Endless Love (song)

"Endless Love"
Cover art for UK, Italian, and Greek vinyl releases
Single by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
from the album Endless Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side "Endless Love (instrumental)"
Released August 1, 1981
Format 7"
Recorded 1981
Genre
Length 4:24
Label Motown
Songwriter(s) Lionel Richie
Producer(s) Lionel Richie
Diana Ross singles chronology
"Cryin' My Heart out for You"
(1981) Cryin' My Heart out for You1981		 "Endless Love"
(1981) Endless Love1981		 "Medley of Hits"
(1981) Medley of Hits1981
Lionel Richie singles chronology
"Endless Love"
(1981) Endless Love1981		 "Truly"
(1982) Truly1982

"Endless Love" is a song written by Lionel Richie and originally recorded as a duet between Richie and fellow pop singer Diana Ross. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by R&B singer Luther Vandross with pop singer Mariah Carey and also by country music singer Shania Twain. Richie's friend (and sometimes co-worker) Kenny Rogers has also recorded the song. Billboard has named the original version as the greatest song duet of all-time.[1]

About the record

Ross and Richie recorded the song for Motown, and it was used as the theme for the Franco Zeffirelli's film adaptation of Scott Spencer's novel Endless Love. (Jamie Bernstein, as the character Susan, sings the song during the course of the movie.) Produced by Richie and arranged by Gene Page, it was released as a single from the film's soundtrack in 1981. While the film Endless Love was a modest box-office success, the song became the second biggest-selling single of the year (first was "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes) in the U.S. and reached number 1 on the Hot 100, where it stayed for nine weeks from August 15 to October 10, 1981. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart and the Adult Contemporary chart, and reached number 7 in the UK. It also became the most successful duet of the rock era, surpassing the Everly Brothers' 1957 hit "Wake Up Little Susie," which spent four weeks at number one. Both songs spent six months on the chart, with "Endless Love" eclipsing the Everly's hit by one week.[2]

The soulful composition became the biggest-selling single of Ross' career, and her 18th and final career number-one single (including her work with The Supremes). It also was Richie's highest charting single, and the first of several hits for Richie during the 1980s. Ross recorded a solo version of the song for her first RCA Records album, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, the duet version being 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.

Charts

Credits and personnel

Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey version

"Endless Love"
Single by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey
from the album Songs
Released August 29, 1994 (1994-08-29)
Format
Recorded 1994
Genre R&B
Length 4:21
Label Epic
Songwriter(s) Lionel Richie
Producer(s) Walter Afanasieff
Luther Vandross singles chronology
"Never Let Me Go"
(1993) Never Let Me Go1993		 "Endless Love"
(1994) Endless Love1994		 "Always and Forever"
(1994) Always and Forever1994
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Anytime You Need a Friend"
(1994) Anytime You Need a Friend1994		 "Endless Love"
(1994) Endless Love1994		 "All I Want for Christmas Is You"
(1994) All I Want for Christmas Is You1994

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) and then again on her next compilation album, The Ballads (2008). It was released as the second single from Songs in 1994.

Recording

Sony Music Entertainment President Tommy Mottola suggested that Vandross record Songs, an album of cover versions. Featuring Vandross' versions of songs like Stephen Stills' "Love the One You're With", Heatwave's "Always and Forever", and Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly", the album was shaping up to be a major career accomplishment. To give the album a bigger boost, Mottola's then-wife, Mariah Carey, came up with the idea to remake "Endless Love" as a duet with her. Lionel Richie and Diana Ross had originally recorded "Endless Love" in 1981, and the song spent nine weeks at number 1. Although Luther's album was already set to contain one Lionel Richie composition, "Hello", it was obvious that having the most-popular female singer on the Sony label singing on the album would be a benefit.[14]

Critical reception

AllMusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine highlighted this track.[15] Entertainment Weekly's Jeremy Helligar wrote that the album might very will give Vandross a number one hit with "Endless Love" but still called the song "drippy." [16]

Track listings

7" single[17][18]

  1. "Endless Love" – 4:21
  2. "Endless Love" (instrumental) – 4:22

Japanese 3" CD single[19]

  1. "Endless Love" – 4:21
  2. "Endless Love" (Mariah only) – 4:22
  3. "Endless Love" (Luther only) – 4:22
  4. "Endless Love" (instrumental) – 4:22

UK and European CD maxi single[20][21]

  1. "Endless Love" – 4:21
  2. "Endless Love" (instrumental) – 4:22
  3. "Never Too Much (live) – 5:00
  4. "Any Love" (live) – 5:22
  5. "She Won't Talk to Me" (live) – 5:14

Commercial performance

"Endless Love" debuted on September 10, 1994 at number 31 and peaked at number 2, held back from the top position by Boyz II Men's "I'll Make Love to You". The song became Luther Vandross' biggest pop hit ever and gave Lionel Richie his first top ten as a songwriter in seven years. It became Vandross's fifth top-ten single and Carey's twelfth. It remained in the top forty for thirteen weeks, and was ranked number 56 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.

