yet again, defend the indefensible: LIONEL RICHIE

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because "hello" just came on the radio, the song really sucked, and bad memories of "hello"'s really bad video came back to mind. though lionel richie never actually made a good video, did he? i mean, "dancing on the ceiling"? "all night long"?

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:02 (twenty-two years ago)

the commodores were OK, but i don't think lionel wrote "brickhouse" or did he?

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:03 (twenty-two years ago)

WTF?! The video to "Hello"?! WTF?! "Sucked"?!

― Cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah it did. and i hate blind people too!

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

It sucked.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

but was it that much worse than "dancing on the ceiling"? or "say you, say me"? "say you, say me" looked like something the stage guys at my high school musical would do!

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Wait, wait, "sucked"?

― Cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

if this is a quibble over verb tense ... then "sucks" will work just as well as "sucked."

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmmmmmm. I don't think I can find any semblance of pity, empathy, kindness or good will in my heart from Mr.Richie. As far as I'm concerned, he banished himself into the Pantheon of the Indefensibly Damned the nanosecond he gave the camera that robust thumbs-up in the video for "We Are the World." May the earth which feeds him soon consume him.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:12 (twenty-two years ago)

good will in my heart from Mr.Richie.

That should be "for," of course....though I doubt he has any for me either.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:14 (twenty-two years ago)

You could give his solo greatest hits record to your grandmother for christmas and not get kicked out of the family.

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

OUTRAGEOUS!

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Someone will have to remind me next time that video is on that it is "sucking". Haha, "sucking", my ass.

― Cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex, you're so predictable.

Lionel Richie is totally defensible, if only for "You Are" off his first solo record and everything the Commodores ever did while he was in the band. Come on, even you have a soft spot for "Easy," don't you?

― J (Jay), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I got nothing but love for people who connect the dots between r&b and country. that said - learn to block a punch lionel!

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Come on, even you have a soft spot for "Easy," don't you?

Faith No More's rendition, maybe. I don't know. Sure, there are worse charactes than Lionel Richie out there, I suppose. "All Night Long" is a bit of a headache, though, you must admit.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:18 (twenty-two years ago)

plus fifth grade me owes 40% of the action he got to "Hello" and "You're the Inspiration", so Richie and Cetera will always have get a warm welcome from me.

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:18 (twenty-two years ago)

have get

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:18 (twenty-two years ago)

HAVE GET!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Can't Slow Down is an excellent album, and the video for "All Night Long (All Night)"--very important, that parenthetical "(All Night)"--is excellent both as a time capsule (i.e. the clothes) and as a way of promulgating Lionel's guy-next-door-who-wants-to-unite-the-world vibe. Also, once when I was DJ'ing in Tracer Hand's basement I followed P!nk's "Get the Party Started" with "All Night Long (All Night)"--again, that parenthetical "(All Night)" is what makes that title for me--and it rocked the motherfucking house. So for that alone he and it would be classic.

"Say You, Say Me," on the other hand, sucks the big one.

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:20 (twenty-two years ago)

You are all insane All Night Long is a total peach of a record and redeems the man's career completely... also he looks a bit like like Colonel Gadaffi and that makes me smile

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:21 (twenty-two years ago)

i forgot all about the OUTRAGEOUS! thing and mr richie, though

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:21 (twenty-two years ago)

... and the video to "Hello" is amazing!

― Dave Starfox (Cozen), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

mr. stelfox, that "colonel qadaffi" remark is almost as good as yer riffing on "geir cologne," yessongs and the norwegian fjords!

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

matos + stelfox = great minds thinking alike almost simultaneously!

i often play all night long at the end of dj sets with no irony whatsoever! it's a bloody good record

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I always found it very very bizarre how he was huge - HUGE (he beat Prince and Brooooce at the grammys, and as much as that's indefensible aesthetically, saleswise/hitwise Can't Slow Down was in Purple Rain/Born in the USA 's league) - and then he just disappeared for like ten years.

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)

see also the Pointer Sisters

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:24 (twenty-two years ago)

He was on Fame Academy, last year.

― Cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I think maybe the Pointer Sisters split up / had drama though

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Pointer Sister : 80s :: En Vogue : 90s

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't he collaborate with Rob Zombie recently for something?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:25 (twenty-two years ago)

a friend of mine works in video production and we had the idea of making a new video for all night long (all night) (parentheses for (matos)!) using footage of the colonel ages ago - i still so want to do it!

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't he collaborate with Rob Zombie recently for something?

All Night Of The Living Dead Long (All Night)

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:26 (twenty-two years ago)

yer on a role tonight, mr. stelfox

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:27 (twenty-two years ago)

he is!

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:28 (twenty-two years ago)

those parentheses might be my favorite redundant-yet-so-so-right titular aspect this side of the James Brown catalogue!

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:28 (twenty-two years ago)

http://webpages.charter.net/cmvenuti/images/lr.jpg

― Chris V. (Chris V), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:31 (twenty-two years ago)

(i never really knew about them, but if you say they're important)

― (Dave Stelfox) (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:32 (twenty-two years ago)

joking apart though i do love that record, cheesy as hell but fun and a great tune - glad you're here matos

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I knew Chris V would be along eventually! Mr. Force MD's would HAVE to get in on this one!

