Editor’s note: Web Is Jericho writer B.J. Lisko is digging into his archives from more than a decades worth of work as an entertainment writer for The Canton Repository and The Akron Beacon Journal for a new series, “Stories Behind The Songs.” Keep an eye out for many more articles like this right here on Web Is Jericho!
In 1984, singer/songwriter John Waite was putting the finishing touches on what was to become his “No Brakes” album in Los Angeles. Waite, at this point a veteran of the English rock group, The Babys, was working on the follow-up to his 1982 solo debut, “Ignition.” As his deadline fast approached, Waite knew he had a quality album on his hands, but something was missing.
“I knew we hadn’t got a single,” Waite told me in 2018, Waite pondered a moment, then continued, “Well, we had ‘Tears’ and ‘Restless Heart,’ but it still wasn’t as far out as it should’ve been. I just knew we hadn’t got it.”
While working on last-minute ideas at a friend’s house, inspiration struck seemingly out of nowhere. “This guy played me by accident some chord changes, and I just said, ‘I’ll try to sing something over that,” Waite recalled. “And I came up with the first verse of ‘Missing You’ right out of the blue.” I didn’t plan any of it. It just happened.”
After Waite hit the iconic chorus, he stood back from the mic to try to catch his breath. “I was winded,” he said. “All the air left the room. I knew it was a No. 1. I knew it was good, and I couldn’t explain to myself how I’d managed it.”
The song and album, backed by all three aforementioned singles, struck a chord with audiences around the globe and vaulted Waite into the collective consciousness of music fans everywhere.
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