Don't
you find it true that we all can use a little down time these days?
Just a moment to step away from the craziness of life, take a deep
breath, and relax. Some may enjoy reading a chapter of a favorite
book, others may like to leisurely sip a favorite beverage. Here at
the Radio Dial, we prefer to listen to songs that have slipped out of
the playlists of most radio stations years ago. We invite you to share
one of these relaxing moments with us, as we listen to (and review)
Paul Anka’s 1983 minor hit ballad, “Hold
Me ‘Til the Mornin’ Comes”.
“Two
broken hearts… neither one knows what to say… both falling from
love, but not quite all the way”
Written
by Anka and legendary songsmith David Foster, and featuring Chicago
frontman Peter Cetera on the chorus, “Hold Me...” is a plaintive
tune concerning a man attempting to reconcile with his lady love
after a regretful breakup. Anka's character is remorseful, yet
reserved, as he lays his emotions on the line to the girl he pushed
aside.
A
#40 pop and US #2 AC hit single taken from his ’83 LP “Walk A
Fine Line”, “Hold Me...” would be the final top 40 entry
for Paul, who first charted on the Hot 100 26 years earlier with
1957’s US #2 “Diana”.
His
hits continued with the pop standards “Put
Your Head on My Shoulder” (US #2, 1959),
and “Puppy Love”,
(US #2, 1960) and the 70’s cheesefest “You’re
Having My Baby” (US #1 ’74). He also
authored the lyrics to Frank Sinatra’s soul-stirring inspirational
classic “My Way”.
(It amuses me that Anka was responsible for these last two songs in
particular, as they are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of
respectability.)
“Hold
Me…” experienced an indirect revival of sorts in the late 90s as
the music in the bridge section was sampled in KC and JoJo's 1998 #1
smash ballad “All My Life”,
though personally, I find Paul's recording to be a much better song.
It’s more melodic and genuinely romantic, unlike the whiny and
manufactured vibe I get from KC and JoJo's concoction. Though since
Anka is listed as a co-writer for the later hit (due to the sample),
and that single far outsold the 1983 original, I'm sure he didn't
complain when he cashed those royalty checks! (I know I wouldn't
have!)
“Where
shall we start… a tender word that we can share… and if we
believe… in time we will get there.”
Back
in the 80s, and because of the Peter Cetera vocal, I always assumed I
was hearing a Chicago track, with verses sung by a Chicago member
that didn't ordinarily handle lead vocal, leaving Peter to sing the
chorus. I was only recently reunited this year with “Hold Me...”
when I caught it on a local AM station, and upon rehearing it after
all that time, I still initially misidentified it as a now obscure
Chicago ballad. Imagine my surprise when I looked it up, and found it
was Paul “You’re Having My Baby” Anka!
"Hold Me..." was among the first group of songs I came to know under the term “Adult
Contemporary”, along with Sergio Mendez's “Never
Gonna Let You Go” (#4, ’83), and Patti
Austin and James Ingram's “Baby, Come To Me”
(#1, ’83), pleasant melodic hits informed by soul techniques and
jazz smoothness. Of course, as the years went on, this sub-genre of
pop often came under ridicule and derision, being accused of
saccharine lyrics and an overall banality. But I think this is
unfair. If you're looking for a relaxing vibe you can't get much
better than AC tracks, especially from this era. And anything to help
reduce stress in this crazy world is a good thing.
“Would
you still love me in the mornin’? Would you still be there in the
mornin’? Or would you leave without a warnin’? Say you love me
too…”
Anka's ballad also joins the ranks of other great tunes that peaked at the
last position of the top 40 like Paul Simon's “Still
Crazy After All These Years”
('75), The Buggles “Video Killed The Radio Star” ('79), Alice
Cooper's “Clones
(We're All)”
('80), Blue Oyster Cult's “Burnin'
For You”
('81), and “Just
Like Heaven”
by The Cure ('88). Give it a listen too, and see if you agree that a
#40 peak is way too low for a ballad this smooth and classy.
“Darlin’,
hold me til’ the mornin’ comes… until I see you smile… take
all the sadness from your eyes…”
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