written by Byron Hill & Tony Hiller

Anne Murray’s 1985 hit single, “Now And Forever (You And Me),” was co-written by Randy Goodrum and David Foster plus produced by Foster. It was a #1 country single and top ten Adult Contemporary hit. The song was part of Murray’s album “Something To Talk About.”

Another Foster produced gem from those sessions entitled “Over You” didn’t make the final cut. It’s a sweet, tender ballad that luckily resurfaced ten years later as part of the Canadian superstar’s “The Best…So Far” collection. Released in 1994, this greatest hits compilation presented a remastered version of “Over You” that was also the lead single off that album. “Over You” was co-written by top Nashville songwriters Byron Hill and Tony Hiller. Here’s how Hill remembers the story:

“Tony Hiller and I wrote “Over You” way back in 1984.  Our good friend, the late and great Canadian singer Colleen Peterson sang the original demo, which immediately cast the song in the direction of Anne Murray.  Somehow it got to Anne and David Foster produced the recording on her sometime around 1984 or 1985.  Tony Hiller and I were very disappointed to find out that it had been bumped from the album.  Amazingly, nearly ten years later, I was at the CCMA Awards in Calgary when one of Anne’s staffers approached me to tell me that Anne was searching through old masters to find a recording she could used as a single to promote her hits album to be titled ‘The Best So Far.’ The recording caught everyone’s ear, they tracked down the master (which had long since been stored at an engineer’s home in Los Angeles under his bed…so the story goes).  One thing lead to another and the recording was spruced up, remixed, and finally released as a single and released on Anne’s album in 1994 (ten years later!).”

“The Best…So Far” presents all the most loved hits of Murray’s career and was certified platinum. Most importantly, it gives Foster fans a chance to enjoy the beauty of “Over You.”

Lead Vocals: Anne Murray

Keyboards: David Foster

Produced by David Foster

Lyrics

OVER YOU
I GUESS I NEVER WILL BE OVER YOU
I HAVE TRIED BUT IT’S SO HARD TO DO
I’M SURROUNDED BY THE MEMORIES
NO I NEVER WILL BE

OVER YOU
TIME GOES BY AND I’M STILL HOLDING ON
WAITING FOR THE DAY WHEN YOU COME HOME
IF YOU EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND AGAIN
I WILL GREET YOU LIKE A LONG LOST FRIEND
IN MY HEART WE’VE NEVER REACHED THE END
AND I NEVER WILL BE OVER YOU

(INSTRUMENTAL)

I WILL LOVE YOU TILL THE END OF TIME
EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THAT YOU’RE NOT MINE
JUST AS LONG AS THERE’S A CHANCE THEN I
GUESS I NEVER WILL BE OVER YOU

LIFE’S LIKE WALKING DOWN A LONELY STREET
I SEE YOU IN EVERY ONE I MEET
HOW I LONG TO SEE YOUR SMILING FACE
OH MY LOVE FOR YOU I CAN’T ERASE
NO ONE ELSE COULD EVER TAKE YOUR PLACE
AND I NEVER WILL BE OVER YOU

Anne Murray is a true Canadian treasure. The Nova Scotia born singer is a member of the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame thanks to an incredible career that spans five decades. She has reached the top of the pop and country charts in both Canada and USA with famous songs like “Snowbird,” and “You Needed Me.” Between 1979 and 1986 she achieved eight #1 songs on the country chart. Her last #1 country song was “Now And Forever (You And Me),” a delicious pop ditty produced by David Foster. It crossed over to the Adult Contemporary chart reaching #7 and was a Hot 100 entry. This love song was co-written by Foster, Bryan Adams’ collaborator Jim Vallance, and Randy Goodrum, the famous singer/songwriter responsible for “You Needed Me.” Here’s how Vallance remembers it:
“I was thrilled that David Foster asked me to co-write this song with him. In an afternoon he and I came up with a bed track and a melody, and a few rough lyrics. We recorded a demo in my home studio with David on piano and myself on bass and drums. David finished the lyrics a few weeks later in Los Angeles with Randy Goodrum.”
The final production and arrangement are pristine and high tech with Murray’s warm and friendly voice soothing the listener as Foster’s keyboards and synths embellish the background. Another nice touch comes from Richard Page’s silky tenor handling the harmony vocals. “Now And Forever (You And Me)” was included in Murray’s album “Something To Talk About,” a nice collection of catchy tunes that was another success for the singer.
Foster’s collectors might like to know that another ballad, “Over You,” probably came from the same sessions and was included on Murray’s collection, “Best…So Far,” released in 1994.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/now_and_forever.mp3|titles=Now and forever|artists= Anne Murray]

Lead Vocals: Anne Murray
Keyboards & Synthesizers: David Foster
Guitars: Michael Landau & Bob Mann
Background Vocals: Richard Page
Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

Up until now I’ve learned to live without love
Like a ship without a sail, wandering aimlessly lost
I never knew how it felt to lose my control
Now that I’ve found you, this is all so new

You and me, we’ve got a destiny
Starting tonight we’ll be together
You and me, this is what love should be
And it’s gonna be right, now and forever

Darlin’, inside your eyes I can see mysteries there
And you’re melting the ice surrounding me, I’m no longer scared
I feel you inside my soul and I’m captured tonight
But don’t let go, this is paradise

You and me, we’ve got a destiny
Starting tonight we’ll be together
You and me, this is what love should be
And it’s gonna be right, if you tell me
There’s a heaven up above, then that’s what I’ll believe
’cause you’re the one thing that I’m so sure of

I feel you inside my soul and I’m captive tonight
But don’t let go, this is paradise

You and me, we’ve got a destiny
Starting tonight we’ll be together
You and me, this is what love should be
And it’s gonna be right, now and forever

You and me, we’ve got a destiny
Starting tonight we’ll be together
You and me, this is what love should be
And it’s gonna be right

Woo ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh