''Endless Flight'' is the fourth album by English singer-songwriter
Leo Sayer
Gerard Hugh "Leo" Sayer (born 21 May 1948) is an English-Australian singer and songwriter whose singing career has spanned five decades. He has been an Australian citizen and resident since 2009.
Sayer launched his career in the United Kingdom ...
, which was released in 1976. It was released in the US and Canada by
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
and in the UK by
Chrysalis Records.
The album consolidated his international popularity, reaching No. 4 in the UK and No. 10 in the USA; it also charted strongly in other countries including Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, and was certified as a platinum album in both the UK and the USA, and double-platinum in Canada. The peak of his career came in 1977, when he scored two consecutive US number one hits, first with the disco-styled "
You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
"You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" is a song credited to British singer Leo Sayer, taken from his 1976 album '' Endless Flight''. It reached No. 1 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, making it his first top single in the United States, and rea ...
" (a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
winner for the year's
best Rhythm and Blues Song), followed by the romantic ballad, "
When I Need You
"When I Need You" is a popular song written by Albert Hammond and Carole Bayer Sager. Its first appearance was as the title track of Hammond's 1976 album ''When I Need You''. Leo Sayer's version, produced by Richard Perry, was a massive hit world ...
" (1977), which reached number one in both the UK and US. Written by
Albert Hammond
Albert Louis Hammond OBE (born 18 May 1944) is a British-Gibraltarian singer, songwriter, and record producer. A prolific songwriter, he also collaborated with other songwriters such as Mike Hazlewood, John Bettis, Diane Warren, Holly Knight ...
and
Carole Bayer Sager
Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1947) is an American lyricist, singer, and songwriter.
Early life and career
Bayer Sager was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She grad ...
, it was Sayer's first UK No. 1 single (after three number two hits).
It was also the first of two UK chart-toppers in a row for producer
Richard Perry
Richard Van Perry (born June 18, 1942) is an American record producer. He began as a performer in his adolescence while attending Poly Prep, his high school in Brooklyn. After graduating from college he rose through the late 1960s and early 1970 ...
.
Reception
This album received critical acclaim upon release, and won a Grammy Award for the hit single "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing."
Track listing
Side one
# "Hold On to My Love" (
Barry Mann,
Cynthia Weil, Sayer) - 3:08
# "
You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
"You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" is a song credited to British singer Leo Sayer, taken from his 1976 album '' Endless Flight''. It reached No. 1 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, making it his first top single in the United States, and rea ...
" (
Vini Poncia
Vincent "Vini" Poncia Jr. (born April 29, 1942) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer.
Life and career The 1960s
In the 1960s, Poncia formed a songwriting team with Peter Anders (née Peter Andreoli). An album of songs co-writt ...
, Sayer) - 3:40
# "
Reflections" (
Holland-Dozier-Holland) - 3:07
# "
When I Need You
"When I Need You" is a popular song written by Albert Hammond and Carole Bayer Sager. Its first appearance was as the title track of Hammond's 1976 album ''When I Need You''. Leo Sayer's version, produced by Richard Perry, was a massive hit world ...
" (
Albert Hammond
Albert Louis Hammond OBE (born 18 May 1944) is a British-Gibraltarian singer, songwriter, and record producer. A prolific songwriter, he also collaborated with other songwriters such as Mike Hazlewood, John Bettis, Diane Warren, Holly Knight ...
,
Carole Bayer Sager
Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1947) is an American lyricist, singer, and songwriter.
Early life and career
Bayer Sager was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She grad ...
) – 4:08
# "No Business Like Love Business" (
Brad Shapiro,
Clarence Reid,
Steve Alaimo
Charles Stephen Alaimo ( born December 6, 1939) is an American singer who was a teen idol in the early 1960s. He later became record producer and label owner, but he is perhaps best known for hosting and co-producing Dick Clark's ''Where the Acti ...
, Willie Clarke) - 3:50
Side two
# "I Hear the Laughter" (Johnny Vastano, Sayer) - 3:13
# "Magdalena" (
Danny O'Keefe
Danny O'Keefe (born May 20, 1943) is an American folk singer and songwriter.
Career
In 1968, O'Keefe was a member of a four-man heavy psychedelic rock band named Calliope. The group recorded one album, ''Steamed'', for Buddah Records before di ...
) - 4:20
# "
How Much Love" (Barry Mann, Sayer) - 3:35
# "I Think We Fell in Love Too Fast" (Johnny Vastano, Vini Poncia, Sayer) - 3:05
# "Endless Flight" (
Andrew Gold
Andrew Maurice Gold (August 2, 1951 – June 3, 2011) was an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and record producer who influenced much of the Los Angeles-dominated pop/soft rock sound in the 1970s. Gold played on scores of reco ...
)
- 4:38
Personnel
*Leo Sayer – guitar, harmonica, vocals
*John Barnes – piano,
clavinet
*Bill Bodine – bass
*
Paul Buckmaster – synthesizer, cello, string arrangement, conductor
*Auburn Burrell – guitar
*
Larry Carlton – rhythm guitar
*
Steve Gadd
Stephen Kendall Gadd (born April 9, 1945) is an American drummer, percussionist, and session musician. Gadd is one of the best-known and highly regarded session and studio drummers in the industry, recognized by his induction into the '' Modern ...
