“It’s The Falling In Love” was one of the most covered songs of David Foster’s early songbook. Co-written with Academy Award-winner Carole Bayer Sager, “It’s The Falling In Love” gained immediate exposure when it was included in the late Michael Jackson’s (1958-2009) 1979 incomparable Off The Wall album.

The bouncy, feel good mood of the song attracted the ears of legendary singer Dionne Warwick who recorded her own version for her 1980 No Night So Long album. Produced by noted Nashville music-maker Steve Buckingham, No Night So Long was a well-crafted collection of Adult Contemporary material penned by some of the best in the business including Steve Dorff, the late Allee Willis (1947-2019), Bruce Roberts, David Lasley, Melissa Manchester and Will Jennings. The album offered mostly classic ballads like the title-track that had topped the Adult Contemporary chart. No Night So Long reached a respectable #23 on Billboard’s Hot 100. There were a few soul-infused moments on the album like a good cover of Peabo Bryson’s hit “Reaching For The Sky.”

The light, danceable beat of Foster’s and Bayer Sager’s “It’s The Falling In Love” was a pop/soul highlight on No Night So Long. The lush production and arrangement followed the tracks of Jackson’s version with an upbeat, funky backing track and punchy horns courtesy of Tower Of Power. Ms. Warwick sounded at ease with this less traditional pop material and her trademark voice handled the melody very well.

For those interested in the archives, there’s a previous review of Jackson’s 1978 Off The Wall take, another cover from 1979 by soul-jazz great Dee Dee Bridgewater, a 2011 cover that spotlights Smoove & Turrell‘s take on “It’s The Falling In Love” and the little-known, but beautiful, 1978 original sung by songwriter/vocalist Bayer Sager and arranged by Foster.

Listen

• Lead & Background Vocals: Dionne Warwick
• Drums: James Stroud
• Keyboards: Randy McCormick
• Guitars: Larry Byrom
• Bass: Tom Robb
• Percussion: Mickey Buckins
• Tower Of Power Horns: Greg Adams, Steve Kupka, Emilio Castillo, Lenny Pickett & Mic Gillette
• Backing Vocals: Julia Tillman & Maxine Willard

• Rhythm Tracks Arranged by Randy McCormick & Steve Buckingham
• Horns Arranged by Greg Adams
• Strings Arranged by Steve Dorff
• Produced by Steve Buckingham

Lyrics

It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
You got me falling in love, got me falling in love

You’re not like anybody I ever knew
But that don’t mean that I don’t know where we are
And though I find myself attracted to you
This time I’m trying not to go too far, cause

No matter how it starts it ends the same
Someone’s always doing someone more
Trading in the passion for that taste of pain
It’s only gonna happen again

It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
All night, all night

And though I’m trying not to look in your eyes
Each time I do they kind of burn right through me
Don’t want to lay down in a bed full of lies
And yet my heart is saying come and do me

Now we’re just a web of mystery
A possibility of more to come
I’d rather leave the fantasy of what might be
But here I go falling again

It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry

Between the second half of the seventies and the first half of the eighties, David Foster and Jay Graydon created some of the most sophisticated pop music ever recorded. Their stunning melodies delivered with jazz-infused harmonies and unusual chord changes pleased the ears of music lovers on treasured albums by the late Al Jarreau, Bill Champlin, Boz Scaggs, Manhattan Transfer, Chicago, Hall & Oates, Marc Jordan and many more.

One of their first collaborations was Foster’s 1976 production for singer/actress Jaye P. Morgan’s self-titled record. Although that album went nowhere commercially and was virtually unknown, it was chocked-full of great music. One of the many gems included was a cover of Skip Scarborough’s classic “Can’t Hide Love,” a soulful jam that was popularized by Earth, Wind & Fire on their 1975 milestone album, Gratitude. The version that was crafted for Ms. Morgan rivals Earth, Wind & Fire’s timeless song with a rarefied, smooth arrangement that’s pure ear-candy delivered by the most talented musicians of the LA scene.

