Endless Love (song)

"Endless Love" is a song written by Lionel Richie and originally recorded as a duet between Richie and fellow soul singer Diana Ross. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by soul singer Luther Vandross with pop singer Mariah Carey and also by country music singer Shania Twain. Richie's friend (and sometimes co-worker) Kenny Rogers has also recorded the song. Billboard has named the original version as the greatest song duet of all-time.

About the record

Ross and Ritchie recorded the song for Motown, and it was used as the theme for the Franco Zeffirelli's film Endless Love. Produced by Richie and arranged by Gene Page, it was released as a single from the film's soundtrack in 1981. While the film Endless Love was a modest box-office success, the song became the second biggest-selling single of the year (first was "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes) in the U.S. and reached number 1 on the Hot 100, where it stayed for nine weeks from August 15 to October 10, 1981. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart and the Adult Contemporary chart, and reached number 7 in the UK.

Endless Love (1981 film)

Endless Love is a 1981 romantic drama film based on the 1979 novel of the same name by Scott Spencer. The film is directed by Franco Zeffirelli and stars Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt. The screenplay was written by Judith Rascoe. The original music score was composed by Jonathan Tunick.

The film was released in July 1981 and received negative reviews, with critics comparing it unfavourably to the novel. Spencer disliked it, believing the filmmakers to have missed the point of the book. The film was a moderate box-office success, and its theme song, performed by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie and also called "Endless Love", became a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent 9 weeks at #1 and received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for "Best Original Song", along with 5 Grammy nominations.

Plot

In suburban Chicago, teenagers Jade Butterfield (Brooke Shields) and David Axelrod (Martin Hewitt) fall in love after they are introduced by Jade's brother Keith (James Spader). Jade's family is known in their community for a bohemian lifestyle, allowing them to develop an all-consuming and passionate relationship; including allowing the two to make love in Jade's bedroom. In contrast to the openness of her family, David's home life is dull; his parents are wealthy political activists who are not actively involved in his life.

Endless Love

Endless Love may refer to:

Film and television

Literature

Music

Endless Love (soundtrack)

Endless Love is the name of a soundtrack album to the movie of the same name. The album was released worldwide by Mercury Records in 1981.

While the Endless Love movie itself faded into obscurity, the film's soundtrack and its theme song by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, also called "Endless Love", certainly did not. The song became a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and nearly 30 years after its release still remains the best-selling single of Ross' career. The single stayed at #1 for no less than nine weeks from August 9 to October 10, 1981, making it the biggest-selling single of the year in the US. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart and the Adult Contemporary chart as well as becoming a Top ten hit single in the UK, peaking at #7 and indeed a Top ten hit in most parts of the world. The duet single was released by Motown Records worldwide since both artists were still signed to that label at the time, and in effect became the most successful single in Motown history. It however became Ross' final hit single for the label, shortly thereafter she signed a then recordbreaking $20 million deal with RCA Records. Her first album for her new label, the self-produced Why Do Fools Fall in Love, released the same year, included a solo version of "Endless Love". The Endless Love soundtrack also included a second duet with Ross and Richie, "Dreaming of You", and both songs were also included as orchestral versions alongside Jonathan Tunick's original score.