In the early nineties, pop/adult contemporary superstar Michael Bolton was at the peak of his success story. After his 1991 multi-platinum smash cd, Time, Love & Tenderness, Bolton started working on a new project. Eventually released in September 1992, Timeless (The Classics) presented renditions of pop and R&B evergreens by, among others, The Bee Gees, The Beatles, Sam Cooke and The Four Tops. The production was handled by Bolton’s right-hand man, Walter Afanasieff, and David Foster.

Fresh from a Grammy triumph with the remarkable Natalie Cole’s (1950-2015) Unforgettable, Foster crafted six tracks on the album including The Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” that became a worldwide smash for Bolton.  “To Love Somebody” reached #11 on Billboard’ Hot 100 and #1 on the Adult Contemporary charts. Our previous review of “To Love Somebody” can be found in the archives. Another great song helmed by the Hitman was “Bring It On Home To Me.” This classic soul melody was originally written and performed by the great Sam Cooke (1931-1964). It is this Song of the Week.

“Bring It On Home To Me” was modernized with respect by Foster. He wrote a clever arrangement that made it suitable for Bolton’s pop audience without losing a single inch of its soulful feel. The singing star gave an intense and passionate performance. Bolton showcased his trademark, powerful voice without any over-singing and well supported by a gospel-fueled choir. The backing band included session legends like Greg Phillinganes on piano, Nathan East on bass and John Robinson on drums. A special shout out goes to Michael Thompson who dominated the instrumental track with his masterful guitar licks and bluesy solo. Another shout out goes to Johnny Mandel’s (1925-2020) superb orchestral arrangement. The immaculate production by Foster with Bolton was sonically and musically the best you could get in the nineties. Timeless (The Classics) went on to peak on Billboard’s Top 200 and eventually sold over four million copies in the US alone.

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• Lead Vocals: Michael Bolton
• Drums: John Robinson
• Electric Guitar: Michael Thompson
• Bass: Nathan East
• Piano: Greg Phillinganes
• Organ: Randy Kerber
• Backing Vocals: Carmen Twillie, Janis Liebhart, Monalisa Young, Pat Hawk, Portia Griffin & Vann Johnson

• Orchestral Arrangement by Johnny Mandel
• Produced & Arranged by David Foster & Michael Bolton

Lyrics

If you ever change your mind
About leaving, leaving me behind
Baby, bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I know I laughed when I left
But now I know I only hurt myself
Baby, bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I’ll give you jewelry and money too
That ain’t all, all I’d do for you
If you bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

You know I’ll always be your slave
Till I’m buried, buried in my grave
Oh, honey, bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

In the fall of 1993, Michael Bolton was at the top of his game as a hit-making singer/songwriter. After the immense, multiplatinum success of his 1992 album of covers titled Timeless (The Classics), Bolton published a new collection of original material called The One Thing. Back in the line-up of superstar producers were Walter Afanasieff and David Foster, both responsible for the sublime craft of Timeless (The Classics). On The One Thing, they were joined by Robert John “Mutt” Lange, another top music-maker with previous chart work under his belt for rockers including AC/DC, Foreigner, Bryan Adams and Def Leppard. With Bolton, Lange co-wrote and co-produced the top ten hit single off the album; a catchy pop/rock number titled “Said I Love You… But I Lied.”

Foster produced and arranged “Completely,” an evocative power ballad written by Diane Warren and the third single from The One Thing. “Completely” went to #32 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and was a #9 Adult Contemporary hit. A previous review of “Completely” can be found in the archives.

This week, the spotlight’s on “In The Arms Of Love,” the second Foster production on The One Thing and the album’s closing track. “In The Arms Of Love” was co-written by Bolton with Ms. Warren and Desmond Child, another king of power ballads and AOR (Album Oriented Rock) music. This composition featured an enchanting melody enriched by great orchestral work written by legendary arranger Jeremy Lubbock. Bolton’s heartfelt singing added the right amount of emotion to this romantic song. Foster’s understated production was a smart counterpart to the singer’s powerful vocal performance with just minimal keyboards and synths complementing the instrumental track. With its delicate and lush atmosphere, “In The Arms Of Love” was a bit different from the traditional adult contemporary stuff featured on The One Thing and more in line with the work that Bolton did with Foster on Timeless (The Classics). The One Thing  sold three million copies in the US and six million worldwide. The One Thing was also the last album of Bolton’s career to achieve multi-platinum status.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/In-The-Arms-Of-Love-Michael-Bolton.mp3|titles=In The Arms Of Love|artists=Michael Bolton]

Lead Vocals: Michael Bolton
Keyboards: Randy Kerber
Synthesizer Programming: Simon Franglen
Orchestra Arranged & Conducted by Jeremy Lubbock

