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Bad Company — Ready for Love
Album: Bad Company
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1147









Released: 1974
Length: 4:49
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Walkin' down this rocky road
Wondering where my life is leadin'
Rollin' on to the bitter end
Finding out along the way
What it takes to keep love living
You should know how it feels, my friend

Ooh, I want you to stay
Ooh, I want you today

I'm ready for love
Oh baby, I'm ready for love
Ready for love
Oh baby, I'm ready for love
Yea, oooh for your love

Now I'm on my feet again
Better things are bound to happen
All my dues surely must be paid
Many miles and many tears
Times were hard but now they're changing
You should know that I'm not afraid

Ooh, I want you to stay
Ooh, I want you today

I'm ready for love
Oh baby, I'm ready for love
I'm ready for love
Oh baby, I'm ready for love
Oh, for your love
Comments (103)add comment
 SquiddlyDiddly wrote:

So. How is it that I have not heard this track for, maybe, 40 years, and I can remember most of the words. 

Yet I forgot to pack my fruit for lunch today. 

Instant 9 BTW.




    i echo everything posted here. 
Posted 9 months ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
 EffjayUK wrote:

Paul Rodgers must be one of the most under-rated singers in all of rock. That strong and soulful voice. The man is durable too!



ditto
Posted 11 months ago by brollo    [ Reply ]
Paul Rodgers must be one of the most under-rated singers in all of rock. That strong and soulful voice. The man is durable too!
Posted 2 years ago by EffjayUK    [ Reply ]
One of the all-time great rock vocalists, in my estimation.
This is kind of a basic radio-philic rock standard, but that voice and those musicians elevate it to a higher level.
Posted 2 years ago by easmann    [ Reply ]
I am compelled to share a memory that this song evokes every time I hear it. 
Back in the 80s, I was a house painter in San Francisco. I was working on an upscale home owned by a Persian father who was a senior doctor at UCSF and an Italian mother. One afternoon, I was blessed with the sight of their really smoking hot brunette daughter who'd just graduated high-school. She was in the kitchen, dancing quite seductively to this song, while wearing only a long, loosely buttoned man's white dress shirt. One of the hottest things I've ever seen, in no small part due to this lyric informing her moves. An indelible vision.
Posted 3 years ago by pixelhutt    [ Reply ]
What do you say, is he ready for love?
Posted 3 years ago by MM_Prague    [ Reply ]
Wow! I haven't heard this in years!

A local pub band used to play this when I lived in Rockhampton in the '70s
It was a highlight of their set.
Posted 3 years ago by Rijidij    [ Reply ]
I still have fond memories of the early seventies!
Posted 3 years ago by whatsupdude    [ Reply ]
 oldfart48 wrote:
{#Sunny}{#Dancingbanana}nice to hear this Paul Rodgers nugget, the boy CAN carry a tune....them other guys ain't hard on the ears either
 
Agree, very nice voice and great melody. I also love the drums on this track. 
Posted 4 years ago by oHelvetos    [ Reply ]
Maybe not their finest moment.
Posted 4 years ago by alexmwalker    [ Reply ]
Surprised I haven't yet commented on this slow burner.  The not-yet-wife and I saw Paul Rodgers at a local casino way back in 2007, and boy he was fantastic!  Over 2 hour set and since he was near home (he lives in Surrey BC, we were in Tacoma WA) he really enjoyed his local musician friends (can only remember Alan White (resides in Newcastle WA) at the show, sure there was another big name there too) and yeah....this was right around when he got married so he was really ON IT with his love songs....great show, great artist....9 rating stands...Long Live RP!!
Posted 4 years ago by lizardking    [ Reply ]
 SquiddlyDiddly wrote:
So. How is it that I have not heard this track for, maybe, 40 years, and I can remember most of the words. 

Yet I forgot to pack my fruit for lunch today. 

Instant 9 BTW.
 
Cuz it's good. And you're probably ready for love.
Posted 5 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
So. How is it that I have not heard this track for, maybe, 40 years, and I can remember most of the words. 

Yet I forgot to pack my fruit for lunch today. 

Instant 9 BTW.
Posted 5 years ago by SquiddlyDiddly    [ Reply ]
 matadorsuns wrote:
I saw Free play many years ago, what a band they were!
 
