EWF’s Bailey scores a #1 hit. Phil Collins makes it look easy.
Kronomyth 2.7: Earth, wind and Philips.
I must have been standing on the wrong line when they were handing out hearts and gotten a second pancreas or something because I just don’t like love songs. They don’t make any sense to me, and in the battle between heart and mind, my brain has my puny second pancreas in some of kind of unholy sleeper hold. So, while most folks can shimmy along to the music untroubled with an alcoholic fruit drink balanced in one hand, I’m wondering how an “easy lover” is one who’ll deceive you and make you regret meeting her. By my reasoning, that would be hard, although if Philip Bailey and Phil Collins were singing about a “hard lover,” well, you’d probably be reading an Irish cream joke right about now.
Both Easy Lover and Woman come from Bailey’s elpee Chinese Wall, which was produced by Phil Collins (Bailey was a member of Earth, Wind & Fire, whose horn section Collins appropriated for his solo sessions, in case you’re looking for the connection). So, this is technically a Philip Bailey single (Phil is credited with the duet on the A side). The 12-inch single features an extended version of the A side, or “Easy Lover” with an extra 90 seconds of staying power.
Original 7-inch single version
A1. Easy Lover (Philip Bailey/Phil Collins/Nathan East) (4:40)
B1. Woman (Marti Sharron/Gary Skardina/Steve Mitchell) (5:04)
Original 12-inch single version
A1. Easy Love (extended dance remix) (Philip Bailey/Phil Collins/Nathan East) (6:18)
B1. Woman (Marti Sharron/Gary Skardina/Steve Mitchell) (5:04)
The Plastic
Released on 7-inch and 12-inch single in November 1984 in the US (Columbia, 38-04679), the UK (CBS, A/TA-4915), Canada (Columbia, 38-04679/12CXP-05160), Germany (CBS, A12-4915), Japan (CBS/Sony, 07SP-847), the Netherlands (CBS, A/A12-4915) and New Zealand (CBS, BA 12115) with regional picture sleeve. Also released as promotional 7-inch single in 1984 in the US (Columbia, 38-04679) feat. A only. Reached #2 on the US charts (charted on November 24, 1984 for 23 weeks) and #1 on the UK charts.
