Nights Are Forever Explained

Nights Are Forever
Type:	Album
Artist:	England Dan & John Ford Coley
Cover:	Nights Are Forever (album cover).jpg
Released:	July 1976
Recorded:	1976
Studio:	Studio By The Pond (Hendersonville, TN)
Genre:	Pop rock, soft rock, Country
Label:	Big Tree^[1]
Producer:	Kyle Lehning
Prev Title:	I Hear Music
Prev Year:	1976
Next Title:	Dowdy Ferry Road
Next Year:	1977

Nights Are Forever is the fourth studio album by the pop rock duo England Dan & John Ford Coley. It was the pair's breakthrough album.^[2] "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" became one of their biggest hits, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The follow-up single, "Nights Are Forever Without You," also proved successful, peaking at #10.^[3]

Production

The album was produced by Kyle Lehning.^[4] Both top ten singles were written by Parker McGee.^[5]

Critical reception

Joe Viglione write on Allmusic, "Nights Are Forever was the breakthrough album for Dan Seals and John Coley after some sincere and excellent work on A&M Records in the early '70s. Two of their biggest hits were the title track and the beautiful "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight." Those songs are a good indication of the fine performances this 1976 album contains. The duo's originals like "Long Way Home" and the Dan Fogelberg-ish "Westward Wind" could have been hits as well displaying superb musicianship and delicate vocals." He also praises the work of songwriter Parker McGee as well as producer Kyle Lehning.^[6]

The Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote that "these guys managed always to sound like oafish bores breaking their backs to be 'sensitive.'"

Track listing

1. "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" (Parker McGee) - 2:39
2. "I'll Stay" (Dan Seals) - 3:20
3. "Westward Wind" (Seals, Coley) - 3:17
4. "Long Way Home" (Seals, Coley) - 3:18
5. "There'll Never Be Another For Me" (Seals, McGee, Coley) - 2:50
6. "Nights Are Forever Without You" (McGee) - 2:52
7. "It's Not The Same" (Seals, Coley, Sunny Dalton) - 2:38
8. "Showboat Gambler" (Seals) - 2:37
9. "The Prisoner" (Seals, Coley) - 3:35
10. "Lady" (Seals, McGee, Coley, Kyle Lehning) - 3:58
11. "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" (Seals, Coley) - 3:08

Year	Chart	Position
1976	Billboard 200	17^[7]
1976	Australian (Kent Music Report)	68^[8]

Personnel

• Dan Seals – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, soprano saxophone
• John Ford Coley – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards
• Steve Gibson – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin
• Jim Seals – acoustic guitar, banjo
• Bobby Thompson – acoustic guitar
• Doyle Grisham – steel guitar
• Shane Keister – keyboards
• Kyle Lehning – bass
• Joe Osborn – bass
• Ted Reynolds – bass
• Larrie Londin – drums, percussion
• Dennis Good – trombone
• George Cunningham – trumpet
• Don Sheffield – trumpet
• Billy Puett – woodwinds
• Denis Solee – woodwinds
• Warren Hartman – string arrangements (1, 7)
• Bergen White – horn and string arrangements (4, 5, 6, 11)
• The Shelly Kurland String Section – strings
• Janie Frickie – backing vocals
• Ginger Holiday – backing vocals
• Sheri Kramer – backing vocals
• Lisa Silver – backing vocals
• Diane Tidwell – backing vocals

Production

• Producer and Engineer – Kyle Lehning
• Sound Consultant – Jon Yeaworth
• Recorded and Mixed at Studio By The Pond (Hendersonville, TN).
• Mastered by Mac Evans and Glenn Meadows at Masterfonics (Nashville, TN).
• Photography – Slick Lawson

Chart singles

Year	US Billboard	US Cash Box	US Record World	US AC	CAN	CAN AC	UK	Title
1976	2	4	5	1	10	1	26	"I'd Really Love to See You Tonight"
1976-77	10	10	9	6	10	4	-	"Nights Are Forever without You"

Notes and References

1. Book: Jasinski, Laurie E.. Handbook of Texas Music. February 22, 2012. Texas A&M University Press. 9780876112977 . Google Books.
2. Web site: Dan Seals dies at 61; half of the pop duo England Dan and John Ford Coley. March 27, 2009. Los Angeles Times.
3. News: Dan Seals, 61, Pop Duo's England Dan, Dies. Bill. Friskics-Warren. The New York Times . March 27, 2009. NYTimes.com.
4. Web site: England Dan & John Ford Coley | Biography & History. AllMusic.
5. Web site: The Secret Oil Patch Roots of 'Summer Breeze'. January 22, 2020. Texas Monthly.
6. Web site: Nights Are Forever. .
7. Web site: England Dan & John Ford Coley – Nights Are Forever (1976, Vinyl). www.billboard.com.
8. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 103.