Right Here Waiting
| "Right Here Waiting" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Richard Marx | ||||
| from the album Repeat Offender | ||||
| B-side | "Wait for the Sunrise" | |||
| Released | June, 1989 | |||
| Format | 7" single, CD single, cassette | |||
| Recorded |
February 11, 1989 (Magic Record Studios, Salt Lake City) | |||
| Genre | Soft rock, piano rock | |||
| Length | 4:24 | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Writer(s) | Richard Marx | |||
| Producer(s) |
Richard Marx David Cole | |||
| Certification | RIAA Platinum | |||
| Richard Marx singles chronology | ||||
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"Right Here Waiting" is a song by American singer-songwriter Richard Marx. It was released in June 1989 as the second single from his second album, Repeat Offender. The song was a global smash, topping charts throughout the world, including the U.S. where it hit number-one on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] It was certified Platinum by the RIAA.[2]
Original version
Background and writing
"Right Here Waiting" was the second single from Repeat Offender, after "Satisfied". Marx wrote the song on the road as a love letter to his wife, actress Cynthia Rhodes, who was in South Africa shooting for a film.[3] The track was arranged by Marx with Jeffery (C.J.) Vanston to feature none of the heavy drums and synth popular at the time, with Marx's vocal accompanied only by classical guitar (by Bruce Gaitsch} and keyboards (by Vanston). It is one of Marx's most frequently covered compositions.
Chart performances
"Right Here Waiting" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at number 44, the week of July 8, 1989, and became Marx's third consecutive number-one single on August 12, 1989.[1] Certified Gold on August 21, the record spent three consecutive weeks at number-one, replaced by Paula Abdul's "Cold Hearted", the week of September 2, 1989. The song was Marx's first of several to go to number-one on the Hot Adult Contemporary Chart. Certified Platinum on October 16, 1989, "Right Here Waiting" is Marx's best selling single. It is also his most enduring, charting in the top 15 of Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Recurrents chart for four years running—from 2000–2003, more than ten years after its release.
In the United Kingdom, the song was released in September 1989 and peaked at number 2.[4]
Music video
Three music videos were reportedly filmed for the song, although two were deemed "too sexual" in nature. Both were allegedly shunned and banned by lobbyist before the release ever hit the public's screens.[citation needed] Included in the first banned video was a 42 second "soft core" sex scene, involving Richard and the love interest this song refers to.
The second video was picked over with a fine-toothed comb. Complaints were reportedly made about every minor detail, including Marx briefly holding hands with a man (?), and the backup dancers' clothing being "too tight".[citation needed]
After the criticism, Richard's producers supposedly denied any creative control to him, and ordered that he film a three minute sequence of him playing the piano. This became the official music video for "Right Here Waiting".[citation needed]
Track listings
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Charts and sales
Peak positions
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End of year charts
Certifications
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Chart successions
| Preceded by "If You Don't Know Me by Now" by Simply Red |
Billboard Adult Contemporary (chart) number-one single August 5, 1989 (6 weeks) |
Succeeded by "One" by The Bee Gees |
| Preceded by "Batdance" by Prince |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single August 12, 1989 - August 26, 1989 (3 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Cold Hearted" by Paula Abdul |
| Preceded by "If You Don't Know Me By Now" by Simply Red |
Australian ARIA number-one single September 10, 1989 - October 8, 1989 (5 weeks) |
Succeeded by "If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher |
| Preceded by "Every Day (I Love You More)" by Jason Donovan |
Irish IRMA number-one single September 21, 1989 (1 week) |
Succeeded by "Ride on Time" by Black Box |
| Preceded by "Swing the Mood" by Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers |
New Zealand RIANZ number-one single November 10, 1989 - November 24, 1989 (3 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Escaping" by Margaret Urlich |
Cover versions
Monica cover version
| "Right Here Waiting" | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||||
| Single by Monica | ||||||||||
| from the album The Boy is Mine | ||||||||||
| Released | December 14, 1999 (R&B radio) | |||||||||
| Format | Vinyl | |||||||||
| Recorded | 1998 | |||||||||
| Genre | R&B | |||||||||
| Length | 4:29 | |||||||||
| Label |
Arista 13577 | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Richard Marx, Bruce Gaitsch | |||||||||
| Producer(s) | David Foster | |||||||||
| Monica singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Right Here Waiting" was covered by American R&B artist Monica. It was only released in the United States in December 1999 as the seventh and final single from her second studio album The Boy Is Mine and features R&B band 112. No music video was made for the song.
