Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 2583 Date: 01/18/1986
Debut: 87
Peak: 10
Weeks: 18
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: The Canadian band finally got their first US Top 10 hit with the title track from their fourth album Lovin' Every Minute of It. However, the momentum gained by that hit was nearly lost when the LP's second single, "Dangerous," could only manage to reach #65. They needed something to turn the tides and this third single would end up doing the trick. Not only did it eclipse the results of the previous single, it exceeded expectations and became Loverboy's second US Top 10. It would also get to #9 at Rock and #30 AC. The two hits sent the album to #13 and over time it would be a double-platinum seller, which was their fourth multi-platinum album in a row. Unfortunately, this song would be their last to reach the Top 10 and the album would be their last to sell in the millions. Oddly, this album was not as well-received on their home turf. It would only reach #22 on the chart and would fail to generate a Top 10 hit. This particular song would only reach #44 on the Canadian chart.
ReduxReview: This radio-ready power ballad was something very different for the band. They were known for their arena rock anthems and over the course of their first three albums they had recorded a grand total of one ballad. So not only recording, but releasing this track as a single signaled that the band might be adjusting their sound to become more mainstream. For fans of their earlier, harder rocking songs, this stab at commercial pop/rock didn't sit so well. Yet the hit brought on new fans and kept sales solid. I liked the track. It had the same quality/appeal as the major hit ballads by the likes of Foreigner and Journey (which was not surprising due to the song's co-writer - see below). While it may have been somewhat of a calculated attempt to secure a crossover hit, the tune turned out well and I think the band does a good job with it despite the fact that it was nothing like what Loverboy had been peddling since their 1980 debut.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: This song was co-written by band members Mike Reno and Paul Dean along with Bill Wray and a guy who knows something about writing rock hits - Journey's Jonathan Cain. In addition to writing songs for his three bands The Babys, Journey, and Bad English, Cain also penned songs for other artists. He co-wrote most of the songs on his wife Tané Cain's debut album including the Pop Top 40 entry "Holdin' On." He wrote the song "Allies," a song recorded by Heart that was a minor charting single in 1983. He also had songs recorded by Kenny Rogers, Lacy J. .Dalton, Michael Bolton, Cher, John Waite and others. Discounting the songs/hits he wrote for his bands, it seems that this Loverboy track may be his best charting effort as a contributing songwriter.
_________________________________________________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment