Love Trippin'

Love Trippin'
Love Trippin'
Studio album by The Spinners
Released	May 27, 1980
Studio	Media Sound, New York City, New York, United States
Genre	Soul
Length	39:00
Language	English
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Michael Zager
The Spinners chronology

Love Trippin' is a 1980 studio album from rhythm and blues vocal group The Spinners, released on Atlantic Records. This album comes after a shake-up in the band's sound, shifting from their Philly soul roots and a series of successful albums produced by Thom Bell^[2] to a disco sound^[3] recorded with several New York-based jazz musicians on 1979's Dancin' and Lovin'. That album's producer Michael Zager^[4] returned for this release which was a modest commercial and critical success and brought the musicians back to a more familiar soul sound.

Reception[edit]

A review in Orange Coast by Keith Tuber praised the album for returning to the band's roots and avoiding "ill-fated" disco.^[5] The editors of AllMusic Guide scored this release three out of five stars, with reviewer Jason Ankeny opining that Zager's production was appropriate to bring the group's sound into the 1980s and they were wise to not lean too heavily into disco at the end of that genre's commercial success, but the music is mediocre, featuring "duds" and that this release began a decline in the band's quality in the coming decade.^[1] In a year-end round-up for Billboard, The Spinners were 22nd in Number One Soul Album Artists for both Dancin' and Lovin' and Love Trippin'.^[6]

Track listing[edit]

"Love Trippin'" (Deniece Williams and Michael Zager) – 4:11
"Heavy on the Sunshine" (Denny Henson) – 3:39
"Medley: "Cupid"/"I've Loved You for a Long Time" (Sam Cooke / Michael Zager) – 5:35
"I Just Want to Be with You" (Alvin Fields and Michael Zager) – 3:29
"Streetwise" (Victor Davis and Phil Vear) – 3:41
"I Just Want to Fall in Love" (William Hatcher, Danny Omar, and Rickie Ross) – 3:52
"Now That You're Mine Again" (Michael Zager) – 4:27
"Split Decision" (Doug James, Chip Orton, and Eltesa Weathersby) – 3:32
"I'm Takin' You Back" (Larry LaFalce, Ed Fox, and Alan Roy Scott) – 3:18
"Pipedream" (Ed Fox and Alan Roy Scott) – 3:16

Personnel[edit]

The Spinners

John Edwards – vocals; backing vocals; lead vocals on "Love Trippin'" "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "Now That You're Mine Again", and "I'm Takin' You Back"
Henry Fambrough – vocals, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Heavy on the Sunshine" and "I Just Want to Be with You"
Billy Henderson – vocals, backing vocals
Pervis Jackson – vocals, backing vocals
Bobby Smith – vocals, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Pipedream"

Additional musicians

The Alfred V. Brown String Section – strings
Rubens Bassini – percussion
Michael Brecker – lead solo on "Now That You're Mine Again"; tenor saxophone on "Love Trippin'", "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Streetwise", "Now That You're Mine Again", "I'm Takin' You Back", flute on "Love Trippin'", "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Streetwise", "Now That You're Mine Again", and "I'm Takin' You Back"
Sam Burtis – trombone on "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", and "Split Decision"
Dave Carey – vibraphone
Francisco Centeno – bass guitar
Raymond Chew – keyboards on "Love Trippin'", "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", "Now That You're Mine Again", "Split Decision" and "I'm Takin' You Back"
Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone on "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", and "Split Decision"
Cornell Dupree – guitar on "Love Trippin'", "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", "Now That You're Mine Again", "Split Decision", and "I'm Takin' You Back"
Jon Faddis – flugelhorn on "Streetwise" and "Now That You're Mine Again", trumpet on "Streetwise" and "Now That You're Mine Again"
Randy Brecker – flugelhorn on "Love Trippin'", "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Streetwise", "Now That You're Mine Again", and "I'm Takin' You Back"; trumpet on "Love Trippin'", "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Streetwise", "Now That You're Mine Again", and "I'm Takin' You Back"
John Gatchell – flugelhorn on "Love Trippin'" "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", "Split Decision", and "I'm Takin' You Back"; trumpet on "Love Trippin'" "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", "Split Decision", and "I'm Takin' You Back"
Yogi Horton – drums on "Love Trippin'", "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", "Now That You're Mine Again", "Split Decision", and "I'm Takin' You Back"
Arnie Lawrence – alto saxophone on "Love Trippin'", "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Streetwise", "Now That You're Mine Again", and "I'm Takin' You Back"; trumpet on "Love Trippin'", "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Streetwise", "Now That You're Mine Again", and "I'm Takin' You Back"
Steve Love – guitar on "Love Trippin'", "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Be with You", and "Split Decision"
Jimmy Maelen – percussion
Ullanda McCullough – lead vocals on "Heavy on the Sunshine"
Robert Millikan – flugelhorn on "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", and "Split Decision"; trumpet on "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", and "Split Decision"
Jeff Mironov – guitar on "Heavy on the Sunshine" and "Streetwise"
Cliff Morris – guitar on "Heavy on the Sunshine", "I Just Want to Be with You", "Streetwise", and "Pipedream"
Keith O'Quinn – trombone on "Love Trippin'", "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Streetwise", "Now That You're Mine Again", and "I'm Takin' You Back"
Pat Rebillot – synthesizer; keyboards on "Heavy on the Sunshine", "I Just Want to Be with You", "Streetwise", and "Pipedream"
Allan Ross – alto saxophone on "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", and "Split Decision"; flute on "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", and "Split Decision"
Allan Schwartzberg – drums on "Heavy on the Sunshine", "I Just Want to Be with You", "Streetwise", "Pipedream"
John Tropea – guitar on "Love Trippin'", "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Fall in Love", "Now That You're Mine Again", "Split Decision", and "I'm Takin' You Back"

