7 Songs You Didn't Know Lionel Richie Wrote.

Lionel Brockman Richie Jr., born June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, became one of America's greatest songwriters and singers, first as a member of the popular Motown group the Commodores and later as a solo artist whose albums achieved platinum status.

The son of a US Army systems analyst, Richie grew up on the grounds of Tuskegee Institute. He later joined the institute's brass band and briefly considered a career in the ministry before dedicating his life to music. .

After forming several R&B groups, Richie joined the Commodores in 1968, initially as a vocalist and saxophonist. He soon became a renowned songwriter, penning such timeless Commodores hits as "Three Times a Lady," "Easy," and "Fancy Dancer." Richie launched his solo career in 1982 and released countless best-selling albums, writing and recording such memorable classics as "All Night Long," "Say You, Say Me," and "Dancing on the Ceiling.".

With such an impressive track record, it's no surprise that other artists have turned to Richie for songwriting services, but the songs below, written (and co-written) by Richie, might surprise you. How many of them did you know were penned by this great man?

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1. «"Happy People" // The Temptations

2. «"Missing You" // Diana Ross

3. «"We are the whole world" // USA for Africa

4. «"Brick House" // Commodores

5. «"Lady" // Kenny Rogers

6. «"I like it" // Enrique Iglesias

7. «"Liar" // Camila Cabello

7.1. Other articles about music:

7.2. Interesting to know

«"Happy People" // The Temptations

This upbeat, rousing single became Richie's first commercial success as a songwriter for other artists and marked the beginning of outside demand for his services. He was well acquainted with another Motown group, The Temptations, and "Happy People," which Richie co-created with Donald Baldwin and Geoffrey Bowen, was a perfect fit for them.

The Temptations took the song to number one on the Billboard R&B chart and into the Top 40. Billboard Hot 100 .

«"Missing You" // Diana Ross

«The "Queen of Motown" and former Supremes member Diana Ross always knew how to get the most out of a song. Richie gave her excellent material here, which became a milestone in the singer's career—it was Ross's last single to reach the US Top 40 and her last to top the R&B chart.

Richie wrote the song in 1984 in memory of another talented member of his generation, singer Marvin Gaye, who tragically died that same year.

«"We are the whole world" // USA for Africa

Arguably one of the most famous songs of the modern era, "We Are the World" is an American charity single released in 1985 to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. Inspired by Band Aid's British charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas" released the previous year, "We Are the World" followed a similar formula, featuring numerous soloists, including Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, and Ray Charles.

This is perhaps the most stellar album imaginable. The producer was the great Quincy Jones, but the song had two co-writers: Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

«"Brick House" // Commodores

Everyone knows Richie as a master of tender, slow ballads and touching mid-tempo melodies, but perhaps few know about the singer's less sentimental side, which is skillfully showcased on this powerful soul-rock album. "Brick House" has perhaps become more well-known over time, although it reached number 5 on the US Singles chart on its initial release. Billboard chart Hot 100 and number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.

«"Lady" // Kenny Rogers

Country great Kenny Rogers was also one of the great performers who successfully straddled the pop and country divide, releasing over 200 hits on both the pop and country charts. The song "Lady," which first appeared on Rogers' 1980 album,« Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits’ , reached number one on the American charts Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Adult Contemporary.

The song's success also significantly contributed to Richie's development as a songwriter and producer for other artists. Richie later performed the song himself on his album. Time 1998, and also recorded a duet with Rogers on Tuskegee album 2012.

«"I like it" // Enrique Iglesias

Spanish phenomenon Enrique Iglesias is among the best-selling Latin artists of all time, with five Latin Grammy Awards and one Grammy Award to his credit. He also won the title of "Top Latin Artist of All Time" at the 2020 Billboard Latin Music Awards. The song "I Like It" is included on the singer's first bilingual studio album, Euphoria (2010) The song features samples from Richie's classic 1983 hit "All Night Long," with Richie himself re-recording his vocals specifically for the single.

The song's authors are listed as Richie and Iglesias, as well as Nadir Khayat and Armando Prez.

«"Liar" // Camila Cabello

Camila Cabello began her career as a member of one of the most successful girl groups of our time, Fifth Harmony. Not every singer who leaves such a popular group finds success in a solo career, but Cabello has handled the task brilliantly.

Her 2018 debut solo album «Camila »" topped the US charts Billboard 200. The song "Liar" samples Richie's "All Night Long," giving Richie a co-writing credit. This speaks to the enduring value of Richie's work, which seamlessly fits into such a modern-sounding album and serves as a source of inspiration.