Are You Ready for Love

For other uses, see Are You Ready for Love (disambiguation).

"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 EP The 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.

"Are You Ready for Love"
Single by Elton John
from the album The Thom Bell Sessions
B-side	"Are You Ready for Love Part 2"
Released	4 May 1979[1]
Length	5:05 (Part 1) 3:26 (Part 2)
Label	The Rocket Record Company
Songwriter(s)	Thom Bell, LeRoy Bell, Casey James
Producer(s)	Thom Bell
Elton John singles chronology
"Return to Paradise" (1979) "Are You Ready for Love" (1979) "Mama Can't Buy You Love" (1979)
Music video
"Are You Ready for Love" (1979 promo video version) on YouTube

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).

2003 version

"Are You Ready for Love"
Single by Elton John
B-side	"Three Way Love Affair"
Released	25 August 2003 (2003-08-25)
Label	Southern Fried, Mercury, Ultra
Songwriter(s)	Thom Bell, LeRoy Bell, Casey James
Producer(s)	Thom Bell
Elton John singles chronology
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (2002) "Are You Ready for Love" (2003) "The Heart of Every Girl" (2003)
Music video
"Are You Ready for Love" (2003 music video version) on YouTube

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.

Track listings

UK, US, and Australian CD single^[5][6][7]

1. "Are You Ready for Love" ('79 radio edit)
2. "Are You Ready for Love" (full length 1979 version)
3. "Three Way Love Affair"
4. "Are You Ready for Love" (CD-ROM video)

UK 12-inch single 1^[8]

A. "Are You Ready for Love" (full length '79 version)

B. "Are You Ready for Love" (Freeform Reform remix)

UK 12-inch single 2^[9]

A. "Are You Ready for Love" ('79 original)

B. "Are You Ready for Love" (Ashley Beedle Love and Protection mono edit)

UK cassette single^[10]

1. "Are You Ready for Love" ('79 radio edit)
2. "Are You Ready for Love" (full length 1979 version)
3. "Three Way Love Affair"

European CD single^[11]

1. "Are You Ready for Love" ('79 radio edit)
2. "Are You Ready for Love" (full length 1979 version)

US 12-inch single^[12]

A1. "Are You Ready for Love" (Linus Loves Strobelight mix)

A2. "Are You Ready for Love" (79 full length)

B1. "Are You Ready for Love" (Mylo's Road Map to Peace remix)

B2. "Are You Ready for Love" (Ashley Beedle Love and Protection mono re-edit)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1979) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] 63 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 17 UK Singles (OCC)[15] 42 Chart (2003–2004) Peak position Australian Club Chart (ARIA)[16] 4 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[17] 49 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[18] 4 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[19] 10 Denmark (Tracklisten)[20] 13 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[21] 6 France (SNEP)[22] 60 Germany (GfK)[23] 75 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 4 Ireland Dance (IRMA)[24] 1 Scotland (OCC)[25] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 78 UK Singles (OCC)[3] 1 UK Dance (OCC)[27] 3 UK Indie (OCC)[28] 1 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[29] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2003) Position Australian Club Chart (ARIA)[30] 29 Ireland (IRMA)[31] 51 UK Singles (OCC)[32] 27 Chart (2004) Position US Dance Club Play (Billboard)[33] 22

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[34]	Platinum	600,000‡
‡ 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.^[35]

See also

• List of number-one dance singles of 2004 (U.S.)

References

1. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 59.
2. Fletcher, Harry; Embley, Jochan (17 May 2019). "Elton John's 15 greatest songs of all time, ranked". Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
3. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
4. "Dance Club Songs : January 10, 2004 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
5. Are You Ready for Love (UK CD single liner notes). Elton John. Southern Fried Records. 2003. ECB50CDS.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. 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)
7. 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)
8. 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)
9. 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)
10. 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)
11. 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)
12. 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)
13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Are You Ready for Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
15. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
16. "The ARIA Report: ARIA Club Tracks – Week Commencing 10th November 2003" (PDF). ARIA. 10 November 2003. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
17. "Elton John – Are You Ready for Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
18. "Elton John – Are You Ready for Love" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
19. "Elton John – Are You Ready for Love" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
20. "Elton John – Are You Ready for Love". Tracklisten. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
21. "Hits of the World – Eurochart" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 115, no. 37. 13 September 2003. p. 43. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
22. "Elton John – Are You Ready for Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
23. "Elton John – Are You Ready for Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
24. "Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 4 September 2003". GfK Chart-Track. Retrieved 15 June 2019.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
25. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
26. "Elton John – Are You Ready for Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
27. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
28. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
29. "Elton John Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
30. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Club Chart 2003". ARIA. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
31. "Top 100 Songs of 2003". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 2003. Archived from the original on 2 June 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
32. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2003" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
33. "Year in Music & Touring: Hot Dance Club Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. 25 December 2004. p. YE-60.
34. "British single certifications – Elton John – Are You Ready for Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
35. Kosmina, Ben (27 May 2005). "Donkey Konga 2 PAL song list REVEALED!". nintendoworldreport.com. Retrieved 5 December 2017.