I saw Free open for Faces way back when, great show. Paul Rodgers has one of the best
voices in rock and roll  IMHO.
Posted 5 years ago by ImaOldman    [ Reply ]
Skimming the Wikipedia facts and see mention of Mott the Hoople.  Now there's a blast from the past!  Would love to hear something from them, Bill:)
Posted 5 years ago by JeriF    [ Reply ]
 hakuindude wrote:
One, if not the best, rock vocalists ever, and he loves Japan :)
 
 
I assume that is why Bill chose to play this after Hunger Strike because the same could be said about Chris Cornell.
Posted 5 years ago by freddyfender    [ Reply ]
What a great song, and the album has to be in the top ten of debut albums. I saw them on their first tour in Glasgow's legendary Apollo Theatre, one of my all time fave gigs.
Posted 6 years ago by madaxeman    [ Reply ]
{#Devil_pimp}zesty ! nice version but I'm still partial to the original with mott the hoople both versions do feature the writer and guitar player mick ralphs
Posted 6 years ago by primm    [ Reply ]
This is at the beginning...
Posted 6 years ago by Bert7    [ Reply ]
Cheers Scott_Bruce!  : )

(heard this album while a HS sophmore with a major crush on a Girl named Jude and those memories flood my mind now : )
Posted 7 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
Cheers Scott_Bruce!  : )

(heard this album while a HS sophmore with a major crush on a Girl named Jude and those memories flood my mind now
love it.           super sounds from way back, Bad Co. was like an inspiration to me, a positive incentive to act on my feelings, to try love  : )
Posted 7 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]

I can still smell the dry grass of the summertime coastal foothills of central California as me and my best friend were cruising around in his 1963 MGB, top down, sunglasses on, singing at the top of our lungs to Bad Company playing on his 8-Track. It was the summer just before graduating High School, I was heading off to Annapolis and wanted to go be a Navy Pilot. I recognized that it was the end of a relatively carefree life where all I really had to be responsible for was getting good grades; and I relished the last few free days of my "freedom".

It always amazes me how a single song can evoke such vivid memories...


Posted 7 years ago by scott_bruce    [ Reply ]
 oldviolin wrote:
I'm in basic training at Ft. Polk, La. I'm finding my way with the music. Nobody sees me coming. Nobody notices when I leave...

 
Good luck and thanks.
Posted 7 years ago by 25demayo    [ Reply ]
Super Set thank you!!!
Posted 7 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
I'm in basic training at Ft. Polk, La. I'm finding my way with the music. Nobody sees me coming. Nobody notices when I leave...
Posted 7 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
Is he ready for love, do ya think?
Posted 7 years ago by vesta0424    [ Reply ]
following whatever that anyway grunge garble was, brilliant shift, billbecca. interesting how each era has its own resonance, the sound in the gap, outlining eternal youthful whining. this voice still FULL.
Posted 7 years ago by Segue    [ Reply ]
 hakuindude wrote:
One, if not the best, rock vocalists ever, and he loves Japan :)
 

 
I so agree...what a voice
Posted 8 years ago by LaurieinTucson    [ Reply ]
 I'm with you on this assessment   hakuindude wrote:
One, if not the best, rock vocalists ever, and he loves Japan :)
 

 


Posted 8 years ago by 1wolfy    [ Reply ]
6 only because of nostalgia.....where I only remember the self-perceived good times of late sixties and early seventies
Posted 8 years ago by Chrisjea    [ Reply ]
One, if not the best, rock vocalists ever, and he loves Japan :)
 
Posted 8 years ago by hakuindude    [ Reply ]
I thought maybe the Stones after that....
Posted 8 years ago by Flip_flops    [ Reply ]
Such a low rating on this song????? Why 
Posted 8 years ago by Flip_flops    [ Reply ]
 hayduke2 wrote:
but I was just a skinny little snotface, and for some reason this album (with Deep Purple and Led Zep stacked above on the record player) helped me through the dark winter afternoons
see, it wasn't being in with aholes, it was the music that transported me 

 
wow, guess it was 4 years ago when hearing Bad Co here on RP sealed the deal on my total devotion to Paradise, love its psd : )
Posted 8 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
Snappy lyrics!
Posted 8 years ago by Dog_Ear    [ Reply ]
back when this came on the radio I switched the receiver over to turntable
Posted 8 years ago by Skydog    [ Reply ]
 fredriley wrote:
I remember Bad Company well, and I was quite a fan of them in the day, but this was the weakest song on this album, and indeed in their whole oeuvre IMO. They didn't do lovers rock right well. 4 from the nostalgic Nottingham jury.

