Always And Forever

Album: Too Hot to Handle (1977)
Charted: 9 18
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This romantic ballad was not the highest-charting of Heatwave's songs (that would be "Boogie Nights "), but it was the most enduring of them. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, this song was played at every high school dance in the United States. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Santa Barbara, CA
  • Rod Temperton, who was Heatwave's keyboard player, was also their primary songwriter and he composed this song. Temperton went on to write several hits for Michael Jackson, including "Thriller" and "Rock With You."
  • Heatwave derived their name from the group's early days, when they were made up of members of the American army who were stationed in West Germany. They used to rehearse in an old run-down building with a radiator that that kept oozing heat even in the summer.
  • Clay Aiken sang this for his audition on Season 2 of American Idol, where he finished in second place to winner Ruben Studdard.

Comments: 7

  • Jan from CaribbeanTo Ken from Washington - you probably mean the version by Nicole McCloud. Give it a listen.
  • Randy from Houghton Lake, MiWe danced to this at our wedding reception back in '79. I lost my wife to cancer last year and I don't know if I will ever be able to listen to this song again.
  • Camille from Toronto, OhSuch a beautiful, beautiful song, with, as gary from the UK says, heartfelt lyrics. Perfection. Oh, and wow, what a songwriter, to pen this as well as Thriller and Rock With You.
  • Mike from Santa Barbara, CaThis song has been covered by several artists since, including Luther Vandross, Wyclef Jean, and Diana Ross.
  • Ken from Washington, DcA group did a cover of this song in the late to mid eighties with a female singing the lead, does anyone know who that group was?
  • Gary from Hull, United Kingdomone of the best melodies and heartfelt lyrics ever.
  • Martin from Pattaya, ThailandHeatwave were formed in Germany by Johnnie Wilder an American GI at the end of his overseas service. Keyboard player and songwriter Temperton is English. They started touring the UK Club circuit & European USAF bases in 76.
    This song reached No 9 on the UK charts as a double A Side with Mind Blowing Decisions in 1978.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.

Chris Isaak

Chris IsaakSongwriter Interviews

Chris tells the story of "Wicked Game," talks milkshakes and moonpies at Sun Records, and explains why women always get their way.

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"