The Story Behind the 1986 Ballad That Michael Bolton and Journey’s Jonathan Cain Co-Wrote for Kenny Rogers

Before he became a pop ballad star during the 1990s with hits like his soulful take on the 1966 Percy Sledge classic “When A Man Loves A Woman,” “Said I Loved You…But I Lied,” and “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”—a song he’d written for Laura Branigan nearly a decade earlier—Michael Bolton was in a metal band and developing into a sought-after songwriter.

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While fronting the hard rock band Blackjack from 1979 through 1980 and opening for Ozzy Osbourne, Bolton had already released two solo albums by this time: Michael Bolotin (1975) and Every Day Of My Life (1976). Then, he entered the 1980s, writing songs for other artists.

Throughout the 80s, Bolton co-wrote “We’re Not Makin’ Love Anymore” with Diane Warren for Barbara Streisand, The Gregg Allman Band’s “Can’t Keep Running,” Cher’s 1987 hit “I Found Someone,” and more into the 90s, including the KISS power ballad “Forever.”

A diverse songwriter, Bolton was also one of the very few artists to co-write a song with Bob Dylan, resulting in the pop-rocker “Steel Bars” off Bolton’s seventh album Time, Love And Tenderness in 1991. In 2004, Bolton also co-wrote Kanye West’s The College Dropout single “Never Let Me Down,” and has also collaborated with Desmond Child, Lady Gaga, Ne-Yo, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, and John “Mutt” Lange.

[RELATED: 2 Times Michael Bolton Covered Bob Dylan, and the 1991 Single They Co-Wrote]

“Just The Thought Of Losing You”

In 1986, while Bolton was signed to a publishing contract with CBS Songs, he and Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain collaborated on one song for Kenny Rogers. Released on Rogers’ nineteenth album in 1986, They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To, was “Just The Thought Of Losing You,” a synthesized ballad on the fear of losing a lover.

Two different worlds, somehow
Found a way to come together
Moving so close until now
When we find ourselves alone
So it’s one more lonely night
I tried to feel like it was over

But just the thought of losing you
And the emptiness is more than I can take
Living without loving you
My senses all break down
Girl, I’m lost at just the thought
Of losing you

Along with co-writing and writing some of Journey‘s biggest hits, including “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Faithfully,” and more with Bad English during the late 1980s through early 90s, including “Price Of Love,” Cain also wrote and co-wrote songs for bandmate John Waite, Heart, Sammy Hagar, Scandal featuring Patty Smyth, and Jimmy Barnes, among others.

After working with Rogers, Bolton and Cain continued collaborating throughout the ’80s. Cain co-wrote and produced several tracks on Bolton’s 1987 album The Hunger, including “Wait On Love” and “You’re All That I Need” as Bolton was transitioning from harder rock into more soulful pop.

“Just the Thought of Losing You” was also covered by Conway Twitty on his 1990 album Crazy in Love. In 1995, Jonathan Cain also covered the song on his second solo album, Back To The Innocence.

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