 
LOL!

I doubt very many fans of Bad Company would deploy the term oeuvre.    'Right well' maybe.   
Posted 8 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
 1wolfy wrote:
Lots of cruisin' in Mom's '65 Impala with this playing on the 8 track.  

 
An honest to god 8 cylinder chariot.

AM radio favourite back in the day. 
Posted 8 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
This song worked well enough for me as a teenager in the 70s.  Not so much now.  But Paul Rodgers was one hell of a singer, even with such drek lyrics such as this.
Posted 9 years ago by Typesbad    [ Reply ]
Great album man, shit I want to play it all now and toke a fat doobie 
Posted 9 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
I saw Free play many years ago, what a band they were!
Posted 9 years ago by matadorsuns    [ Reply ]
like paul Rodgers but the original by mott the hoople still better , although mick ralphs appears to be in bad company
Posted 9 years ago by primm    [ Reply ]
 Hannio wrote:
This is one of those songs that kills brain cells every time you hear it.

 
Try sitting farther away from your device.
Posted 9 years ago by wgsu_1978    [ Reply ]
This is one of those songs that kills brain cells every time you hear it.
Posted 9 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
Nookin puh nub.
Posted 9 years ago by MojoJojo    [ Reply ]
 {#Bananajumprope}Emwolb wrote:
Big time!
I'll take Ian Hunter and Mott the Hoople's original any day over this bland rendition...tops a 6!!
 


Posted 9 years ago by bstevens1951    [ Reply ]
Mott The Hoople.
Posted 9 years ago by bstevens1951    [ Reply ]
Killing it right now....Paul Rodgers has that classic 70's rock voice...Sexy...BadCo ROCKS!!!!

Posted 9 years ago by hempmandan    [ Reply ]
 run4more wrote:

Kinda sad that we let others color our own personal musical experiences like that... but it happens.  I was blessed to experience Blodwyn Pig when turned onto them by a musician who I knew couldn't possibly be wrong (and he wasn't—he still performs to this day). But I find, so often, that my appreciation for some music has been colored by the experience under which I first heard it. Bad Company?  Well, for the most part I experienced it in solitaire, sipping the head off of a fresh-poured Dr. Pepper, high on some pretty good Mexican commercial. Still sounds pretty decent to me and I don't care about the assholes who liked it... or didn't.

PS—For VH—Panama?  Foreigner—Dirty White Boy?  Jeez, I was one of those assholes wasn't I?

 
Excellent post, run4more. You're right: I've let my memories of idiots in high school taint this group for me. Not sure I would have liked Bad Company even if I'd heard them in a vacuum—the guy's voice doesn't do it for me and the music isn't terribly interesting. This song labors along and got way overplayed. Dey it is. And hey, a lot of those guys weren't so bad when I saw them at my 10th HS reunion. We all change and should give mulligans to people from our past. 

Sounds like you had a better means of experiencing music then I did back then.

For VH—yeah, "Panama" definitely. I wasn't sold on VH back in the day but they were loud, David Lee could sing, Eddie could seriously play and they had a tongue-in-check slant that still appeals (the video for "Hot For Teacher" is still funny). "Poundcake" in the Sammy Hagar era was fun too. 

Foreigner—I put them in the same basket as Bad Company but the singer was better. Love "Headknocker" which has never gotten much play AFAIK.  
Posted 9 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
remember this back in high school, meh then, meh now
Posted 10 years ago by Johnny-smooth    [ Reply ]
 Emwolb wrote:
I'll take Ian Hunter and Mott the Hoople's original any day over this bland rendition...tops a 6!!
 
Although a huge Ian Hunter fan, I prefer this version over the Mott version simply because I love Paul Roger's voice.  This entire effort is/was very solid.
Posted 10 years ago by tulfan    [ Reply ]
I'll take Ian Hunter and Mott the Hoople's original any day over this bland rendition...tops a 6!!
Posted 10 years ago by Emwolb    [ Reply ]
{#Sunny}{#Dancingbanana}nice to hear this Paul Rodgers nugget, the boy CAN carry a tune....them other guys ain't hard on the ears either
Posted 10 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
love it.           super sounds from way back, Bad Co. was like an inspiration to me, a positive insentive to act on my feelings, to try love. 
Posted 10 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
love it.           super sounds from way back, Bad Co. was like an inspiration to me, a positive incentive to act on my feelings, to try love. 
Posted 10 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
Reminds me to my school time of the 70's.......
Posted 10 years ago by strous    [ Reply ]
shagged a lotta wimin to this song.....great music to screw by.

