“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.

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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

Josh Groban’s phenomenal Christmas album, “Noel,” was released in the fall 2007. Masterfully produced by David Foster, this magnificent holiday themed collection became the best selling album of 2007. “Noel” was certified platinum 4 times before the end of the year and is the first Christmas album to ever spend five consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart.

“Noel” is a great showcase for Groban’s top notch vocal performances on classics like “Silent Night,” “The Christmas Song” and “What Child Is This.” There are also less obvious choices like a beautiful duet with Brian McKnight on the traditional “Angels We Have Heard On High” and an intense cover of “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.” The album has had several tracks on the adult contemporary chart with a moving rendition of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” reaching the #1 spot. Another shining moment on the album is the original song, “Thankful.” Co-written by Foster with Carole Bayer Sager and Richard Page, “Thankful” is a wonderful song with an evocative atmosphere beautifully performed by Groban. Throughout the album, the superstar’s vocals are impeccable, tender and smooth yet powerful when needed. Foster’s inventive arrangements and state of the art production are another key element of the triumph of “Noel.” Recently this album earned a well-deserved Grammy nomination as “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” and has very good chances of receiving the award.

Merry Christmas everybody!!

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/thankful.mp3|titles=Thankful|artists=Josh Groban]

Lead Vocals: Josh Groban
Piano: David Foster

Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

Somedays we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can’t see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can’t see.
It’s up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There’s so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves
There’s so much sorrow
It’s way too late to say
I’ll cry tomorrow
Each of us must find our truth
It’s so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And every day we hope for
What we still can’t see
It’s up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There’s so much to be thankful for.

Even with our differences
There is a place we’re all connected
Each of us can find each other’s light

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can’t see
It’s up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more

There’s so much to be thankful for