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:36 (twenty-two years ago)

The bassplayer in the "Dancing on the Ceiling" video had a Yamaha BX-1 bass, and so did I at the time. Further Affiant sayeth not.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

My high school band teacher luuuuvvved Lionel Richie. He used to lecture me and my friends about how we should stop listening to Prince because he sucked but Lionel Richie was a genius and he's the one people would still be listening to in 20 years, etc. He even wrote a band arrangement for "All Night Long" and made us play it during the halftime show at football games. I especially hated this, because as a lowly freshman in the percussion session, I was relegated to playing cymbals, and during "All Night Long" I had to hold a cymbal up for one of the snare drummers to play the song's fake-calypso pattern on. Holding a cymbal in the air for 3 1/2 minutes in sub-35-degree weather while someone bangs away on it is, in case you were wondering, totally completely DUD.

And I saw Lionel this morning -- they were playing VH-1 at the laundromat again, and that "I Love '80s" series was on, this one focusing (or "focussing," as they say in The New Yorker) on 1985. Lionel introduced a snippet highlighting the best "Makeout Songs" of the year (which fortunately did not include a Lionel Richie song). He sounded like a man anxious to get paid.

― JesseFox (JesseFox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:38 (twenty-two years ago)

He even wrote a band arrangement for "All Night Long" and made us play it during the halftime show at football games.

i would kill for a recording of this... i have a yorkshire colliery band version of louie louie and it's one of my all time faves ever

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:41 (twenty-two years ago)

that long ass a capella intro to "Love Will Conquer All" (??? maybe) is something wonderful

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Dave - search out that comp of high school bands playing funk (and wings) hits of the seventies dj shadow put out a few years back

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:43 (twenty-two years ago)

what? email me details - can't believe i've missed out on that

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

a toast to the boogie!

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:45 (twenty-two years ago)

outraged - OUTRAGEd! - there's not a Cliff Nobles cover!

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

He used to lecture me and my friends about how we should stop listening to Prince because he sucked but Lionel Richie was a genius and he's the one people would still be listening to in 20 years, etc.

Sorta reminds me of what that shill Dave Marsh said about "Penny Lover" vs. the Smiths. Moron.

I had the first two albums and enjoyed them very much in them early eighties but I can only remember the singles now and have no inclination to revisit his music further. And sorry, Mr. Stelfox, but the "Hello" video just defines ultracheese.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:06 (twenty-two years ago)

what about what Marsh said about the Replacements vs. the Time? (except people still listen to both now! or at least I do and hope everyone else does too though the Time's catalogue being out of print doesn't really help there now does it)

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:09 (twenty-two years ago)

(it is weird how Vanity 6 & "Controversy" are both being exhumed like crazy in the hipster sweepstakes lately but no one seems to have any love for What Time Is It even though it's a better album than Controversy)

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

That's where mp3s shine through.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

vanity 6 (and esp. those new wave Prince numbers) kinda played toward the white audience more than the Time did anyway, so it's not too odd the white audience's kids are tuning into the same stuff

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Lionel Richie is so very much not a candidate for the "defend the indefensible" category - such an excellent singer when he wants to be ("Easy," "You Are," "Endless Love"), a real gift for melody, and a wonderfully unique ear for pop-melody-as-expression-of-loneliness. "All Night Long (All Night)" is ass, sure, fine, and "Say You, Say Me" is a nightmare, but Good Lionel outweighs Bad Lionel. His "attempted" "comeback" (squarequotes because it got practically zero promotion: maybe he was attempting a comeback, but his label sure wasn't) eluded the radar almost completely, and I've always been curious about it: it was a year or two ago: anybody hear it?

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember the mid-nineties one, but the one from a couple of years back (the one the 'behind the music' I actually wanted to see roughly coincided with) I don't remember hearing/seeing anything with it.

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:30 (twenty-two years ago)

What Time is It? better than Controversy?

Hmm... I guess I can buy that. Yeah, I suppose Controversy is relatively the worst of his early records, despite the presence of that glorious title track. "The Walk" comes pretty close to perfection though.

Who are these lame hipsters "discovering" Controversy?!

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:40 (twenty-two years ago)

new york assholes

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:41 (twenty-two years ago)

figures.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:42 (twenty-two years ago)

i like "annie christian"!

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Ugh. That and "Ronnie Talk to Russia" on the same record. Yikes.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:47 (twenty-two years ago)

"Annie Christian" and "Ronnie Talk to Russia" are greatly weird and weirdly great. But they're really just bonus tracks -- any album that has "Controversy," "Sexuality" and "Do Me Baby" doesn't need anything else to justify itself. Oh, and "Let's Work" too. I mean, c'mon.

― JesseFox (JesseFox), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

i live my life in taxicabs

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 23:54 (twenty-two years ago)

i agree with Matos, except about "say you say me". i'm with you Tad about the video for "hello", oh its just vulgar. that dammed sculpture!

― di smith (lucylurex), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 00:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I always had a soft spot for Lionel Richie back in his mid-80s heyday. Not so much for his music as for the fact that he resembled my dad. People often commented on the resemblance. Despite the fact that my dad is white, they really did look a lot alike. Maybe it was the moustache.

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 00:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Does anybody have any video or audio of him saying "Outrageous" from the show? I would kill for this.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 00:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Frenchbloke to sampler!

