Endless Love (song)
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| "Endless Love" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie | ||
| from the album Endless Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||
| Released | August 1981 (U.S.) | |
| Format | Cassette tape, 7" single, 12" single | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 4:21 | |
| Label | Motown | |
| Writer(s) | Lionel Richie | |
| Producer(s) | Lionel Richie | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Diana Ross singles chronology | ||
| "Cryin' My Heart out for You" (1981) |
"Endless Love" (1981) |
"Medley of Hits" (1981) |
| Lionel Richie singles chronology | ||
| "Endless Love" (1981) |
"Truly" (1982) |
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"Endless Love" is a song originally recorded as a duet between soul singer Diana Ross and pop singer Lionel Richie, who wrote the song. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by soul singer Luther Vandross with pop/R&B singer Mariah Carey, and also by country music singer Kenny Rogers.
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[edit] About the record
Ross and Richie recorded the song for the Motown label, and it was used as the theme for the film Endless Love starring Brooke Shields. Produced by Richie, it was released as a single from the film's soundtrack in 1981 (see 1981 in music). While the film Endless Love was a failure, the song became the biggest-selling single of the year in the U.S. and landed at number one on Billboard magazine's Pop chart, where it stayed for nine weeks from August 9 to October 10, 1981. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart and the Adult Contemporary chart.
The soulful composition became the biggest-selling single of Ross' career, while it was one of several hits for Richie as the 1980s progressed. Ross recorded a solo version of the song for her first RCA Records album, Why Do Fools Fall in Love?, but the famous version was her last hit on Motown. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for "Best Original Song" for Richie, and was the second song with which Ross was involved that was nominated for an Oscar. It also won a 1982 American Music Award for "Favorite Pop/Rock Single".
[edit] Cover versions
| "Endless Love" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey | ||
| from the album Songs | ||
| Released | August 29, 1994 (U.S.) | |
| Format | CD single, CD maxi single, cassette single, cassette maxi single, 7" single | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 4:21 | |
| Label | Epic | |
| Writer(s) | Lionel Richie | |
| Producer(s) | Walter Afanasieff | |
| Chart positions | ||
| Luther Vandross singles chronology | ||
| "Always and Forever" (1994) |
"Endless Love" (1994) |
"Going in Circles" (1994) |
| Mariah Carey singles chronology | ||
| "Anytime You Need a Friend" (1994) |
"Endless Love" (1994) |
"All I Want for Christmas Is You" (1994) |
Walter Afanasieff produced Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey's cover of the song for Vandross' Epic Records-released album Songs, and it is known for being Carey's first "high-profile" duet (an earlier duet, "I'll Be There", was with the then-unknown background singer Trey Lorenz). At the 1995 Grammy Awards, the song was nominated in the new category of "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals", losing to "Funny How Time Slips Away" by Al Green and Lyle Lovett. Columbia Records later included the song on Carey's compilation album Greatest Hits (2001).
It was released as the second single from Songs in 1994 (see 1994 in music) and peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming Vandross's fifth top ten single and Carey's twelfth. It was the highest peaking song of Vandross' career in the U.S., remained in the top forty for thirteen weeks, and was ranked number fifty-six on the Hot 100 1994 year-end charts. It was also an improvement over Carey's previous single, "Anytime You Need a Friend", which had missed the top ten. It was certified gold by the RIAA and reached the top five in the UK and Australia. Two videos were released for the single; one features Carey and Vandross recording the song in a studio, and the other shows the two performing the song live at Royal Albert Hall. Some versions of the song itself were released in which Carey or Vandross sings solo.
Kenny Rogers' cover of "Endless Love" was recorded for his album Vote For Love (1996). It also appeared on Always and Forever (1996), which went on to sell over four million copies. His version was not released as a single.
The song was also used in parody video starring George W. Bush and Tony Blair. In the video, clips of Bush and Blair are edited to make it look as if they are singing the song to each other, with Bush singing Lionel Richie's lines and Blair singing Diana Ross' lines.[1]
[edit] Credits
Ross/Richie version
- All vocals by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
- Written and produced by Lionel Richie
Vandross/Carey version
- All vocals by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey
- Produced by Walter Afanasieff
Kenny Rogers version
- All vocals by Kenny Rogers
- Produced by Bergen White and Jim McKell
[edit] Charts
[edit] Ross/Richie
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Black Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 7 |
[edit] Vandross/Carey
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 11 |
| U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40 | 1 |
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart | 3 |
[edit] See also
| Preceded by "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single (Ross/Richie version) August 15, 1981 |
Succeeded by "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" by Christopher Cross |
Studio albums: Mariah Carey · Emotions · Music Box · Merry Christmas · Daydream · Butterfly · Rainbow · Glitter · Charmbracelet · The Emancipation of Mimi
Albums · Singles · Awards · Tours · DVDs and videos