DM 
Posted 10 years ago by dickmahoon    [ Reply ]
Listening casually in the background I thought he said: "all my jews surely must be paid"... aint it the truth.
Posted 10 years ago by ch83575    [ Reply ]
Paul Rodgers & Bad Company are sooooo good for the ears and the chill.
Posted 11 years ago by vaiodon    [ Reply ]
I want a hairball emoticon.
Posted 11 years ago by NeuroGeek    [ Reply ]
Have a soft spot for this song. One of the very few Bad Co. songs I like.
Posted 11 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
Bit laid back for Paul on this one, one of *the* greatest vocalists ever; check out his collaboration on Tim Donahue's 'Voices in the Wind.' Paul loved Japan too, he knew.
Posted 11 years ago by hakuindude    [ Reply ]
 Goodnight and sleep well..watch out for the sandman.  megaboogieman wrote:
I'm ready to hit the sack

 



Posted 11 years ago by 1wolfy    [ Reply ]
I'm ready to hit the sack
Posted 11 years ago by megaboogieman    [ Reply ]
Lots of cruisin' in Mom's '65 Impala with this playing on the 8 track.  
Posted 11 years ago by 1wolfy    [ Reply ]
 leafmold wrote:
Lots of "man rock" today.
 
yowza!
Posted 11 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
Lots of "man rock" today.
Posted 11 years ago by leafmold    [ Reply ]
Oh, how i love you for playing BC, Bill!!! <3
Posted 11 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
Had to cry todaaaaaaay
Posted 11 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
Love the verse way more than the chorus. One of the few tunes I can actually say that about.
Posted 11 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]

{#Drunk}
please don't mention this era of bc in the same breath with foreigner

 


Posted 12 years ago by allmixedup    [ Reply ]
the 70s def were the best
Posted 12 years ago by Lichenia,    [ Reply ]
Ready for Lust.  Not to mention any number of STDs and the devaluation of inter-gender affection.  Weren't the 70s just great!
Posted 12 years ago by joelbb    [ Reply ]
Always ready for BC
Posted 12 years ago by Lichenia,    [ Reply ]
 johnjconn wrote:
I'm ready for lunch
 
Speaking of lunch, I find myself ready for a snack...  {#Tongue}
Posted 12 years ago by shellbella    [ Reply ]
 hayduke2 wrote:
but I was just a skinny little snotface, and for some reason this album (with Deep Purple and Led Zep stacked above on the record player) helped me through the dark winter afternoons
see, it wasn't being in with aholes, it was the music that transported me 
 
Music can be very good for that.
Posted 12 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
I've always been a Bad Co fan.  Maybe it's partially because of the Jimmy Page connection.....  {#Hearteyes}
Posted 12 years ago by shellbella    [ Reply ]
but I was just a skinny little snotface, and for some reason this album (with Deep Purple and Led Zep stacked above on the record player) helped me through the dark winter afternoons
see, it wasn't being in with aholes, it was the music that transported me 
Posted 12 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
  One of the smoothest drummers around..super clean fills...
Posted 12 years ago by neuticle    [ Reply ]
 kcar wrote:

What an unholy trinity. 

Never could get into this group—too many assholes in high school were into BC and Foreigner. Gag. Just too pedestrian. Paint-by-numbers arena rock.  
 
Kinda sad that we let others color our own personal musical experiences like that... but it happens.  I was blessed to experience Blodwyn Pig when turned onto them by a musician who I knew couldn't possibly be wrong (and he wasn't—he still performs to this day). But I find, so often, that my appreciation for some music has been colored by the experience under which I first heard it. Bad Company?  Well, for the most part I experienced it in solitaire, sipping the head off of a fresh-poured Dr. Pepper, high on some pretty good Mexican commercial. Still sounds pretty decent to me and I don't care about the assholes who liked it... or didn't.

PS—For VH—Panama?  Foreigner—Dirty White Boy?  Jeez, I was one of those assholes wasn't I?
Posted 12 years ago by run4more    [ Reply ]
Yay!
Posted 12 years ago by sziggle    [ Reply ]
 Propayne wrote:
Aha! LOTS of high school memories.

