THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

432-Robert Palmer-Addicted To Love.

1986-Number 5 single.

Best Bit-At 0.18. As I watch the songs iconic video, I am thinking to myself, if these girls have taken care of themselves, then they will now be very ‘glamorous grannies.’ (If you watch the video closely, you can also see Robert Palmer.)

Robert Allen Palmer was born on January 19th, 1949, in Batley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, he had been a heavy smoker since his teenage years, and died from a sudden heart attack in a Paris hotel room on September 26th, 2003, at the age of 54. During the course of his career Robert Palmer experimented and recorded in many different genres of music, including ‘Rock,’ ‘Reggae,’ ‘Bossa Nova,’ and the ‘Blues.’ Shortly after his birth his family uprooted and moved to Malta, where his father worked in British naval intelligence, he returned to England in his teens, settling in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. Before setting out on a solo career Palmer joined his first band the ‘Mandrakes’ at 15 while still at school, he was then a member of ‘The Alan Bown Set’ from 1969-1970. In 1970 he joined the ‘Jazz/Rock’ group ‘Dada,’ which was where he first played with Elkie Brooks, and her husband Pete Gage, the three of them would go on to co-form the Rock band ‘Vinegar Joe’ in 1972. When they disbanded in 1974 after three studio Albums Palmer pursued a solo career, he also released two Albums with the ‘supergroup’ The Power Station’ in 1985 and 1996.

The solo discography of Robert Palmer includes 14 studio Albums released between 1974-2003, and 51 singles released within the same time period, there are also three box sets, 12 official compilation Albums, and three live Albums available. In the UK, he has had 10 top 40 singles, with ‘Addicted to Love’ charting the highest at Number 5 in 1986, while in America on the Billboard Hot 100, he has had nine top 40 hits, with ‘Addicted to Love’ making the Number 1 position.

‘Addicted to Love’ was the third of five singles released from Robert Palmer’s eighth solo studio Album ‘Riptide,’ from November 1985, the song was written by Robert Palmer, with the production being by Bernie Edwards. ‘Addicted to Love’ was issued as a single in edited form from the Album, and featured Bernie Edwards (bass) Andy Taylor (guitar) (see also best songs 903) and Tony Thompson, (1954-2003) (drums) (see also best songs 175) who had all also been part of ‘The Power Station.’ When Robert Palmer originally wrote the song, he wrote it as a duet with Chaka Khan in mind, but due to contractual problems, her record label refused permission, but Khan (see also best songs 703-228 and 85) still received credit on the Album sleeve for vocal arrangements. For his inspiration on writing the song, Palmer has said that it all started with a guitar riff he heard in a dream, ‘That noisy riff woke me up. I went downstairs, got out the tape recorder, then went back to bed. Next morning, I thought, phew, caught one there!’

Bernard Edwards (see also best songs 175 and 17) was born on October 31st, 1952, in Greenville, North Carolina, United States, he died of pneumonia on April 18th, 1996, at the age of 43. Bernie Edwards was a songwriter, and music producer, but is best remembered as being critically acclaimed for playing the bass guitar. In 1972 Bernie Edwards co-founded the ‘Disco’ group ‘Chic’ with Nile Rodgers, and they were soon joined by Tony Thompson, (drums) and Norma Jean Wright (vocals.) As well as working as ‘Chic,’ Bernie Edwards and Nile Rodgers wrote, produced, and provided musical backing for several other artists, including Diana Ross, (1980-‘Diana’ Album) Debbie Harry, (1981-‘KooKoo’ Album) and Sister Sledge (1979-‘We Are Family’ & 1980-‘Love Somebody Today’ Albums.) In 1983 Bernie Edwards released his one solo Album, ‘Glad to Be Here,’ and in 1985 he co-produced with Tony Thompson the self titled debut Album by ‘The Power Station,’ and then also produced and played bass guitar on The Power Station’s second and Final Album ‘Living in Fear in 1996. Bernie Edwards is the father of the multi-platinum record producer Bernard ‘Focus…’ Edwards, Jr. who has produced songs for artists including Beyonce, Eminem, and Christina Aguilera.

‘Addicted to Love’ is accompanied by one of the most famous and memorable video’s in Pop music history, and was directed by Terence Donovan (1936-1996.) Five glamour models were chosen to appear wearing heavy makeup, dressed seductively, and showing a mannequin-like expression, they were also told there was no need to dance in sync, and there was no need to know how to play the instruments. One of the girls, Mak Gilchrist, who was 21 at the time has said, ‘I remember feeling an acute sense of embarrassment when I first saw how sexy the video was. The most unusual place I saw it was on a huge screen on the side of a Tokyo building.’

‘Your lights are on, but you’re not home, your mind is not your own. Your heart sweats, your body shakes, another kiss is what it takes.’