Song#: 3546
Date: 06/11/1988
Debut: 79
Peak: 38
Weeks: 10
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: Hart's third album, 1986's Fields of Fire, was a major hit in his Canadian home reaching #5 and going double platinum. It featured a pair of Top 10 hit including the #1 cover song "Can't Help Falling in Love." In the US, the LP signaled a decline for Hart. With its first single, "I Am By Your Side," peaking at #18 and "Can't Help" stalling at #24, the album could only get to #55. It did go gold, but that was a drop from his previous platinum effort. He returned to the studio and came out with this fourth album Young Man Running. This first single was released and in Canada it soared up to #2. In the US it just barely scraped the Pop Top 40. With that result it seemed that Hart's US label (EMI Manhattan) chose not to issue out a second single. Therefore, the LP became a blip on the chart at #121. It would do better in Canada getting to #12 and going platinum.
ReduxReview: This song was different from his previous hits in that there was less focus on synthpop and the heavier production style he had been doing. The results sounded more band-oriented. It wasn't cluttered with synths and effects. It even featured a nice sax solo. I loved this song. The chugging rhythm, the strummed guitar and especially the tympani sound kept the tune moving forward. It didn't have a big chorus, but I don't think it was needed. I found the tune memorable on its own. I especially loved the quiet section after the bridge that transitioned into the last verse. It is one of my favorite Corey Hart songs and I was highly disappointed when it stalled low in the Top 40. It should have done much better. The balance of the album didn't come up to the standard this song set, but it wasn't too bad.
ReduxRating: 9/10
Trivia: Hart's career in the US continued to dwindle. His next album, 1990's Bang!, only got to #134 with its lone charting single "A Little Love" peaking at #37. Both would be his last chart entries in the US. At home, he would do much better. His albums continued to sell well and he would earn three more Top 10 hits. In 1997, Hart would write and produce two songs for Celine Dion's #1 album Let's Talk About Love. It became the second biggest selling LP of her career with 10 million in the US sold and 31 million worldwide. After his 1998 album Jade, Hart decided to take a break from music in order to raise a family. He still remained somewhat active writing for others and starting his own boutique record label. He would return to recording in 2014 with the LP Ten Thousand Horses. In 2019, Hart would be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
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