Any other instance where you have the name of the band and the name of the album and the name of a song on the album all being the same? 
 
What an unholy trinity. 

Never could get into this group—too many assholes in high school were into BC and Foreigner. Gag. Just too pedestrian. Paint-by-numbers arena rock.  
Posted 12 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
shivers, cool times back in the 70's
Listened to their cover tune with great big head phones on, high volume, imagining I'm about to shoot my way out of teen dreams,.
rich memories 
Posted 12 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
 big_gare wrote:

Yes, agreed.  But if Bill absolutely just HAD to play a VH tune - what would it be?
 


If Bill HAD to play VH (hopefully not) my vote would be "Secrets" from Diver Down
Posted 12 years ago by tulfan    [ Reply ]
I remember Bad Company well, and I was quite a fan of them in the day, but this was the weakest song on this album, and indeed in their whole oeuvre IMO. They didn't do lovers rock right well. 4 from the nostalgic Nottingham jury.
Posted 12 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
 big_gare wrote:

Yes, agreed.  But if Bill absolutely just HAD to play a VH tune - what would it be?
 
It would be okay to play "Ain't Talkin' About Love" after this BC BS.
Posted 12 years ago by dwlangham    [ Reply ]
 randyblew wrote:
Here's the thing - even a tired old chestnut like this song, by this band who believe me, was buttered my bread in Junior High School, gets new legs when played on Radio Paradise, in the context of so much other good stuff. And yes, it still holds up well. Just no Van Halen please! (I like them actually, just not the right place for them).
 
Yes, agreed.  But if Bill absolutely just HAD to play a VH tune - what would it be?
Posted 12 years ago by big_gare    [ Reply ]
I actually love the way the piano is mixed in this song. Good song...though I've heard it too many times on radio. I also love the bass guitar part. Very nice.
Posted 12 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
Here's the thing - even a tired old chestnut like this song, by this band who believe me, was buttered my bread in Junior High School, gets new legs when played on Radio Paradise, in the context of so much other good stuff. And yes, it still holds up well. Just no Van Halen please! (I like them actually, just not the right place for them).
Posted 12 years ago by randyblew    [ Reply ]
Wow, great nostalgic tune.  Another example of some great music from 30+ years ago that has truly stood the test of time.  Begs the question though: - how much of today's music will we be able to say the same thing about 30+ years from now?...  Not friggin much of it methinks...

Posted 12 years ago by big_gare    [ Reply ]
I wish I had a dollar for every time I played this album over the years. Definitely a jewel. Thanks for giving it a spin, Bill.
Posted 12 years ago by toterola    [ Reply ]
Ready for Love indeed.   Got the '73 Gran Torino all polished up.. Aqua Velva splashed on in all the right places..The wind rushing through the open window aint moving this hair.. An extra blanket, because the point is COLD this time of year.   



Posted 12 years ago by sieversfam    [ Reply ]
Whoo hoo... ripples of high school angst and all the girls I silently sang this too as they passed in the hallway... ...on the beach... ...in cars... ...pathetic in retrospect - a bad ass in my own mind at the time. {#High-five}
Posted 12 years ago by SpamNRice    [ Reply ]
 Propayne wrote:
Aha! LOTS of high school memories.

Any other instance where you have the name of the band and the name of the album and the name of a song on the album all being the same? 
 
WILCO


Posted 12 years ago by marmelock    [ Reply ]
Likealot !
Posted 13 years ago by HazzeSwede    [ Reply ]
I prefer the version sung by Mick Ralphs when he was in Mott The Hoople. It was a little more plaintive. He wrote it after all.
Posted 13 years ago by capandjudy    [ Reply ]
Aha! LOTS of high school memories.

Any other instance where you have the name of the band and the name of the album and the name of a song on the album all being the same? 
Posted 13 years ago by Propayne    [ Reply ]
This song is simplistic, but good in a very 70's rock and roll sort of way. Certainly not the best band of the R&R era, but plenty of good memories with this band.
Posted 13 years ago by trissi    [ Reply ]
Bad Company. On Radio Paradise. Very nice.
Posted 13 years ago by LucidDreamer    [ Reply ]
First!! haha
wonder why this has never been part of the rotation? Definitely fits

Posted 13 years ago by michaele    [ Reply ]