Passion (Rod Stewart song)

"Passion" is a song by Rod Stewart that first appeared in 1980 on his album Foolish Behaviour. It was the lead single and biggest hit from the album. The song was also released as a 12-inch promotional single with an extended running time of 7:30.

"Passion"
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Foolish Behaviour
B-side	"Better Off Dead"
Released	24 October 1980[1]
Recorded	1980
Length	4:45 (promo 7" edit) 5:29 (7"/album) 7:30 (promo 12" edit)
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Rod Stewart Phil Chen Gary Grainger Jim Cregan Kevin Savigar
Producer(s)	Harry the Hook Jeremy Andrew Johns the Rod Stewart Group
Rod Stewart singles chronology
"(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" (1980) "Passion" (1980) "My Girl" (1980)
Music video
"Passion" on YouTube

Background

"Passion" describes the ubiquity of the phenomenon, delineating its universality by listing many of the people, places, and situations in which it is found. Passion is described as a powerful but dangerous essential motivator, being so compelling that it is prone to sometimes break outside the boundaries of loving relationships. 'Hear it on the radio' and 'read it in the papers' speaks of the potentially disruptive power of unleashed desire.

Reception

Billboard wrote "This up-tempo number has strong pop orchestration effectively pitted against Stewart's throaty vocals" and that the song has a "catchy" hook.^[2] Record World said that the song has "menacing guitar runs, percussion fever & [Stewart's] vocal parchment."^[3]

Personnel

• Rod Stewart – lead and backing vocals
• Jim Cregan – guitar
• Gary Grainger – guitar
• Phil Chen – bass
• Kevin Savigar – keyboards, synthesizers
• Carmine Appice – drums, Roland CR-78 programming
• Paulinho da Costa - percussion

^[4]

Chart performance

The song reached number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two in Canada. It was also a sizeable hit across Europe.

Weekly charts Chart (1980–1981) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 16 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 14 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 4 Canada (RPM)[8][9] 2 Ireland (IRMA)[10] 16 Italy (FIMI)[11] 14 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 4 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 7 South Africa (Springbok)[15] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 5 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 4 UK Singles (OCC)[18] 17 US Billboard Hot 100[19] 5 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 65 US Cash Box Top 100[21] 4 US Record World[8] 6 West Germany (GfK)[22] 13 Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[23] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1980) Position Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[24] 88 Chart (1981) Position Canada (RPM)[25] 22 Italy (FIMI)[26] 49 South Africa[27] 9 US Billboard Hot 100[28] 38 US Cash Box[29] 51

Popular culture

• "Passion" was prominently featured in the 1984 drama film New York Nights (later known as Shackin' Up).^[30]