Right Here Waiting
Encyclopedia
"Right Here Waiting" is a ballad
recorded by Richard Marx
on his second album, Repeat Offender. "Right Here Waiting" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
, the 700th song to do so. It also peaked at #2 in the United Kingdom
.
, who was in South Africa
shooting for a film. In an era of power ballads, "Right Here Waiting" distinguished itself by its understatement; 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.
The song is sometimes incorrectly attributed to Bryan Adams
, despite Adams never having performed it.
singles chart at #44, the week of July 8, 1989, and became his third consecutive #1 single on August 12, 1989. Certified Gold on August 21, the record spent three consecutive weeks at the summit, dislodged by Paula Abdul
's "Cold Hearted
", the week of September 2, 1989. The song was his first of several to go to #1 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 #2.
The second video, was picked at with a fine-toothed comb. Complaints were made about every minor detail, including Marx briefly holding hands with a man, and the backup dancers clothing being "too tight".
After the criticism, Marx's producers denied any creative control to Marx, and ordered that he film a 3 minute sequence of him playing the piano. This, unedited, became the music video to Right Here Waiting.
3" single
CD single
Cassette
song from Monica's second studio album The Boy Is Mine and features R&B band 112
. It was released as the album's seventh and final single in late 1999, only in the US, as a promotional vinyl. No music video was made for the song.
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
recorded by Richard Marx
Richard Marx
Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"...
on his second album, Repeat Offender. "Right Here Waiting" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, the 700th song to do so. It also peaked at #2 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Background and writing
"Right Here Waiting" was the second single from Repeat Offender, after "Satisfied". Marx wrote it on the road as a love letter to his wife, actress Cynthia RhodesCynthia Rhodes
Cynthia Rhodes is an American actress, singer and dancer most noted for her roles in Dirty Dancing, Flashdance and Staying Alive.- Career :...
, who was in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
shooting for a film. In an era of power ballads, "Right Here Waiting" distinguished itself by its understatement; 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
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
compositions.
The song is sometimes incorrectly attributed to Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, despite Adams never having performed it.
Chart performances
"Right Here Waiting" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
singles chart at #44, the week of July 8, 1989, and became his third consecutive #1 single on August 12, 1989. Certified Gold on August 21, the record spent three consecutive weeks at the summit, dislodged by Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
's "Cold Hearted
Cold Hearted
"Cold Hearted" is a single from Paula Abdul's album Forever Your Girl, written and co-produced by Elliot Wolff. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the album's third song to top the US chart...
", the week of September 2, 1989. The song was his first of several to go to #1 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 #2.
Music video
Three music videos were filmed for this single, although two were deemed "too sexual" in nature, and were shunned and banned by lobbyist before the release ever hit the public's screens. Included in the first banned video was 42 second "softcore" sex scene, involving Marx and the love interest this song refers to.The second video, was picked at with a fine-toothed comb. Complaints were made about every minor detail, including Marx briefly holding hands with a man, and the backup dancers clothing being "too tight".
After the criticism, Marx's producers denied any creative control to Marx, and ordered that he film a 3 minute sequence of him playing the piano. This, unedited, became the music video to Right Here Waiting.
Track listings
7" single- "Right Here Waiting" — 4:23
- "Wait for the Sunrise" — 4:13
3" single
- "Right Here Waiting" — 4:23
- "Wait for the Sunrise" — 4:13
- "Hold on to the Nights" (live at the Palace Theatre, Los Angeles, CA) — 4:48
CD single
- "Right Here Waiting"
- "Hold on to the Nights" (live)
- "That Was Lulu" (live)
- "Wild Life"
Cassette
- "Right Here Waiting" — 4:23
- "Wait for the Sunrise" — 4:13
- "Right Here Waiting" — 4:23
- "Wait for the Sunrise" — 4:13
Peak positions
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 19 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Mega Top 100 | 4 |
| German Singles Chart | 12 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 7 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 6 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
1 |
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 19 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1989) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 14 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Gold | September 27, 1989 | 50,000 |
| UK | Silver | September 1, 1989 | 200,000 |
| U.S. | Platinum | October 16, 1989 | 2,000,000 |
Chart successions
Monica cover version
"Right Here Waiting" is an R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song from Monica's second studio album The Boy Is Mine and features R&B band 112
112 (band)
112 is an American R&B quartet from Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly artists on Diddy's Bad Boy Records, the group signed to the Def Soul roster in 2002. They had great success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as "Only You", "Anywhere" and "Peaches & Cream"...
. It was released as the album's seventh and final single in late 1999, only in the US, as a promotional vinyl. No music video was made for the song.
