Can't Fight This Feeling

For the Junior Caldera song, see Can't Fight This Feeling (Junior Caldera song).
"Can't Fight This Feeling"
Single by REO Speedwagon
from the album Wheels Are Turnin'
B-side "Break His Spell"
Released December 31, 1984 (UK)
January 23, 1985 (US)
Format Vinyl
Recorded August 1984
Genre Soft rock[1]
Length 4:55
Label Epic
Writer(s) Kevin Cronin
Producer(s) Kevin Cronin, Gary Richrath, Alan Gratzer
REO Speedwagon singles chronology
"I Do' Wanna Know"
(1984)		 "Can't Fight This Feeling"
(1984)		 "One Lonely Night"
(1985)

"Can't Fight This Feeling" is a power ballad[2] performed by the American rock band REO Speedwagon, the single remained three consecutive weeks at the number one position at the U.S. Hot 100 chart from March 9 to March 23, 1985.[3]

The song is about a man falling in love with a girl with whom he has been friends with for a long time. The song first appeared on REO Speedwagon's 1984 album Wheels Are Turnin'. It was the group's second number-one hit on the U.S. charts (the first being 1981's "Keep on Loving You", also written by Kevin Cronin) and reached number sixteen in the UK.[4] "Can't Fight This Feeling" has appeared on dozens of 'various artists' compilation albums, as well as several REO Speedwagon greatest hits albums.[5] REO Speedwagon performed the song at the 1985 Live Aid concert.

Music video

Two different music videos exist for the song. One is a basic video, appearing almost homemade, featuring the band in the studio. It begins with Kevin Cronin playing the piano, attempting to find the key in which he can best sing the song (starting off in G major, he later decides he can sing it better in A). After Cronin exchanges some laughs with his bandmates, the song officially begins; the video essentially consists of the band members lip-synching to the original track of the song. It then concludes with Cronin uttering the line, "That warmed the cockles of my cockles!"[6] The other version of the video is much more "professional," and makes various references to the life-cycle.[7] Both videos have been shown at various times on VH1 Classic.

In popular culture

"Can't Fight This Feeling" has been featured on soundtracks of films such as Not Another Teen Movie, Waiting..., Kickin' It Old Skool and Sex Drive. In 2012, a cover of the song performed by Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin appeared in the film Rock of Ages.

The song was heard on the South Park episode "Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy", the Fringe episode "Power Hungry", the series debut of The Goldbergs (titled "Circle of Driving"), as well as in the Showtime series Queer as Folk. It was featured in the King of the Hill episode "My Own Private Rodeo".

It was referred to in The CW show Supernatural, in season 2 episode 5, "Simon Said". Jo Harvelle turns this song on for Dean Winchester in Harvelle's Roadhouse. Later, he sings it in the car (claiming the song had stuck in his head to a very confused Sam Winchester).[8]

It was featured prominently in advertisements for the film, Horton Hears a Who!, and sung by the major characters near the end of the film as the titular character celebrates his vindication and his charges' salvation.[9]

A version of the song performed by Canadian actor and singer Cory Monteith was included on his audition tape for the Glee main cast; it helped to land him the biggest role of his career (Finn Hudson). Later, Monteith performed the song alongside the Glee Cast in the television series. The song was released as one of Glee‍ '​s early singles in 2009.[10]

Personnel

REO Speedwagon

Other Personnel

Charts

Peak positions

Chart (1984–85) Peak
position
Australian Kent Music Report[11] 2
Canada (CHUM)[12] 2
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[13] 4
Canadian RPM Singles Chart[14] 1
Germany Media Control Charts[15] 34
Irish Singles Chart[16] 5
Radio Luxemburg Singles[17] 13
New Zealand Singles Chart[18] 33
Poland (LP3)[19] 21
South African Singles Chart[20] 8
Swedish Singles Chart[21] 15
UK Singles Chart[22] 16
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 1
US Adult Contemporary[23] 3
US Top Rock Tracks[23] 5
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[23] 89
US Cash Box[24] 1
US Radio & Records (R&R)[25][26] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[27] 33
Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)[28] 33
US Billboard Hot 100[29] 13
US Cash Box[30] 10

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[31] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[32] Gold 500,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ "Explore: Soft Rock | Top Songs". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 12 November 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  2. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/reo-speedwagon-mn0000327735/biography
  3. ↑ List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1985
  4. ↑ "Reo Speedwagon | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
  5. ↑ "REO Speedwagon, Can't Fight This Feeling (Appears On)". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
  6. ↑ "REO Speedwagon, Can't Fight This Feeling (version 2: performance)". YouTube. 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2015-01-20.
  7. ↑ "REO Speedwagon, Can't Fight This Feeling (version 1)". YouTube. 2012-07-24. Retrieved 2015-01-20.
  8. ↑ "Supernatural - Dean Winchester sings REO Speedwagon". YouTube. 2007-06-24. Retrieved 2015-02-14.
  9. ↑ "Horton Hears a Who! (Can't Fight This Feeling)". YouTube. 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2015-02-14.
  10. ↑ Glee Singles
  11. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. ↑ CHART NUMBER 1475 – Saturday, March 30, 1985 at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 November 2006). CHUM. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8288." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 42, No. 5, April 13, 1985". RPM. RPM Music Publications Ltd. April 13, 1985. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Discographie REO Speedwagon". officialcharts.de. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Irish Singles Chart". The Irish Charts. Retrieved January 25, 2015. Note: REO Speedwagon must be searched manually.
  17. ↑ "REO Speedwagon Singles". umdmusic.com. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  18. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Can't Fight This Feeling". charts.org.nz. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Can't Fight This Feeling - R.E.O. Speedwagon" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  20. ↑ John Samson. "Can't Fight This Feeling in South African Chart". Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  21. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Can't Fight This Feeling". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  22. ↑ "UK album and singles database". everyHit.com. Retrieved January 25, 2015. Note: REO Speedwagon must be searched manually.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 "Wheels are Turnin' Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  24. ↑ CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MARCH 23, 1985 at the Wayback Machine (archived 1 October 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  25. ↑ REO Speedwagon
  26. ↑ Charts!
  27. ↑ "Forum - ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  28. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 43, No. 16, December 28, 1985". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  29. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1985". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  30. ↑ The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1985 at the Wayback Machine (archived 1 October 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  31. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – REO Speedwagon – Can't Fight This Feeling". Music Canada. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  32. ↑ "American single certifications – R.E.O. Speedwagon – Can't Fight This Feeling". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 19, 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links