from TONIGHT TONIGHT/WITHOUT YOU (single)
Written by David Foster & Ray Kennedy. Additional lyrics by Bill Champlin
“Tonight Tonight” was a soulful ballad sung by the legendary Bill Champlin on his 1981 Runaway album. “Tonight Tonight” was based on a composition titled “My Everlasting Love” co-written one year earlier by David Foster and singer/songwriter Ray Kennedy who recorded the song on his self-titled album.
Click here to read a past review of Ray Kennedy’s “My Everlasting Love.” Both Runaway and Ray Kennedy were Foster productions so, unsurprisingly, Champlin lent his trademark backing vocals to Kennedy’s original version. Foster reworked “My Everlasting Love” for Runaway by adding an r&b feel to the new arrangement with perfect results enhanced through Champlin’s soul-drenched vocals. The instrumental performances were top-notch with the clever inclusion of silky strings and delicious flugelhorn licks performed by Jerry Hey. The veteran Bay-area singer also wrote the additional lyrics and, subsequently, the song’s title became “Tonight Tonight.” Foster on keyboards, Jay Graydon on guitar, Abraham Laboriel on bass, Larry Tolbert on drums and Gary Herbig on the warm saxophone solo were the top-flight musicians on that session. “Tonight Tonight” was the first single off Runaway and it made a good run on Billboard’s Hot 100 by reaching #55, thus giving the former Chicago singer his highest solo chart position ever. The single’s b-side was a catchy pop-rocker called “Without You” co-written by Champlin with singer Amber Di Lena. “Without You” featured Champlin’s gruffy voice at his rocking best along with fantastic drum playing by the late, unforgettable Jeff Porcaro (1954 to 1992), Lee Sklar on bass, Steve Lukather on guitar and Foster on keyboards.
Runaway was one of those quality pop albums that every Foster fan needs to own. Although it wasn’t as successful as classics like Chicago 16 or Chicago 17, the musicianship, craft and exceptional songwriting were on the same level.
Listen
[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/04-Tonight-Tonight.mp3|titles=Tonight Tonight|artists=Bill Champlin]
Lead Vocals: Bill Champlin
Keyboards: David Foster
Bass: Abraham Laboriel
Drums: Larry Tolbert
Guitars: Jay Graydon
Percussion: Humberto Gatica
Tenor Sax: Gary Herbig
Flugelhorn: Jerry Hey
Backing Vocals: Richard Page, Vennette Gloud & David Foster
String Arrangement by David Foster & Bill Champlin
Produced by David Foster
Lyrics
Love lost her way again
I stayed at home
Another sleepless night
Here by a telephone
That never seems to
Ring a ray of hope
Into a man so all alone
And i tried to let you go
Time after time
I lost my mind
Suddenly late last night
You finally called and
All my dreams came true today
You’re coming home to stay
Tonight, tonight
You’ll be back in my arms
Back in my life
So right, so right
We’ll never have to
Say goodbye because
Tonight, tonight
The love we used to have
Is gonna return
Tonight, tonight
The love that went away
Is coming home to stay
You are my happiness
One kiss can change the past
And cast it all away
Nothing will ever
Change the way i feel
And i can hardly wait to see you
You’re coming home at last
Tonight, tonight
You’ll be back in my arms
Back in my life
So right, so right
We’ll never have to
Say goodbye because
Tonight, tonight
The love we used to have
Is gonna return
Tonight, tonight
The love that went away
Is coming home to stay
Tonight, tonight
The love we had is returning
Make it right tonight
The love that went away
Is coming home to stay
You are my love
My everlasting love
Everlasting love