Charts
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|
Other cover versions
- In 1995, Dutch singer Rob de NijsRob de NijsRob de Nijs is a Dutch singer and actor, active since the 1960s.-1962-68:De Nijs, backed by The Lords, released his first single in 1962, Ritme van de Regen. In 1966 he embarked on a joint circus-tour with Johnny Lion...
recorded it as Waarheen, with new lyrics that stayed close to the original. - CantoneseCantoneseCantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
singer Kenny BeeKenny BeeChung Chun-to , better known as Kenny Bee, is a Hong Kong singer, musician and actor. He is well-known as a member of the Hong Kong English pop and cantopop band the Wynners, and as a solo artist who has been active in the Hong Kong entertainment industry for nearly three decades.-Career:Bee made...
covered the song in the 90's 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". - In 2000 it was covered by PortraitPortrait (group)Portrait are an American R&B vocal quartet, consisting of members Michael Angelo Saulsberry, Irving Washington III, Eric Kirkland and Philip Johnson.-Career:...
on their greatest hits album. - In 2001 it appeared on Cliff RichardCliff RichardSir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
's covers album WantedWanted (Cliff Richard album)Wanted is the 70th studio album by British singer Cliff Richard, released by Papillion on 5 November 2001 in the UK. This album was produced by Alan Tarney who had previously worked with Richard on the hits including "We Don't Talk Anymore", "Dreamin", "Wired for Sound" and "Some People". The two...
. - In 2002 it appeared on Bonnie TylerBonnie TylerBonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
's covers album Heart StringsHeart Strings (Bonnie Tyler album)-Charts:-Personnel:*Keyboards - David Aspden*Producers - David Aspden, Matt Prior*Engineers - David Aspden, Helen Atkinson, Alan Darby, Jan Holzner, Richard "Dread" Mann, Morten Munch, Michael Wolff*Assistant Engineer - Philip Rose...
. - In 2004, singer Donny OsmondDonny OsmondDonald Clark "Donny" Osmond is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long...
included a cover of the song on his album What I Meant To Say. - In 2005, American Idol celebrity William HungWilliam HungWilliam James Hung Hing Cheong , commonly known as William Hung, is an American singer who gained fame in early 2004 as a result of his off-key audition performance of Ricky Martin's hit song "She Bangs" on the third season of the television series...
recorded a cover for his album Miracle: Happy Summer from William HungMiracle: Happy Summer from William HungMiracle: Happy Summer from William Hung is William Hung's third album. It was released on July 12 2005.-Track listing:# "Miracle Moment"# "It's a Miracle"# "Because of You"# "Tie a Yellow Ribbon"# "Achy Breaky Heart"# "I Love L.A."# "Summer Moment"...
. - In 2005, a cover was included on Matt Tyler's album Love Songs.
- In 2005, an uptempo dance cover remixed by CJ CrewCJ CrewCJ Crew are a dance music DJ duo, consisting of Chris Bucknall and John Briely. Other aliases include Big Vin & Hugh Jardon, Chi K Monkey, Chi K Munki, Connie and the Plainsman, Demanche Noir, Muff and the Munchers, Nancy and the Boys, The Orff Ki Ensemble, Pyan Issim, Pynck Hobo, Terry and the...
& DJ KambelDJ KambelKurtis Campbell, better known as DJ Kambel, is a British electronic music DJ. While DJing in the UK happy hardcore scene, he composed many works for the mega-hit compilation Dancemanias Speed series, which made him one of the most frequently appearing artists on the series along with the likes of...
was included on the DancemaniaDancemaniaDancemania is a series of remix compilation albums by i-DANCE. The series deals primarily with dance music, especially eurodance. Despite its tracks have been made by various musicians from all over the world mainly from the European continent, the albums have been released exclusively in Japan.The...
compilation Covers 01Dancemania CoversDancemania Covers is a sub-series of the Dancemania compilation series, with various famous songs remixed and covered by various dance music acts.-Dancemania Covers:Dancemania Covers was released on July 16, 1997.-Dancemania Covers 2:...
. - In 2006, it was covered by Clay AikenClay AikenClayton Holmes "Clay" Aiken is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and author who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released...
on his album A Thousand Different WaysA Thousand Different WaysA Thousand Different Ways is the third studio album by Clay Aiken. The album, which was executive produced by Jaymes Foster, consists of ten covers and four new songs. It was released by RCA on September 19, 2006...
