"You Are in My System" by Robert Palmer

Song#:  1496
Date:  06/18/1983
Debut:  88
Peak:  78
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Rock, Dance



Pop Bits:  British singer/songwriter Palmer had been a member of several bands before going the solo route in 1974. Signed to Island Records, he issued three albums that got some attention before really breaking through with his fourth one, Double Fun. That 1978 LP featured his first major hit, the #16 "Every Kinda People." He got another hit in 1979 with his rock radio classic "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)," which reached #14. After that, his chart fortunes dwindled. By 1983, he hadn't had a chart entry for four years. He caught a bit of a break when this single from his album Pride reached the lower levels of the Pop chart for a few weeks (#33 Rock/#4 Dance). It wasn't a major breakthrough, but it was enough to keep him signed to the label. A big career boost would come his way the following year when he would join up with some Duran Duran members to form the side group The Power Station.

ReduxReview:  I have to say that I like this version better than the original (see below). It just seems meatier. The groove and other elements are pretty similar, but Palmer has a way of really bring out the best in these slight songs. I'm still not a big fan of the song, but given the choice I'd easily want to hear Palmer's take over the original.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  If you have been following this blog recently, this title may seem familiar. It was originally a chart entry for The System just a few months earlier in March of '83. The #10 R&B hit reached #64 on the Pop chart and got the attention of Palmer. He did his own version of the song, which featured The System's David Frank on keyboards. Although Palmer's version couldn't do better on the Pop chart than The System's original, it did reach at #4 on the Dance chart besting The System's #14 peak.

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