Hello (Lionel Richie song)

"Hello" is a song by Lionel Richie. Taken as the third single from his second solo album Can't Slow Down (1983), 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),[3] and the adult contemporary chart (for six weeks). The song also went to number one in the UK Singles Chart for six weeks.[4]

"Hello"
Single by Lionel Richie
from the album Can't Slow Down
B-side"You Mean More to Me"
ReleasedFebruary 13, 1984 (1984-02-13)
Recorded1983
GenreR&B
Length4:14
LabelMotown
Songwriter(s)Lionel Richie
Producer(s)
Lionel Richie singles chronology
"Running with the Night"
(1983)		 "Hello"
(1984)		 "Stuck on You"
(1984)
Music video
"Hello" on YouTube

The song later inspired a lawsuit by songwriter Marjorie Hoffman White, who accused Richie of plagiarizing her 1978 composition "I'm Not Ready to Go".[5]

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).[6] The song ends on a Picardy third (change from Am to A)

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, but in clay.

Pop culture

The song is memorable for the line "Hello, is it me you're looking for?" The phrase started the song's composition, as when James Anthony Carmichael visited Richie, the singer greeted him that way, to which 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."[7]

The guitar solo on the song was played by session guitarist Louie Shelton.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[45] Platinum 50,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[46] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Gold 964,623[48]
United States (RIAA)[49] Gold 1,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Cover versions
  • 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.[50] This version peaked at #11 on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart.[51]
  • 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.[52][53][54] Her cover version eventually peaked at 15 on the Billboard Twitter Top Tracks chart.[55]
gollark: Oh yes, that might exist, mightn't it.
gollark: But if I split it into multiple functions, it would not actually work.
gollark: Look, it has pattern matching in it, therefore good.
gollark: How SHOULD I do it?
gollark: ↑ you, as a result

See also

References
  1. "VH1's 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs". Stereogum. SpinMedia. May 31, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  2. "Toto Eclipse of the Heart: The Best of Eighties Soft Rock". Rolling Stone.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 492.
  4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 434–5. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  5. "A Long Island song writer has filed a $1..." UPI.
  6. "Unsupported Browser or Operating System". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
  7. "Lionel Richie recalls early distaste for 'Hello' as hit song turns 30". CTVNews.
  8. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  9. "Austriancharts.at – Lionel Richie – Hello" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  10. "Ultratop.be – Lionel Richie – Hello" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  11. "Radio 2 Top 30" (in Dutch). Top 30. Archived from the original on March 28, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  12. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6741." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  13. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6748." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  14. "Lescharts.com – Lionel Richie – Hello" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Lionel Richie – Hello". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  16. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Lionel Richie". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Lionel Richie – Hello" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 15, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  19. "Charts.nz – Lionel Richie – Hello". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  20. "Topp 20 Single uke 25, 1984 – VG-lista. Offisielle hitlister fra og med 1958" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  21. "Lista Przebojów Programu 3". LP3. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  22. http://www.laurentpons.com/charts/portugal/80s.htm
  23. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Acts R". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  24. "Swedishcharts.com – Lionel Richie – Hello". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  25. "Swisscharts.com – Lionel Richie – Hello". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  26. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  27. "Lionel Richie Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  28. "Lionel Richie Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  29. "Lionel Richie Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  30. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 12, 1984". Cash Box magazine. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2017.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  31. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 Singles 1984". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  32. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1984". Ö3 Austria Top 40 (in German). Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  33. "Ultratop Jaaroverzichten 1984". Ultratop 50 (in Dutch). Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  34. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9638." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  35. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1984". GfK Entertainment Charts (in German). Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  36. "Dutch Charts Jaaroverzichten Single 1984". Single Top 100 (in Dutch). Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  37. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  38. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984". Swiss Singles Chart (in German). Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  39. 1984 in British music#Best-selling singles
  40. "Volume 96 No. 51, December 22, 1984" (PDF). Billboard. New York, NY, USA. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  41. "Volume 96 No. 51, December 22, 1984" (PDF). Billboard. New York, NY, USA. December 22, 1984. p. TA-25. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  42. "Volume 96 No. 51, December 22, 1984" (PDF). Billboard. New York, NY, USA. December 22, 1984. p. TA-21. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  43. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1984". Cash Box magazine. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  44. "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  45. "International - Brussels" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 16. April 25, 1987. p. 7. Retrieved November 27, 2019 – via American Radio History.
  46. "Dutch single certifications – Lional Richie – Hello" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved July 5, 2019. Enter Hello in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  47. "British single certifications – Lionel Richie – Hello". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Hello in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  48. Copsey, Rob (September 19, 2017). "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  49. "American single certifications – Lionel Richie – Hello". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  50. "Llego La Voz - Berto La Voz". Allmusic. Rovi. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  51. "Latin Tropical Airplay 2011-12-31". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 17, 2011. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  52. Robinson, Joanna (February 15, 2016). "Watch Demi Lovato Rock a Musical Tribute to Lionel Richie". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  53. Ng, Philiana (February 15, 2016). "Demi Lovato Delivers Show-Stopping GRAMMYs Performance of 'Hello' During Lionel Richie Tribute". Entertainment Tonight. CBS Corporation. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  54. Bell, Crystal (February 15, 2016). "Demi Lovato's Fire Cover of Lionel Richie's 'Hello' Will Give You Chills". MTV News. MTV. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  55. "Billboard Twitter Top Tracks". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
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