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 00:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Matos and J0hn D. OTM. A talented juggernaut he is. Like Michael his all-things-to-all-people hopes and dreams can sometimes get the better of his musical sense, but unlike Michael he also seems like a charming man--at least he comes off in his television appearances like a man with a bemused sense of humor about his own past successes and current (relative) anonymity.

I don't think I can find any semblance of pity, empathy, kindness or good will in my heart from Mr.Richie.

No offense Alex, but none of these are attributes exhibited particularly often in your ILM posts. In fact I'm hard put to name many phenomena outside of the Killing Joke that you have voiced approval of.

― amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 00:34 (twenty-two years ago)

'say you say me' was the big slow skate song at the roller rink in junior high, one could not escape it's seductive powers.

― keith (keithmcl), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 00:40 (twenty-two years ago)

keith's post reminds me, that "say you say me" came dangerously close to being my high school's prom theme ... genesis's "follow you follow me" won.

― Tad (llamasfur), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 00:43 (twenty-two years ago)

your school's prom committee sure was big on "BLANK You, BLANK Me" songs, wasn't it?

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 00:59 (twenty-two years ago)

v/vm's version of "all night long" rules

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 01:11 (twenty-two years ago)

BJORN SAYS CHOOSE "KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU"! Tad's class wuz robbed!

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 04:17 (twenty-two years ago)

actually, i think that our prom committee had a bunch of geirbots ... that's why we ended up with genesis (and not lionel richie or abba)

― Tad (llamasfur), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 04:30 (twenty-two years ago)

did they crash other schools' proms and scream "WHERE'S THE MELODY?" at the DJ?

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 04:43 (twenty-two years ago)

that would be so punk rock, if only they were wearing viking helmets.

― amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 04:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Richie's comeback produced a top ten hit in Germany.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 11:06 (twenty-two years ago)

What's up with comeback records titled "Renaissance" or "New Birth" or "A Brand New Day" or whatever? Is there any more desperate kind of title?

― dleone (dleone), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 11:35 (twenty-two years ago)

"Hello" was crap, and the video was ten times worse. I liked the Lionel much better in the Commodores.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 11:38 (twenty-two years ago)

They should just make a video with the camera pointed at his chin the entire time.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 11:40 (twenty-two years ago)

when growing up, whenever the family went on long trips, there was only three tapes in the car. My mom's copies of Lionel Richie's "Can't Slow Down", Kenny Loggins "Vox Humana" and my scratchy mixtape of early 80s hardcore punk (Black Flag and Dead Kennedies mostly).
Needless to say, my tape never got any play. But I did hear the other two enough times to become intimately familiar with them.
"Can't Slow Down" is a mixture of 60% cloying cheese and 40% astonishing pop genius. (more than half of the cheese is in the songs "Stuck on You" and "The Only One"; Replace those two tracks with random Al Green tracks, and you just might have something.)
Also, "Vox Humana", despite having the most garishly awful album cover in existence (yes...it's even worse than "In The Court of the Crimson King") has a moderately tolerable A-side and a semi-catchy title track that is strangely ahead of its time. Download it from your local Napsterclone and be amused by the goofy proto-house madness. It's "Footloose" as rewritten by deranged extraterrestrials.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 11:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Without Lionel, we wouldn't have the lyric
One mistake and it all turns bitchy,
listening to records by Lionel Ritchie.
I'm not sure if he deserves it or even if they do.
And I kinda like that song.

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Or this verse from a Deathtöungue song:

LETS RUN OVER LIONEL RICHIE WITH A TANK
"Man, his song,
It really stank,
Let's run over Lionel Richie,
With a tank."

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 12:37 (twenty-two years ago)

He wrote "Lady" for Kenny Rogers, didn't he?

― abeta, Wednesday, 9 July 2003 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

yes

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 12:46 (twenty-two years ago)

WTF?! The video to "Hello"?! WTF?! "Sucked"?!

Exactly! It is the perfect video, the touchstone that will never be equalled in this cynical age.

I really don't understand how Lionel came to be listed as "indefensible" when he wrote so many great songs with the Commodores and his solo stuff was pretty good too.

Still, it did always piss me off that Q listed Can't Slow Down as one of the top ten greatest Motown albums.

― Nicole (Nicole), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 12:55 (twenty-two years ago)

haha!

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 12:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Then, typically, you're not really paying attention. I have posted favorable comments about a myriad of artists.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

that is true

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

The video for "Hello" actually does fall into the "this is so bad that I love it" pot for me. That bust is SO CLASSIC!!!!!!!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:19 (twenty-two years ago)

How could anyone not love a sculpture like that? It baffles me.

― Nicole (Nicole), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm so late in this thread. But I saw Mr. Richie open for Tina Turner at the Garden some years ago. Aside from the fact that he wore forest green leather pants, he was great.

And Matos, I fucking LOVE the Pointer Sisters. I grew up on Break Out.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

you know Tina was eyeing them pants

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Three words: "All Night Long". Nuff said.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

ahem, five words - "All Night Long (All Night)"

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

How could anyone not love a sculpture like that? It baffles me.

Love the artist, hate the art. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)

"I'm so in love with you, I"m going to make the ugliest, most unflattering bust of you that you could possibly imagine! *swoon*"

Also: "Hello? Hello?" "Hello?/Is it me you're looking for?" "Oh yeah, I have a singing rapist in my apartment; BRING IT, CHUMP."

