Secret Lovers

This article is about the Atlantic Starr song. For the South Korean TV drama, see The Secret Lovers. For the Charles McCarry novel, see The Secret Lovers (novel).
"Secret Lovers"
Single by Atlantic Starr
from the album As the Band Turns
B-side When Love Calls
Released 1985
Format 7" maxi single
Recorded 1984
Genre R&B, pop
Length 5:30
Label A&M
Writer(s) David Lewis, Wayne Lewis
Producer(s) David Lewis, Wayne Lewis
Atlantic Starr singles chronology
"Silver Shadow"
(1985)
"Secret Lovers"
(1985)
"If Your Heart Isn't in It"
(1986)

"Secret Lovers", released in 1985, was the third single from As the Band Turns, the sixth album from R&B group, Atlantic Starr. "Secret Lovers" was Atlantic Starr's true breakthrough hit on the pop charts in both the US and UK, though the group had previously minor pop and R&B hits in both countries. The flip side "When Love Calls" had previously been issued in the US in 1981 as a single (A & M records AM-8634) and proved a substantial club success in the UK where its presence contributed to sales of "Secret Lovers".

Sung as a duet between Atlantic Starr members Barbara Weathers and David Lewis, "Secret Lovers" is the story of a man and a woman who are having an affair with each other even though they are both married to other people. Although they know their actions are wrong and are forced to keep their relationship secret as a result (hence the title of the song), they love each other too much to let the affair end. They also justify the affair by trying to convince themselves that maybe their spouses have their own "secret lovers" as well.

A new recording of that track has been done by Alexander O'Neal alongside Mica Paris, and was released as the first single from O'Neal's album Alex Loves....

Usher sampled the song in 2008 for his hit single "Love in This Club Part II", which features Beyoncé and Lil Wayne.

On The Steve Harvey Show episode "Fool and the Gang," Regina rehearsed the song with Steve, but suffered stage fright onstage, prompting Cedric to sing Regina's lines with Steve. As they got to the chorus of the song ("Secret Lovers, that's what we are ..."), they instead sang "Secret Lovers. ... oh no, we're not," prompting laughter from the audience and an immediate song change.

Chart positions

Chart (1986) Peak
position
New Zealand Singles Chart[1]
8
UK Singles Chart
10
US Billboard Hot 100
3
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
1
US Billboard Hot Black Singles
4

Year-end charts

Chart (1986) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 12

See also

References

  1. NZ Chart Position @ finnishcharts.com Retrieved September 2009
Preceded by
"These Dreams" by Heart
US Billboard Adult Contemporary number-one single
April 5, 1986
Succeeded by
"Overjoyed" by Stevie Wonder
Preceded by
"Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" by Glass Tiger
Canadian RPM 100 number-one single
April 12, 1986
Succeeded by
"Bop" by Dan Seals

External links