Charts
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles | 1 |
Other cover versions
- In 1990, The Shadows did an instrumental of the song on their album Reflection.
- In 1990, JC Chasez (former 'N Sync member) sang the song for an audition for The Mickey Mouse Club when he was 14.
- In 1992, Wayne Wonder released a cover track on the album Wayne Wonder Meets Sanchez, Part 1.
- In 1995, Dutch singer Rob de Nijs recorded it as "Waarheen", with new lyrics that stayed close to the original.
- Cantonese singer Kenny Bee covered the song in the 1990s under the name "紅葉斜落我心寂寞時" which roughly translates as "The falling maple leaves reflect the loneliness of my heart".[11]
- In 2000, it was covered by Portrait on their greatest hits album.
- In 2001, it appeared on Cliff Richard's covers album Wanted.
- In 2002, it appeared on Bonnie Tyler's covers album Heart Strings.
- In 2004, singer Donny Osmond included a cover of the song on his album What I Meant To Say.
- In 2005, American Idol celebrity William Hung recorded a cover for his album Miracle: Happy Summer from William Hung.
- In 2005, a cover was included on Matt Tyler's album Love Songs.
- In 2005, an uptempo dance cover remixed by CJ Crew & DJ Kambel was included on the Dancemania compilation Covers 01.
- In 2006, it was covered by Clay Aiken on his album A Thousand Different Ways.
- In 2006, Julio Iglesias recorded a cover for his album Romantic Classics.
- In 2007, Shaun Rogerson recorded the song for his 2007 debut album Shaun after singing it at his successful audition for the third UK series of The X Factor.
- In 2007, Lemon Ice covered the song on their album One.
- In 2007, Filipino singer Martin Nievera covered the song for his album, Milestones.
- In 2008, American singer Alexander O'Neal included a cover of the song on his album Alex Loves.
- In 2008, entertainer John Barrowman covered the song for his album Music Music Music.
- In 2008, Ultrabeat covered the song on their album Discolights: The Album.
- In 2008, Barry Manilow covered the song for his album The Greatest Songs of the Eighties.
- In 2009, a cover of the song was included on And Then There Were None's album Who Speaks for Planet Earth.
- In 2009, Filipino singer Kris Lawrence covered the song for his album Moments Of Love, which features singer Jay-R.
- In 2009, Filipina singer Sarah Geronimo covered the song for her album, Music and Me.
- In 2010, Jason Donovan recorded a cover version of "Right Here Waiting" for his 1980s covers album Soundtrack of the 80s.
- Portuguese group Myth sampled the piano riff and chorus of "Right Here Waiting" for their song "Amor Eterno".
- In 2013, Wayne Wonder covered the song for the second time on the G.S.U.M 2 Riddim.
- Melody Thornton covered the song, adding additional lyrics.[12]
Live cover performances
- Irish boyband Westlife performed the song live during concerts in 1998.
- In 2002, Cheryl Cole sang the song in the final of Popstars: The Rivals.
- British singer Shayne Ward performed the song as a contestant on The X Factor 2005; after he won, it became the B-side to his Christmas number 1 single, "That's My Goal".
- In 2012, American Idol Season 11 finalist Heejun Han performed the song while in the remaining Top 11.
Parodies and influences on other songs
- Pearl Jam performed a short parody version of it at a concert in Singapore on March 3, 1995.
- Members of the cast of the TV series Leverage perform the song in a 2011 promo ad for the TNT network's mobile application, with Marx making a cameo appearance to sing a line.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved September 8, 2008)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 U.S. certifications riaa.com (Retrieved September 8, 2008)
- ↑ Right Here Waiting Songfacts
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Right Here Waiting", UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved September 8, 2008)
- ↑ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved February 15, 2008)
- ↑ Italian peaks
- ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ↑ 1989 Australian Singles Chart aria.com (Retrieved September 8, 2008)
- ↑ Canada certifications cria.ca (Retrieved September 8, 2008)
- ↑ UK certifications Bpi.co.uk (Retrieved September 8, 2008)
- ↑
- ↑ Melody Thornton Lyrics
External links
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