Radio Romance (album)

Background

The album spawned three singles in total. "You and I" was the lead single, a duet with Crystal Gayle, written by Frank J. Myers. It was a major country pop crossover hit for both artists, topping the US and Canadian Country Songs chart, and peaking at #7 on the American Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as #2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The second single "You Can't Run from Love" also topped the US and Canadian Country Songs chart, while peaking at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as #2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The final single was "Our Love Will Survive", released in 1983, including the B-Side "You Put the Beat in my Heart" from Rabbitt's Greatest Hits Volume II compilation. It was not a commercial success. The Radio Romance album reached #5 on the American Top Country Albums chart, as well as #31 on the Billboard 200.

The song "Years After You" was written by Thom Schuyler, and would later be recorded by American country music artist John Conlee in 1984, who reached #2 on both the American and Canadian Country Songs charts. "Good Night for Falling in Love" would later be covered in 1984 by Hillary Kanter, who released it as a single which peaked at #51 on the Country Singles chart in America.

Recording

In 1982, Rabbitt began a new tour in Chicago, and soon after he returned to Nashville and the recording studio for a few days. While performing for a week at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, he would work on mixing the Radio Romance album during the daytime while doing two shows a night. The album was not as ready as Rabbitt demanded. It was first scheduled for release in August but was pushed back until September. The album's mixing was handled at Nashville's Emerald Sound Studio. It was opened by Stevens and Malloy who worked alongside Rabbitt on many albums including Radio Romance. The album was the first project within the newly opened studio. Initially the studio was not finished at the time the mixing of the album was due to start in October 1982. Malloy decided to have all the equipment temporarily moved into the studio in order to finish the project.

Release

The album was originally released on vinyl LP, cassette and eight-track tape in America and Canada via Elektra. The artwork featured a photograph of Rabbitt displayed next to a radio, which had a woman's hand covering it. Later Capitol Records released the album on CD for the first time in 1990, however this is now out-of-print. This release featured new artwork, featuring a close-up photograph of Rabbitt. In 2008 the album was issued as an MP3 download on such sites as Amazon and iTunes. In 1983, Elektra issued a music-sheet book covering all tracks on the album.

Personnel

Critical reception

In the Reading Eagle newspaper of December 5, 1982, Mark S. Wisnjewski reviewed Radio Romance. He stated "One of my personal favorites for describing a situation that involves a bit of sleight-of-hand or illusionary doctoring is "It's all done with mirrors." I'd use that phrase to describe Eddie Rabbitt's "Radio Romance." It has more "mirror" tricks than a fun house. Take the packaging, or, as my drooling sister-in-law calls it, "gift wrapping." Rabbitt's looks have quite a bit to do with his popularity with the womenfolk. Of what value are leather duds, a tall, slender bod, blue eyes and curly black hair and beard? Rabbitt's appearance complements the provocative mood of his compositions. Rabbitt was a successful songwriter years before he "hit" as a singer and a close listen to the 10 tracks on "Radio Romance" reveals a few of the tricks he used to make the transition. As a songwriter/performer, Rabbitt has nicely mastered the "hook." At least eight of the 10 tunes on his new LP sound like 45 releases - they are that commercially "catchy." "You Can't Run from Love" and "You Got Me Now" are probably the most likely contenders for Top 40 airplay. Perhaps the most amazing "slight-of-ear" on "Radio Romance" is Rabbitt's ability to take his major weakness and disguise it as a strength. Strip away the multiple-tracking, the echo and the harmonizing female voices, and one discovers Rabbitt has a surprisingly nondescript limited vocal range (exhibit A: the strained, Travolta-like high notes on "Years After You"). To this electronic fortification, the singer has added an impressive collection of enunciation or word-stress novelties. Notice the clipped vowel sounds in the to/do/you's of "Good Night for Falling in Love" (among others). Listen to the offbeat inflection of the title line from "You Can't Run from Love." Spend an evening counting how many times Rabbitt puckers-out his hallmark non-verbal mating cry, "oooo," during the course of the LP. By surrounding these studio-enhanced vocals with ever-present heavy percussion and crisp orchestration, Rabbitt minimizes his shortcomings while producing mainstream pop-rockers. Understandably, his ballads are less effectively doctored. You can't help but wonder how long Rabbitt can continue to sing in Echo Cavern. For now, "Radio Romance" will keep his fans happy as long as they don't try to peek at the voice behind the curtain."