The 'key' to 'Everlasting Love' lies in its second line; though to all intents and purposes a celebration of eternal love, it's the half buried "I went away just when you needed me so" that gives the game away, making the song actually a grovelling 'please don't spoil a good thing and take me back' plea to a lover wronged. And that's how it's played out in Robert Knight's Northern Soul favourite original - the celebration is there, but it's couched in a suitably sheepish manner of a misbehaving dog trying to worm its way out of the doghouse after shitting on the floor by wagging its tail hard.In contrast, The Love Affair cut the song to it's pop bone and flog the chorus hard on a spruced up horn backing and 'gee up' plucked bassline click . But as for that key line, well vocalist Steve Ellis fumbles the ball, converting it into a "I went away, just when you, you need me so" that takes the sting out of the tail to render it more emotionally neutral. That the whole works well enough as power pop is testament to the fact that 'Everlasting Love' has melody hooks to burn, but it's all surface gloss, a one dimensional take on a three dimensional song that can stand by itself, but not in its own company. If you see what I mean.
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