"Ballerina Girl" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Lionel Richie | ||||
from the album Dancing on the Ceiling | ||||
B-side | "Deep River Woman" | |||
Released | November 1986 | |||
Recorded | Winter 1985 | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 3:36 | |||
Label | Motown | |||
Songwriter(s) | Lionel Richie | |||
Producer(s) | Lionel Richie James Anthony Carmichael | |||
Lionel Richie singles chronology | ||||
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Audio | ||||
"Ballerina Girl" on YouTube |
"Ballerina Girl" is a song written and recorded by Lionel Richie, from his 1986 album Dancing on the Ceiling . The song was written for Lionel's daughter, Nicole. [1] [2] [3] In the US and Canada, the song was released as a double A-side, with "Deep River Woman" entering the charts in January 1987.
"Ballerina Girl" peaked at number five on the soul charts. [4] The song was also the last of Richie's eleven number ones on the Adult Contemporary charts, spending four weeks on top. "Ballerina Girl" peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 [5] in early 1987.
The song was covered by Steve Winwood in 1997 and Luther Vandross in 2000.[ citation needed ]
In the music video, Richie plays the song on a piano in a ballet school, while young ballet students dance. [6]
7" Single
Chart (1986–1987) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report) [7] | 43 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [8] | 22 |
Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [9] | 1 |
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [10] | 10 |
France (SNEP) [11] | 18 |
Germany (GfK) [12] | 66 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [13] | 35 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [14] | 39 |
South Africa (Springbok SA Top 20) | 24 |
UK Singles (OCC) [15] | 17 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [16] | 7 |
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [17] | 1 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [18] | 5 |
Chart (1987) | Position |
---|---|
Canada Top Singles (RPM) [19] | 79 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles) [20] | 90 |
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard) [21] | 95 |
"All Night Long (All Night)" is a song by American singer and songwriter Lionel Richie from his second solo album, Can't Slow Down (1983). The song combined Richie's Commodores style with Caribbean influences. The single reached number one on three Billboard charts (pop, R&B and adult contemporary). In the UK, it peaked at number two on the singles chart.
"Endless Love" is a song written by Lionel Richie and originally recorded as a duet between Richie and singer/actress Diana Ross. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by Luther Vandross with R&B-pop singer Mariah Carey, and also by country music singer Shania Twain. Billboard has named the original version as the greatest song duet of all time.
"Three Times a Lady" is a 1978 song by American soul group Commodores for their album Natural High, written by lead singer Lionel Richie. It was produced by James Anthony Carmichael and Commodores.
"Missing You" is a song performed by American singer Diana Ross, recorded for her 1984 album Swept Away. The song was written, composed, and produced by Lionel Richie as a tribute to Marvin Gaye, who was murdered by his father earlier that year. The memorial song was released as the album's fourth single on November 13, 1984, by RCA. Richie also provided background vocals on the song.
"Easy" is a song by American band Commodores from their fifth studio album, Commodores (1977), released on the Motown label. Group member Lionel Richie wrote "Easy" with the intention of it becoming another crossover hit for the group given the success of a previous single, "Just to Be Close to You", which spent two weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977.
"Nightshift" is a 1985 song by the Commodores and the title track from their album of the same name. The song was written by lead singer Walter Orange in collaboration with Dennis Lambert and Franne Golde as a tribute to soul/R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, both of whom died in 1984. The song was released as the album's first single in January 1985 by Motown Records. "Nightshift" was recorded in 1984 and became the Commodores' first hit after Lionel Richie's departure from the group. Bruce Springsteen covered the song in his 2022 studio album, Only the Strong Survive.
"Say You, Say Me" is a song written and recorded by American singer and songwriter Lionel Richie for the film White Nights. The single hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the Hot Black Singles chart in December 1985. It also became Richie's ninth number-one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The track is not available on the film's soundtrack album, as Motown did not want Richie's first single following the massive success of his 1983 album Can't Slow Down to appear on another label. It was included by Motown on Richie's 1986 release Dancing on the Ceiling.
"Hello" is a song by American singer and songwriter Lionel Richie. Taken as the third single from his second solo album, Can't Slow Down (1983), the song was released in 1984 and reached number one on three Billboard music charts: the pop chart, the R&B chart, and the Adult Contemporary chart. The song also went to number one on the UK Singles Chart for six weeks.
"Let's Hear It for the Boy" is a song by Deniece Williams that appeared on the soundtrack to the feature film Footloose. The song was released as a single from both the soundtrack and her album of the song's same name Columbia Records. It was written by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford and produced by George Duke. The song became Williams' second number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on May 26, 1984. It also topped Billboard's dance and R&B charts and on the Cash Box Top 100. It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, behind "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and was certified platinum in the US and gold in Canada and the UK by the Recording Industry Association of America, Music Canada and the British Phonographic Industry, respectively. The music video was released in mid-April 1984. The song features background vocals from George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, who would go on to form the duo Boy Meets Girl.
Lionel Richie is an American R&B and pop singer, who has released 11 studio albums, three live albums, and seven compilation albums. Formerly the lead vocalist of The Commodores, Richie began a solo career in the early 1980s and has released over 40 singles, five of which became number-one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"I Don't Want to Talk About It" is a song written by American guitarist Danny Whitten. It was first recorded by American rock band Crazy Horse and issued as the final track on side one of their 1971 eponymous album. It was Whitten's signature tune, but gained more fame via its numerous cover versions, especially that by Rod Stewart. Cash Box magazine has described it as "a magnificent ballad outing."
"Do It to Me" is a song by American singer Lionel Richie. The song was written by Richie, and produced by himself and Stewart Levine. It was the first single from his first compilation album, Back to Front and was released in 1992 by Motown Records. The song spent one week at number one on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Do It to Me" also achieved some success in European countries, becoming a top ten hit in France and Norway. The song samples the drum break "Sneakin' in the Back" by Tom Scott.
"Truly" is the debut solo single by American singer-songwriter Lionel Richie. Resuming where he left off with D-flat major tunes "Sail On" and particularly "Still" when he was lead for the Commodores, Richie wrote the song and co-produced it with James Anthony Carmichael.
"Lady" is a song written by Lionel Richie and first recorded by American country music artist Kenny Rogers. It was released in September 1980 on the album Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits.
"Rhythm of the Night" is a song by American musical recording group DeBarge, written by Diane Warren and released on February 23, 1985, on the Motown label as the first single from their fourth studio album of the same name. The song was Warren's breakthrough as a songwriter and was the biggest hit recorded by the Motown family singing group, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
"My Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter Lionel Richie. It was released in 1983 as the third and final single from his self-titled debut solo album. The song features harmony backing vocals by country music singer Kenny Rogers. It reached the top 10 on three notable Billboard magazine charts in the spring of 1983: on the Billboard Hot 100 the song peaked at No. 5; on the Adult Contemporary chart, the song spent four weeks at No. 1; and on the R&B chart, the song topped out at No. 6. "My Love" was not among Richie's more successful singles in the United Kingdom, where it only managed to reach No. 70 on the UK Singles Chart. In Canada, it peaked at No. 28 on the RPM Top 100 Singles chart.
"Running with the Night" is the second single released from American singer and songwriter Lionel Richie's multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning 1983 album, Can't Slow Down. Richie co-wrote the song with songwriter Cynthia Weil and co-produced it with James Anthony Carmichael.
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"Oh No" is an R&B ballad from the 1981 Commodores album In the Pocket. Written by Lionel Richie, the song was released as a single in 1981, being his last hit with the Commodores before going solo.