Love Lives Forever

Love Lives Forever
Studio album by Minnie Riperton
Released	October 18, 1980
Recorded	1978 (Minnie's Vocals) 1980 (overdubs)
Genre	R&B soul
Length	37:33
Label	Capitol
Producer	Richard Rudolph Johnny Pate
Minnie Riperton chronology
Minnie (1979)Minnie1979 Love Lives Forever (1980) The Best of Minnie Riperton (1981)The Best of Minnie Riperton1981

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Allmusic

Love Lives Forever is the sixth and final studio album by American soul singer Minnie Riperton. Released posthumously in 1980, it was co-produced by her husband Richard Rudolph and released on her then-label Capitol Records. It consists of unused vocal sessions, put in music and vocally completed by artists she admired or with whom she shared her musical style. Even though most of the selections are set in a midtempo rhythm, they are calm in mood.

Background

This album was the first of its kind, in that all of Minnie's vocals were stripped from their earlier, original music tracks and completely redone. Completed with new musicians, vocalists and arrangements. Producer Quincy Jones described this difficult project best as "keeping the bridge, but moving the water".

The back cover contains a quote about Riperton of each artist who participated, and their signature (being a thumbprint for Stevie Wonder). Wonder's quote inspired the album title. Stevie, being a very close friend of Minnie, wrote these lines for her: "I miss you because I cannot touch you...but then again, I guess that I can because you're touching me...so, Love lives forever".

Commercial reception

The song "Here We Go" was released as a single and hit the top twenty. The single peaked at no. 14 on the Billboard R&B Songs chart. The second release was "Give Me Time," though not as successful as its predecessor, it still has the untarnished texture for which Riperton's vocals were known and features Stevie Wonder on harmonica.

Track listing

Side One

1. "Here We Go" (Minnie Riperton, Richard Rudolph, Arthur Phillips) – 6:12
   • Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson – additional vocals
   • Tom Scott – tenor sax solo
2. "I'm in Love Again" (Riperton, Rudolph) – 4:05
   • Michael Jackson – additional vocals
   • Hubert Laws – flute solo
3. "Strange Affair" (Riperton, Rudolph, Marlo Henderson) – 8:55
   • Michael Boddicker – synthesizer
4. "Island in the Sun" (Riperton, Rudolph) – 4:45
   • Tom Scott – tenor sax solo

Side Two

1. "Give Me Time" (Leonard Caston, Jr., Lila Hurtado) – 4:25
   • Stevie Wonder – harmonica solo
   • Gerry Vinci – violin solo
2. "You Take My Breath Away" (Riperton, Rudolph, Randy Waldman) – 4:35
   • George Benson – additional vocals
3. "The Song of Life (La-La-La)" (Riperton, Rudolph, Caston, Weider) – 4:10
   • Patrice Rushen – vocals, electric piano

Personnel

• Minnie Riperton - vocals
• Tennyson Stephens – acoustic piano
• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers
• Lee Ritenour, Paul Jackson – guitar
• Gayle Levant – harp
• Abraham Laboriel – bass
• Harvey Mason – drums
• Gerry Vinci – concertmaster
• Maxine Waters, Julia Waters, Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals
• Lenny Castro, Paulinho da Costa – percussion

Charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Pop Albums	35
U.S. Billboard Black Albums	11

Singles

Year	Title	US R&B
1980	"Here We Go"	14
1981	"Give Me Time"	72