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:31 (twenty-two years ago)

"I'm so in love with you, I"m going to make the ugliest, most unflattering bust of you that you could possibly imagine! *swoon*"

Well, be fair Dan, she is blind.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Even with her sight she would still be blind.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe the unflattering sculpture was her unfortunately way too subtle way of saying: "Stop calling me at night and breathing down the phone, you crazy stalker creep!"

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:38 (twenty-two years ago)

maybe it was her way of saying 'hey motherfucker - here's what you look like'

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahaha

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:39 (twenty-two years ago)

OH that's right, the whole "Hello?/Is it me you're looking for?" exchange took place on the phone!

Also, asking a blind person if they're looking for you: C/D?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Tommy can you hear me?

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

He had great moustache. I mean just a really, really great one.

Also, I like the name Lionel. I think more people should have that name.

― Tom Breihan (Tom Breihan), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember sometime in the 80s he did an interview where he said he was a better songwriter than Lennon/McCartney - ergo, total respect from me.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

And Goodie Mob's "World Party" is based on "All Night Long [fine] (All Night." That song is OK.

Didn't one of the dudes in Goodie Mob lose a leg? That is totally fucked up.

― Tom Breihan (Tom Breihan), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't those allegations of abuse of his wife kind of kill off his career? I don't think it ever went to trial, but it happened down around the time his career went into the tank.

― earlnash, Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

as long as we're quoting lyrics featuring Mr. Lionel Ritchie: "never been a bitch, so I don't act bitchy / smooth on the vinyl like Lionel Ritchie" from the Pharcyde. that internal 'vinyl/Lionel' has made for many happy moments in my life.

I was a rockin' HS senior when Can't Slow Down was at its peak, and hated it until I realized that that tape and Van Halen's 1984 were completely ace despite the cheese and were furthermore causing me to have an intense sexual attraction to Stephanie C., my grade-rival and nerdy girl friend since 5th grade. Never thought of her as cute before I saw her in a bathing suit awkwardly singing along to "All Night Long (All Night)," and then became a little obsessed with her. The power of pop music!

Um, and suddenly revelatory breasts.

― Neudonym, Wednesday, 9 July 2003 13:54 (twenty-two years ago)

"suddenly revelatory breasts" would be a great name for a band.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 14:13 (twenty-two years ago)

.. or a rock opera.

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

or an artsy fartsy foreign comedy badly translated from French (it's actually about a bakery that makes naughty baquettes.)

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't those allegations of abuse of his wife kind of kill off his career?

Weren't the allegations that his wife was abusing him?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah. She caught him cheating and beat his ass. Possibly with a bust statue of his head.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 14:21 (twenty-two years ago)

But I think his career lost momentum for two reasons:
1) Sidelined by Throat Cancer for years
2) "Dancind on the Ceiling" was a load of dirty trousers.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

"suddenly revelatory breasts" would be a great name for a band.

"Phantasized Persecutory Breast" is a Severed Heads song.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 14:39 (twenty-two years ago)

so, no-one is going to defend "say you, say me"? except maybe keith, who mentioned that one couldn't escape its alleged "seductive powers"?

― Tad (llamasfur), Thursday, 10 July 2003 06:49 (twenty-two years ago)

i would like to take this opportunity to say that i did NOT say the video was amazing... damn that cozen!

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 10 July 2003 08:50 (twenty-two years ago)

five months pass...

THREAD REVIVE ... why the fuck not?!?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 12 December 2003 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm really enjoying The Simple Life. There, I've said it.

― Vic Funk, Friday, 12 December 2003 19:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Enjoyable, but it's still a mark against him.

― nickn (nickn), Friday, 12 December 2003 19:41 (twenty-two years ago)

She's adopted though, so Lionel's genes are not at fault.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Friday, 12 December 2003 19:43 (twenty-two years ago)

He had a dream. He had an awesome dream.

― rainman (rainman), Friday, 12 December 2003 20:00 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sail On" is one of the greatest songs of all time
though I hated Lionel all thru the 80's
took me til the 90's to reverse and realise I'd been a dumbell

"Endless Love" is one of the greatest duets of all time
though I still don't care for Diana Ross

― Paul (scifisoul), Saturday, 13 December 2003 23:07 (twenty-two years ago)

There's absolutley nothing wrong with lionel richie!! wtf??

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Saturday, 13 December 2003 23:14 (twenty-two years ago)

i know!
today at work i put on the cd just to hear "all night long (all night)" and it was so good! and then i was like, oh wait but i have to hear "dancing on the ceiling." oh, and "say you say me." ooh, and "running with the night!"

the video for "all night long (all night") takes the cake though - the dancing cop!

― stolenbus (stolenbus), Saturday, 13 December 2003 23:57 (twenty-two years ago)

i like how in "Running With the Night" Lionel puts the accent on the word "the," it's like you can tell it used to have other words

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 14 December 2003 00:12 (twenty-two years ago)

"Can't Slow Down" is a great album.

Too bad the Quiet Storm genre disappeared. It was soooooo much better than today's R&B...

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 14 December 2003 00:23 (twenty-two years ago)

geir if you'd been around for mozart you would have complained that he didn't sound like bach

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Sunday, 14 December 2003 01:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Bach was too rhythmic...

