Alright, let’s get into this deep dive I did on that classic tune “For Your Love” by Ed Townsend. I remembered I found a dusty old compilation CD with it on there a while back, and it got me wondering – who was this Ed guy? Why did this version stick? Started digging.
First step was obvious: hit up the usual info holes. Typed “Ed Townsend For Your Love history” into the search bar. Lots of results popped up, mostly about the song itself or covers, but not much meat on the actual story. Kept digging, sifting through different pages.
Found out the song wasn’t even his to start! That totally blew my mind. Townsend actually wrote it way earlier – sometime in the late 50s or very early 60s. Seems like he shopped it around first. I imagine him going door-to-door to record labels or artists like, “Hey, check this jam out!” Heard a story that Jerry Butler might have passed on it? Tough break.
Anyway, the song bounced around before landing back with Ed himself. Finally, in 1963, he got his shot to record it himself. Released it as a single on the Cub Records label. That’s the version we know now. But here’s the kicker – the timing was weirdly perfect. Soul music was really starting to heat up, and that smooth ballad style fit right in.
Then I found the real surprise. Just a year later, in 1964, this super young group called The Isley Brothers covered it. Like, Ron Isley sang it! They were huge back then. That cover must have been everywhere. But you know what? Even after that big-name cover launched it further into the stratosphere, most folks still know Ed Townsend’s version as the main one. His recording just had that special sauce, you know?
So here’s the quick rundown I wrote down for myself:
- Origin: Ed writes it earlier, maybe late 50s.
- Writer Peddles It: Sells/pitches it around to other artists first.
- Self-Recording: Cuts his own version in 1963 for Cub Records.
- Cover Explosion: Isley Brothers do their take in 1964.
- Enduring Legacy: Despite the big cover, Ed’s version remains super recognizable.
What a mess trying to piece it all together! Scraps of info here and there. The really wild part? People online talk all day about The Isleys, or later bands like REO Speedwagon who also did a cover, but hardly anyone talks about Ed Townsend himself! He wrote this monster hit, recorded the definitive version, and he kinda faded into the background. Found out he did songwriting for others too, like stuff for The Delfonics. Guy had talent, for sure. Felt good to chase down the real story behind a song everyone’s heard but few know the history of. Totally blown away by how his version held its ground.