"Satisfied" by Richard Marx

#1 Alert!

Song#:  3891

Date:  05/06/1989

Debut:  39

Peak:  1 (1 week)

Weeks:  15

Genre:  Rock

Pop Bits:  Marx's 1987 self-titled debut album became a triple-platinum #8 hit thanks to four Top 3 hits including the #1 "Hold on to the Nights." With such a success came the pressure to record a follow-up that would do just as well. After a lengthy tour, Max went into the studio and came out with Repeat Offender. It not only performed well, but would end up surpassing his debut in both peak position and sales. To help kick off the LP, this first single was issued out. It would debut inside the Pop Top 40 and eight weeks later would hit #1. It would also get to #5 at Rock. With that result, Marx was definitely on his way to beating the dreaded sophomore slump.

ReduxReview:  It was odd that the fourth single from Marx's debut album became his biggest hit to-date hitting #1. Usually, the label will try to follow it up with another single, but I think they realized that there wasn't another surefire hit on the LP and decided to call it good. It was a smart move and it set Marx up for success with this single. People were anxious for a new tune from Marx and having this rocker come on the heels of a hit ballad was the right choice. It was an exciting intro to the new album. The song had solid hooks and it played well on radio. Honestly, I had kind of forgotten about this track. It is one you rarely hear. Marx's ballad hits seem to be the ones getting the most attention, but he was able to pen some good commercial rockers along the way and this was one.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Although Marx was a solo recording star now, that didn't mean he wasn't still writing tunes for other artists. As a composer, Marx would earn a couple of hits in between his two albums. In '88, he would supply (with Fee Waybill) "Edge of a Broken Heart" for Vixen (#26 Pop). Then in '89, his co-write with Ross Vanelli, "Surrender to Me" would become a #6 hit for Ann Wilson and Robin Zander. Marx would also co-write a couple of songs with Paul Anka that Anka would record. Marx would also co-write a song with his wife Cynthia Rhodes that would be recorded by her group Animotion for their '89 self-titled album (the second line-up of Animotion, not the original group who hit with "Obsession").

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