Produced by David Foster & Michael Bolton

Lyrics

I see your face and feel your heartache
I see the trace of the tears you have cried
The silent sound of the heart left unspoken
You were strong enough to hide
All your life, no one’s ever shown you
What it’s really like to have someone to hold you

In the arms of love, heaven’s just a heartbeat away
I’ll be your light in the dark, your shield from the storm
Your shelter from the rain
And in the arms of love I’ll lift you above all the madness
All of the pain
And you’ll be safe and warm here in the arms of love

We search this world for a little compassion
For just one look through the eyes of a child
For one more chance to be a believer
While there’s still a chance in time
All your life no one there beside you
Close your eyes and let this moment find you

In the arms of love, heaven’s just a heartbeat away
I’ll be your light in the dark, your shield from the storm
Your shelter from the rain
And in the arms of love I’ll lift you above all the madness
All of the pain
And you’ll be safe and warm here in the arms of love

High above the world where dreams are sailing
Far beyond the brightest shinin’ star
Where everything you’ve waited for is waiting

In the arms of love, heaven’s just a heartbeat away
I’ll be your light in the dark, your shield from the storm
Your shelter from the rain
And in the arms of love I’ll lift you above all the madness
All of the pain
And you’ll be safe and warm here in the arms of love

I’ll keep you far from harm here in the arms of love

Written by Sam Cooke

The first half of the Nineties was the most successful phase of David Foster’s career. He had an outstanding string of multi-platinum productions for Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Kenny G, All-4-One, Michael Jackson, Madonna and Michael Bolton, just to name a few. Foster’s collaboration with Bolton was one of the highlights of that era. A Foster partnership was meant to happen given Bolton ’s pop/rock and adult contemporary style, his powerful voice and Foster’s previous track record with acts like Chicago, Peter Cetera, Kenny Loggins, Neil Diamond and Kenny Rogers. Bolton ’s Timeless (The Classics) was released in late September 1992.

The material included some of the most beloved pop and soul hits of the sixties. Bolton ’s Timeless (The Classics) was a logical choice after the singer’s triumphant covers of evergreens like Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” and Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Loves A Woman.” Six tracks of Bolton ’s Timeless (The Classics) were produced by Foster who brought to the plate his refined sounds fueled with effective orchestral work.

Past reviews of Bolton’s Timeless (The Classics) can be read here, particularly the modernized take of The Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” that was a big chart hit and an emotional version of The Beatles’ staple “Yesterday.” This time around, the spotlight is put on Bolton ‘s rendition of Sam Cooke’s 1962 hit, “Bring It On Home To Me.”
Bolton and Foster kept the gospel-tinged feel of the original “Bring It On Home To Me” with an elegant arrangement that perfectly suited the singer who delivered one of his trademark vocal tour-de-forces. There was fantastic orchestral work courtesy of the legendary Johnny Mandel. The backing track was an all-star affair with Greg Phillinganes tickling keys on the piano, Randy Kerber playing the organ, Michael Thompson strumming guitar on top of a supreme rhythm section with Nathan East on bass and John Robinson on drums. Production-wise, “Bring It On Home To Me” and the whole Timeless (The Classics) stands as an interesting crossroad between Foster’s adult contemporary work of the Eighties and his more orchestral material of the Nineties with perfect balance and state-of-the-art results.

Timeless (The Classics) skyrocketed to #1 on Billboard’s Top 200. The album sold four million copies in the US alone and over nine million copies worldwide. Needless to say, Michael Bolton’s Timeless (The Classics) became one of the best sellers of 1992.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Michael-bolton-Bring-it-home-to-me.mp3|titles=Bring It On Home To Me|artists=Michael Bolton]

Lead Vocals: Michael Bolton
Piano: Greg Phillinganes
Organ: Randy Kerber
Electric Guitar Solo: Michael Thompson
Bass: Nathan East
Drums: John Robinson
Background vocals : Vann Johnson, Janis Liebhart, Pat Hawk, Carmen Twillie, Portia Griffin & Mona Lisa Young
Orchestra Arranged & Conducted by Johnny Mandel

Produced & Arranged by David Foster & Michael Bolton

Lyrics

If you ever change your mind
About leaving, leaving me behind
Baby bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me yea
(Yeh) yeh (yeh) yeh (yeh)

I know I laughed when I left
But now I know I only hurt myself
Baby bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me yea
(Yeh) yeh (yeh) yeh (yeh)

I’ll give you jewelry and money too
That ain’t all, all I’d do for you
If you bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me yea
(Yeh) yeh (yeh) yeh (yeh)

You know I’ll always be your slave
Till I’m buried, buried in my grave
Oh honey bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me yea
(Yeh) yeh (yeh) yeh (yeh)

written by Sting

Sting’s evocative masterpiece, “Fields Of Gold,” from his 1993 album, “Ten Summoner’s Tales,” became one of the trademark songs of the late, American singer, Eva Cassidy. Cassidy was an amazing vocalist who walked in a fascinating music world between jazz, blues, folk and pop.

