The ballads of Lionel Richie and more

The cover for Lionel Richie's 1983 album "Can't Slow Down".

Source: https://classic.motown.com/story/lionel-richie-cant-slow-down/

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The first time I ever heard him sing, was on an awards show of some kind, likely the Grammys or the American Music Awards. He sang “Truly”, a song he was nominated for, and I immediately fell in love wih Lionel Richie’s voice.

When he slows things down, few could sing a ballad like he can.

He may now be known just as much for being Nicole Richie’s dad or being a judge on “American Idol”. However, back in the 1980s, he was a major star, both on his own and with the Commodores.

A couple days ago, I read that Lionel Richie is going on a homecoming of sorts to his native Alabama. That gave me pause to think about how big a deal Lionel Richie was in the 1980s.

From the start
Lionel Richie has always excelled at the ballad. His voice is just so soothing and melodic. He had his first big solo hit in 1981, writing and producing the duet “Endless Love” with Diana Ross. It went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Richie was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song, and nominated for Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, for “Endless Love”.

A year earlier, in 1980, he wrote and produced “Lady” for Kenny Rogers, which also went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Richie was also nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year for “Lady”.

In 1982, he officially launched his solo career with the album “Lionel Richie.”

This is where I picked up his trail. The debut single was “Truly”, which went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Richie also won the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Truly”.

The next single was “You Are”, which peaked at number four, followed by “My Love”, which peaked at number five.

The album itself went all the way to number three on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Lionel Richie was well on his way.

“Can’t Slow Down”
Lionel Richie’s second solo album, released in 1983, was “Can’t Slow Down”. It would be a blockbuster smash, selling more than 20 million copies, and hitting number one on the Billboard 200. Richie also won the Grammy for Album of the Year for “Can’t Slow Down”.

I listened to this album for pretty much two straight years, as it spawned single after single after single.

“All Night Long”
The debut single was “All Night Long (All Night)”, which went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Wikipedia describes it as combining Richie’s Commodores and Carribbean influences. It was a song that appeared everywhere including the pilot for “Miami Vice” and the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Richie was also nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year for “All Night Long”.

“Running with the Night”
The second single from “Can’t Slow Down” was “Running with the Night”, which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. Richie would go on to sing a song sounding similar to parts of “Running with the Night” in a Pepsi commercial.

“Hello”
The third single, “Hello”, also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and holds a special place in my heart. I wrote a play in 1986, that was an autobiographical look at my actual Grade 11 year. I wanted to use a bunch of music and incorporate music video style scenes into it. One of the songs I chose for the play was “Hello”.

Richie was also nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year for “Hello”, and it appeared in a variety of places, including the soap opera “Another World”.

“Stuck on You”
Every morning when I was getting ready for school, and my parents were getting ready for their day, they listened 1220 CJOC, a country music station that broadcast fr Lethbridge. One morning I heard what sounded like Lionel Richie but thought, that can’t be, it’s a country station.

As it turned out, Lionel Richie had crossed over with “Stuck on You”, his fourth single from “Can’t Slow Down”. It went all the way to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 24 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

It is yet another amazing ballad.

“Penny Lover”
The final single from “Can’t Slow Down”, was “Penny Lover”, which peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. By this time, the album had run its course, and fans were waiting for the next song or album.

Helping hands
Drought and famine struck Africa in the 1980s, hitting Ethiopia particularly hard. After a group of British artists banded together at Christmas of 1984 to record a charity single called “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, artists around the world began to raise money and awareness.

A group of American artists called USA for Africa recorded a single called “We Are the World”, co-written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson. Richie actually sings the opening lines, “There comes a time, when we heed a certain call…” Then he teams up with Stevie Wonder to sing “When the world must come together as one” before Stevie takes over.

Lionel Richie went on to win the Grammy for Song of the Year for “We Are the World”.

Movie music
Later in 1985, I saw a commercial for this movie about a Russian ballet dancer who had defected to the United States, then found himself, back in the USSR. It was called “White Nights”, starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, and Isabella Rossellini. Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin released a balled called “Separate Lives” from the movie soundtrack that went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

At the same time, Lionel Richie released a single from the movie called “Say You, Say Me.” It too, went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The two songs would have gone back to back at number one, but were separated by “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister.

I absolutely loved “Say You, say Me”. My friend David Perlich had an interesting take on the song. He said it was “deceiving”, because it started out as a ballad, like any of Richie’s slow songs, but then sped up quickly, then slowed down again.

I would have said Richie “can’t slow down”, but never thought of it until now.

Interestingly, “Say You, Say Me” was not on the “White Nights” soundtrack. Instead, it would make its debut on “Dancing on the Ceiling”, Richie’s third solo album. That was quite common then, with songs from movies. Other examples were “Modern Woman” by Billy Joel, which was in the movie “Ruthless People”; and “Love Touch” by Rod Stewart, which was in “Legal Eagles”.

Lionel Richie ended up winning the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Song for “Say You, Say Me>’

“Dancing on the Ceiling”
Once “Dancing on the Ceiling” came out in 1986, the first single officially released from it was the title track. The song “Dancing on the Ceiling” peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and had the same sound and feel as “All Night Long” to me.

The album, ultimately, would go all the way to number one on the Billboard 200 album chart.

A few months after the album came out, I had a friend, Bonnie, come over. She told me she had been to Lethbridge and bought Lionel Richie’s new album. She liked what she heard then, to her surprise, “Say You, Say Me” was also on the album.

She suggested we go for a drive and listen to the album. That was the first time I heard the entire “Dancing on the Ceiling” album beginning to end. She said there were two songs she particularly liked – “Ballerina Girl” and “Se La”.

The singles
The next single was “Love Will Conquer All”, another ballad, that peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

After that, “Ballerina Girl” was released, peaking at number seven. I thought that would make Bonnie happy. I recall my sister, who had been a Lionel Richie fan from way back, said something interesting that has always stuck with me.

“The song makes no sense,” she said. I listened closely after that, and I kind of agree.

There would be two more singles from “Dancing on the Ceiling”.

“Deep River Woman” was another foray for Lionel Richie into country music. This time he teamed up with Alabama on a song I really liked and, again, heard on 1220 CJOC radio. “Deep River Woman” peaked at number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100, but number 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

The aforementioned “Se La”, was the final single, peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. I remember watching “Good Rockin’ Tonite”. When host Terry David Mulligan was going through the albums chart and came to “Dancing on the Ceiling”. He noted the latest single was “Se La”. I thought of Bonnie instantly.

The Commodores
As I got more and more into music, I learned more about the songs Lionel Richie sang with the Commodores.

Those included “Easy”, which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100; “Three Times a Lady”, which went all the way to number one; “Still”, which also peaked at number one; and “Sail On”, which peaked at number four.

Richie was also nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year for “Three Times a Lady”.

The years after
Lionel Richie keeps on writing, recording, performing, and staying busy. In 2022, he released his 10th studio album, “Tuskegee”, made up of 13 hit songs performed as duets with country stars. It became Richie’s third album to peak at number one the Billboard 200 album chart.

He has been a judge on “American Idol” since 2018; and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

Parting thoughts
There are certain voices that just make my heart melt. Lionel Richie has one of those voices. From the time I heard “Truly” to “Endless Love”, “Hello” and so many more, he simply is one of the best balladeers of his generation, and probably ever.

Nothing beats the ballads of Lionel Richie.