The O’Jays – Love Train

About The Song

Released in 1972, it reached No. 1 on both the R&B Singles and the Billboard Hot 100 in February and March 1973 respectively, and No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart and was certified gold by the RIAA. It was the O’Jays’ first and only number one record on the US pop chart. The song has been considered one of the first songs of disco music.

It was 1973, the height of the Philadelphia soul genre was dawning, and “Love Train” came along with just the right sound at just the right time. It was written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, producers for the O’Jays. The team of Gamble & Huff would go on to write and produce over 170 gold and platinum records – and they also wrote “Back Stabbers” and “For The Love Of Money,” two more key songs in the O’Jays’ career.
The lyrics make a call for unity and world peace, mentioning England, Russia, China, Egypt, Israel, and Africa. “Love Train was the first of our big message songs,” O’Jays singer Walter Williams told The Guardian. 1972 was explosive – Vietnam was rumbling on, the rich were getting richer – so it was the perfect time to sing about social issues. The song mentioned places that were having human rights problems, but in a positive, hopeful way: “The first stop we make will be England… tell all the folks in Russia and China too.”

Video

Lyric

People all over the world (Everybody)
Join hands (Join)
Start a love train, love train
People all over the world (All the world, now)
Join hands (Love ride)
Start a love train (Love ride), love train
The next stop that we make will be England
Tell all the folks in Russia, and China, too
Don’t you know that it’s time to get on board
And let this train keep on riding, riding on through
Well, well
People all over the world (You don’t need no money)
Join hands (Come on)
Start a love train, love train (Don’t need no ticket, come on)
People all over the world (Ride this train, ride this train, y’all)
Start a love train (Come on, train), love train
All of you brothers over in Africa
Tell all the folks in Egypt, and Israel, too
Please don’t miss this train at the station
‘Cause if you miss it, I feel sorry, sorry for you
Well
People all over the world (Sisters and brothers)
Join hands (Join, come on)
Start a love train (Ride this train, y’all), love train (Come on)
People all over the world (Don’t need no tickets)
Join hands (come on, ride)
Start a love train, love train
Ride, let it ride
Let it ride
Let it ride
People, ain’t no war
People all over the world (On this train)
Join in (Ride the train)
Start a love train, love train (Ride the train, y’all)
People all over the world (Come on)
Join hands (You can ride or stand, yeah)
Start a love train, love train (Makin’ love)
People all over the world (‘Round the world, y’all)
Join hands (Come on)
Start a love train, love train
People all over the world
Join hands
Start a love train, love train
People all over the world
Join hands
Start a love train, love train