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Sunday, 14 December 2003 04:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't complain about Britpop. Not all changes in musical taste are negative.

Away from melody=bad
Towards more melody=good

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 01:30 (twenty-two years ago)

do you like stravinsky, geir?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 01:37 (twenty-two years ago)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 01:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Madness. "Symphony Of Psalms" is amazing.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 01:39 (twenty-two years ago)

There was some promo for that television spectacle with Nicole Ritchie on Entertainment Tonight, and they referred to her as "the daughter of legendary singer, Lionel Richie."

So there you go, ET says he's legendary, so he has to be great.

― mike h. (mike h.), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

My mother gave me her copy of Can't Slow Down and I'm as happy as a clam in shit right now. A sterling example of mainstream pop.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Saturday, 23 July 2005 21:39 (twenty years ago)

I like the break in "All Night Long" when he says "feel good...FEEL GOOD!" and then that horn section kicks in and everybody starts to cha-cha.

― p.j. (Henry), Saturday, 23 July 2005 21:42 (twenty years ago)

Dude, and "Running With The Night"! New Order's "Subculture" is like its hungover, sullen cousin.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Saturday, 23 July 2005 21:45 (twenty years ago)

six months pass...

the first verse all the way up to the chorus of "All Night Long (All Night)" is really quite night, it's just the chorus that wrecks it

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Sunday, 19 February 2006 22:53 (twenty years ago)

OK so this thread inspired me to go see what iTunes had in the way of Lionel Richie solo stuff 'cause I'd always been curious about his late nineties stuff. I wound up finding the demo of "All Night Long (All Night)," though, and it's quite amazing - it's Richie & session musicians playing a song for which he hasn't really got lyrics yet. What he does have is the feel, and the song itself (the changes) - and he's got the chorus: so he just ad-libs words & phrases that come to mind through all the verses, and scats when he doesn't have words or phrases. It's just really cool in a still-being-born sort of way. He's already got the whole structure down, is the thing - he knows there's going to be a drop-out for just percussion, and he's got the rather uninteresting bridge that'll make it more exciting when the chorus comes back...worth seeking out, anyhow.

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Sunday, 19 February 2006 23:07 (twenty years ago)

also: no horns!

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Sunday, 19 February 2006 23:08 (twenty years ago)

Reading all the madness upthread made me laugh out loud a few times.

― Dan (Also, Green Leather Pants!) Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 19 February 2006 23:15 (twenty years ago)

I LOVE MUSIC...

there must be thousands of fucking threads dealing with crap like Killing Joke Mountain Goats Sonic Youth The Fall etc....or whatever amateurish shit is preferred around here....

yet somebody better not dare attempt to begin another Lionel Ritchie thread because it will only be locked....

then that somebody will be referred to a thread that doesn't even have the same premise....

POV or whatever that shit is....as far as I can tell, it seems a little different than this defend the indefensible shit....actually I wouldn't even defend the guy...

yet here we are at I LOVE MUSIC

more like I LOVE MEDIOCRITY

― bahto habito, Tuesday, 21 February 2006 03:28 (twenty years ago)

Best moment in "Hello" video = where Lionel picks up the telephone and tenderly croons into the receiver: "Hello?"

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 03:38 (twenty years ago)

then puts down the phone and keeps singing to her!?

― Black Arkestra (Black Arkestra), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 03:40 (twenty years ago)

Do you think the video for "All Night Long" was an inspiration for Janet Jackson's video for "When I Think of You"? Don't they both have dancing cops?

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 03:40 (twenty years ago)

eleven months pass...

hello! is it me you're looking for?!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AtkQs1MI5k

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 2 February 2007 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

every one you meet
they're jamming in the street

― sexyDancer (sexyDancer), Friday, 2 February 2007 21:11 (nineteen years ago)

Hello? [This is Spencer Chow's first and only thread. Please read even if you hate me because I think it is very important.]

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 2 February 2007 21:26 (nineteen years ago)

No mention of "Young Girls Are My Weakness" The Commodores' Machine Gun, written by Mr. Richie?

― Eazy (Eazy), Friday, 2 February 2007 21:29 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, Machine Gun is the shit.

― mucho (mucho), Friday, 2 February 2007 22:27 (nineteen years ago)

that was one FAKE southern accent he sang with on "sail on," like he was trying a little too hard for a country-soul fusion (and hes from alabama, too!)

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Saturday, 3 February 2007 01:37 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

I've been listening to and watching LR on Youtube. Quite compelling! I started wondering about finding a LR hits CD.

The video for 'All Night Long' is wonderful, and the track itself is at least interesting.

― the pinefox, Monday, 4 August 2008 13:13 (seventeen years ago)

Can't Slow Down is an excellent album, and the video for "All Night Long (All Night)"--very important, that parenthetical "(All Night)"--is excellent both as a time capsule (i.e. the clothes) and as a way of promulgating Lionel's guy-next-door-who-wants-to-unite-the-world vibe. Also, once when I was DJ'ing in Tracer Hand's basement I followed P!nk's "Get the Party Started" with "All Night Long (All Night)"--again, that parenthetical "(All Night)" is what makes that title for me--and it rocked the motherfucking house. So for that alone he and it would be classic.
-- M Matos (M Matos)

Imagine - Tracer Hand had a basement big enough for a LR-style disco!!

