Love Tracks (1978)

Love Tracks is the sixth studio album by Gloria Gaynor, released in November 1978 on Polydor Records. It reached number four on the US Billboard 200 and includes Gaynor's biggest hit single "I Will Survive".

History

Love Tracks includes her million-selling number-one single "I Will Survive", which originally started out as the B-side to the album's first single, a cover of Clout's "Substitute" before it was flipped. (The 12" single was quickly deleted and the 4:56 album version was replaced with the 8:01 12" version in order to sell more albums).

The song "Anybody Wanna Party?" also became a hit, becoming a top-20 hit on the club/dance chart, as well as peaking at number 16 on the R&B chart.

The album was remastered and reissued with bonus tracks in 2013 by Big Break Records.

Critical reception

The Bay State Banner wrote that "'I Will Survive' is arresting black pop, sung with directness and conviction that reflects personal triumph... Gaynor has never sounded this confident or inspired."

Personnel

• Musicians
• Gloria Gaynor – vocals
• James Gadson – drums
• Bob "Boogie" Bowles, Wah Wah Watson, Robert White – guitar
• Peter Robinson, Freddie Perren – keyboards
• Eddie Watkins, Scott Edwards – bass guitar
• Paulinho da Costa, Bob Zimmitti – percussion
• Peter Robinson – synthesizer

Gene Page – conductor, strings and horns ("Spotlight", "I Said Yes" and "Goin' Out of My Head")

Peter Robinson – conductor, strings and horns ("Anybody Wanna Party" and "Please Be There")

Don Peake – conductor, strings and horns ("You Can Exit")

Dave Blumberg – conductor, strings and horns ("I Will Survive" and "Substitute")

• Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals
• Production
• Dino Fekaris, Freddie Perren – producers
• Freddie Perren – rhythm arrangements
• Benjamin Barrett – contractor
• Lewis Peters, Jack Rouben – recording and remix engineers
• Rick Clifford – assistant engineer
• Ed Biggs – mastering
• Bob Heimall – design