Endless Love (song)

Last updated

"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. Richie's friend (and sometimes co-worker) Kenny Rogers also recorded the song. Billboard has named the original version as the greatest song duet of all time. [2]

Contents

About the record

Ross and Richie recorded the song for Motown, and it was used as the theme for Franco Zeffirelli's film adaptation of Scott Spencer's novel Endless Love. (Jamie Bernstein, as the character Susan, sings the song during the course of the movie.) Produced by Richie and arranged by Gene Page, it was released as a single from the film's soundtrack in 1981. While the film Endless Love was a modest box-office success, the song became the second-biggest selling single of the year (first was "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes) in the United States and reached number one on the Hot 100, where it stayed for nine weeks from August 15 to October 10, 1981. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart and the Adult Contemporary chart, and reached number seven in the United Kingdom. It also became the most successful duet of the rock era, surpassing the Everly Brothers' 1957 hit "Wake Up Little Susie", which spent four weeks at number one. Both songs spent six months on the chart, with "Endless Love" eclipsing the Everlys' hit by one week. [3]

Record World called it a "super ballad" that is "overflowing with drama and tenderness". [4]

The soulful composition became the biggest-selling single of Ross's career, and her 18th and final career number-one single in the USA (including her work with the Supremes). It is also Richie's best-charting single, and the first of several hits for him during the 1980s. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for Richie, and was the second song with which Ross was involved that was nominated for an Oscar. It also won a 1982 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single. Ross recorded a solo version of the song for her first RCA Records album, Why Do Fools Fall in Love , the duet version being her last hit on Motown. Richie's solo version was released as track 10 on the 2003 remastered bonus edition of his 1982 album.

Charts

"Endless Love"
Diana-Ross-Endless-Love.jpg
Cover art for UK, Italian, and Greek vinyl releases
Single by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
from the album Endless Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side "Endless Love" (instrumental)
Released26 June 1981 (US) [1]
Recorded1981
Genre R&B
Length4:24
Label Motown
Songwriter(s) Lionel Richie
Producer(s) Lionel Richie
Diana Ross singles chronology
"Cryin' My Heart out for You"
(1981)
"Endless Love"
(1981)
"Why Do Fools Fall in Love"
(1981)

Certifications

Certifications for "Endless Love"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [33] Platinum70,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [34] Platinum150,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [35]
sales since 2004
Gold400,000
United States (RIAA) [36] Platinum2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Credits

Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey version

Central Airplay ( Music & Media ) [57]
"Endless Love"
Endlesslove.jpg
Single by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey
from the album Songs
ReleasedAugust 26, 1994 (1994-08-26)
Genre R&B
Length4:21
Label
Songwriter(s) Lionel Richie
Producer(s) Walter Afanasieff
Luther Vandross singles chronology
"Never Let Me Go"
(1993)
"Endless Love"
(1994)
"Always and Forever"
(1994)
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Anytime You Need a Friend"
(1994)
"Endless Love"
(1994)
"All I Want for Christmas Is You"
(1994)
7
Europe East Central Airplay ( Music & Media ) [58] 3
Europe North Airplay ( Music & Media ) [58] 2
Europe Northwest Airplay ( Music & Media ) [58] 1
Europe South Airplay ( Music & Media ) [59] 12
Europe West Airplay ( Music & Media ) [60] 4
Europe West Central Airplay ( Music & Media ) [58] 3
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [61] 11
France (SNEP) [62] 12
Germany (Official German Charts) [63] 14
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [64] 5
Ireland (IRMA) [65] 4
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [66] 8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [67] 4
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [68] 6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [69] 1
Norway (VG-lista) [70] 6
Scotland (OCC) [71] 6
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [72] 10
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [73] 6
UK Singles (OCC) [74] 3
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [75] 5
UK Airplay ( Music Week ) [76] 2
US Billboard Hot 100 [77] 2
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [78] 11
US Dance Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [79] 25
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [80] 7
US Mainstream Top 40 ( Billboard ) [81] 7
US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [82] 5
US Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles [83] 3
US Adult Contemporary ( Radio & Records ) [84] 4
US CHR/Top 40 ( Radio & Records ) [85] 4
US Hot AC/Adult CHR ( Radio & Records ) [86] 12
US Urban Contemporary ( Radio & Records ) [87] 6
Chart (2014)Peak
position
South Korea International (Gaon) [88] 63

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)Rank
Australia (ARIA) [89] 27
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) [90] 20
Canada Top Singles (RPM) [91] 56
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) [92] 52
European Hot 100 Singles (Music & Media) [53] 43
European Hit Radio (Music & Media) [93] 36
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [94] 38
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [95] 62
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [96] 58
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [97] 10
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [98] 77
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [99] 49
UK Singles (OCC) [100] 44
US Billboard Hot 100 [101] 56
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) [101] 88
US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records) [102] 28
US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records) [102] 46
US Urban (Radio & Records) [102] 69
Chart (1995)Rank
Canada Retail Singles ( The Record ) [103] 28

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [104] Platinum70,000^
Japan (RIAJ) [105] Gold50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [106] Platinum10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI) [45] Gold400,000
United States (RIAA) [44] Platinum1,000,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesAugust 26, 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • cassette
  • maxi cassette
  • CD
  • maxi CD
Columbia [44] [107]
United KingdomSeptember 5, 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • cassette
  • CD
Epic [108]

Lionel Richie and Shania Twain version

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"Endless Love"
Lionel Richie & Shania Twain - Endless Love.png
Single by Lionel Richie featuring Shania Twain
from the album Tuskegee
ReleasedFebruary 7, 2012
Recorded2011
Genre
Length4:18
Label Universal Music Nashville
Songwriter(s) Lionel Richie
Producer(s)
Lionel Richie singles chronology
"All Night Long"
(2011)
"Endless Love"
(2012)
"Say You, Say Me"
(2012)
Shania Twain singles chronology
"Today Is Your Day"
(2011)
"Endless Love"
(2012)
"Life's About to Get Good"
(2017)