Forever, for Always, for Love

Forever, for Always, for Love
Cover art by Lynn Goldsmith
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 21, 1982
RecordedFebruary–June 1982
Studio
GenreR&B, soul
Length43:32
LabelEpic
Producer
  • Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross chronology
Never Too Much
(1981)
Forever, for Always, for Love
(1982)
Busy Body
(1983)
Singles from Forever, for Always, for Love
  1. "Bad Boy/Having a Party"
    Released: August 1982
  2. "Since I Lost My Baby"
    Released: February 1983
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Chicago Tribune
Robert ChristgauB+
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

Forever, for Always, for Love is the second studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, released on September 21, 1982, by Epic Records. It became Vandross' second album to chart in the top 20 on the Billboard 200 and was his second album to top the R&B Albums chart where it spent three weeks.

The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA, and earned Vandross his third nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, but lost to Marvin Gaye for his song "Sexual Healing".

The hit "Since I Lost My Baby" was originally recorded by the Temptations in 1965, while the "Having a Party" part of the opening track was originally recorded by Sam Cooke in 1962. The album's opening track was heard during the opening credits of the 1990 film House Party. Rolling Stone gave the album a four-star rating, describing Vandross as "the most gifted male pop-soul singer of his generation".

In 2004, singer Lalah Hathaway covered the song "Forever, for Always, for Love" for the compilation album Forever, for Always, for Luther. She later included the song on her 2004 third album Outrun the Sky. In the same year Philadelphia rap-duo Young Gunz sampled "Better Love" on their top 40 hit "No Better Love" ft. Rell.