On this day in music history: May 5, 1984 - “Hello” by Lionel Richie hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 3 weeks, also topping the Hot 100 for 2 weeks on May 12, 1984, and the Adult Contemporary chart for 6 weeks on April 7, 1984.
Re-posted with permission of Jeff Harris. Follow his blog "Behind The Grooves Here: https://behindthegrooves.tumblr.com/
Written by Lionel Richie, it is the fourth solo pop and second R&B chart topper for the pop and R&B superstar. “Hello” is originally written during the sessions for Richie’s debut album in 1982, but is left uncompleted. Lionel’s co-producer James Anthony Carmichael rediscovers the song when they begin work on the follow up album “Can’t Slow Down”. Certain that it will be a hit, Carmichael insists that Lionel finish writing the song and include it on the new album. Recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles in the Spring of 1983, it is one of the first songs completed for “Can’t Slow Down”. The songs lyrical guitar solo is performed by studio veteran Louie Shelton. Released as the third single from “Can’t Slow Down” on February 13, 1984, it is another runaway hit. The song is further bolstered by a memorable music video directed by Bob Giraldi (Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”, Richie’s “Running With The Night”), where Richie plays a college drama teacher who is secretly in love with a female student who is revealed to be blind by the end of the clip. The song becomes one of Lionel Richie’s most popular and often recorded songs, with cover versions by Luther Vandross, Shirley Bassey, and Paul Anka. The original version is featured in a number of films and television programs including “The 40 Year Old Virgin”, “Shrek Forever After” and “Family Guy”. Richie re-records the song with country vocalist Jennifer Nettles in 2012 for the duets album “Tuskegee”. The song and Lionel Richie become the subjects various memes that go viral on the internet. The two of the images feature a photo of Richie on the side of a milk carton, or on a missing persons flyer quoting the lyric “Hello.. Is it me you’re looking for?”. “Hello” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.#lionelrichie#hello#80s
Re-posted with permission of Jeff Harris. Follow his blog "Behind The Grooves Here: https://behindthegrooves.tumblr.com/
WIN!!! Tickets to see Lionel Richie Enter for the chance to win a pair of tickets to see Lionel Richie on August 24th at Stanford University's Frost Amphitheater!
He'll be performing all the hits!
https://981thebreeze.iheart.com/contests/enter-for-a-chance-to-win-592720/