In the early eighties, a very young but skilled Richard Marx began working as an assistant at David Foster’s Chartmaker Studios. Marx co-wrote some staples with the Hitman including “The Best Of Me,” recorded by Foster as a duet with Olivia Newton-John plus the Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes and James Ingram hit, “What About Me?.”

Marx also wrote songs for Chicago (“Good For Nothing“), Fee Waybill (“Who Loves You Baby“) and the pop ballad “If I Turn You Away,” sung by newcomer Vikki Moss for the hit soundtrack of St. Elmo’s Fire.

Moss met Foster in her early twenties through her then-boyfriend and hockey superstar, Wayne Gretzki. Born in Edmonton , Canada , the young singer had the right looks and impressive vocal chops also seen in Sheena Easton or Olivia Newton-John. The super-producer first worked with Moss on the single “Hold Me Close” and eventually performed a duet with her on the track “Love At Second Sight” off his 1983 Best Of Me cd. Both were delicate pop ballads that nicely showcased Moss’ charming pop voice while being surrounded by Foster’s lush and catchy sounds.

Around 1985, those Foster/Moss collaborations produced “If I Turn You Away.” This track had the greatest potential of being included on a high-profile soundtrack.  Musically, it was an extremely appealing ballad with captivating verses and a killer refrain delivered by an ear-candy arrangement. Moss’ vocals were on point. Her fresh, smooth singing was perfectly supported by Foster’s incredible programming and wall of keyboards that make up the skeleton of the song together with Mike Landau’s guitar and Dave Boruff’s trademark saxophone solo. The hit value of this song should have been rewarded with a single release. Nonetheless, “If I Turn You Away” remains one of the highlights of the St. Elmo’s Fire soundtrack.

Obviously, Moss didn’t become the new pop sensation. She did score a #1 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart with “Never Say Die,” a 1983 duet ballad with Tim Feehan.

Listen

Lead Vocals: Vikki Moss
Keyboards: David Foster
Guitars: Michael Landau
Saxophone: Dave Boruff

Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

It won’t be hard to say goodbye I’ve seen this road before
And I’ve survived through every bend
You’re just a page I need to turn and I’ll be on my way
For me it’s over not the end.

Why should I stay and fight another lonely night?
I’ve got no reason to pretend.
You lied too many times and I’ve got too much pride
To let myself be fooled again.

So if I turn you away, it’s really nothing more
Than my way to say that it’s over.
If I turn you away, you’ll know the reason why
I just couldn’t stay anymore

Somewhere a stranger waits for me with eyes to warm my soul
His arms will hold me night and day.
You taught me everything I know ’bout breaking hearts and so
I think it’s time for me to say

You’ve had your way too long and I’ve been oh so wrong
To be a fool and not be gone.
I’ll tell you here and now, I’ll make it through somehow
I’ll find it easy to go on.

So if I turn you away, it’s really nothing more
Than my way to say that it’s over.
If I turn you away, you’ll know the reason why
I just couldn’t stay anymore

You lied too many times and I’ve got too much pride
To let myself be fooled again.

So if I turn you away, it’s really nothing more
Than my way to say that it’s over.
If I turn you away, you’ll know the reason why
I just couldn’t stay anymore
So if I turn you away, it’s really nothing more
Than my way to say that it’s over.
If I turn you away, (if I turn you away) you’ll know the reason why
I just couldn’t stay anymore
So if I turn you away (turn you away), it’s really nothing more
Than my way to say that it’s over.
If I turn you away, you’ll know the reason why
I just couldn’t stay anymore

Vikki Moss was Wayne Gretzky’s first girlfriend. The hockey superstar’s friendship with David Foster gave her the chance to sing on a few Foster related projects. Moss first appeared on Foster’s debut solo album, “The Best of Me,” singing lead vocals on “Love at Second Sight.” She also appeared on the soundtrack of “St. Elmo’s Fire” performing the beautiful ballad, “If I Turn You Away.” Moss has a sweet, tender voice with echoes of Sheena Easton and Olivia Newton-John that suited Foster’s elegant pop melodies quite well. Recently, another Foster/Moss collaboration was brought to fans with the 2004 release of the Japanese compilation “Fantasia.” This collection includes the Foster produced and arranged “Hold Me Close,” another keyboard driven, pop ballad supported by Moss’ lovely voice. “Hold Me Close” was only released on a rare 45 rpm vinyl in the early Eighties. “Fantasia” presents several other quality pop songs coming from beautiful but obscure albums like Dara Sedaka’s “I’m Your Girlfriend,” Marc Jordan’s “A Hole in the Wall” and the aforementioned Foster solo record, “The Best Of Me.” Another rarity is the song “Caravan,” performed by new age Japanese artist Kitaro with the great Richard Page and Steve George aka Pages. If you enjoy Moss’ voice, you can also find her singing a beautiful duet entitled “Never Say Die” on Tim Feehan’s 1983 album “Carmalita.” In the nineties she appeared on several multi-artist collections of Japanese covers of TV theme songs and released a couple of dance singles.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/hold_me_close.mp3|titles=Hold me close|artists=Vikki Moss]

Lead Vocals: Vikki Moss
Keyboards: David Foster
Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

We did for so long, a day to slowdown
I’ve done the best I could do
Have you said you’re leavin’
Sometime have to read it
Quietly you left I find it for you

Day after day I did same the good time that we had
And we do all the way
Then one day you’ll happen
A Miracle has said for the better my way

*Hold me close don’t let me go again
Open up your heart and soul
Hold me close so we can be as one
I can’t go on without you

You and I have shared all our dream
Together we believed that love was still there
Every time I meet you, I want to believe you
All of my trouble disappear

*repeat