"Are You Ready for Love" is a song recorded by English musician Elton John in 1977 and first released in the UK in 1979 as the first single from the EPThe Thom Bell Sessions. It was written by LeRoy Bell, Thom Bell and Casey James, and was originally produced in Philadelphia by Thom Bell, who had already produced a series of hits for the Spinners, the Delfonics and the Stylistics. While the song "Mama Can't Buy You Love" from the EP charted in 1979, this song and the other track on the three-track 12-inch vinyl disc, "Three Way Love Affair", were only minor footnotes at the time. The song originally peaked at number 42 on the UK Single Charts in 1979.
In 1989, MCA released a 6-track CD, The Complete Thom Bell Sessions, which contained a different mix of "Are You Ready for Love" in place of the one that appeared on the original 1979 EP. (The original Thom Bell Sessions EP mix did, however, surface – along with the EP's other two original tracks – as a B-side to a UK CD-single of "The Last Song" in 1992, issued as Rocket/Phonogram EJSCB-30).
In 2003, "Are You Ready for Love" was remixed by Ashley Beedle and released as a 12-inch vinyl single on 25 August 2003.[2] It gave John the sixth No. 1 hit of his career when it topped the UK Singles Chart in the first week of its 2003 re-release,[3] following his performance of the song in a television advertisement promoting the new 2003–04 football season for Sky Sports.[4] The 2003 single's B-side is "Three Way Love Affair" (from the original EP) and also the full-length 1979 version of "Are You Ready for Love". On some CD versions, the CD also contains a QuickTime version of a video for the song, with recording studio footage from 1977 with John recording his vocals.
Various hit R&B vocalists of the late 1970s, including Bell and James, MFSB and the Spinners with lead singer John Edwards, contributed backing and accompanying lead vocals, most prominent on the Thom Bell Sessions mixes of the song. The music video, produced in a 1970s retro style, was directed by Kate Dawkins.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Cover versions
In 1977, the Spinners had recorded two versions of the track. One had all of the Spinners (which was reissued in 2003), while the other one only featured lead singer John Edwards on vocals and was included on their 1979 album From Here to Eternally.
In popular culture
"Are You Ready for Love" was featured on the European version of Donkey Konga 2.[36]
^Are You Ready for Love (Australian CD single liner notes). Elton John. Mercury Records. 2003. 9811671.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Are You Ready for Love (US CD single liner notes). Elton John. Ultra Records. 2003. UL 1177-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Are You Ready for Love (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Elton John. Southern Fried Records. 2003. ECB50.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Are You Ready for Love (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Elton John. Southern Fried Records. 2003. ECB50LOVE.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Are You Ready for Love (UK cassette single sleeve). Elton John. Southern Fried Records. 2003. ECB50MCS.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Are You Ready for Love (European CD single liner notes). Elton John. Mercury Records. 2003. 9811670.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Are You Ready for Love (US 12-inch single sleeve). Elton John. Ultra Records. 2003. UL 1177-6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
