Lionel Ritchie - Stuck On You

Album: Can't Slow Down (1983)
Genre: Motown (Ballad)

I confess to writing this entry while drinking red wine from the Coonawarra region in South Australia. Evidently, it pairs spectacularly the inimitable musical genius of Lionel Ritchie.

70s Soul pioneer, 80s pop superstar, collaborator, entertainer. Lionel's talents are many. Yet, despite the range, his voice has always been his greatest asset.

Got this feeling down deep in my soul that I just can’t lose / Guess I’m on my way 

Lionel earned my respect long ago with that lyric. I’ve learnt there’s no certainties in life. One must simply follow their intuition. The Greeks taught us we must know ourselves, modern society has added that we should also stay true to that self. The two are neither mutually inclusive or easy to achieve together.

There’s a beautiful sense of natural progression to this song. No dogged determination to achieve a goal, just a peaceful resignation to the power of love. The subject here feels like someone who's done some soul searching and realised what he really needs. It's prolific idea, but one that is all too rarely practiced. 

The real hero of the song though, is that voice. The velvety timbre and effortless control are iconic and therapeutic. Really, Lionel Ritchie just sounds like Soul. And even though this song was part of his 80s Pop era, the thing is unmistakably Motown. The acoustic guitars and synthesizers aren't fooling anyone.

And just for reading this far, enjoy this ripping live version Lionel performed with Darius Rucker.