You're the Inspiration explained

You're the Inspiration
Cover:Chicago inspiration.jpg
Caption:UK vinyl single
Type:single
Artist:Chicago
Album:Chicago 17
B-Side:Once in a Lifetime
Released:31 October 1984
Recorded:1983–1984
Genre:Soft rock[1]
Length:3:50
Label:Full Moon/Warner Bros.
Producer:David Foster
Prev Title:Hard Habit to Break
Prev Year:1984
Next Title:Along Comes a Woman
Next Year:1985

"You're the Inspiration" is a song written by Peter Cetera and David Foster for the group Chicago and recorded for their fourteenth studio album Chicago 17 (1984), with Cetera singing lead vocals. The third single released from that album, it reached on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1985 and also climbed to the top position on the Adult Contemporary chart at the same time.[2] The song won honors for Foster and Cetera from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), in 1986 in the most-performed songs category.[3]

Peter Cetera re-recorded the song for his 1997 solo album .[4] That same year he also recorded a single version with the vocal R&B group Az Yet.[5]

The song was used in the 2016 film Deadpool.

History

Peter Cetera stated in a 2004 interview that "You're the Inspiration" started out as a song for Kenny Rogers: Cetera then changed some of the words and recorded the song with Chicago for their Chicago 17 album.

Reception

Billboard said that it was "somewhere between a hymn and an anthem."[6]

Personnel

Additional personnel

Music video

The video depicted the band performing intercut with scenes of embracing couples of varying ages ranging from young kids to a couple resembling Billy Idol and Madonna at the time. Lead singer Peter Cetera is seen wearing a T-shirt from the British goth band Bauhaus. During his performance, Cetera is sitting the whole time. It also uses an alternate version of the song without the guitar sting between the second and third choruses.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1984–1985)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 43
Canada RPM Top 100[8] 5
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[9] 1
Netherlands[10] 32
New Zealand Singles Chart[11] 30
Swedish Singles Chart[12] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (1985)Position
Canadian Singles Chart[13] 31
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 37

Peter Cetera feat. Az Yet version

You're the Inspiration (Remix)
Cover:You're the Inspiration Peter Cetera.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Peter Cetera featuring Az Yet
Recorded:1996
Genre:R&B, adult contemporary
Length:4:07
Label:Platinum Entertainment
Producer:Babyface
Chronology:Az Yet
Prev Title:Hard to Say I'm Sorry
Prev Year:1997
Next Title:Keep on Pushin'
Next Year:2007

In 1997, Peter Cetera re-recorded "You're the Inspiration" for his 1997 solo album . Due to Cetera featuring on R&B vocal group Az Yet's cover of "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" earlier in the year, they collaborated on a remix of Cetera's solo recording of "You're the Inspiration", which was released as a single. This version reached No. 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 29 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Like Az Yet's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry", Cetera and Az Yet's version of "You're the Inspiration" was also produced by Babyface.

Music video

The music video for Peter Cetera and Az Yet's "You're the Inspiration" was directed by Steven R. Monroe and was filmed at Westward Beach (Malibu, California).[15]

Track listings

  1. "You're the Inspiration" – 4:07
  2. "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" – 3:13

Charts

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stephen Thomas . Erlewine . Stephen Thomas Erlewine . Chicago – The Collection . . September 15, 2017 .
  2. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Joel Whitburn . 2002 . Record Research . 55.
  3. News: [{{Google books|PCQEAAAAMBAJ|page=PT76|plainurl=yes}} ASCAP Awards Ceremony]. June 14, 1986. Billboard. 98. 24. 79. Google Books. March 6, 2019.
  4. News: [{{Google books|eg4EAAAAMBAJ|page=85|plainurl=yes}} For former Chicago crooner Cetera, making hits is a hard habit to break]. Taylor. Chuck. July 12, 1997. Billboard. 109. 28. 85. February 21, 2017.
  5. News: [{{Google books|0wkEAAAAMBAJ|page=102|plainurl=yes}} Chart Beat: Jackson Lassoes No. 1 With 'Rope']. Bronson. Fred. October 25, 1997. Billboard. USA. 109. 43. 102. February 21, 2017.
  6. Billboard. Reviews. November 17, 1984. 2023-02-10. 72.
  7. National Top 100 Singles for 1981 . . 393 . 4 January 1982 . Imgur.
  8. News: RPM 100 Singles for Feb. 16, 1985. 1985-02-16. RPM. Canada. 6.
  9. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 1985-03-09 . 2019-04-01.
  10. Web site: You're the Inspiration. Dutchcharts. 1985. 30 January 2015.
  11. Web site: You're the Inspiration. Charts. 1985. 30 January 2015.
  12. Web site: You're the Inspiration. Charts. 1985. 30 January 2015.
  13. News: RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985. 1985-12-28. RPM. Canada.
  14. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1985/Top 100 Songs of 1985.
  15. News: October 4, 1997 . [{{Google books|1wkEAAAAMBAJ|page=103|plainurl=yes}} Production Notes: Other Cities]. Billboard. USA. 109. 40. 103. February 21, 2017.
  16. Web site: You're the Inspiration. Dutchcharts. 1997. 30 January 2015.