#1 Alert!
Platinum Record Alert!
Song#: 3963
Date: 07/08/1989
Debut: 44
Peak: 1 (3 week)
Weeks: 21
Genre: Soft Rock
Pop Bits: Marx's second album Repeat Offender got a big boost when its first single, "Satisfied," became his second #1 Pop hit. Hot on the heels of that success came this second single. The ballad would end up being Marx's biggest hit spending three weeks at #1 on the Pop chart while hitting #1 at AC. It was Marx's third consecutive Pop #1. The single would sell well enough to go platinum. The hit certainly boosted album sales and the week after this song ended its run at #1, the album would finally top the chart for a week. Two months later it would reach the triple-platinum sales mark. The song would earn Marx a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.
ReduxReview: I knew this quiet ballad was going to be an easy chart topper. It was a nicely written tune with an indelible chorus. It was a perfect choice to follow up his #1 rocker "Satisfied." The opening piano riff, which was the melody of the chorus, was a great arrangement choice and it made the song instantly recognizable. The song would provide Marx with the peak moment of his career.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: This song nearly was recorded by a legendary singer. Marx has relayed the story of this song in several interviews. He wrote the intimate piano ballad while out on tour as more or less a cathartic exercise. His girlfriend at the time (and soon to be wife), actress/singer Cynthia Rhodes, was out of the country working on a film and Marx was making plans to see her, but things fell through and he was unable to go. Having not seen her for a couple months, Marx sat down and wrote this tune. He didn't think much of his little song and had zero intentions on recording it. Later on, he was contacted by Barbra Streisand's manager. She wanted to meet him and when the pair got together, she asked if he would write her a song. Not long after their meeting, Marx remember the piano ballad that he had set aside and thought it would be a good option for Streisand. He sent her the demo and the next day she called Marx and left him a voice message about the song. She said that she thought the music and melody were just beautiful, but that the lyrics would have to be change as she wasn't going to be right here waiting for anybody! Marx opted to not rewrite the lyrics and so Streisand passed on the song. Marx maintained that he wasn't going to record the song, but then after some friends heard it, they encouraged him to give it a try. He finally did and it would later go on to become his biggest hit. Marx said he has thanked Streisand several times for passing on the song. Later on for her 1999 album A Love Like Ours, Streisand would record a Richard Marx song. Streisand would duet with country star Vince Gill on "If You Ever Leave Me," a song written by Marx and produced by him along with David Foster. The song was pushed to country radio and it was able to reach #62 on the Country charts. It was Streisand's second time on the Country chart. The first was when her 1977 duet single with Neil Diamond, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (#1 Pop/#3 AC), got to #70 Country.
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