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"Love's Train"
Song by Con Funk Shun
from the album To the Max
Released1982
Genre
Length5:12
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Con Funk Shun
Audio
"Love's Train" on YouTube

"Love's Train" is a song by American R&B and funk band Con Funk Shun from their tenth album, To the Max (1982). The song was written by Michael Cooper and Felton C. Pilate II, and produced by Con Funk Shun. Musically, it is an R&B, funk and quiet storm song. Lyrically, the song is about a love triangle, involving Cooper and Pilate. Cooper wrote the song to a music track created by Pilate, but with different lyrics. Since its release, "Love's Train" has received praise from music critics, with the majority commending the band's vocals.

Con Funk Shun first performed "Love's Train" on Soul Train in 1983 and later for Funky Nights: United We Funk All Stars, which was released on a DVD in 2003.[1][2] The song was covered by the American superduo Silk Sonic in 2022 as a commemorative song for Valentine's Day; their version peaked at number 31 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. While Con Funk Shun's original recording was never released as a single, it has since become an audience favorite and a signature song for the band. The song has since appeared on multiple compilation albums and has been re-recorded and remastered in 2010.

Background and subsequent releases

"Love's Train" is a R&B, funk, and quiet storm ballad.[3][4][5] Its instrumentation includes a "steering bass guitar", "glittering keys" and "synth-centric flair of '80s R&B". Con Funk Shun's vocals have been described by critics as "ultra-suave and honeyed".[3] Moreover, the lead tenor, performed by Michael Cooper, was simultaneously dubbed as "husky and smooth".[4] According to AllMusic's Craig Lytle, "the romance in the song is manifested by the guitar and piano rhythms."[4].

"Love's Train" is the seventh track on Con Funk Shun's tenth studio album To the Max, released in 1982 by Mercury Records. The original recording was never released as a single.[6] Since its release, "Love's Train" has appeared on numerous compilation albums, including The Best of Con Funk Shun (1993), 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Con Funk Shun (2002) and Touch/Con Funk Shun 7/To the Max (2011).[5][7][8] The song has been re-recorded and remastered in 2010.[9]

Lyrics

"Love's Train" was written about "a love triangle Michael Cooper and Felton Pilate found themselves in, both lovelorn and yearning." The songwriters have acknowledged there was no awkwardness during the writing sessions.[10] One day, a young lady showed up in the studio in San Francisco and Pilate "moved on her quickly". After a month of relationship, she told Cooper that she wanted him, instead of Pilate. At this point, Cooper thought she had left Pilate, but she was "juggling" both of them.[6] One night Cooper showed up at her apartment and she was with Pilate. The former told Pilate "If by chance you let me come up, we can talk about this", these words would become the bridge in "Love's Train". Cooper decided to go home and poured out his sorrow into the lyrics of a song, which started "warm night, can't sleep, too hurt, too weak, gotta call her up." Cooper wrote the song to a music track created by Pilate, but with different lyrics.[6]

Usually, the band would listen to the finished songs together and they would vote the songs they wanted to submit to the label.[6] Initially, they heard Pilate's original track, along with other songs, and only afterward Cooper's reworked song was played. At this point, they affirmed already listening to the song, but Cooper said that his version was different. Only "halfway through the song" the band noticed the lyrics concerned "what had happened between Pilate and Cooper" and "started staring at the floor". When they counted the votes, "Love's Train" received the most votes. Later, Pilate wanted to remove his music, which, according to Cooper "would've killed the song." Danny Thomas, Con Funk Shun's keyboard player, told Pilate "in an expletive-laden rant" he was crazy because the song was a hit. Pilate bowed and replied he was sorry and "they all began laughing".[6]

Production

In addition to lyrics from Cooper and Pilate, they also contributed instrumentation along with the other band members. Cooper played the lead and rhythm guitar, while Pilate II played the trombone, rhythm guitar, and synthesizer. Cedric Martin was in charge of the bass, while Paul Harrell played the saxophone, flute, and was in charge of the percussion. Karl Fuller played trumpet, flugelhorn, and was responsible for the percussion, while Danny Thomas played the piano, the clarinet, the organ, and the synthesizer. Finally, Louis A. McCall Sr. played the drums and was responsible for percussion. The horns were arranged by Wayne Wallace and the song was engineered by Greg Blockman, Ken Kessie, and Richard Greene. It was mastered by Chris Bellman at Allen Zentz in Los Angeles.[11]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of To the Max.[11]