In 1981, Graydon was producing the legendary Dionne Warwick. He and Foster decided to resurrect that gorgeous but unknown version of “Can’t Hide Love” for Ms. Warwick’s album which was eventually titled Friends In Love. Startingfrom Foster’s immaculate Fender Rhodes intro, the song develops into one of the sultriest soul jams ever. Instrumentally, it was sheer perfection with top-notch performances by session giants like Steve Gadd, Abe Laboriel, Steve Lukather, Graydon and Foster. Even Jerry Hey crafted a spectacular horn arrangement. In those five minutes, there’s a brilliant mix of jazz, soul and pop with Ms. Warwick’s trademark voice on top. Her warm, elegant vocal performance was supported by the soothing backing vocals of Bill Champlin, Richard Page and Venette Gloud. “Can’t Hide Love” was pure bliss from start to finish. Just listen to the song’s outro with Foster, Graydon and company teaching a lesson on finesse and class.

Listen

• Lead & Backing Vocals: Dionne Warwick
• Acoustic Piano & Fender Rhodes: David Foster
• Guitar: Jay Graydon & Steve Lukather
• Drums: Steve Gadd
• Bass: Abraham Laboriel
• Horn Section: 
• Backing Vocals: Bill Champlin, Richard Page & Venette Gloud
• Horns Arranged by Jerry Hey
• Strings Arranged by David Foster & Jeremy Lubbock
• Produced & Arranged by Jay Graydon

Lyrics

You want my love and
You can’t deny
You know it’s true, but you try to hide
You turn down love like it’s really bad
You can’t give what you never had
Well bless your soul, you can fool a few
But, I know the truth and so do you

You can’t hide love, you can’t now
You can’t hide love, it’s got ya
Betcha you want my love, I betcha
You can’t hide feeling inside

You can’t pretend there’s nothing there
Girl, I look in your eyes, I see you care
So why not stop trying to run and hide
You won’t find out, if you never try

You can’t hide love, you can’t now
You can’t hide love, it’s got ya
Betcha want my love, I betcha
You can’t hide feeling inside

Love has found the time to kiss you
Can you find the time to listen
Life found the time to bug you
Can you find the time for blessing

In the spring of 1982, legendary pop/soul diva Dionne Warwick released her new album for Arista Records entitled Friends In Love. Produced by renowned Jay Graydon, Friends In Love was a stunning example of the most refined adult pop delivered with all the genius tricks that made other Graydon productions, including Al Jarreau’s Breaking Away and Manhattan Transfer’s Mecca For Moderns, milestones of quality pop. Unlike those aforementioned classics, Friends In Love fell victim of an absurd boycott by the record label. The album eventually sold only 200,000 copies and hit the wall at #87 on Billboard’s Top 200.

Nonetheless, the strength of the title-track, a gorgeous duet with Johnny Mathis that was co-written by David Foster, Graydon and Bill Champlin, became a multi-format hit reaching #38 on Billboard’s Hot 100, #5 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #22 on the R&B chart. A past review of that magical ballad can be seen and heard in the archives. Oddly enough, Friends In Love was also the title of Mathis’ album and was also released in the spring of 1982. The Mathis’ record was a more conventional pop affair, mostly produced by veteran music-maker Jack Gold. Both Friends In Love albums presented the Warwick/Mathis duet of “Friends In Love” and included a Warwick/Mathis duet of the catchy mid-tempo called “Got You Where I Want You.”

Co-written by Jim Andron and Candy Parton, “Got You Where I Want You” was given glorious treatment by Graydon. He played guitars and Graydon enlisted his usual partners in crime including Jerry Hey playing the breezy flugelhorn licks and Foster giving an outstanding performance on piano and rhodes. The vocals by Ms. Warwick and Mr. Mathis were their typical quality performances showing sophistication and style. Two of the best singers in the business assisted by Graydon who was known to be a total perfectionist in the control room. If that wasn’t enough, the backing harmonies were handled by the golden voices of Bill Champlin, Richard Page and Vennette Gloud. The final result was a feel-good, soul/pop number with strong radio potential. Even though “Got You Where I Want You” was released as a single in the summer of 1982, its verve and tone went unnoticed by the general masses.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Dionne-Warwick-Johnny-Mathis-Got-You-Where-I-Want-You.mp3|titles=Got You Where I Want You|artists=Dionne Warwick & Johnny Mathis]

