#1 Alert!
Gold Record Alert!
Song#: 0356 Date: 10/04/1980
Debut: 39
Peak: 1 (6 weeks)
Weeks: 25
Genre: Pop, Country Crossover
Pop Bits: This song arguably represents Rogers' peak moment of success. The song was an instant smash and was the first song of the new decade to be an entry on Billboard's four main charts - pop, country, adult contemporary, and R&B. It was included on Rogers' "Greatest Hits" album which became his only #1 pop album and the best-selling country compilation album in history, selling over 12 million copies. The song would earn Rogers a Best Pop Male Vocalist Grammy nomination and the song would be nominated for Record of the Year. Richie would receive a nomination for Song of the Year as the songwriter.
ReduxReview: This is a very well-written and produced song. For my ears, Rogers really does not have the most attractive voice, especially on something so exposed as this song. But he is actually good here tempering his wide vibrato a bit and providing a convincing performance. Honestly, I can't say it is one of my favorites, but I appreciate the songwriting and performance and recognize that this was really a terrific recording.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: Why did this pop tune by a country artist end up on the R&B chart? The song was written specifically for Rogers by Lionel Richie. At the time, Richie was still in the Commodores and was beginning to write songs for other artists. It was well-known that the two artists worked together on this song and the combo attracted a multi-genre audience. It wouldn't be long before Richie would start keeping songs for himself and embark on a solo career.
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