The Song Lives On is a collaborative studio album by former Jazz Crusaders member Joe Sample and R&B singer Lalah Hathaway. It was released by GRP Records on April 20, 1999 in the United States.

The Song Lives On
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 20, 1999
Length56:35
LabelGRP
Producer
Lalah Hathaway chronology
A Moment
(1994)
The Song Lives On
(1999)
Outrun the Sky
(2004)
Joe Sample chronology
Sample This
(1997)
The Song Lives On
(1999)
The Pecan Tree
(2002)

Background

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In 1998, Lalah Hathaway and Joe Sample began working on their collaborative album. Hathaway sang most of the lead vocals on such songs as lead single "When Your Life Was Low" and a cover of The Crusaders' hit "Street Life," while Sample supplied the instruments like piano. The second single was the covered song "Fever".

Critical response

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [1]

The album received a favorable review from AllMusic editor Jonathan Widran. He stated that "the daughter of the popular late R&B singer Donny, husky voiced Lalah Hathaway is the perfect foil for Joe Sample's compelling notion that The Song Lives On. Finding a happy medium between the graceful straight-ahead jazz trio vibe of his Invitation album and the plucky pop energy of Spellbound, Sample provides Hathaway on seven of the 11 tunes with a showcase for her sultry approach."[1]

Commercial performance

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The Song Lives On peaked at number two on the US Billboard Top Jazz Albums.[2] In response to the album's commercial success, Hathaway and Sample were honored with Billboard/BET On Jazz Award for "Mainstream Jazz Album."[3]

Track listing

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All tracks produced by Joe Sample and Bill Schnee.

The Song Lives On track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Song Lives On"Sample5:09
2."Fever"Cooley, Davenport5:40
3."Come Along with Me"Gimbel, Sample5:12
4."Living in Blue"Sample4:45
5."Street Life"Jennings, Sample5:49
6."When Your Life Was Low"Jennings, Sample5:43
7."One Day I'll Fly Away"Jennings, Sample5:40
8."When the World Turns Blue"Jennings, Sample4:29
9."For All We Know"Coots, Lewis5:13
10."Bitter Sweet"Sample3:58
11."A Long Way from Home"Sample4:57
Total length:56:35
Japanese bonus track
No.TitleLength
12."It's a Sin to Tell a Lie"4:57
Total length:61:32

Personnel

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Production

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  • Joe Sample – producer
  • Bill Schnee – producer, recording, mixing
  • Koji Egawa – mix assistant
  • Alan Sanderson – recording assistant
  • Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California)
  • John Cabalka – art direction
  • Steven Silverstein – photography
  • Patrick Rains – management for Joe Sample
  • Raymond A. Shields II – management for Lalah Hathaway

Charts

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Chart performance for The Song Lives On
Chart (1999) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[4] 196
US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard)[2] 2
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[5] 53

References

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