jmjiloveyou - Bluer Than Blue

jmjiloveyou
Mar 02, 2024 09:20am
<p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/31/The_Michael_Johnson_Album.jpg/220px-The_Michael_Johnson_Album.jpg" height="220" width="220"></p><p><br></p><p>"<strong>Bluer Than Blue</strong>" is a 1978 song recorded by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Johnson_(singer)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Michael Johnson</a>. The song was written by noted pop and country songwriter <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Goodrum" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Randy Goodrum</a>. Originally recorded as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demo_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">demo</a>, "Bluer Than Blue" was taken as the first single from Johnson's subsequent LP, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Michael_Johnson_Album" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>The Michael Johnson Album</em></a>. The song is from the point of view of a man who is in a failing relationship, and is trying to convince himself that his situation will improve once the one he loved moves on; however, it is evident by the lyrics to the song his efforts are thus far ineffective.</p><p>The song became the singer's first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_40" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">top 40</a> hit, reaching #12 on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Billboard</em> Hot 100</a> chart in summer 1978. It also reached #10 on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_Box" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Cash Box</em></a> chart. It proved even more popular with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_contemporary" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">adult contemporary</a> radio stations, spending three weeks at #1 on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_Contemporary_(chart)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Easy Listening</a> chart that same year.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluer_Than_Blue#cite_note-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><sup>[2]</sup></a> To date, this is Johnson's highest-charting single on the Pop and Adult Contemporary charts. The song has become a well-known American 1970s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_rock" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">soft rock</a> single that continues to be played on radio stations.</p><p>The single received generally favourable reviews at the time of its release. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashbox_Magazine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Cashbox Magazine</em></a> described Johnson's work as "full of touching ballads with all the right production touches, subtle instrumentation and poignant vocals necessary to keep the tenderness from becoming insipid."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluer_Than_Blue#cite_note-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><sup>[3]</sup></a> In 1978, Johnson was quoted as saying, "I knew it was potentially a successful song but I didn't think it would go this far. It seemed, well, too mature. The experience of being married or living with someone is hard to identify with for younger people."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluer_Than_Blue#cite_note-4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><sup>[4]</sup></a></p><p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_video" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">music video</a> for the Michael Johnson version of Bluer Than Blue was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_first_music_videos_aired_on_MTV" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">one of the first music videos played</a> on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MTV</a> cable channel when it launched in 1981.</p><h2>Cover versions</h2><ul><li>Singapore-born <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Sarawak" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anita Sarawak</a> recorded this song in her album in 1979.</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Wilson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ruby Wilson</a> recorded the song, which was later included in her 1981 album <em>Ruby Wilson</em>.</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_people" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Filipina</a> singer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regine_Velasquez" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Regine Velasquez</a> recorded the song and was later included in her 1996 cover album <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro_(Regine_Velasquez_album)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Retro</em></a>.</li><li>In 1996, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Manilow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Barry Manilow</a> covered the song on his album <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_of_%2778" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Summer of '78</em></a>.</li><li>Joel Palencia covered the song in early 2015.</li></ul><p><br></p>