I've been listening to the Powerlight album a lot, and Side by Side is one gorgeous song! Whenever I put this album on, I tend to play this song at least twice. Peaking through my copy of Joel Whitburn's Top R&B Singles, I find that Side by Side went as high as #15 R&B (and #76 pop). The big hit on this album was Fall in Love with Me; it peaked at #4 R&B (#17 Hot 100). While that one enjoyed more chart success, I don't think it's aged as well as Side by Side. Make no mistake, I still enjoy Fall in Love..., but I think its production is a bit more dated. I'm not talking dated along the lines of the completely forgettable Magnetic, but it definitely lost something over time.

Side by Side gently grooves from start to finish with Maurice's vocals perfectly complimented by Wanda Hutchinson. EWF faithful will remember that she was also featured on the big hit Boogie Wonderland with the other members of The Emotions. While that one is a song I can stand to never hear again (I always skip over it on any album or compilation), Side by Side remains a timeless tune and a perfect example of smoothed out, up-tempo, early 80s R&B balladry.

I'm guessing DavidEye is a fan...anyone else?

All my childhood

I have tickets to EW&F for November 3rd!!!

RipHer2Shreds said:

Love Love Love this track
was sooo hoping theyd play it on tour this past summer but of course, no such luck.
actually i love the WHOLE powerlight record...fall in love with me is one of my all time fave EWF tracks...Spread Your Love is FUNKY...Straight from the Heart...man that one makes me cry...and "The Speed of Love"--might be my all time fave song by them.
why was this album so overlooked? i love it. any fan should pick it up and give a few spins before you judge

June7 said:

is this show with Chicago? I saw both bands last month,and it was excellent.

RipHer2Shreds said:

"Side By Side" is a nice song.Great lyrics and arrangement.

This song is one of my all time favorites by EWF!! It's definitely in my top 5, and that's sayin' something , outta their whole catalogue....



...

yep, I love the song! ...and I confess I also loooove the "Powerlight" album... something many fans do not, as I found out over the years... but it holds many many, many highly enjoyable tracks for me

badujunkie said:

MAGNETIC THREAD !

Some deep & devoted EW&Fans over here .
Y'all hitted the right spot .
The song really builds up , with that slow vocal intro , accompanied with Larry's warm-sounding fender-rhodes .
I get even more chills when the second vocal-verse starts , and the orchestrated violins slowly move in .... MAN ! talking 'bout arrangement . Reece was a master in that .
And indeed some fine adaptions from Wanda Hutchinson-Vaughn .

Glad to eventually having found this song on vinyl 12-inch .

L8er .

That POWERLIGHT album started off real strong, but by the time you got past "Side By Side", you knew you were stuck with a crappy album by a group that should have just quit. The key being the use of outside writers and session players.

Songlist
1 Fall in Love With Me Vaughn, Vaughn, White 5:54
2 Spread Your Love Lawrence, Taylor, White 3:51
3 Side by Side Vaughn, White 5:57
4 Straight from the Heart Bailey, DelBarrio, Seeman ... 4:42
Composed by: Bailey, DelBarrio, Seeman, Washington
5 The Speed of Love Earth, Haynes, White 3:36
6 Freedom of Choice Lawrence, Taylor, White 4:10
7 Something Special Earth, White 4:23
8 Hearts to Heart Lawrence, Taylor, White 3:45
9 Miracles D'Astugues, DelBarrio, Lind ... 4:58
Composed by: D'Astugues, DelBarrio, Lind, White

I remember hearing that song quite a bit on radio back then, but I haven't heard it in ages and almost forgotten about it until I got an essentials cd. I loved that song. Now I'm poppin' my fingers at work.

Side By Side lyrics
Earth Wind & Fire

One year ago, love was touch and go
Time made me see, solved the mystery
Taught me that love and time
Will change your mind and make it right
Bring your darkness to the light
My hearts sings in the night
My love I bring to you

With this lovin' I dedicate to you
For believing in me, I will make you mine
Side by side, for love we waited
Side by side, we're dedicated
Side by side, now we can make it
Side by side, we gonna shake it on down
Get down, get down, get down, get down,
tonight

I can hardly wait, to pick you up at eight
For this rendezvous, candlelight and you
It took ma a long time, to see it clear
That love will last, for many years
Dreams can come true
So I bring my heart to you

With this lovin' I dedicate to you
For believing in me, I will make you mine
Side by side, for love we waited
Side by side, we're dedicated
Side by side, now we can make it
Side by side, we gonna shake it on down
Get down, get down, get down, get down,
tonight

We finally found our sunny day
And your love lights up the way
So, I thank you today, for
You believed in me

Damn I love you for starting this thread!!!

I absolutely adore this song.

Stymie said:

Awww, thanks. Here's one back at ya!

PFunkjazz said:

*1 - i didn't know that i knew that . Anyway , i NEVER felt that after " Side By Side " it went downhill on the album : "Speed Of Light" / "Something Special" / etc....


*2 - Easy to state artists as finished , when they have some difficulties , writers blocks or other ideas of composing , and for the reason that it doesn't approve to someone's expectations , or someone's memorizing to succesfuller back-in-the-hey-days .

I'm glad that they continued . Have seen nuff shows after 1983 that were awesome , with great skilled musicianship .
On "The Promise "album from a few years ago , i hear clearly their strong trademark back in a subtle way .
What about the song " Where Do We Go From Here " on that album , which was supposed to be for the "I Am "-album ? This treasure has been in the vault for about 27 years !!!
Not to 4get that Wanda Vaughn and her sista's collaborated again on some powerful songs .

( i can recommend y'all to read also the liner-notes from the re-masterd "I Am "-album on cd . Interesting review of how that album evolved , + some nice anecdotes from Wanda too )

*3 - The key in my point of view , on this album was the collaboration from original bandmembers with outside writers , which they did before "Powerlight " too .
[Edited 10/13/05 2:13am]

100MPH said:

"Where Do We Go From Here" is my favorite song on 'The Promise'.I can't believe that they kept this gem buried in the vaults for 27 years! It would have fit perfectly on 'I Am',but if they didn't have room,at least they should have added it to the mediocre 'Faces' album.

Speaking of EW&F outtakes...what do you think of "Diana",another song that was recorded during the 'I Am' sessions?

http://www.content.loudey...cid=600111

DavidEye said:

http://www.content.loudey...cid=600111

what about these ? :
1.
http://sg1.allmusic.com/c...d&r=20.asx

http://mfile.akamai.com/1...obj=v40802

2.
http://www.content.loudey...cid=600111


[Edited 10/13/05 7:03am]

I love "Night Dreamin"! That's an outtake from 'Raise',right? Or is it from the 'Powerlight' sessions? I forgot

Did I mention that I'm going to see them on Nov. 3rd?