How Two Songwriters and Two Artists Turned “Almost Paradise” Into 80s Ballad Heaven

Those of us who lived through the 80s (and loved it) inherently understood that an earnest, emotional, and, let’s face it, excessive duet was always somewhere on the radio dial. If you remember them fondly, “Almost Paradise” likely has a special place in your heart.

Sung by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson, the song helped deliver the feels in Footloose, one of the era’s most beloved films. But even if you didn’t see the flick, you likely remember Reno and Wilson hitting those high notes.

“Paradise” Found

Dean Pitchford juggled a lot of plates when it came to the making of Footloose, released in 1984. He came up with the original idea and shepherded the film through some early rejections before it found a home. Pitchford also wrote the screenplay.

On top of that, Pitchford penned most of the lyrics to the songs in the film. He knew that he needed a romantic ballad to help tell the movie’s love story. Since the script also dealt with the consequences of strict religious beliefs, he decided on the title “Almost Paradise” to tie into the larger theme.

But then he had to write the thing. Pickford looked for a co-writer who could bring a powerful melodic sensibility to the track. He decided on Eric Carmen, former lead singer of The Raspberries and solo star, who was just getting into the writer-for-hire business while his recording career was idling for a bit.

When Heart and Loverboy Collide

The two men worked on the song, Pickford on the lyrics and Carmen on the music, until they came up with “Almost Paradise” in its finished form. From that point, it became a question of who was going to record the thing. Ann Wilson of Heart was the immediate choice to sing the female part.

Meanwhile, several proposed choices for the male singer either turned down the assignment or weren’t available. Mike Reno, lead singer of Loverboy, came into the picture late in the game. With the musical track already laid down, Wilson and Reno hit the studio to sing their parts, and the vocal chemistry was immediately evident.

It didn’t hurt the prospects of “Almost Paradise” that Footloose turned into one of the biggest movies of 1984. The soundtrack spun off hit singles by Kenny Loggins and Deniece Williams. Wilson and Reno’s duet followed suit, making it to No. 7 in 1984. In the process, it set a template for many other romantic duets still to come in the 80s.

Behind the Lyrics of “Almost Paradise”

Reno and Wilson sing about finding a romance that they didn’t think possible. “I thought that dreams belonged to other men,” he confesses. “I feared my heart would beat in secrecy,” Wilson answers.

“And in your arms, salvation’s not so far away,” Reno belts in the middle eight. In the chorus, they go for the gusto (and the glory notes) while testifying to being on the precipice of bliss. “Almost paradise,” they sing. “We’re knocking on heaven’s door.” They’ve achieved a goal they never even dared to set for themselves. “How could we ask for more?” they wonder.

Interestingly enough, the song served as a kind of harbinger of things to come for Wilson. She and Heart would break a commercial slump and return to the limelight in the latter half of the decade, largely on the strength of power ballads. “Almost Paradise”, with Mike Reno right there alongside her, proved that she was up for that challenge.

(Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)