When you think of the love ballads from the ’80s, you think of Lionel Richie’s Hello. The slow song made women swoon all over the world, but wait until you hear how the song came about. He told CBS This Morning, “My producer, James Anthony Carmichael, he was coming by the house. And he walked around the corner and I said, ‘Hello, is it me you’re looking for?’ And I’m falling out laughing. And he turned to me and said, ‘Finish that.’ I finished the song, and we lushed it up with strings, forever and forever.”
How many times have you picked up the phone and said to someone, “Hello, is it me you’re looking for,” because of that song as a joke. Turns out we subconsciously we knew how that chart topping tune got its start. And my question to you, does it change your perception of the single?
Talking about single, that was something he did not want to be. You see, that is how The Commodores got their start. He told the morning news program, “This was a college band, how-can-we-meet-all-the-girls-in-the-dormitory band. You know, it was not supposed to be the career.” Nearly 50 years later, what was not supposed to be his career is still how he is making a living. Funny how life has it ways of working out.
After 4 months of searching, American Idol finally has its three judges. They are Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
With that it is the same old, and that is a bad thing. The Voice has current hitmakers and American Idol has hasbeens. Well not Luke Bryan, but Katy who is on the decline and Richie who has not had a hit since before most of the contestants were born. I mean, he was old when I was kid and that was a long time ago. I like him, but how many contestants are going to tell him my grandmother loves your music? When it comes to Perry, the contestants will like her, but the viewers will not. She will be loud, annoying and make it all about her. Richie and her will fight to see who can talk more as Bryan play the ref who does not get to say much. Sad part is, he will probably say the best things.
Will the judging panel help the show be a sucess on its new home? Hell no! They needed someone younger. They should have tried to get a past American Idol contestant like Chris Daughtry or Clay Aiken to be a judge. Someone who has been through this and would be able to give great advice about how they are going to screw you over after you win. But that is a whole other story.
What do think of these three judges? Does it make you want to watch or switch the channel?
BTW all three of them will be on Good Morning America on Wednesday. Let’s see how they interact together and decide then how awful this is going to be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3bTx77AXHY
Back in 1986, Lionel Richie had a huge hit with Dancing on the Ceiling. Now 30 years later, he recreated that moment with James Corden on The Late Late Show. There was only one problem. The CBS late night got stuck on you aka the ceiling and couldn’t get down. The multi-platinum singer tried everything in his power, but all he did was hit Corden in the head over and over and over again. Did he eventually get down? If no one is there to catch him, did it really happen? Because now he has fallen and can’t get up.
Lionel Richie has had an amazing long career with The Commodores and as a solo artist, and he can still pack a house after all of these years. Now having said that, the latest place he has played was a fridge. So before you think he will play anywhere he is asked to, it was for a commercial for Tap King beer! And watching him sing Hello to that man, was just so perfect. Although it was a little creepy to see his hand sticking out of the ice box after he handed that guy the beer.
Duets is less than a month away from its launch on ABC and the singing competition has lost its biggest name, Lionel Richie. ABC sent out a press release announcing today that John Legend will be joining the show and no where was The Commodores singer’s name to be seen. Why he left the show is a mystery, but I am assuming it has to do with how well his album is doing on the charts.
The show debuts on May 24th with Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles, Robin Thicke and Legend. Will you be watching? I know this sounds messed up, but without Richie on the show, I will be skipping it. I like Clarkson, but not enough to watch.
Actually I am not watching because that above commercial annoys the hell out of me on iPad whenever I watch ABC shows on it. Petty, I know but that is how I feel.
UPDATE: Lionel Richie posted this explanation why he dropped out of the show, “Due to a scheduling conflict, I am unable to take part in ABC’s “Duets” show. I wish I could be two places at once!”
