Heartlight (song)

This article is about the Neil Diamond song. For the Ts7 song, see Heartlight (Polygon). For the Kenny Loggins song, see Welcome to Heartlight.

"Heartlight" is a song written by Neil Diamond, Carole Bayer Sager and her then-husband, Burt Bacharach,^[1] and recorded by Diamond in 1982. It is the first track on Diamond's 1982 album, also titled Heartlight, and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his thirteenth (and last) top 10 hit on the chart. It also spent four weeks atop the adult contemporary chart in late 1982, and was the last of his eight #1s on that chart.^[2] Reportedly, it was inspired by the 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Diamond allegedly settled with MCA/Universal for $25,000, due to its supposedly drawing on the material of the film.^[3]

"Heartlight"
Single by Neil Diamond
from the album Heartlight
B-side	"You Don't Know Me"
Released	September 1982
Genre	Pop
Length	4:25
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Neil Diamond, Carole Bayer Sager and Burt Bacharach
Neil Diamond singles chronology
"Be Mine Tonight" (1982) "Heartlight" (1982) "I'm Alive" (1983)

Cash Box said that the song "will unquestionably stick in the minds of adult pop and A/C listeners like a piece of ear candy."^[4] Billboard described it as a "pretty, romantic ballad with a light, lilting melodyline."^[5]

Personnel

• Burt Bacharach – orchestra arrangements and conductor
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Neil Diamond – lead vocals, guitar (uncredited)^{[citation needed]}
• David Foster – piano
• Craig Hundley – synthesizer
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Richard Page – backing vocals
• Linda Press – backing vocals
• Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar
• Julia Tillman Waters – backing vocals
• H.L. Voelker – backing vocals
• Marty Walsh – guitar
• Maxine Waters Willard – backing vocals

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1982–83) Peak position Australia[6] 29 Belgium 23 Canada RPM Top Singles[7] 6 Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary 1 Ireland (IRMA)[8] 21 UK[9] 47 US Billboard Hot 100 5 US Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks 1 US Cash Box Top 100[10] 10

Year-end charts Chart (1982) Rank Australia[6] 177 Canada [11] 55 U.S. (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[12] 34 U.S. Cash Box [13] 67

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1982 (U.S.)

References

1. William Ruhlmann. "Neil Diamond | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
2. "Neil Diamond - Biography". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
3. Andy Greene (17 December 2019). "Flashback: Neil Diamond's E.T. Ode 'Heartlight' Causes Legal Skirmish". Rolling Stone.
4. "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 4, 1982. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
5. "Top Single Picks". Billboard. September 4, 1982. p. 63. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
6. "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 50 Singles 1988". Aria.com.au. Archived from the original on 2014-02-04. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Heartlight". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
9. "NEIL DIAMOND | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
10. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 13, 1982". Cash Box Magazine. November 13, 1982. Archived from the original on 2012-09-21. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
11. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
12. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
13. "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1982". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-09-21. Retrieved 2015-07-08.

External links

• Songfacts - Heartlight by Neil Diamond
• Neil Diamond - Heartlight on YouTube