"Hello" is a song by Lionel Richie. Taken as the third single from his second solo album Can't Slow Down, the song was released in 1984 and reached number one on three Billboard music charts: the pop chart (for two weeks), the R&B chart (for three weeks), and the adult contemporary chart (for six weeks). The song also went to number one in the UK Singles Chart for six weeks. The song later inspired a lawsuit by songwriter Marjorie Hoffman White, who accused Richie of plagiarizing her composition "I'm Not Ready to Go".
Video Hello (Lionel Richie song)
Composition
The song is written in the key of A minor. The verses follow the chord progression of Am9--Cmaj7/G--Fmaj7--C6/G--Fmaj7. The chorus features a Neapolitan chord (Bb).
Maps Hello (Lionel Richie song)
Music video
The music video, directed by Bob Giraldi, features the story of Richie as a theater and acting teacher having a seemingly unrequited love for a blind student (Laura Carrington) until he discovers she shares the feeling as demonstrated by the discovery that she is sculpting a likeness of his head. The bust used in the video, which bears little resemblance to Richie, has been parodied in popular culture. Richie himself complained to the video's director, Bob Giraldi, that the bust did not look like him. Director Giraldi's response was "Lionel, she's blind..."
Pop culture
The song is memorable for the line "Hello, is it me you're looking for?". That phrase started the song's composition, as James Anthony Carmichael visited Richie, and after the singer greeted him that way, Carmichael replied, "Finish that song." Richie initially felt that the song was "corny" but ultimately "by the time I finished the verse, I fell in love with the song again."
The guitar solo on the song was played by session guitarist Louie Shelton. In pop culture, the song is featured in the films Bitter Moon, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Herbie: Fully Loaded, Scary Movie 4, Are We Done Yet?, Shrek Forever After, Hard Boiled, Colour Me Kubrick, Happy Feet, Paddington, Trolls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, and The Hitman's Bodyguard. It has also been featured in the television shows The Goldbergs, Family Guy, Seinfeld, Community, and Glee as well in commercials for companies like the Philippine fast-food Mang Inasal, Yahoo! and IKEA.
Charts and certifications
Cover versions
- Kikki Danielsson recorded the song as "Du" ("You"), with lyrics in Swedish by Keith Almgren, on her 1985 album Bra vibrationer.
- In 2011, American bachata singer Berto La Voz covered the song which was released as the first single from his debut album Llego La Voz. This version peaked at #11 on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart.
- As a part of the tribute to Richie at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards on February 15, 2016, American singer Demi Lovato gave a rendition of the song. Her cover version eventually peaked at 15 on the Billboard Twitter Top Tracks chart.
- American band Incubus performed the song during their Live in Manila 2015 tour in Manila, Philippines.
See also
- List of number-one singles of 1984 (Australia)
- List of Belgian number-one singles of 1984 (Flanders))
- List of number-one singles of 1984 (Canada)
- List of number-one singles of 1984 (Ireland)
- List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1984
- List of number-one singles in 1984 (New Zealand)
- List of number-one singles of 1984 (Switzerland)
- List of UK Singles Chart number ones of 1984
- List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1984
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1984 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B singles of 1984 (U.S.)
- List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1984
References
External links
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
- "Hello" on YouTube
Source of article : Wikipedia
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