― the pinefox, Monday, 4 August 2008 13:16 (seventeen years ago)

What I also like about that video: the chastity - the way LR is interested in Community rather than in his own desires.

― the pinefox, Monday, 4 August 2008 13:17 (seventeen years ago)

I thought Milan Williams wrote "Machine Gun."

― Dingbod Kesterson, Monday, 4 August 2008 13:28 (seventeen years ago)

A fantastic songwriter who has, however, lost it since the mid 80s. Up to and including the "Dancing On The Ceiling" album, he was fantastic. His last album was dreadful though.

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 4 August 2008 13:39 (seventeen years ago)

I vaguely remember reading an interview where he said he originally intended Can't Slow Down to be semi-heavy guitar rock, but realized that no one in 1982 radioland would touch it. Musta pissed him off when "Beat It" and "Let's Go Crazy" took off.

― Sara Sara Sara, Monday, 4 August 2008 14:58 (seventeen years ago)

I don't get how he thought the tutor-student relationship in the 'Hello' video was acceptable. But I find it fascinating to see how his videos in that era involve extra dialogue, narrative, sense of LR playing a character.

― the pinefox, Monday, 4 August 2008 16:07 (seventeen years ago)

I vaguely remember reading an interview where he said he originally intended Can't Slow Down to be semi-heavy guitar rock, but realized that no one in 1982 radioland would touch it. Musta pissed him off when "Beat It" and "Let's Go Crazy" took off.

Hall And Oates had done the AOR/rock/R&B fusion for ages already. But I realise they were white and, in 1983, that made a lot of difference.

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 4 August 2008 19:50 (seventeen years ago)

For a moment baby
For a moment baby
For a moment baby
SugarsugarsugaryeahyeahyeahyeahyeahYEAAAHHH

― ellaguru, Monday, 4 August 2008 22:40 (seventeen years ago)

four months pass...

"Hello" is great if you can listen to it without the video playing in your head. Seriously.

― u s steel, Sunday, 21 December 2008 12:57 (seventeen years ago)

No. Hello is not going to be played in my presence. I will not even admit the fact that I bought the "You Are" single in 6th grade. I refuse. He must be silenced. Lionel Richie is not to be defended. KEEP AWAY. Bimble warned you, Bimble tried to help you.

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:04 (seventeen years ago)

You're crazy. If you can't accept "Hello" for what it is, you need a new set of ears. Great composition - creepy and great sense of narrative.

― u s steel, Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:15 (seventeen years ago)

Hahahhahah I would rather die than watch that video.

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:17 (seventeen years ago)

although I do recall you said don't watch the video.

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:18 (seventeen years ago)

Do you know the initials of his name are L and R??????

LOU REED?????????????????????????????????????????????????????////

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:18 (seventeen years ago)

hes quite easily defensible.

― titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:22 (seventeen years ago)

Of course. And "Stuck on You" is on this album too. Cool cover, too.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Richieslow.jpg

If those songs came out in the seventies, they'd be a lot "cooler".

― u s steel, Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:25 (seventeen years ago)

Is it me you're looking for (blind girl)?

― ^likes black girls (HI DERE), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:31 (seventeen years ago)

the 80s is cooler right now.

― titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:32 (seventeen years ago)

The desperation of it blows all of your punk poo out of the water. You need this song.

― u s steel, Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:33 (seventeen years ago)

NO I DO NOT NEED THIS SONG YOU PUNK

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:34 (seventeen years ago)

I will gladly sit with a Prince fan for 56 torturous hours of nonstop Prince than hear Lionel.

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:34 (seventeen years ago)

The Hello video rules.

― that karate douche (╓abies), Sunday, 21 December 2008 13:43 (seventeen years ago)

She's fucking blind!!! It's horrible, creepy. Steer clear of it.

Donna Summer could totally whip his ass with a hand behind her.

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:08 (seventeen years ago)

She's also a high school student.

― that karate douche (╓abies), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:13 (seventeen years ago)

The part where LR phones her is priceless.

― that karate douche (╓abies), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:13 (seventeen years ago)

hahahaha you guys need better dope in your house

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:14 (seventeen years ago)

lol pwnd. We were all scrapin and doing knifers the other night.

― that karate douche (╓abies), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:16 (seventeen years ago)

"All Night Long" is a great video. Can YOU rock those leather pants?

― u s steel, Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:18 (seventeen years ago)

hahhahhah I HATE YOU. THIS IS A FUCKING LIONEL RICHIE THREAD
AND WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING POSTING ON IT?

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:22 (seventeen years ago)

Can you rock the pants AND THAT SHIRT? xpost

― that karate douche (╓abies), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:24 (seventeen years ago)

OH shit

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:26 (seventeen years ago)

― snoball, Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:27 (seventeen years ago)

getting into Lionel Richie is kinda like shaving your arm pits. Like at first you're really apprehensive, but then you do it, and it feels really weird and slidey and uncomfortable when you sweat, and you THINK it's in a good way, but like whatever cuz HEY I JUST GREW AS A PERSON or something.

― that karate douche (╓abies), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:32 (seventeen years ago)

Um. nb I'm kinda drunk.

― that karate douche (╓abies), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:32 (seventeen years ago)

YES, i BE DRUNK TOOO

But to be honest I think that is a very homosexual way to sum up Lionel Richie. Just sayin'...

― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than Your MIDNITE POWERTOOLS (Bimble), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:37 (seventeen years ago)

Oh fuck, that movie! What is that from?

― that karate douche (╓abies), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:40 (seventeen years ago)

That comedy video is funny, but I seriously hope you are not saying Lionel Richie has no soul....

― u s steel, Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:41 (seventeen years ago)

What I'm saying is that LR in the Commodores >>> LR solo. I suppose that LR solo is more bland, more mainstream.

(xpost) "Amazon Women on the Moon"

― snoball, Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:44 (seventeen years ago)

Amazon Women On the Moon! That was it.

Wasn't that scene longer, or...? I swear I remember bits with David Allen Grier at a piano.

― that karate douche (╓abies), Sunday, 21 December 2008 14:46 (seventeen years ago)

Defence closed.

― derelict, Sunday, 21 December 2008 16:19 (seventeen years ago)

yay, an excuse to spread this around

http://www.zshare.net/audio/530744696af27b2f/

― Telephone thing, Sunday, 21 December 2008 18:40 (seventeen years ago)

i didnt realise this many ppl hated all night long! you guys are crazy

― t_g, Sunday, 21 December 2008 21:33 (seventeen years ago)

Bimble Lionel Richie is the actual 80s that you yearn for. Without him your main area of interest is a vast empty soundless sea.

― J0hn D., Sunday, 21 December 2008 21:45 (seventeen years ago)

ilx is rarely as easy as sunday morning

― Giorgio Moderator (PappaWheelie V), Sunday, 21 December 2008 23:28 (seventeen years ago)

b... b... but that's because many ILXors work on the nightshift

― snoball, Sunday, 21 December 2008 23:33 (seventeen years ago)

(and before anyone points it out, I know that LR left the Commodores years before Nightshift was released)

― snoball, Sunday, 21 December 2008 23:37 (seventeen years ago)

four years pass...

the video for "Hello" is so hilariously awesome/bizarre that it permanently burned into my memory, despite only watching it once.

Can't Slow Down is a surprisingly solid album and "Stuck on You" is a genuinely moving and excellent country ballad.

Not listened to much of his output aside from this album; "Say You, Say Me" is garishly 80s and I really don't need to hear "Endless Love" ever again...

― arctic mindbath (President of the People's Republic of Antarctica), Monday, 10 June 2013 01:03 (twelve years ago)

Re: "Endless Love," I always felt that Lionel was put to better use in another teen romance of the era

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuVH5LcEZj0

― Public Brooding Closet (cryptosicko), Monday, 10 June 2013 01:12 (twelve years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuVH5LcEZj0

― Public Brooding Closet (cryptosicko), Monday, 10 June 2013 01:12 (twelve years ago)

Can't Slow Down is a surprisingly solid album and "Stuck on You" is a genuinely moving and excellent country ballad.

"surprisingly"

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 10 June 2013 01:14 (twelve years ago)

well, as I've said, I'm not particularly familiar with his catalog, so when I looked at the tracklisting, the only songs I recognized were "All Night Long", "Running with the Night" and "Hello". I didn't know about the other very good songs.

― arctic mindbath (President of the People's Republic of Antarctica), Monday, 10 June 2013 02:33 (twelve years ago)

"Stuck On You" and "Penny Lover" hold up, don't they?

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 10 June 2013 02:36 (twelve years ago)

hell yes.

― arctic mindbath (President of the People's Republic of Antarctica), Monday, 10 June 2013 02:41 (twelve years ago)

Last American Virgin has a great soundtrack, iirc.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/The_Last_American_Virgin_movie_poster.jpg/220px-The_Last_American_Virgin_movie_poster.jpg

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 10 June 2013 04:16 (twelve years ago)

Side 1
"Teen Angel Eyes" - Tommy Tutone (3:30)
"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" - The Police (4:07)
"Whip It" - Devo (2:38)
"When I Find You" - Phil Seymour (5:13)
"Better Luck Next Time" - Oingo Boingo (3:30)
Side 2
"Are You Ready for the Sex Girls?" - Gleaming Spires (4:00)
"Since You're Gone" - The Cars (3:30)
"I Know What Boys Like" - The Waitresses (3:14)
"Airwaves" - The Fortune Band (3:46)
"I Will Follow" - U2 (3:34)
In addition to this, the film contains a compendium of other 1980s radio hits:
"Oh No" - The Commodores
"Open Arms" - Journey
"Keep on Loving You" - REO Speedwagon
"Just Once" - James Ingram
"That's the Way (I Like It)" - KC and the Sunshine Band
"Love Action (I Believe in Love)" - The Human League
"Shake It Up" - The Cars
"Besame Mucho & Granada"- Los Fabulosos 3 Paraguayos
"It Aint Easy Comin' Down" - Charlene
"Zero Hour" - The Plimsouls
"In the Flesh" - Blondie
"España Cani" - The Dancing Brass

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 10 June 2013 04:17 (twelve years ago)

Love 'running with the night'. What are the original lyrics that tracer is referring too tho?

― So: The Answers (or something), Monday, 10 June 2013 11:07 (twelve years ago)

"Say You, Say Me" is hideously 80s.