– drums
*
Bob Glaub
Bob Glaub (born May 10, 1952)Hageman, William (April 29, 2005)."The aces of bass: Five giants of an overshadowed instrument", Knight Ridder Tribune News Service. is an American bass player and session musician. He has played with such artists an ...
– guitar, bass guitar
*
Ed Greene
Ed Greene is an American drummer and session musician.
In 1971 he recorded with Donald Byrd (''Ethiopian Knights'', 1972), together with Thurman Green, Harold Land, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Sample, Bobbye Porter Hall, David T. Walker, and W ...
– drums
*
Bobbye Hall
Bobbye Jean Hall is an American percussionist who has recorded with a variety of rock, soul, blues and jazz artists, and has appeared on 20 songs that reached the top ten in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
Early career, work for Motown and move to ...
– percussion
*
David Hungate – bass guitar
*
John Barlow Jarvis
John Barlow Jarvis (born January 2, 1954 in Pasadena, California)Paul Kingsbury, editor"The Encyclopedia of Country Music: The Ultimate Guide to the Music" 2004 is an American songwriter, composer, session pianist and recording artist. Before mov ...
– piano
*Mark T. Jordan –
electric piano
*
Clydie King
Clydie Mae King (August 21, 1943 – January 7, 2019) was an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist. King also recorded solo under her name. In the 1970s, she recorded as Brown Sugar, and her single "Loneliness ( ...
– backing vocals
*Trevor Lawrence –
horn
Horn most often refers to:
*Horn (acoustic), a conical or bell shaped aperture used to guide sound
** Horn (instrument), collective name for tube-shaped wind musical instruments
*Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various ...
*
Bobby Keys
Robert Henry Keys (December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014) was an American saxophonist who performed with other musicians as a member of several horn sections of the 1970s. He appears on albums by the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Ni ...
– saxophone on "When I Need You"
*Becky Lewis – backing vocals
*Steve Madaio – horn
*
Sherlie Matthews – backing vocals
*Andy Muson – bass guitar
*
Danny O'Keefe
Danny O'Keefe (born May 20, 1943) is an American folk singer and songwriter.
Career
In 1968, O'Keefe was a member of a four-man heavy psychedelic rock band named Calliope. The group recorded one album, ''Steamed'', for Buddah Records before di ...
– performer
*
Nigel Olsson
Nigel Olsson (born 10 February 1949) is an English rock drummer and singer best known for his long-time affiliation with Elton John. A dynamic drummer and backing vocalist, Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as a member of the Elton J ...
– drums
*
Michael Omartian – electric piano
*
Ray Parker Jr.
Ray Erskine Parker Jr. (born May 1, 1954) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. As a solo performer, he wrote and performed the theme song to the 1984 film '' Ghostbusters''. Previously, Parker achieved a US top-10 h ...
– guitar
*
Dean Parks
Weldon Dean Parks (born December 6, 1946) is an American session guitarist and record producer from Fort Worth, Texas.
Albums
Parks was member of the North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher ...
–
Dobro, guitar, electric guitar
*
Bill Payne - electric piano
*Jimmy Phillips – synthesizer,
Mellotron
*
Jeff Porcaro
Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro (; April 1, 1954 – August 5, 1992) was an American drummer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work with the rock band Toto but is one of the most recorded session musicians in history, working o ...
– drums
*
Chuck Rainey – bass guitar
*
Lee Ritenour – guitar
*
Rick Shlosser
Rick Shlosser is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music. He has been a member of Van Morrison's band and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He's also been a varied sessions drummer.
Discography 1970s
* Andy Pratt - ''Records Are Like Life'' (1 ...
– drums
*
Earl Slick
Earl Slick (born Frank Madeloni in Brooklyn, New York, October 1, 1952) is a guitarist best known for his collaborations with David Bowie, John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Robert Smith. He has also worked with other artists including John Waite, Tim ...
– guitar on "Reflections", acoustic guitar on "I Hear the Laughter"
*
Leland Sklar
Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American bassist and session musician. Sklar rose to prominence as a member of James Taylor's backing band, which coaleced into a group in its own right, The Section. This group of musicians so frequ ...
– bass guitar
*John Vastano – guitar
*
Willie Weeks
Willie Weeks (born August 5, 1947) is an American bass guitarist. He has gained fame performing with famous musicians in a wide variety of genres. He has been one of the most in-demand session musicians throughout his career. Weeks has also ...
– bass guitar
*
Richard Tee
Richard Edward Tee (born Richard Edward Ten Ryk; November 24, 1943 – July 21, 1993) was an American pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger, who had several hundred studio credits and played on such notable hits as "In Your Eyes", " Sl ...
– piano
*
James Newton Howard - synthesizer
*
Gene Page
Eugene Edgar Page Jr. (September 13, 1939 – August 24, 1998) was an American conductor, composer, arranger and record producer, most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s.
His sound can be heard in the arrangements he did for Jeffer ...
- string arrangements, conductor
Production
*Record producer: Richard Perry
*
Engineers
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the ...
:
Bill Schnee
William S. Schnee (born July 4, 1947) is an American musician, music producer, and audio engineer. Schnee has been nominated 11 times for the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical Grammy Award and worked on a multitude of other Grammy nominated an ...
, Howard Steele
*Photography: Elliot Gilbert
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Awards
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1976 albums
Albums produced by Richard Perry
Chrysalis Records albums
Leo Sayer albums
Warner Records albums
albums arranged by Gene Page