Yearning for Your Love

"Yearning for Your Love"
Single by The Gap Band
from the album The Gap Band III
B-side
ReleasedJanuary 1981
Recorded1980
Genre
Length3:59 (single)
5:43 (album version)
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)
  • Oliver Scott
  • Ronnie Wilson
The Gap Band singles chronology
"Humpin'"
(1980) 		"Yearning for Your Love"
(1981) 		"Early in the Morning"
(1982)

"Yearning for Your Love" is a 1980 ballad recorded and released by The Gap Band on Mercury Records. The single was the third release off the band's fifth album, The Gap Band III (1980). Four different singles, each with a different B-side, were released in 1981.

The song became a modest hit on the US and UK charts when it was released; it arose to number five on the Hot Soul Singles chart and number sixty on the Billboard Hot 100. Written by Gap Band keyboardist Oliver Scott and keyboardist Ronnie Wilson, it was a romantic love song dedicated to Wilson's wife at the time and was performed by Ronnie's brother Charlie Wilson.

Structure

The song was markedly different in style from the past few hits,[2] with less emphasis on synthesizers, instead on "light slices of guitar, smooth keyboard pads and soft percussion". It is said,[by whom?] Charlie Wilson's smooth baritone take on the song helped the song become influential to contemporary R&B singers, such as Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill and Gerald Levert.

Releases

  1. "Yearning for Your Love" / "Burn Rubber"[3]
  2. "Yearning for Your Love" / "Humpin'"[4]
  3. "Yearning for Your Love" / "When I Look in Your Eyes"[5]
  4. "Yearning for Your Love" / "Oops Upside Your Head"[6]

Personnel

  • Lead vocals by Charlie Wilson
  • Background vocals by Oliver Scott, Ronnie Wilson and Robert Wilson
  • Drums by Ronnie Kaufman
  • Guitars by Fred Jenkins, Glenn Nightingale
  • Bass by Robert Wilson
  • Synthesizers by Ronnie Wilson
  • Keyboards by Oliver Scott

Charts

Chart (1981) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 60
US Hot Soul Singles Chart 5

Cover versions

In 1989, Swiss pianist Alex Bugnon covered the song for his album, Love Season.[7]

In 1990, Guy also covered the song on their 1990 album, The Future.[8]

In 2001, keyboardist Kevin Toney covered the song on his album Strut. The song featured Evelyn "Champagne" King on vocals.[9]

In 2019, singer PJ Morton covered the song from his album Paul.[10]

Sampling

The song has been sampled several times including some of the following:

References

  1. ^ Harvey, Eric (May 19, 2012). "The Quiet Storm". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "Yearning for Your Love - The Gap Band | Song Info | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Gap Band – Yearning For Your Love / Burn Rubber (1980, 72 - PRC, Richmond Pressing, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Gap Band – Yearning For Your Love / Humpin' (1980, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  5. ^ "The Gap Band – Yearning For Your Love / When I Look In Your Eyes (1980, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  6. ^ "The Gap Band - Yearning For Your Love / Oops Upside Your Head". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Love Season overview". AllMusic.
  8. ^ "Strut overview". AllMusic.
  9. ^ "Contempo October 2001". SmoothVibes.com.
  10. ^ Reese, Alexis (24 July 2019). "PJ Morton Teases Forthcoming 'PAUL' Album With New "Ready" Visual". Vibe.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.