“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