You're the Inspiration

"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 No. 3 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 Cetera from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), in 1986 in the most-performed songs category.[3]

"You're the Inspiration"
UK vinyl single
Single by Chicago
from the album Chicago 17
B-side"Once in a Lifetime"
ReleasedOctober 16, 1984
Recorded1983–1984
GenreSoft rock[1]
Length3:50
LabelFull Moon/Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Peter Cetera, David Foster
Producer(s)David Foster
Chicago singles chronology
"Hard Habit to Break"
(1984)		 "You're the Inspiration"
(1984)		 "Along Comes a Woman"
(1985)
Music video
"You're the Inspiration" on YouTube

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

History

Peter Cetera stated in a 2004 interview that "You're the Inspiration" started out as a song for Kenny Rogers:

"David Foster called me up and he said, ‘I’m in the studio with Kenny Rogers, and he would like you to write a song for him.’ And I said, ‘That’s great! As a matter of fact, I’m leaving for Italy...’ I was going to Europe for something. I don’t remember [why]...and this was like nine o’clock in the morning. I said, ‘I’m leaving for Italy tonight around five o’clock. I’ll be there about two weeks, and I’ll call you when I come back.’ And he goes, ‘No, no, no, he means, like, now.’ (....) And so David was in the studio...and of course...you know, last minute. And so I said, ‘Alright, well you come over here right now, and we’ll see what we can do.’ So in the midst of packing, David drove out to where I was then living. And we basically, in about three hours, came up with a little chordal structure for “You’re the Inspiration,” which it wasn’t called that at the time. And we sort of made this little tape of this chord structure; I took it on the plane, [and] went to Italy. And, of course, lying in these beautiful baroque and marble rooms, and singing out the window...I was writing things about, ‘Michelangelo you should know, Michelangelo.’ And I came up with, oh...you’re the inspiration! [So, I] came back with the words, worked on this melody, and came back and presented the song. And [Kenny] basically didn’t have the time or didn’t want to do it. Good for me!"[6]

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."[7]

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

Peter Cetera feat. Az Yet version
"You're the Inspiration (Remix)"
Single by Peter Cetera featuring Az Yet
from the album You're the Inspiration: A Collection
ReleasedAugust 25, 1997 (1997-08-25)
Recorded1996
GenreR&B, adult contemporary
Length4:07
LabelPlatinum Entertainment
Songwriter(s)Peter Cetera, David Foster
Producer(s)Babyface
Az Yet singles chronology
"Hard to Say I'm Sorry"
(1997)		 "You're the Inspiration (Remix)"
(1997)		 "Keep on Pushin'"
(2007)

In 1997, Peter Cetera re-recorded "You're the Inspiration" for his 1997 solo album You're the Inspiration: A Collection. 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).[20]

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

Charts
Chart (1997) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 77
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[22] 29
Dutch Top 40[23] 72

See also

References
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Chicago – The Collection". AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 55.
  3. "ASCAP Awards Ceremony". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 24. June 14, 1986. p. 79. Retrieved March 6, 2019 – via Google Books.
  4. Taylor, Chuck (July 12, 1997). "For former Chicago crooner Cetera, making hits is a hard habit to break". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 28. p. 85. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  5. Bronson, Fred (October 25, 1997). "Chart Beat: Jackson Lassoes No. 1 With 'Rope'". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 43. USA. p. 102. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  6. Cetera, Peter. "Peter Cetera Interview 2004" (Interview).
  7. "Reviews". Billboard. November 17, 1984. p. 72. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  8. "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report (393). January 4, 1982 – via Imgur.
  9. "RPM 100 Singles for Feb. 16, 1985". RPM. Canada. February 16, 1985. p. 6.
  10. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. March 9, 1985. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – You're the Inspiration". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  12. "You're the Inspiration". Dutchcharts. 1985. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  13. "You're the Inspiration". Charts. 1985. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  14. "You're the Inspiration". Charts. 1985. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  15. "Chicago: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  16. "Chicago Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  17. "Chicago Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  18. "RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. Canada. December 28, 1985.
  19. "Top 100 Hits of 1985/Top 100 Songs of 1985".
  20. "Production Notes: Other Cities". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 40. USA. October 4, 1997. p. 103. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  21. "Peter Cetera Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  22. "Peter Cetera Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  23. "You're the Inspiration". Dutchcharts. 1997. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
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