Love or Physical is an album by the American musical duo Ashford & Simpson, released in 1989. The first single was "I'll Be There for You". The duo would not record another album until their collaboration with Maya Angelou in 1996, Been Found. The album peaked at No. 135 on the Billboard 200.
Production
The title track was originally called "Honest to Goodness Love"; it in part alludes to AIDS and infidelity.
The Los Angeles Times wrote that "In Your Arms" "is the loveliest and most genuinely sensual ballad this husband-and-wife duo has recorded in a long time." The St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted that "their sound is impeccably produced but actually quite sparse in spots."
The Advocate stated that "the title track is a fresh urban-contemporary approach to male-female relationships." USA Today concluded that the album "goes beyond carnal concerns and explores deeper matters." The Dallas Morning News concluded that "it's still a pleasure to listen when the vocal interplay between these two veterans turns dexterous, as it does on the romantic ballad 'I'll Be There for You'."
Track listing
All tracks are written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, except where noted.
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Love or Physical"
4:24
2.
"I'll Be There for You"
4:38
3.
"Comes with the Package"
4:15
4.
"Til We Get It Right"
5:07
5.
"Something to You"
4:59
6.
"In Your Arms"
Bruce Roberts, Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
4:39
7.
"Cookies and Cake"
4:43
8.
"Timing"
4:52
Personnel
Nickolas Ashford – vocals on all tracks; arrangements on all tracks except "Comes with the Package"; additional percussion on "Love or Physical" and "Timing"; drum programming and percussion on "I'll Be There for You" and "Cookies and Cake"; backing vocals on "Til We Get It Right"
Valerie Simpson – vocals on all tracks; arrangements on all tracks except "Comes with the Package"; additional synthesizers on "Love or Physical"; synthesizers on "I'll Be There for You", "Til We Get It Right" and "Something to You"; additional percussion on "Love or Physical" and "Timing", drum programming and percussion on "I'll Be There for You" and "Cookies and Cake"; backing vocals on "Til We Get It Right"; synth solo on "Cookies and Cake"
Danny Sembello – keyboards and synthesizers on "Love or Physical"; keyboard solo on "Love or Physical"; synthesizers on "Timing"; drum programming and arrangements on "Love or Physical" and "Timing"
Joseph Joubert – additional synthesizers on "Love or Physical", "In Your Arms" and "Cookies and Cake"; synthesizers and arrangements on "I'll Be There for You", "Til We Get It Right" and "Something to You"
David Frank – synthesizers and arrangements on "Comes with the Package"
Leon Pendarvis – synthesizers and arrangements on "In Your Arms"
