Love Train

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title: "Love Train" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1972-singles", "1972-songs", "american-disco-songs", "billboard-hot-100-number-one-singles", "cashbox-number-one-singles", "philadelphia-international-records-singles", "songs-written-by-kenny-gamble", "songs-written-by-leon-huff", "the-o'jays-songs"] description: "1972 single by the O'Jays" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Train" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1972 single by the O'Jays ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

Field	Value
name	Love Train
image	LoveTrainEpicRecords.png
caption	Cover of the German and Dutch release of the single by Epic
type	single
artist	the O'Jays
album	Back Stabbers
B-side	Who Am I
released	December 20, 1972
recorded	Summer 1971 – 1972
studio	Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* Proto-disco{{Cite web	url
* pop<ref name	"Breithaupt 1996"
length	2:59 (album version)
6:15 (extended version)
label	Philadelphia International
writer	Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff
producer	Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff
prev_title	992 Arguments
prev_year	1972
next_title	Time to Get Down
next_year	1973
misc
::

| name = Love Train | image = LoveTrainEpicRecords.png | alt = | caption = Cover of the German and Dutch release of the single by Epic | type = single | artist = the O'Jays | album = Back Stabbers | B-side = Who Am I | released = December 20, 1972 | format = | recorded = Summer 1971 – 1972 | studio = Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | genre =

• Proto-disco
• pop | length = 2:59 (album version) 6:15 (extended version) | label = Philadelphia International | writer = Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff | producer = Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff | prev_title = 992 Arguments | prev_year = 1972 | next_title = Time to Get Down | next_year = 1973 | misc = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Love_train_by_o'jays_US_vinyl.png" caption="Side A of the US single"] ::

"Love Train" is a hit single by the O'Jays, written by Gamble and Huff for the O'Jays' 1972 album Back Stabbers. Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, the house band MFSB provided backing. The song has been considered one of the first disco songs.

"Love Train" entered the Billboard Hot 100's top 40 on January 27, 1973, the same day that the Paris Peace Accords were signed. The song's lyrics of unity mention a number of countries, including England, Russia, China, Egypt, and Israel, as well as the continent of Africa. It reached No. 1 on both the R&B Singles and the 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 single was a 2006 inductee into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Reception

Record World said of the single release that the "tune chugs right along with a Gamble and a Huff" and could become the biggest hit from the Back Stabbers album.

Music video

The music video shows a group of people forming a human chain near a railroad station, while at the same time, some railroad cars are shown in motion. Throughout the video, more people join in the chain, which they call the "Love Train". It was recorded in 1973.

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (1972–1973) | Peak position | |---|---| | Australia KMR | 91 | | Canada RPM Top Singles | 15 | | | | | UK singles chart | 9 | | US Billboard Hot 100 | 1 | | US Billboard R&B | 1 | | US Cash Box Top 100 | 1 | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (1973)	Rank
Canada	117
US Billboard Hot 100	32
US Cash Box	12
::

Certifications

Cover versions

In 2006 Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee performed "Love Train" for the ending credits of Final Destination 3.

In popular culture

The song was featured in the popular long-running Coors Light series of commercials featuring the Silver Bullet Express train from approximately 2005 to 2011, returning as a Super Bowl and March Madness ad in 2024.

References

References

1. "Love Train / Who Am I - O'Jays". 45cat.
2. (December 12, 2008). "Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia".
3. (October 15, 1996). "Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s". [[St. Martin's Press.
4. ''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990'' - {{ISBN. 0-89820-089-X
5. Whitburn, Joel. (2004). "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004". Record Research.
6. "Grammy Hall Of Fame".
7. (January 6, 1973). "Hits of the Week".
8. (September 8, 2008). "Love Train - The O' Jays".
9. "Australian Chart Books".
10. Canada, Library and Archives. (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly".
11. "Cash Box Top 100 3/31/73".
12. (July 17, 2013). "Item".
13. "Top 100 Hits of 1973/Top 100 Songs of 1973".
14. (January 19, 2006). "TOMMY LEE Records 'Love Train' For Movie Soundtrack". [[Blabbermouth.net]].
15. (7 February 2024). "How Coors Light's beer train became an icon".
16. "Coors Light's silver bullet train returns for Super Bowl with seats for fans".
17. (January 23, 2024). "Coors Light Super Bowl ad gives fans a chance to ride on its silver beer train".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::