A is for Always

So it’s day one of the A to Z blog challenge (And oh, by the way … thanks Arlee Bird, for founding said challenge!!) and, for me, A is for Always. “Always and Forever” to be more precise. It’s the title of one of the sweetest, most romantic love songs ever recorded and, as you all know, my goal with this A to Z challenge is to stick to a secondary theme of romance. You should all also know by now that I am a total music junkie. I could not make it through a single day without the healing, sustaining life power that is music. Great music.

What you might not know about me is that I am a child of the ‘70s. (And the only thing that tops ‘70s music for me is ‘80s music, but that’s another conversation). Whether you were listening to pop (think Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music”), rock (like Kansas’ “Carry On My Wayward Son”), or the all-consuming Disco phenomenon, music was just funkier back then. And it didn’t matter if it was a tune you could dance to or a ballad worthy of tears. It was all funky!

“Always and Forever” was no exception. Written by Rod Temperton, the romantic ballad has an almost cult following among people in my age bracket. It was first recorded by the British-based, multi-national funk/disco band, Heatwave, for their debut album, Too Hot to Handle. It went on to reach #9 on the UK’s Single’s Chart, #2 on the U.S. Billboard R&B Chart and #18 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has since been recorded by several other artists over the years, from Luther Vandross to Kenny Rogers. But it is the Heatwave version, with amazing lead vocals by Jonnie Wilder, that will always stand the test of time, making it one of the most romantic songs in history. In my opinion, anyway. But you can click on the link below to give a listen and see what you think.