles chart in the week ending August 27, 1986, and peaked at number 2 five weeks later. At the time, writing credits were given to Farley Keith and Vince Lawrence, though it was later agreed through a deal with Universal Music that Hayes' song was the inspiration, and it is now officially credited to Jesse Saunders, Vince Lawrence and Hayes. Following the success of "Love Can't Turn Around", J.M. Silk's version of "I Can't Turn Around" also charted in the UK, reaching a peak of number 62.
In 1996, Keith's version was re-released in the UK featuring Daryl Pandy, and peaked at number #40.
B. "Dub Can't Turn Around" – 4:00
A2. "Love Can't Turn Around" (radio edit) – 3:25
B. "Dub Can't Turn Around" – 9:16 (Despite the title, this is the full vocal 12" version which has to date yet to appear on CD)
B1. "Love Can't Turn Around" (Houseappella) – 9:30
B2. "Love Can't Turn Around" (Houseappella Instrumental) – 7:13
The mix usually included on house music compilations is the 5:38 "Farley Remix #2", originally released on a DJ International Records sampler, which combines the intro from the Houseappella mix and elements from the House Remix.
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
as the first record in that genre to cross over from the clubs into 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 ...
.
History
The song's origin was "I Can't Turn AroundI Can't Turn Around
"I Can't Turn Around" is a song written and originally performed by Isaac Hayes as the lead single from his 1975 album Chocolate Chip.In 1986, a house music cover of the song by J.M. Silk reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with lead vocals performed by Keith...
", the lead single from Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
' 1975 album Chocolate Chip. This album was notable for being the first on which Hayes moved on from funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
to embrace the then fashionable disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
sound. Hayes' original version remained a club favourite for many years and was often played at The Warehouse
Warehouse (nightclub)
The Warehouse was a nightclub that was established in Chicago, Illinois in 1977 under the direction of Robert Williams. It is today most famous for being what many consider to be the birthplace and heart of "house music" under its first musical director, DJ Frankie Knuckles...
, the influential Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
nightclub which was the focus of the house music scene in the mid-1980s.
In 1986, Steve "Silk" Hurley, working under the name J.M. Silk, recorded a house version of the song with vocalist Keith Nunnally, which reached number one on the Billboard magazine Hot Dance Club Play chart. However, the record did not cross over onto any other chart.
Hearing Hurley's version of the song, Farley Keith, who was living with Hurley at the time, teamed up with Jesse Saunders
Jesse Saunders
Jesse Saunders is a DJ, music and film producer, remix artist, promoter and entrepreneur. He is one of the pioneers of House music, often cited as "the originator of House music". His 1984 single, "On & On", co-written with Vince Lawrence, was first record with a house DJ as the artist that was...
to make his own version which would move even further away from Hayes' original. Keeping much of Hurley's instrumental arrangement, Farley changed the hook from "I Can't Turn Around" to "Love Can't Turn Around" and dropped the rest of Hayes' original lyric, substituting new words by Vince Lawrence
Vince Lawrence
Vince Lawrence is a dance music producer, businessman and is one of the leading innovators of the genre of music called "House Music"....
. The new words completely changed the outlook of the song; where Hayes' lyric had been about finding lasting love, with "I Can't Turn Around" being a declaration of intent to stay with a partner, the new lyric described a break-up, with "Love Can't Turn Around" now implying that the affair was over and would not be renewed. Vocals were performed by Darryl Pandy, who had been a lead performer with the acclaimed choir of Chicago's Church of Universal Awareness. Pandy died on June 10, 2011.
The record was a club hit, but also crossed over into the mainstream in the UK, where it was released by London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
. The track entered the UK Singles chart in the week ending August 27, 1986, and peaked at number 2 five weeks later. At the time, writing credits were given to Farley Keith and Vince Lawrence, though it was later agreed through a deal with Universal Music that Hayes' song was the inspiration, and it is now officially credited to Jesse Saunders, Vince Lawrence and Hayes. Following the success of "Love Can't Turn Around", J.M. Silk's version of "I Can't Turn Around" also charted in the UK, reaching a peak of number 62.
In 1996, Keith's version was re-released in the UK featuring Daryl Pandy, and peaked at number #40.
7" - London Records LON 105
A. "Love Can't Turn Around" – 3:45B. "Dub Can't Turn Around" – 4:00
12" - London Records LONX 105
A1. "Love Can't Turn Around" (Club Mix) – 7:25A2. "Love Can't Turn Around" (radio edit) – 3:25
B. "Dub Can't Turn Around" – 9:16 (Despite the title, this is the full vocal 12" version which has to date yet to appear on CD)
Remix 12" - London Records LONXR 105
A. "Love Can't Turn Around" (House Remix) – 7:11B1. "Love Can't Turn Around" (Houseappella) – 9:30
B2. "Love Can't Turn Around" (Houseappella Instrumental) – 7:13
The mix usually included on house music compilations is the 5:38 "Farley Remix #2", originally released on a DJ International Records sampler, which combines the intro from the Houseappella mix and elements from the House Remix.