Technical personnel

Michael Barbiero – engineering
Carl Beatty – engineering assistance
Bob Defrin – art direction
Joe Gastwirt – mastering at Frankford/Wayne Mastering Labs on "Love Trippin'" "Heavy on the Sunshine", "Cupid"/"I've Loved for a Long Time", "I Just Want to Be with You", and "Streetwise"
Alec Head – overdub engineering
Jim Houghton – photography
Dennis King – mastering at Atlantic Studios on "I Just Want to Fall in Love", "Now That You're Mine Again", "Split Decision", "I'm Takin' You Back", and "Pipedream"
Jerry Love – production
Gene Orloff – concertmaster
Ed Walsh – synthesizer programming
Michael Zager – arrangement, conducting, production

Chart performance[edit]

Love Trippin' reached 16 on the R&B chart and peaked at 53 on the Billboard 200, a slight dip from their last album, but far ahead of their previous two.^[7]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b Ankeny, Jason. "The Spinners – Love Trippin'". AllMusic Guide. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
^ Burgess, A. Ace (1976-03-25). "The Spinners Celebrate 20th Anniversary". Jet. Vol. XLIX, no. 26. Johnson Publishing, Company, Inc. p. 60. ISSN 0021-5996.
^ Grein, Paul (1979-11-17). "Spinners Spinning to Belated Dance Beat on New LP". Talent. Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 46. pp. 34, 40. ISSN 0006-2510.
^ Williams, Jean (1979-07-07). "Spinners to Try a New LP Concept". Soul Sauce. Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 26. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.
^ Tuber, Keith (August 1980). "Music". Viewpoint. Orange Coast. Vol. 6, no. 8. Emmis Communications. p. 83. ISSN 0279-0483.
^ Grein, Paul (1980-12-20). "Billboard's 1980 Talent in Action". Billboard. Vol. 92, no. 51. pp. TA-15, TA-34. ISSN 0006-2510.
^ "US Albums Charts > The Spinners". AllMusic Guide. Archived from the original on 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2010-01-17.

External links[edit]

Love Trippin' at Discogs (list of releases)
Love Trippin' at MusicBrainz (list of releases)

[amg-1] Ankeny, Jason. "The Spinners – Love Trippin'". AllMusic Guide. Retrieved 2023-02-06.

[jet-2] Burgess, A. Ace (1976-03-25). "The Spinners Celebrate 20th Anniversary". Jet. Vol. XLIX, no. 26. Johnson Publishing, Company, Inc. p. 60. ISSN 0021-5996.

[bb19791117-3] Grein, Paul (1979-11-17). "Spinners Spinning to Belated Dance Beat on New LP". Talent. Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 46. pp. 34, 40. ISSN 0006-2510.

[bb19790707-4] Williams, Jean (1979-07-07). "Spinners to Try a New LP Concept". Soul Sauce. Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 26. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.

[oc-5] Tuber, Keith (August 1980). "Music". Viewpoint. Orange Coast. Vol. 6, no. 8. Emmis Communications. p. 83. ISSN 0279-0483.

[bb19801220-6] Grein, Paul (1980-12-20). "Billboard's 1980 Talent in Action". Billboard. Vol. 92, no. 51. pp. TA-15, TA-34. ISSN 0006-2510.

[chartamg-7] "US Albums Charts > The Spinners". AllMusic Guide. Archived from the original on 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2010-01-17.

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v t e The Spinners
C.J. Jefferson Marvin Taylor Jessie Robert Peck Ronnie Moss Henry Fambrough Pervis Jackson Billy Henderson C. P. Spencer James Edwards Bobby Smith George Dixon Edgar Edwards G. C. Cameron Philippé Wynne John Edwards Frank Washington Harold "Spike" Bonhart Charlton Washington
Studio albums	The Original Spinners 2nd Time Around Spinners Mighty Love New and Improved Pick of the Litter Happiness Is Being with the Spinners Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow 8 From Here to Eternally Dancin' and Lovin' Love Trippin' Labor of Love Can't Shake This Feeling Grand Slam Cross Fire Lovin' Feelings Down to Business At Their Best
Other albums	The Best of the Spinners (1973 album) Spinners Live! The Best of the Spinners (1978 album) The Spinners: Their Early Years
Singles	"That's What Girls Are Made For" "I'll Always Love You" "Truly Yours" "It's a Shame" "How Could I Let You Get Away" "I'll Be Around" "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" "Ghetto Child" "Mighty Love" "I'm Coming Home" "Then Came You" "Sadie" "Games People Play" "The Rubberband Man" "Are You Ready for Love" "Working My Way Back to You" "Cupid" "Yesterday Once More" "Funny How Time Slips Away" "I'll Be Around"
Related articles	Discography
Category