This gifted woman left the world way too soon in 1996 at age thirty-three. She released a few critically acclaimed records that revealed her beautiful, unique voice singing evergreens like “Autumn Leaves,” “People Get Ready,” “Over The Rainbow,” “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Time After Time.”
Recently Michael Bolton started working on his new project eventually entitled “Gems – The Duets Collection,” an album, as the title suggests, devoted to several duets with big names like Rascal Flatts, Seal, Chris Botti and Lara Fabian.
Bolton’s idea was also to cover “Fields Of Gold” as a tribute to Cassidy and he and David Foster, who produced a few tracks for the album, decided to try and record the song as a duet using Cassidy’s original performance. After getting the green light from Cassidy’s family they went into the studio and created a moving masterpiece.
Bolton’s performance is restrained and respectful and perfectly matches Cassidy’s gorgeous voice. Foster also kept the late singer’s acoustic guitar only adding some minimum keyboards and the final result is a tender, extremely well done tribute to Eva’s art. Here’s a few words that Sting, the amazing writer of “Fields Of Gold,” dedicated to Eva and her rendition of his song: “I remember being sent this song by a friend of hers – it was long before the success – and she explained how her friend had died and how she would have loved me to hear the song. I was almost in tears because it’s such a beautiful version. It then became this huge hit, but I was saddened that she didn’t live to see her success. I was proud to be the writer of the song. It’s a song about continuity and having romantic love turn into something more romantic and more mellow.”

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/fields_of_gold.mp3|titles=Fields Of Gold|artists=Michael Bolton & Eva Cassidy]

Lead Vocals: Michael Bolton
Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar: Eva Cassidy
Keyboards: David Foster

Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

You’ll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold

So she took her love for to gaze awhile
Among the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
And you can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold

I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I’ve broken
But I swear in the days still left
We will walk in fields of gold
We’ll walk in fields of gold

I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I’ve broken
But I swear in the days still left
We will walk in fields of gold
We’ll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
As you lie in fields of gold

You’ll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold

written by Barry Gibb & Robin Gibb

Without a doubt, Michael Bolton was the top male Pop/Adult Contemporary singer of the 1985-1995 era. His powerful, husky baritone sold millions of albums and brought several songs on the top of the charts. Bolton’s singing style was much loved by worldwide audiences, but he was often severely criticized by music journalists.

Like it or not, it’s undeniable that many of his hit songs including “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You,” “How Can We Be Lovers” and “Said I Love You…But I Lied” stand as some of the best examples of Adult Contemporary music. He also recorded many covers of soul classics like “Georgia On My Mind,” “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” and “When A Man Loves A Woman” that again gave him big chart success, but also more criticism from those who loved the original versions.

Bolton started working with David Foster in 1992 for his “Timeless: The Classics” album. With Foster and Walter Afanasieff in the control room this time around, the singer delivered a full album of covers. It was an instant smash, selling over four million copies in the US and nine million worldwide. Among the Foster produced material was the first single, “To Love Somebody.” Bolton’s take of the Bee Gees’ evergreen climbed the charts to #11 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart. Foster’s arrangement contemporized the song for nineties’ radios and audiences, but always with his trademark sophistication. The production was top notch as was Bolton’s impressive singing.

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/to_love_somebody.mp3|titles=To love somebody|artists=Michael Bolton]

Lead Vocals: Michael Bolton
Piano: Randy Kerber
Keyboards: David Foster & Robbie Buchanan
Organ: Greg Phillinganes
Drums: John Robinson
Guitar: Michael Thompson
Bass: Nathan East
Background Vocals: Carmen Twille, Janis Liebhart, Monalisa Young, Pat Hawk, Portia Griffin, Vann Johnson

Strings Arranged by Jeremy Lubbock
Produced & Arranged by David Foster & Michael Bolton

Lyrics

There’s a light
A certain kind of light
That never shone on me
I want my life to be
Lived with you, lived with you
There’s a way
Ev’rybody say
To do each and every little thing
But what does it bring
If I ain’t got you, ain’t got

CHORUS:
You don’t know what it’s like
Baby, you don’t know what it’s like
To love somebody, to love somebody
The way I love you

In my brain
I see your face again
I know my frame of mind
You ain’t got to be so blind
And I’m blind, so very blind
I’m a man
Can’t you see what I am
I live and breathe for you
But what good does it do
If I ain’t got you, ain’t got you

CHORUS:

Oh yeh
You don’t know what it’s like
Baby you don’t know what it’s like
To love somebody, to love somebody
To love somebody oh yeh

To love somebody
The way I love you
You don’t know, you don’t know
To love somebody, to love somebody
You don’t know, ooh
To love somebody, to love somebody
The way I love you