Lionel Richie is one of those artists that are loved by many and scorned by the rest. Especially his ballads are divisive: considered too mushy by some, and adored by many. 'Stuck on you' is one of those ballads. Taken from his multiplatinum album 'Can't slow down', this was the fourth single from that album. It reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.
In 2003, 'Stuck on you' was covered by American band 3T. It was the first single from the band's second studio album 'Identity'. Released in summer 2003, it achieved success in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, where it was a top ten hit.
My collection: 7" single no. 6114 Found: Record fair, Den Haag, June 1, 2019 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Stuck on you' / 'Round and round'
The dodgy lyrics of the man's later work may make you forget just how good his songs were at the height of his popularity. A song like 'Dancing on the ceiling' can't hold a candle to a great pop track like this one, 'Running with the night'.
It was the second single from his multi-platinum album 'Can't slow down'. The electric guitar solo was played by Steve Lukather, best known as a member of the rock band Toto. Lukather sat down in the studio and the engineer played the basic tracks of the song, for him to hear for the first time, so he could plan his part. As the music played, he jammed along on his instrument. At the conclusion of tune, he said to the engineer, "okay, I'm ready for a take." The producer replied, "That was a take." Singer Richard Marx added backing vocals on the track as a session singer; he had also lent his vocals to Richie's 'All Night Long (All Night)' and 'You Are'.
My collection: 7" single no. 5474 Found: Kringloop Hebbes, Den Haag, July 25, 2014 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Running with the night' / 'Serves you right'
'Truly' is the title of the debut solo single by Lionel Richie, released in 1982. Richie wrote the song and co-produced it with James Anthony Carmichael.
Released as the first single from his self-titled debut album in 1982, 'Truly' went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks near the end of 1982. In the UK singles chart the single peaked at number 6, while it didn't chart in the Netherlands. The song won a Grammy Award for Richie in the category Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
My collection: 7" single no. 5122 Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Truly' / 'Just put some love in your heart'
Lionel Richie was very hot in 1983. He released the album 'Can't slow down' and before he knew it, he had a row of hits on his hands. The first of them was 'All night long', a festive, danceable tune that went to number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, Australia and the Netherlands. In the UK, it reached number 2.
The video was played on television ad nauseam, and I grew rather tired of this track. Fast forward 27 years and I finally bought the single... Because after all, the tune is not bad.
My collection: 7" single no. 5097 Found: Vrijmarkt, Den Haag, April 30, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'All night long' / 'Wandering stranger'
Donna Summer has been around for such a long time, that many of her singles are still wellknown. From her output in the Eighties, 'State of independence' is quite probably her best known song. The track was originally written and recorded by Jon Anderson & Vangelis on their 1981 album 'The friends of Mr. Cairo'.
Donna Summer recorded her version a year later on her 1982 self-titled album, with Quincy Jones producing. Her version of the song features an all-star choir including among others Michael Jackson, Brenda Russell, James Ingram, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Loggins, Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder. Upon its original release, it became a number 1 hit in the Dutch Top 40, peaking at number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 41 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Remixes were released in 1990 and 1996.
My collection: 7" single no. 293 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'State of independence' / 'Love is just a breath away'
The man who gave us lyrics like 'What a feeling / when we're dancing on the ceiling' also gave us this sloppy love song. 'Love will conquer all' was a single taken from Lionel Richie's 1986 album 'Dancing on the ceiling'.
The single reached number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 45 in the UK singles chart and number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1150 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, January 19, 1990 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'Love will conquer all' / 'The only one'
One of Lionel Richie's biggest hits is arguably more famous for its music video than for the music itself. The video, in which a blind girl sculpts an image of Lionel Richie's face (which looks as much like him as my behind looks like a lily), became the subject of lots of airplay and some parodies too.
But 'Hello' is a beautiful ballad as well. Written by Richie himself, it was the third single from his multi-millionselling album 'Can't slow down'. It reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40, as well as the Swiss singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 228 Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1984 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Hello' / 'You mean more to me'
Diana Ross and Lionel Richie recorded 'Endless love' for the soundtrack of the movie 'Endless love' starring Brooke Shields. It was also released as a single in 1981. While the movie was a failure, the song became the second biggest-selling single of the year in the USA (second only to 'Physical' by Olivia Newton-John). The single reached number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.
The song became the biggest-selling single of Ross' career, while it was one of several hits for Richie as the Eighties progressed. Ross recorded a solo version of the song for her first RCA Records album, 'Why do fools fall in love?'. The song was covered by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey in 1994. That version must have been meant for deaf people.
My collection: 7" single no. 4268 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Endless love' / 'Endless love (instrumental)'
After Band Aid had sold millions of copies worldwide with 'Do they know it's Christmas?', it was almost inevitable that American popstars would rise to the challenge and come up with their own charity single. 'We are the world' was the result: a single of an epic 6'22 minutes length which is fine for the first three minutes but then turns into a long, protracted death rattle of a song, with far too many artists claiming a few lines of their own to sing.
The lyric 'There's a choice we're making / we're saving our own lives' was originally written as 'There's a chance we're taking / we're taking our own lives'. It was rewritten when it was feared the original phrasing's first part might look like the artists are patting themselves on the back while the last part might suggest collective suicide.
The single became a worldwide number 1 hit, raising more money for emergency needs in Africa, where several countries were suffering from an unprecedented famine. Not much has changed in over thirty years though: Africa is still in need.
My collection: 7" single no. 3541 Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 9, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'We are the world' (USA for Africa) / 'Grace' (Quincy Jones)
'Truly' is the title of the debut solo single by Lionel Richie, released in 1982. Richie wrote the song and co-produced it with James Anthony Carmichael.
Lionel Richie was very hot in 1983. He released the album 'Can't slow down' and before he knew it, he had a row of hits on his hands. The first of them was 'All night long', a festive, danceable tune that went to number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, Australia and the Netherlands. In the UK, it reached number 2.
Donna Summer has been around for such a long time, that many of her singles are still wellknown. From her output in the Eighties, 'State of independence' is quite probably her best known song. The track was originally written and recorded by Jon Anderson & Vangelis on their 1981 album 'The friends of Mr. Cairo'.
The man who gave us lyrics like 'What a feeling / when we're dancing on the ceiling' also gave us this sloppy love song. 'Love will conquer all' was a single taken from Lionel Richie's 1986 album 'Dancing on the ceiling'.
One of Lionel Richie's biggest hits is arguably more famous for its music video than for the music itself. The video, in which a blind girl sculpts an image of Lionel Richie's face (which looks as much like him as my behind looks like a lily), became the subject of lots of airplay and some parodies too.
Diana Ross and Lionel Richie recorded 'Endless love' for the soundtrack of the movie 'Endless love' starring Brooke Shields. It was also released as a single in 1981. While the movie was a failure, the song became the second biggest-selling single of the year in the USA (second only to 'Physical' by Olivia Newton-John). The single reached number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.
After Band Aid had sold millions of copies worldwide with 'Do they know it's Christmas?', it was almost inevitable that American popstars would rise to the challenge and come up with their own charity single. 'We are the world' was the result: a single of an epic 6'22 minutes length which is fine for the first three minutes but then turns into a long, protracted death rattle of a song, with far too many artists claiming a few lines of their own to sing.
