Released April 4, 1989 Genre Pop rock Label Epic Records | Recorded 1987 Length 4:11 | |
B-side "Maybe He'll Know" (Remix) | ||
"I Drove All Night" is a song written and composed by American songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly and made famous by American singer Cyndi Lauper. The song was originally intended for Roy Orbison, who recorded it in 1987, but his rendition was not released until 1992, after Lauper's version of it had become a top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1989. The song has been covered by Pinmonkey (2002), and Celine Dion (2003), among others.
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Cyndi Lauper version
"I Drove All Night" was recorded by Cyndi Lauper for her third solo album, A Night To Remember. Lauper said she wanted to do it because she liked the idea "of a woman driving, of a woman in control." The song was a top 10 pop hit in the United States (and is her last U.S. top 40 single to date), peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and also a hit in other countries. It received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. The only official remix of Lauper's version of the song is the Jungle Mix, a version that incorporates supposed jungle noises. The music video for "I Drove All Night," directed by Scott Kalvert and Cyndi Lauper, features shots of an antique car, Lauper's characteristically manic dancing, and movie film projected onto Lauper's naked body.
Roy Orbison version
Jeff Lynne remixed Roy Orbison's 1987 recordings for the 1992 posthumous album King Of Hearts, of which "I Drove All Night" was one of the tracks. However, Orbison's version of the song first appeared on the 1991 compilation album Nintendo: White Knuckle Scorin'. It was released as a single in 1992. The song was a significant hit in the United Kingdom, reaching number 7 on the UK Singles Chart, matching the peak position of Lauper's version three years earlier. King of Hearts and "I Drove All Night" were generally well received in the United States, returning Orbison to the Billboard charts and receiving a Grammy Award. A music video featuring Jason Priestley and Jennifer Connelly was also made for the single.
Celine Dion version
"I Drove All Night" was recorded by Celine Dion for her eighth English studio album, One Heart (2003), and released as the lead single on March 3, 2003. The song was featured in a promotional ad for Chrysler. The "I Drove All Night" music video was directed by Peter Arnell and released in February 2003. It was included on the United Kingdom enhanced double A-side single "One Heart/I Drove All Night". The song was commercially successful, reaching number 1 for five weeks in Canada, while also topping the charts in Belgium (Flanders) and Sweden.
Background
In 2003, Chrysler signed Dion to a $14 million deal to endorse their cars. They were looking for a song to use in the campaign and release as a single. Billy Steinberg knew Dion and had written "Falling into You," which was the title track of her 1996 album. He sent a copy of Roy Orbison's version of "I Drove All Night" to her record company, who loved it and had Dion record it with Swedish producer Peer Astrom. She used the song in her Las Vegas show and it became the centerpiece of the Chrysler campaign. The commercials were great exposure for the song and helped sell many albums, but they did not sell enough cars. Chrysler pulled out of the deal after many of their dealers complained and it became clear the ads were not working.
In Dion's version, "I Drove All Night" is dance-pop. It was also considered "a little bit dance-club, a little bit rock & roll." Lyrically, she recalls a feverish trek for sexual gratification. She sings in the first verse, "Maybe I should have called you first, but I was dying to get to you/I was dreaming while I drove the long, straight road ahead." In the chorus, she sings, "Woke you from your sleep to make love to you/Is that all right?/I drove all night." In the second verse, Dion duplicates a line as it is heard in Orbison's original recording. Instead of singing, "no matter where I go I hear the beating of our heart," Dion sings, "our one heart." Like the original, the chorus is sung again twice, which ends the single.
Composition
Dion's version of "I Drove All Night" is set in the key of G♯ minor. It features a moderately fast tempo of 135 beats per minute, and her vocals span from F♯3 to E5.
Critical reception
The song received positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine noticed that the song was "a tongue-in-cheek, neo-house cover" and picked it as one of the best tracks on the album, alongside the title track and "Have You Ever Been in Love." Rebecca Wallwork wrote a positive review for Amazon, calling it "the car-commercial-driven tempo," while Jam!'s Darryl Sterdan named it "a Cher-style eurodisco." Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani echoed the same thought, saying that "she gets the Cher treatment on the blazing cover." People's Chuck Arnold wrote that in the song, Dion "shows surprising restraint for a diva who just had a coliseum custom-built for her."
