All of You (Julio Iglesias and Diana Ross song) explained

All of You
Cover:Juliodianaallofyou.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Julio Iglesias and Diana Ross
Album:1100 Bel Air Place and the album Swept Away
B-Side:The Last Time
Released:June 12, 1984
Recorded:1984
Genre:Pop, adult contemporary
Length:3:57
Label:Columbia/CBS Records and RCA Records
Producer:Richard Perry
Chronology:Julio Iglesias
Prev Title:Forever and Ever
Prev Year:1983
Next Title:Me va, me va
Next Year:1984

"All of You" is a 1984 vocal duet between Spanish singer and songwriter Julio Iglesias and American singer Diana Ross, which was released on June 12 as the lead single from both Iglesias's album 1100 Bel Air Place, released on the Columbia Records label, and Ross's fifteenth album, Swept Away (1984), released on the RCA Records label. It was written by Cynthia Weil, Iglesias and Tony Renis, and produced by Richard Perry.

Background to the partnership

In the middle 1980s, having already achieved a high level of international prominence, Spanish singer Julio Iglesias was seeking to gain a foothold in American music; to this end, he had learned English. On his album 1100 Bel Air Place, he had already recorded a cover version of "The Air That I Breathe" in duet partnership with the Beach Boys and an original selection, "To All The Girls I've Loved Before," in duet partnership with Willie Nelson. Richard Perry, the album's music producer, suggested the idea of Iglesias having Diana Ross as yet another duet partner, and Iglesias agreed.

To the extent which became public knowledge, Iglesias and Ross had never met each other, least of all performed together, before becoming duet partners on the selection; Iglesias's and Ross's meeting when the video was being produced is believed to have been their first. That would soon change as Ross reportedly ended up spending the Christmas holiday season at Iglesias's Miami estate. They there celebrated the success of their global duet that hit #1 in Spain, #3 in Italy, and #8 in Canada for example. In the United States, it reached #12 in Cash Box and #19 in Billboard. Additionally, "All of You" reached #2 on Adult Contemporary radio. Because it was the second single from 1100 Bel Air Place and the first single from Diana's successful Swept Away album, it helped sell both artists's albums. It also boasted a hugely popular and sensual music video.

Ross was having some career difficulties at the time she agreed to the duet partnership with Iglesias; she had left Motown Records over a dispute with Berry Gordy which would not be resolved for years, and was recording for RCA Records (EMI in the UK and the rest of the world) at the time. Though her debut album for the label, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, had been successful three years before, her most recently released album, Ross, was not performing as well.

Iglesias collaborated with one of his "amigos", Tony Renis, on the composition of the music; veteran songwriter Cynthia Weil, better known for her partnership with Barry Mann, wrote the lyrics, which were in English—a language Iglesias could barely speak at the time. Richard Perry served as music producer.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1984)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[1] 19
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[2] 26
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[3] 28
France (IFOP)[4] 23
Italy (Musica e dischi)[5] 3
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[6] 19

Year-end charts

Chart (1984)Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 85
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[8] 59
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[9] 75
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 99
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[11] 23

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book. St Ives, NSW. 1993. 0-646-11917-6 .
  2. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. September 24, 1984. June 26, 2021.
  3. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021. 2021. Diana Ross. 219. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. July 4, 2022. fi.
  4. Web site: InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque Artiste commençant par R . June 2, 2020.
  5. Book: Racca, Guido. M&D Borsa Singoli 1960–2019. it. 2019. Independently Published . 9781093264906.
  6. Web site: SA Charts 1969-1989 (A-B). Web.archuive.org . https://web.archive.org/web/20031108092013/http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(A-B).html . 17 January 2018. 2003-11-08 .
  7. Web site: Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984. Kent Music Report. Imgur.com. 23 January 2023.
  8. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1984. Ultratop. August 19, 2021.
  9. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984. Dutch Top 40. December 25, 2020.
  10. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984. Dutchcharts.nl. December 25, 2020.
  11. Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1984. Billboard. December 25, 2020.