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Luther Vandross: Forever, For Always, For Love (Epic) Lyrics by Sean O’Hagan

27 June 1987

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On the soft focus cover shot, the transformation is complete: Luther the beige mannequin with compulsory wet look is a world away from the roly poly, larger than life lover of those first few exquisite albums.
As he's slimmed down, he's grown bigger; as he's trimmed of those rough edges, he's trimmed of those rough edges, he's built up an adoring audience that sells out the bigger auditoriums a week at a time. Luther the superstar is ripe for reappraisal: a decent compilation album, balancing Luther the funkateer against Luther the soft, sensuous soul man, would have been perfect for the moment. With the Wembly dates imminent, commercial marketability could have been matched with some retrospective quality control. Simple and effective business. What do we get?
We get simple and (cost) effective record company tackiness. We get the bulk of 1982's Luther Vandross album (5 tracks, not even the best five) plus three "previously unavailable in the UK" cuts. Now, why those three US songs couldn't have been issued on a 12" is down, I guess, to simple cut-and-thrust capitalist greed – smelly, exploitative and two fingers in the face of the fans who've made the man into a UK superstar.
If you're a fan, you'll know Luther Vandross inside out. You'll know how 'Bad Boy'/ 'Having A Party' is the most relaxed, intoxicating mid-tempo dance groove of the '80s. You'll know about 'You're The Sweetest One' and the sassy swing of 'She Loves Me Back'. If you want to revisit the soul heartbreak of 'A House Is Not A Home' you'll have to stick with the original, cos they've ditched it for one of the three new "previously unavailable..." ballads. All three are fine state of the (he)art Luther-on-heat slow burners. 'Promise Me' is a departing lover's plea, plaintive, perfectly paced and one step away from formulaic. 'Once You Know How' reminds you how close Luther the balladeer is to the beige mainstream until he settles on, and stretches out, a note or switches tempo midway through a phrase.
As Luther moves further into the rarified atmosphere of stardom, so his songs affect an ethereal, easy listening appeal to match his airbrushed image. Even on this older material, there isn't enough of the other Luther Vandross, the heartbreaker who likes to hang loose, party a little and put the romance on hold for a few hours of physical pursuits. As his future is mapped out in the mainstream, so his past is blowdried for mass consumption. The first truly dispensable Luther Vandross album.
Credits
Sean O’Hagan

Sean O’Hagan

About “Luther Vandross: Forever, For Always, For Love (Epic)” by Sean O’Hagan

Read the complete lyrics to "Luther Vandross: Forever, For Always, For Love (Epic)" by Sean O’Hagan from the album "27 June 1987". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, News .

"Luther Vandross: Forever, For Always, For Love (Epic)" is performed by Sean O’Hagan. from the album "27 June 1987" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Luther Vandross: Forever, For Always, For Love (Epic)", explore more songs by Sean O’Hagan using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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"Luther Vandross: Forever, For Always, For Love (Epic)" is credited to Sean O’Hagan. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

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