Silk Sonic version

"Love's Train"
Song by Silk Sonic
from the album An Evening with Silk Sonic
ReleasedFebruary 14, 2022 (2022-02-14)
StudioShampoo Press & Curl
Genre
Length5:07
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Michael Cooper
  • Felton C. Pilate II
Producer(s)
Official audio
"Love's Train" on YouTube

The American superduo Silk Sonic, which consists of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, recorded a version of "Love's Train" as a commemorative song for Valentine's Day. It was released on February 14, 2022, by Aftermath Entertainment and Atlantic Records and later added to an alternate version of the album An Evening With Silk Sonic on streaming. The song features new production by Bruno Mars and D'Mile.

"Love's Train" was well received by music critics, who praised Mars and .Paak's vocals and their commitment to the original version of the song. Musically, it is a soul and funk song. Mars and .Paak performed the song during their concert residency An Evening With Silk Sonic at Park MGM (2022).[12]

Background

On February 14, 2022, Mars announced the release of a cover of Con Funk Shun's "Love's Train" via Instagram. He also affirmed that is one of his and .Paak's favorite songs to play and cover.[13] .Paak wrote on his Instagram account, "We wanna dedicate this to that special someone!"[14] In a similar publication, Silk Sonic typed on Twitter, "We love this song so much we wanted to sing it for y'all".[15] A press release also describes the track as one of Mars and .Paak’s "favorite songs".[16] It was released on February 14, 2022, by Aftermath Entertainment and Atlantic Records as a commemorative song for Valentine's Day.[17][18] It was later added to the album An Evening With Silk Sonic on streaming services and it was also included on the vinyl recording.[19][20] It marks Silk Sonic's first release in 2022, following their debut album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, on the previous year.[21]

Composition and production

Musically, "Love's Train" cover is a "silky and smooth" 1970s funk and soul song.[10][14] It was composed in the key of A Major with a tempo of 70 beats per minute. The singers' vocal ranges span from the low note of E4 to a high note of E6.[22] According to Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul, Mars and D'Mile "added the bounce of Silk Sonic's signature groove, picking up the pace of the original."[10] The cover version kept most of the original instrumentation. However, the 1980s R&B synths were replaced with "balmy horns and analogue production" as the Silk Sonic version is centered around the 1970s decade.[3]

In a similar comment, Andy Bustard writing for HipHopDX said that the duo "turn the clock back even further by swapping the '80s production for lush, analog instrumentation that would sound at home in the previous decade." Bustard added, ".Paak and Mars apply a fresh sonic coat to the love ballad."[23] Uproxx's Aaron Williams described the bass as "buzzing" and the horns as "soaring".[24] The cover version was recorded at Shampoo Press & Curl Studios and features new production by Mars and D'Mile. It was mixed by Serban Ghenea with assistance by Bryce Bordon and mastered by Randy Merrill.[25]

Critical reception

"Love's Train" was met with acclaim from music critics. The song was included on Under the Radar's Songs of the Week on February 18, 2022, as part of the Honorable Mentions.[26] Eddie Fu writing for Consequence dubbed the song as Silk Sonic's latest "soundtrack for...adult activities". Fu commented that both Mars and .Paak stayed "true" to Con Funk Shun's original and "easily slip into their seductive role".[15] Similarly, Matt Doria from NME also found Silk Sonic to be "largely faithful to the five-minute jam". Doria called Silk Sonic's version "expectedly sensual...soulful and groove-laden".[3] Billboard's Jason Lipshutz compared the best songs on An Evening With Silk Sonic to the cover version of "Love's Train", saying "the homage pops with modern production and two self-assured vocal performances."[27]

