Lionel Richie broadened his sound and raced up the charts and into our hearts with this sophomore solo smash. His years with the Commodores had ended abruptly; but his string of number one hits kept coming with 'Lady' for Kenny Rogers in 1980 and 'Endless Love' with Diana Ross in 1981; while his eponymous solo debut album produced another with 'Truly' in 1982.
When it came time to record his next album, Richie was ready to break out of his balladry. He co-produced 'Can't Slow Down' with James Anthony Carmichael and a huge supporting cast: Israel Baker as Concert Master; Brian Banks on Synthesizer Programming; Thomas Dolby on Synthesizers and CMI Programming; Harry Bluestone as Concert Master; Michael Boddicker on Synthesizer and Vocoder; Sonny Burke on Keyboards and Fender Rhodes; Diane Burt on Vocals and Chant; James Anthony Carmichael on Arrangements, Vocals, Background Vocals, and Chant; Jim Cassell as Engineer; Melinda Chatman on Sound Effects and Vocals; Joe Chemay on Bass; Terry Christian as Engineer; Jane Clark as Engineer; David Cochrane on Synthesizer, Guitar, Arrangements, Background Vocals, Chant, Vocoder, Synthesizer Bass, and Synthesizer Programming; Steve Crimmel as Engineer; Paulinho Da Costa on Percussion; Nathan East on Bass; David Egerton as Engineer; Mark Ettel as Engineer; Larry Ferguson as Engineer; David Foster on Bass, Keyboards, and Production; Humberto Gatica on Engineering and Mixing; Dr. Lloyd Byro Greig on Vocals and Chant; Bernie Grundman on Mastering; Calvin Harris on Background Vocals, Engineer, Chant, and Mixing; Brenda Harvey Richie on Vocals, Chant, and Production Assistance; Jeanette Hawes on Vocals, Background Vocals, and Chant; John Hobbs on Piano and Fender Rhodes; Mitch Holder on Guitar; Janice Marie Johnson on Vocals and Chant; Darryl Jones on Guitar; Abraham Laboriel on Bass; Fred Law on Mixing; Paul Leim on Drums; Steve Lukather on Guitar; Anthony Marinelli on Synthesizer Programming; Richard Marx on Vocals, Background Vocals, and Chant; Tim May on Acoustic Guitar; Greg Phillinganes on Synthesizer and Vocals; Jeff Porcaro on Drums; Deborah Joyce Richie on Vocals and Chant; Lionel Richie on Arrangement, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Background Vocals, Production, and Chant; Carlos Rios on Guitar; John "J.R." Robinson on Drums; Louie Shelton on Guitar; Karen Siegel on Mixing; Suzanne Stanford on Vocals and Chant; Fred Tackett on Acoustic Guitar; Deborah Thomas on Vocals, Background Vocals, and Chant; Kin Vassy on Vocals; with Jerry Hey on Trumpet and Horn Arrangement; Chuck Findley on Trumpet; Gary Grant on Trumpet; Bill Reichenbach on Trombone; and Charlie Loper on Trombone.
'Can't Slow Down' reached number nine in Italy; three in Norway and Switzerland; two in Germany and Sweden; and number one in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. The album spent the entirety of 1984 on the top ten and a total of three years on the Billboard 200 album chart. 'Can't Slow Down' won the Grammy for Album Of The Year and got Richie Non-Classical Producer Of The Year honors. It has sold over twenty million copies worldwide. Richie considers: "Somewhere along the way I stopped trying to swim and just got with the current and an amazing thing happened" shrugs Lionel. "It was like if you can just get out of your own way and say 'okay now God, what do you have in store for me?' you'll enjoy the ride. That's what happened to Lionel Richie, you know? ...
I'm a hopeless, die-hard, sappy, disgusting romantic. For the longest time I kept trying to be the macho guy and hang with the jocks, but…It came out sappy and syrupy no matter how I tried to do it."
http://lionelrichie.com/
"Can't Slow Down" (David Cochrane, Richie) – 4:43
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrwamRs9r0U
"All Night Long (All Night)" (Richie) – 6:25
This Caribbean-flavored dance song was an international smash hit, going to number two in Germany and the UK; and number one in Australia, the Netherlands, and on the US pop, R&B, and adult contemporary charts. It was nominated for Record and Song Of The Year Grammys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReZxvWrKdNQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqAvFx3NxUM
"Penny Lover" (Brenda Harvey Richie, Richie) – 5:35
hit number eight on the US pop chart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7r-Dk2daro
"Stuck on You" (Richie) – 3:15
made it to number three on the US pop chart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP4VCRf4xsg
"Love Will Find a Way" (Greg Phillinganes, Richie; Copyright WB Music/Poopy's Music, Brockman Music) – 6:16
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x8ua4no3Hg
"The Only One" (David Foster, Richie; Copyright Foster Frees Music, Brockman Music) – 4:24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA-fNS96dZE
"Running with the Night" (Richie, Cynthia Weil) – 6:02
was a top ten hit in the Netherlands, UK, and US.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PnhlXLHKAE
"Hello" (Richie) – 4:11
became the album's biggest hit, going to number two in Germany; and number one in Australia, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US pop, R&B, and adult contemporary charts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_ILDFp5DGA
