Even the most talented songwriters often do their best work with other writers, but that isn’t the case with Lionel Richie. Not only has Richie penned some of the biggest songs of all time, but he’s written several of them by himself, including these four, which will always be classics.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Hello”
In 1984, Richie included “Hello” on his sophomore solo album, Can’t Slow Down. Out in 1984, “Hello” became a two-week No. 1 hit for Richie.
“Hello” says, “Hello, is it me you’re looking for? / I can see it in your eyes / I can see it in your smile / You’re all I’ve ever wanted / And my arms are open wide / ‘Cause you know just what to say / And you know just what to do / And I want to tell you so much / I love you.”
In the video for “Hello”, Richie plays a teacher falling for a blind student. She shares her feelings for him at the end of the video by sculpting an image of his head during his class.
“My Love”
On his eponymous debut solo album, “My Love” came out in 1983. One of Richie’s most notorious love songs, he says he never intended to be the artist who masterfully writes those kinds of songs.
“I did not plan this—that I was gonna write these love songs. … The reason I ended up with the love song is because five other guys came in with the funkiest songs in the world, ” he tells The New Yorker. He adds that the only way he knew to get a song he wrote on his album was to write a love song.
“My Love” says, “My love, just thinking about you baby / Just blows my mind / My love, just thinking about you baby / Just blows my mind all the time / Life with me I know for sure it ain’t been easy / But you stayed with me anyway / And even though you ain’t gonna lose too much by leaving
I’m so glad you stayed.”
“Lady”
“Lady” became a hit for Richie, but not one of his own albums. In 1980, Kenny Rogers released “Lady”, which is on his Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits record.
The sweet song begins with, “Lady / I’m your knight in shining armor and I love you / You have made me what I am, and / I am yours / My love / There’s so many ways I want to say I love you / Let me hold you in my arms forever more.”
Not only did “Lady” become a No. 1 hit for Rogers, but it made history by topping all four Billboard charts: Country, Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and Top Black Singles.
“Do It To Me”
In 1992, Richie released “Do It To Me”. On his compilation Back To Front record, the song is his final No. 1 single as a solo artist.
“Do It To Me” says, “Hey, hey, what I’m saying is / Do it to me one more time / Oh, give you one more chance / This heart of mine / Do it to me one more time, baby / Can’t get enough of your love.”
Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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