#1 Alert!
Song#: 2869 Date: 09/20/1986
Debut: 74
Peak: 1 (1 week)
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: Cetera's first stab at a solo single after leaving the band Chicago would end up being a major hit. "Glory of Love," which was featured on Cetera's Solitude/Solitaire album along with the soundtrack to The Karate Kid, Part II, went on to be a #1 hit at both Pop and AC. It would also earn Oscar and Grammy nominations. For a follow-up, the label would choose another ballad from Cetera's album. This time around, Cetera wasn't by himself. He was joined by Contemporary Christian star Amy Grant, who had recently ventured into the mainstream with her 1985 LP Unguarded, which featured the #29 Pop entry "Find a Way." The duet would prove to be another smash for Cetera replicating the success of "Glory of Love" by getting to #1 at both Pop and AC. The song would also earn both artists a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Duo or Group.
ReduxReview: It was a little surprising that Cetera would follow up "Glory" with another big-ass pop ballad. Moves like that could easily get you tagged as an AC balladeer and that will be all listeners will want from you (which kinda did happen to Cetera). Yet I can understand the reason why this was the right follow-up. It was a top-notch song that was expertly crafted by producer Michael Omartian. The song had "hit" written all over it and when you add in vocals by rising star Amy Grant, that only added fuel to the fire. In other words, it was an obvious choice and it paid off. Plus, it's a song that I like a whole lot more than "Glory of Love."
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: This song was written by Bobby Caldwell and Paul Gordon. Caldwell was already an established artist co-writing and singing his 1978 #9 hit "What You Won't Do for Love." The song opened up doors for Caldwell as a writer and when he and Gordon set about writing this song, they had one person in mind to sing it - Peter Cetera. At they time they wrote it, Cetera was still in Chicago, but by the time they got the demo over to the band, Cetera was gone and so it seemed was their hopes of him recording the tune. Yet the demo did get to Cetera who love it, but wanted to make it into a duet. Originally, Cetera was going to hire on an unknown singer for the part, but then Amy Grant was suggested to him. She was beginning to break out of the Contemporary Christian market and the song seemed to be a good fit for her. After some vetting to make sure all would be well with her beliefs and with her CC audience, Grant accepted the job. It would result in her first #1 Pop hit.
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8/10, I agree this was a much better song than the bland "Glory Of Love" (a song I never thought much of), I was really happy for Amy Grant that she became a major star in the early/mid 1990's, also how did you like Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love"? Me I give the song a 9/10
ReplyDeleteI would agree. It is a terrific song.
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