“Stuck On You” by Lionel Richie
It’s interesting that Lionel Richie wrote “Stuck on You”, considering that he’s not really a country musician, and as far as country songs go, this one may well be classified as a actual earworm. Part of its efficacy is attributable to the fact that back during Richie’s heyday few, if any artists could drop romantic hits as consistently as he could, as being an artist who knew how to get that job done.
And that is arguably due to the fact that said pieces such as this one, “Endless Love” or “Hello” for instance are unmistakably straightforward, at least in sentiment.
So in this piece, what we are met with is a man addressing his romantic interest. And what is being implied in the verses and verified via the bridge is that he actually left her. However, where the phrase “stuck on you” comes into play is serving as a metaphor, i.e. Lionel coming to a realization akin to the addressee indeed being his soulmate. Therefore, he has also come to the conclusion that leaving her behind like that was an act of folly.
So what these lyrics indicate is that the vocalist is ‘on his way’, back home into the arms of the woman he loves. And the implication is that she is more than willing to receive him, which is why he is expressing ‘gladness’ that she “stayed” as opposed to bouncing.
Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie may be better known these days as a judge on American Idol, but there was a time, during the 1980s, when he dropped a string of 13 consecutive hits that scored within the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.
Amongst those outings was “Stuck on You”, a track featured on his sophomore solo album, “Can’t Slow Down” (1983). Said project was issued through Motown Records, whom Richie had been affiliated with since the 1960s. And being the album’s fourth single, this song was released on the date of 1 May 1984.
Facts about “Stuck on You”
Lionel Richie is considered to be primarily a soul or pop singer. However, “Stuck on You” is considered to be his first foray into country music.
But that said, with this track breaking the top 30 of Billboard’s US Hot Country Songs, Richie only seems to have dropped one other track that appeared on said list, 1987’s “Deep River Woman”, which is a collaboration with Alabama. But to note his most recent studio album to date, “Tuskegee” (2012), features collaborations with a number of top-notch country musicians.
Although this track only made it to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, it did reach 1st place on the US Adult Contemporary chart, as well as Canada Top Singles.
Overall it charted in nearly a dozen countries, which includes reaching a peak position of number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The United Kingdom is also the only country where this song has thus far been certified, having achieved silver status in 2020.
This track was dropped during an era in which Lionel Richie and co. were not compelled to create a music video for it.
“Stuck on You” has been featured on quite a few TV shows, as well as reportedly a number of commercials, throughout the years. But its most notable usage in such regards apparently came just earlier 2022, when potato-chip company Pringles used it to advertise their product.
Richie actually wrote this song himself. And he also had a hand in producing it, doing so alongside James Anthony Carmichael.
Notable Covers
“Stuck On You” was a hit that was covered by various artists, specifically reggae, such as:
- British reggae singer, Trevor Walters, in 1984, 3 months after the original.
- Jamaican reggae singer, Frankie Paul, released his version in 1996.
- In 2012, Jamaican reggae singer, Beres Hammond, released his cover version on compilation album, “Hit Rockers of the 80s/Reggae Love Vol. 1”
- American R&B/pop trio, 3T, covered “Stuck on You” with a remix in 2003 for their second album, “Identity”.