Lead Vocals: Dionne Warwick & Johnny Mathis
Guitar & Synthsizer: Jay Graydon
Piano, Rhodes & Synthesizer: David Foster
Synthesizer: Steve Porcaro
Drums: Mike Baird
Bass: Abraham Laboriel
Flugelhorn: Jerry Hey
Backing Vocals: Bill Champlin, Richard Page & Vennette Gloud

Produced & Arranged by Jay Graydon

Lyrics

no lyrics

written by Sting

Released in 1993, Dionne Warwick’s “Friends Can Be Lovers” is surely the best record of that decade for the veteran songbird. For this project, the singer’s label, Arista Records, brought in big names like Diane Warren, Lisa Stansfield, Siedah Garrett and Barry J. Eastmond to write and produce on the album.

Her old partner, Burt Bacharach, also made an appearance to co-write with Hal David and produce the classic ballad opening number “Sunny Weather Lover.” There was also a duet with the late Whitney Houston entitled “ Love Will Find A Way ” and a reworking of one of Sting’s most beloved songs, “Fragile.”

Arranged by David Foster, “Fragile” was reinvented from a Latin-tinged tune to an elegant adult contemporary ballad. “Fragile” is an all-star affair with the presence of the late Luther Vandross who sang and arranged the backing vocals, jazz pianist Bob James who wrote the string arrangement and renowned drummer Harvey Mason who produced the track. Warwick ‘s warm and familiar voice owns the song with refined back-up session aces including Freddy Washington, David Williams and Randy Kerber. The work of music giants Foster, Mason and Vandross obviously gave the song a top-notch quality in terms of execution, arrangement and production.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/fragile.mp3|titles=Fragile|artists=Dionne Warwick]

Lead Vocals : Dionne Warwick
Acoustic Piano & Rhodes : Randy Kerber
Electric Bass : Freddie Washington
Keyboards : Harvey Mason
Guitar : David Williams
Synthesizer & Percussion Programming : Harvey Mason
Background Vocals : Luther Vandross, Lisa Fischer, Tawatha Agee,
Darlene Love, Brenda King, Dionne Warwick.

Rhythm Arrangement by David Foster & Harvey Mason
Strings Arrangement by Bob James
Background Vocals Arrangement by Luther Vandross
Produced by Harvey Mason

Lyrics

If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
Drying in the color of the evening sun
Tomorrow’s rain will wash the stains away
But something in our minds will always stay

Perhaps this final act was meant
To clinch a lifetime’s argument
That nothing comes from violence
and nothing ever could
For all those born beneath an angry star
Lest we forget how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are
How fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are
How fragile we are

“Friends,” released in 1985, was Dionne Warwick’s second encounter with David Foster. Their first was when he co-wrote the magical title track of “Friends In Love” with Jay Graydon and Bill Champlin. For “Friends,” Burt Bacharach reunited with the singer and was at the helm for half the album. The first single, “That’s What Friends Are For,” sung with Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder, became one of the biggest hits of her career and zoomed to # 1 on the charts. Foster added his golden touch to that track playing keyboards. He also went back to his catalogue of gems to provide another standout track. “Love At Second Sight” was first included on his “Best Of Me” release in 1982. He changed the arrangement a bit to perfectly suit Warwick’s style and added lyrics to what was originally an instrumental bridge. “Love At Second Sight” is an intense ballad that starts with Warwick being gently accompanied by Foster playing a variety of keys and synths. The song eventually develops to its beautiful and evocative refrain that climaxes with the singer’s voice soaring high.
There are other great songs on “Friends” including the gorgeous melody of Stevie Wonder’s “Moments Aren’t Moments” from the soundtrack of “The Woman In Red” plus Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager’s ballads “Extravagant Gestures” and “Stronger Than Before.”

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/love_at_second_sight.mp3|titles=Love at second sight|artists=Dionne Warwick]

Lead Vocals: Dionne Warwick
Keyboards and Synthesizers: David Foster
Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

NO LYRICS