Andy Bustar from HipHopDX affirmed that "Silk Sonic's rendition stays faithful" to the original version. Bustar praised the merge of Mars "soaring falsetto", and .Paak's "raspy timber" as it "adds more sensuality to the Valentine's Day jam."[23] Jordan Darville of The Fader commented that "the aesthetic of Silk Sonic may seem tongue-in-cheek, the music and the duo's appreciation for the era they're channeling certainly isn't".[28] In a mixed review, Uproxx's Aaron Williams called Silk Sonic's vocals "velvety", and despite being a love song, "it's as much about the messiness as anything on their debut album".[24]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[25]

Charts

Chart performance for "Love's Train"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[29] 18
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[30] 21
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[31] 31

Release history

Release history and formats for "Love's Train"
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various February 14, 2022
[17]

References

  1. ^ "Con Funk Shun "Love's Train" [+Interview] Soul Train 1983". Respect Due. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  2. ^ "Funky Nights: United We Funk All Stars [DVD] - Various artists". AllMusic. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Doria, Matt (February 14, 2022). "Silk Sonic celebrate Valentine's Day with cover of Con Funk Shun's 'Love's Train'". NME. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Lytle, Craig. "To The Max - Con Funk Shun". AllMusic. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Lytle, Craig. "The Best of Con Funk Shun Review". AllMusic. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference DRTW was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Con Funk Shun". AllMusic. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  8. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Touch/Con Funk Shun 7/To the Max - Con Funk Shun". AllMusic. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  9. ^ "Love's Train (Re-Recorded / Remastered) - Single by Con Funk Shun". Apple Music. June 1, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c Paul, Larisha (February 14, 2022). "Silk Sonic Rides 'Love's Train' to the Eighties for Valentine's Day Cover". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  11. ^ a b To the Max (Vynil). Con Funk Shun. United States: Mercury. 1982. 6337 258.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Gill, Melissa (February 26, 2022). "Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak Kick Off Silk Sonic Las Vegas Residency: Recap + Setlist". Consequence. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  13. ^ Callas, Brad (February 15, 2022). "Silk Sonic Shares Cover of Con Funk Shun's 'Love's Train' on Valentine's Day". Complex. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Aderoju, Darlene (February 14, 2022). "Silk Sonic Celebrate Valentine's Day With Silky-Smooth 'Love's Train' Cover". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Fu, Eddie (February 14, 2022). "Silk Sonic Share Smooth Cover of 'Love's Train' for Valentine's Day: Stream". Consequence. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  16. ^ Strauss, Mathew (February 14, 2022). "Silk Sonic Cover 'Love's Train': Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  17. ^ a b ""Love's Train" Single by Silk Sonic iTunes". Apple Music. February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  18. ^ Rettig, James (February 14, 2022). "Silk Sonic – 'Love's Train' (Con Funk Shun Cover)". Stereogum. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  19. ^ "An Evening With Slik Sonic - Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Slik Sonic". Apple Music. March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  20. ^ "An Evening with Silk Sonic Webstore Exclusive Vinyl". Bruno Mars (official store). Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  21. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (February 15, 2022). "Silk Sonic cover Con Funk Shun's 'Love's Train' for Valentine's Day". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  22. ^ "Silk Sonic "Love's Train" Sheet Music in A Minor". Musicnotes. 21 February 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  23. ^ a b Bustard, Andy (February 14, 2022). "Anderson .Paak Follows Super Bowl Look With New Silk Sonic Song "Love's Train"". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  24. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference UPAW was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ a b "Credits / Love's Train / Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic". Tidal. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  26. ^ Redfern, Mark; Arnone, Joey (February 18, 2021). "13 Best Songs of the Week: Nilüfer Yanya, Destroyer, Oceanator, Kurt Vile, and Moree". Under the Radar. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  27. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (February 18, 2022). "First Stream: New Music From Jack Harlow, Kid Cudi, Silk Sonic and More". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  28. ^ Darville, Jordan (February 14, 2022). "Silk Sonic share "Love's Train" cover". The Fader. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  29. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 21, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  30. ^ "Bruno Mars Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  31. ^ "Bruno Mars Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
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