The Guardian's Betty Clarke wrote a negative review, saying: "Her cover of Roy Orbison's "I Drove All Night" is full of reverberating notes and sultry asides, but reveals a fundamental lack of sincerity that renders her threatening when she is trying for tender." David Browne of EW gave this cover C+, calling her delivery 'frigid' without over-singing it. He called the arrangement "blandly competent."
Chart performance
In Canada, the song debuted straight at number one on the Canadian Hot 100 chart and spent 5 consecutive weeks at the top. "I Drove All Night" was Dion's third airplay-only single that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 45. The commercial single was released five months later reaching number 26 on the Hot 100 Singles Sales. Because of several club remixes created mainly by Hex Hector, the song peaked at number 2 on the Hot Dance Club Play.
In Australia, the song debuted and peaked at number 22 on the ARIA Charts, on March 16, 2003. The following week, the song dropped to number 35 and it kept fluctuating on the chart for the next two weeks, until it climbed from number 44 to number 43. Later, the song fell to number 49, but it climbed to number 38, the following week. It spent 10 weeks on the chart and it was certified gold. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 48 on the RIANZ chart, on March 2, 2003. The following week, the song climbed to number 46, while in its third week, it jumped to number 30. After falling to number 32, in its fourth week, the song remained at number 31, for two consecutive weeks. Finally, on April 20, 2003, the song rose and peaked at number 24. The song spent 9 weeks on the chart.
The song was even more successful on the Belgian Flanders Singles Chart, where it debuted at number 14, on March 8, 2004. The following week, the song jumped to number 4, while in its third week, the song topped the charts. It remained at the top ten for ten consecutive weeks and fifteen overall weeks on the chart. It was certified platinum, for selling 50,000 copies. The song was also a big success in Sweden, debuting at the top of the Swedish Singles Chart, on March 20, 2003. However, the following week, the song fell to number 12 and in its third week, it fell to number 13. In its fourth week, the song jumped to number 7, but it kept fluctuating on the chart for the next three weeks, until it climbed from number 22 to number 16. It spent 17 weeks on the chart. On the Danish Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 2, where it remained for three consecutive weeks. Later, it fell to number 5, while on the following week, it fell to number 6, where it remained for another week.
In France, even not reaching the top twenty, the song proved to be strong on the SNEP chart. It debuted at number 89, however, it fell to number 94 in its second week and to number 97 in its third week. Despite falling for two consecutive weeks and leaving the charts, the song re-entered at number 22, its peak position, on April 26, 2003. It spent 11 non-consecutive weeks on the chart.
Promotion
The music video shot in Las Vegas, USA on February 2, 2003 was directed by advertising executive Peter Arnell, cinematographed by Rolf Kestermann and edited by Bee Ottinger. An arty little black and white number, it features Dion, some arm stretches and back bends whilst a couple somewhere else seem to be merrily getting their groove on. It was included in the UK Enhanced CD Single of "One Heart". The music video was nominated for the MuchMoreMusic Award in 2003.
Dion appeared in four commercial spots—all scored with tracks from One Heart including "I Drove All Night"—for Chrysler, also directed by Arnell and edited by Ottinger, while Darius Khondji acted as director of photography on the ads.
Dion performed "I Drove All Night" during A New Day... show and included it on the A New Day... Live in Las Vegas CD in 2004 and Live in Las Vegas - A New Day... DVD in 2007. The A New Day... Live in Las Vegas bonus DVD, called One Year...One Heart contained the recording of the song and fragments from making the video.
The song became also an opening track for the 2008-09 Taking Chances World Tour, preceded by an introduction video using the remix of "I Drove All Night" as well. The audio and footage of this performance was included in the Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert CD/DVD. In October 2008, "I Drove All Night" was included on My Love: Essential Collection greatest hits.