. - In 2006, Julio IglesiasJulio IglesiasJulio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
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 IceLemon IceLemon Ice was a German musical duo of mainly cover versions of songs. It was made up of singer Geeno and rapper Jay Low. Both originated from Nuremberg....
covered the song on their album One. - In 2007, Filipino singer Martin NieveraMartin NieveraMartin Ramon Razon Nievera is a singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the main hosts of musical variety show ASAP on ABS-CBN-Early life:...
covered the song for his album, Milestones. - In 2008, American singer Alexander O'NealAlexander O'NealAlexander O'Neal is an American R&B singer. He is best-known for the songs "If You Were Here Tonight" and "Fake", and the duets with Cherrelle, "Saturday Love" and "Never Knew Love Like This".-Biography:...
included a cover of the song on his album Alex Loves. - In 2008, entertainer John BarrowmanJohn BarrowmanJohn Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...
covered the song for his album Music Music MusicMusic Music MusicMusic Music Music is a 2008 album by John Barrowman preceded by the digital-only single "What About Us?", written by Gary Barlow and Chris Braide...
. - In 2008, UltrabeatUltrabeat (English band)Ultrabeat are an English electronic music group from Liverpool, England consisting of producer and vocalist Mike Di Scala and producers Ian Redman and Chris Henry. Formed in 2002, Ultrabeat first emerged with their single "Pretty Green Eyes" which reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart...
covered the song on their album Discolights: The Album. - In 2008, Barry ManilowBarry ManilowBarry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
covered the song for his album The Greatest Songs of the EightiesThe Greatest Songs of the EightiesThe Greatest Songs of the Eighties is Barry Manilow's 38th album, and follow-up to his 2007 album, The Greatest Songs of the Seventies...
. - In 2009, a cover of the song was included on And Then There Were NoneAnd Then There Were None (band)And Then There Were None is an American band from New Hampshire, currently signed to Tooth & Nail Records.-History:And Then There Were None formed in 2003 as a metalcore band, and toured across the United States in support of their highly acclaimed self-released EP "6,000 tries"...
's album Who Speaks for Planet Earth. - In 2009, Filipino singer Kris LawrenceKris LawrenceKristofer Lawrence Cadevida , better known as simply Kris Lawrence, is a Filipino-American singer.-Early life:Lawrence was born in Los Angeles, California on Sept 1st 1982...
covered the song for his album Moments Of Love, which features singer Jay-RJay-RGaudencio Sillona III , who performs under the mononym Jay R, is a Filipino singer-songwriter, actor, record producer and model. In 2003, he released his debut album, Gameface, under Universal Records...
. - In 2009, Filipina singer Sarah GeronimoSarah GerónimoSarah Asher Tua Geronimo is a Filipino recording artist, actress and dancer. Geronimo started her career appearing in children's variety shows such as Pen-pen de Sarapen, Ang TV and NEXT...
covered the song for her album, Music and Me. - In 2010, Jason DonovanJason DonovanJason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
recorded a cover version of "Right Here Waiting" for his 80's covers album Soundtrack of the 80sSoundtrack of the 80sSoundtrack of the 80s is the fifth studio album by the Australian singer Jason Donovan, released in October 2010. The album consists of cover versions of Donovan's favourite 1980s hits, as well as three new original tracks....
.
Live cover performances
- Irish boyband WestlifeWestlifeWestlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
performed the song live during concerts in 1998. - In 2002, Cheryl ColeCheryl ColeCheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
sang the song in the final of Popstars: The Rivals. - British singer Shayne WardShayne WardShayne Thomas Ward is an English pop singer who rose to fame as the winner of second series of The X Factor. He has sold over 3 million records worldwide and has had number one albums and singles in 9 countries.During The X Factor competition, Ward was mentored by manager Louis Walsh...
performed the song as a contestant on The X Factor 2005; after he won, it became the B-Side to his ChristmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
number 1 single, That's My GoalThat's My Goal"That's My Goal" is a song, released in 2005 as the first single by Shayne Ward, the winner of the second series of X Factor. The song was first heard in the final of the aforementioned series, where it was performed by both Ward and X Factor runner up, Andy Abraham. The single was rush-released on...
.
Parodies and influences on other songs
- Pearl JamPearl JamPearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
performed a short parodyParodyA parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
version of it at a concert in SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on March 3rd, 1995. - In 2004, Jade Valerie recorded a song entitled More Than Love, inspired by "Right Here Waiting".* Members of the cast of the TV series LeverageLeverage (TV series)Leverage is an American television drama series on TNT that premiered in December 2008. The series is produced by director/executive producer Dean Devlin's production company Electric Television...
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.