― arctic mindbath (President of the People's Republic of Antarctica), Monday, 10 June 2013 19:26 (twelve years ago)

I've already said that upthread, but I was listening to it again and it bears repeating.

― arctic mindbath (President of the People's Republic of Antarctica), Monday, 10 June 2013 19:26 (twelve years ago)

so listen to it again

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 10 June 2013 19:49 (twelve years ago)

"hideously 80s" = my aesthetic now basically

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, 10 June 2013 20:12 (twelve years ago)

I'll defend Hello -- it's got a great melody, the singing is full of pathos, and although some of the lyrics are a little too cheesy for their own good, there are a couple of subtle things that really capture the loserish longing of a guy too afraid to even talk to the object of his affection, especially "Hello, is it me you're looking for?" The kind of almost magical thinking that a guy in his position can resort to -- he's never even made himself apparent to her, yet he imagines that she might be looking for him. He doesn't actually have the slightest idea who she is or what she's like, yet he has almost creepily constructed elaborate fantasies about her (I say "almost" creepily, because it's the kind of thing I think most guys engage in at some point in their lives).

― i don't even have an internet (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 11 June 2013 01:16 (twelve years ago)

two years pass...

This week has been Lionel Richie week in my work, Greatest Hits playing every morning so far - it was George Benson the week before - I'm not the biggest fan but the guy is undoubtedly a class songwriter.

― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Wednesday, 21 October 2015 11:30 (ten years ago)

Came here to give big ups to "You Are," and see that I already did it way back in 2003. Some things never change.

― J, Wednesday, 21 October 2015 12:09 (ten years ago)

one year passes...

I'm stuck on him.

― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 23 May 2017 02:43 (eight years ago)

I was confused about the inclusion of Nightshift before I realized you weren't restricting your Commodores considerations to only years he was a Commodore.

― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 23 May 2017 02:52 (eight years ago)

my wife's a big fan and i went with her to a gig a few years ago with fairly low expectations but tbh it's one of the best gigs i've ever been to as far as staging, pacing and frequency of hits goes

the guy puts on a hell of a show and he is massively charismatic onstage

― 🎵 it's grey pubic now, stoner blue 🎵 (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, 23 May 2017 09:06 (eight years ago)

eleven months pass...

Lionel is classic as fuck.

― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Tuesday, 24 April 2018 18:29 (eight years ago)

nine months pass...

What the bloody hell happens three minutes into Say You, Say Me? I mean it wasn't a great song anyway but this hot garbage won an Oscar.

― Your dad's Carlos Boozer and you keep him alive (fionnland), Saturday, 16 February 2019 13:47 (seven years ago)

three months pass...

Lionel Richie IS classic as fuck.

― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 30 May 2019 00:21 (six years ago)

I'd forgotten about 'Don't Wanna Lose You'! Saw the video to that quite a lot in '96, and it made the Top 20. I can still sing it in my head now even though I haven't heard it for 23 years.

― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 30 May 2019 01:55 (six years ago)

two years pass...

https://i.imgur.com/pn8lXBh.png

― calstars, Thursday, 17 February 2022 01:40 (four years ago)

Lionel Richie's stuff is wildly uneven to me, but I lean towards the Commodores hits. There's really not much by the post-Richie Commodores that I want to play, but I like "Night Shift" more than any of their previous hits except "Brick House."

― birdistheword, Thursday, 17 February 2022 15:59 (four years ago)

(Even though those two do not have Richie on lead vocals, he's still THE guy in that group.)

― birdistheword, Thursday, 17 February 2022 16:01 (four years ago)

"Night Shift" is a lovely neon puddle a-shimmer.

― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 17 February 2022 16:03 (four years ago)

Even now I have to echo "Marvin... Marvin..." when I hear his name.

― Halfway there but for you, Thursday, 17 February 2022 16:11 (four years ago)

I still have no regrets about putting that song on the top of my ballot when we polled Motown a few years back.

― Les hommes de bonbons (cryptosicko), Thursday, 17 February 2022 16:57 (four years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7j9iSbz0qc

― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 17 February 2022 18:13 (four years ago)

^^ love this scene and movie

― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 17 February 2022 18:18 (four years ago)

Pre-Cambrian ILM was a miserable place..

― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 17 February 2022 18:20 (four years ago)

The most charismatic and charming man I ever interviewed. Total classic, even the soppy stuff. Somebody needs to sing about endless love, and he's the master of it.

― mike t-diva, Thursday, 17 February 2022 19:09 (four years ago)

“Hello” is a masterpiece

― calstars, Thursday, 17 February 2022 19:49 (four years ago)

"Easy" is undeniable.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Thursday, 17 February 2022 19:50 (four years ago)

Was in a supermarket last weekend and saw his face on the cover of People or similar and he pretty much looks the same these days.

― deep luminous trombone (Eazy), Friday, 18 February 2022 00:13 (four years ago)

The pulse in “Running With The Night” alone means Lionel will be forever classic

― Master of Treacle, Friday, 18 February 2022 00:19 (four years ago)

The end of the first verse of "Three Times a Lady" is my favourite Lionel Richie moment: "...I must say out loud...", goes to the discordant augmented (?) chord, and then hangs on it for an extra measure before the chorus. He knows he has you hooked, he can keep you listening through this strange chord.

― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 18 February 2022 00:48 (four years ago)

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