The song was a success outside the U.S, reaching the top of the chart in New Zealand (for five weeks) and the top five in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and the Netherlands. It also reached the top 20 in most of the countries. It was certified Platinum in Australia by ARIA and in New Zealand by RIANZ.

Total sales in the UK stand at 230,000.[22]

Music video

Two music 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. The latter performance is included on the Luther Vandross: From Luther with Love music video collection in DVD format.

Some versions of the song itself were released, in which Carey or Vandross sings solo.

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Lionel Richie and Shania Twain version

"Endless Love"
Single by Lionel Richie and Shania Twain
from the album Tuskegee
Released February 7, 2012
Format
Recorded 2011
Genre
Length 4:18
Label Universal Music Nashville
Songwriter(s) Lionel Richie
Producer(s)
Lionel Richie singles chronology
"All Night Long"
(2011)		 "Endless Love"
(2012)		 "Say You, Say Me"
(2012)
Shania Twain singles chronology
"Today Is Your Day"
(2011) Today Is Your Day2011		 "Endless Love"
(2012) Endless Love2012		 "Life's About to Get Good"
(2017) Life's About to Get Good2017

Lionel Richie re-recorded the song in 2011 as a duet with Canadian country pop singer Shania Twain. It was released as the lead single from his album Tuskegee on February 7, 2012. The recording process of song was documented in the final episode of Twain's reality docudrama series, Why Not? with Shania Twain, which aired on June 12, 2011.

Music video

A music video for the song was recorded in The Bahamas in February 2012. The video, directed by Paul Boyd, was released to country music channels CMT and GAC on March 23, 2012.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[65] 77
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[66] 16
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[67] 12
US Hot Singles Sales (Billboard)[68] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2012) Position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[69] 30

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The 40 Biggest Duets of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  2. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  3. ↑ Lwin, Nanda. Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Mississauga, Ontario: 1999.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  5. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-1993. Record Research. p. 207.
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Forum – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 1981". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Top 100 1981". top-source.info. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981". musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  13. ↑ Trust, Gary (November 12, 2015). "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. Retrieved August 29, 2008.
  15. ↑ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Songs". AllMusic. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Album Review: 'Songs' - EW.com". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Discogs. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Discogs. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Discogs. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Discogs. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Discogs. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  22. 1 2 "Mariah Carey Official Top 20 Best Selling Singles in the UK". MTV. MTV Networks Europe. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  23. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. April 22, 1995. p. 66. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2655." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2663." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. October 15, 1990. p. 64. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (13.10.1994 - 19.10.1994)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  33. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Endless Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  34. ↑ "HitParadeItalia – Carey, Mariah" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  35. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 41, 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  37. ↑ "Charts.nz – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  38. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". VG-lista. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  39. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  40. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  41. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  42. ↑ "Mariah Carey: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  43. ↑ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  44. ↑ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  45. ↑ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  46. ↑ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  49. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1994". ARIA. Archived from the original on February 4, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  51. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. December 12, 1994. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  52. ↑ "RPM Top 100 AC Tracks of 1994". RPM. December 12, 1994. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  53. ↑ "I singoli più venduti del 1994" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  54. ↑ "Jaarlijsten 1994" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  55. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1994" (in Dutch). GfK Dutch Charts. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  56. ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 1994". RIANZ. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  57. ↑ "Årslista Singlar – År 1994" (in Swedish). GLF. Archived from the original on May 22, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  58. ↑ "Swiss Year-end Charts 1994". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  59. ↑ "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40-1994 wg sprzedaży" (in Polish). Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  60. 1 2 "The Year in Music: 1994" (PDF). Billboard. December 24, 1994. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  61. ↑ David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australia: St Ives, N.S.W. : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  62. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Luthor Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  63. ↑ "British single certifications – Luthor Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 22, 2015. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Endless Love in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  64. ↑ "American single certifications – Luthor Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 22, 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  65. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Lionel Richie feat. Shania Twain – Endless Love" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  66. ↑ "Lionel Richie Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  67. ↑ "Lionel Richie Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  68. ↑ "Hot Singles Sales". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  69. ↑ "Best of 2012 – Adult Contemporary Songs". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
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