Circle of Love is the debut studio album by the American vocal group Sister Sledge, released in 1975 by Atco Records. Featuring Kathy Sledge on vocals, the album includes the songs "Circle of Love (Caught in the Middle)" and "Love Don't Go Through No Changes on Me". The album was described as a mix of pop and soul in a 1975 Billboard Magazine review.
Contents
Background
At the time of this release, all members of the group were still teenagers; the oldest member Debbie Sledge was nineteen years old, studying at Tyler College of Art, Joni Sledge was an eighteen-year-old college freshman at Temple University, Kim Sledge was in her senior year of high school at Olney High School in their hometown of Philadelphia; and the youngest, Kathy, was a 15-year-old 10th–grader. This album gained moderate commercial success, Their single "Love Don't You Go Through No Changes on Me", reached number thirty–one on the Hot R&B/Soul Singles charts by mid 1975. The song was performed along with "Circle of Love (Caught in the Middle)" on an episode of Soul Train, which aired in April 1975.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Gwen Guthrie and Haras Fyre (pen name: Patrick Grant); except where indicated:
"Circle of Love (Caught in the Middle)" (Fay Hauser, Patrick Adams) – 3:30
"Cross My Heart" – 3:22
"Protect Our Love" – 4:10
"Give In to Love" (Linda Creed, Thom Bell) – 4:55
"Love Don't You Go Through No Changes On Me" – 3:24
"Don't You Miss Him Now" – 3:15
"Pain Reliever" – 3:30
"You're Much Better Off Loving Me" – 3:17
"Fireman" (Guthrie, Fyre/Grant, Charles Sampson) – 3:40
Personnel
Debbie Sledge, Joni Sledge, Kathy Sledge, Kim Sledge – vocals
Bert "Super Charts" DeCoteaux – arrangements, conductor
Bob Defrin – art direction
Bob Babbitt, Haras Fyre (as Patrick Grant) – bass guitar
Billy King, Carlos Martin – bongos
Kermit Moore, Seymour Barab – cello
Billy King, Carlos Martin – congos
Jimmy Young – drums
Bob Clearmountain, Tony Bongiovi – engineer
Ellen Libman, Ron St. Germain – assistant engineer
Donald Corrado, Jim Buffington – French horn
Jeff Mironov, Jerry Friedman, John Tropea – guitar
Derek Smith, Pat Rebillot, Ricky Hughric – keyboards
Dennis King – mastering
David Carey, George Devens, Joe Venuto, Phil Kraus – percussion
Armen Kachaturian – cover photography
Buzz Brauner, Frank Wess, George Marge – reeds, woodwind
Al Cobbs, Alan Raph, Garnett Brown, Jack Jeffers – trombone
Ernie Royal, James Sedlar, Jimmy Owens – trumpet