Love Is the Message (MFSB album)

1973 studio album by MFSB
Love Is the Message
Studio album by
MFSB
Released1973
Recorded1973
StudioSigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genre
  • Soul
  • disco
  • philadelphia soul
Length35:06
LabelPIR
ProducerKenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, Vince Montana, Bruce Hawes, Jack Faith
MFSB chronology
MFSB
(1973) 		Love Is the Message
(1973) 		Universal Love
(1975)
Singles from Natural High
  1. "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)"
    Released: February 6, 1974
  2. "Love Is the Message"
    Released: June 7, 1974
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Love Is the Message is the second album by Philadelphia International Records houseband MFSB. The album includes the number one pop, R&B, and adult contemporary hit and winner of the 1974 Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental Performance, "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)". The song was the theme song for the television show Soul Train.

Late 1970s resurgence

In the transition period between disco and the up-and-coming hip hop movement, the title track became a staple at house and block party events in the summers of 1978 and 1979.[citation needed] That track later became the basis for the last Salsoul Orchestra single "Ohh, I Love It (Love Break)", released in 1983.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Zack's Fanfare"Burton Lane, Frank Loesser0:23
2."Love Is the Message"Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff6:35
3."Cheaper to Keep Her"Mack Rice6:52
4."My One and Only Love"Guy Wood, Robert Mellin4:34
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" (Theme from the television show Soul Train)Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff3:43
6."Zack's Fanfare (I Hear Music)"Burton Lane, Frank Loesser0:50
7."Touch Me in the Morning"Michael Masser, Ron Miller6:21
8."Bitter Sweet"Bruce Hawes, Jack Faith5:26

Personnel

MFSB
  • Bobby Eli, Norman Harris, Reggie Lucas, Roland Chambers, T.J. Tindall - guitar
  • Anthony Jackson, Ron Baker - bass
  • Leon Huff, Lenny Pakula, Eddie Green, Harold "Ivory" Williams - keyboards
  • Earl Young, Karl Chambers, Norman Farrington - drums
  • Larry Washington - percussion
  • Vincent Montana, Jr. - vibraphone
  • Zach Zachery, Tony Williams - saxophone
  • Don Renaldo and his Strings and Horns
  • The Three Degrees - vocals

Charts

Chart (1974) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[2] 55
Canada (RPM)[3] 6
U.S. Billboard Top LPs[4] 4
U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs[4] 1
U.S. Billboard Top Jazz LPs[4] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (1974) Position
Canada[5] 52

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions
US
[4] 		US
R&B
[4] 		US
A/C
[4]
1974 "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" 1 1 1
"Love Is the Message" 85 42 —

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[6] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

  • List of number-one R&B albums of 1974 (U.S.)

References

  1. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. Love Is the Message review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-10-20.
  2. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 183. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  3. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums - April 27, 1974" (PDF).
  4. ^ a b c d e f "US Charts > MFSB". Billboard. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  5. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of '74 - December 28, 1974" (PDF).
  6. ^ "American album certifications – MFSB – Love Is the Message". Recording Industry Association of America.

Further reading

  • Brewster, Bill; Broughton, Frank (2014). Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey. Open Road + Grove/Atlantic. pp. 170–. ISBN 978-0-8021-9436-7.
  • Love Is the Message at Discogs (list of releases)
  • v
  • t
  • e
Studio albums
  • MFSB (1973)
  • Love is the Message (1973)
  • Universal Love (1975)
  • Philadelphia Freedom (1975)
  • Summertime (1976)
  • MFSB: The Gamble & Huff Orchestra (1978)
Singles
  • "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)"
  • "K-Jee"
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz release group