"Bluer Than Blue" is a 1978 song recorded by Michael Johnson. The song was written by noted pop and country songwriter

Randy Goodrum Charles Randolph Goodrum (born July 7, 1947) is an American songwriter, pianist, and producer. Goodrum has written number one songs in each of the four decades since his first number one hit, 1978's "You Needed Me". Goodrum's songs have appeare ...

. Originally recorded as a demo, "Bluer Than Blue" was taken as the first single from Johnson's subsequent LP, ''The Michael Johnson Album''. The song is from the point of view of a man who is in a failing relationship, and is trying to convince himself that his situation will improve once the one he loved moves on; however, it is evident by the lyrics to the song his efforts are thus far ineffective. The song became the singer's first

top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...

hit, reaching #12 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in summer 1978. It also reached #10 on the ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' chart. It proved even more popular with

adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...

radio stations, spending three weeks at #1 on the

Easy Listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...

chart that same year. To date, this is Johnson's highest-charting single on the Pop and Adult Contemporary charts. The song has become a well-known American 1970s

soft rock Soft rock is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in Southern California and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. S ...

single that continues to be played on radio stations. The single received generally favourable reviews at the time of its release. ''

Cashbox Magazine ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' described Johnson's work as "full of touching ballads with all the right production touches, subtle instrumentation and poignant vocals necessary to keep the tenderness from becoming insipid." In 1978, Johnson was quoted as saying, "I knew it was potentially a successful song but I didn't think it would go this far. It seemed, well, too mature. The experience of being married or living with someone is hard to identify with for younger people."The Star-Phoenix (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), Los Angeles (AP)
Pop star treatment stuns singer
July 7, 1978, p.21.

Cover versions

*Singapore-born

Anita Sarawak Ithnaini binti Mohamed Taib (born 23 March 1952), better known by her stage name Anita Sarawak, is a Singaporean singer, actress and talk show host. Early years Anita is the only child of actor and director S. Roomai Noor and actress Siput Saraw ...

recorded this song in her album in 1979. *

Ruby Wilson Ruby Wilson (February 29, 1948 – August 12, 2016) was an American blues and gospel singer and actress. She was known as "The Queen of Beale Street" as she sang in clubs on Beale Street, Memphis, Tennessee, for over 40 years. She had a successf ...

recorded the song, which was later included in her 1981 album ''Ruby Wilson''. *

Filipina Filipinos ( tl, Mga Pilipino) are the people who are citizens of or native to the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos today come from various Austronesian ethnolinguistic groups, all typically speaking either Filipino, English and/or other ...

singer

Regine Velasquez Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez ( ; born April 22, 1970) is a Filipina singer, actress, and record producer. She is considered one of the most influential figures in Philippine popular culture and is known for her vocal range and beltin ...

recorded the song and was later included in her 1996 cover album ''

Retro Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from history, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. In popular culture, the "nostalgia cycle" is typically for the two decades that begin 20–30 ...

''. *In 1996,

Barry Manilow Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus; June 17, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter with a career that spans seven decades. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", " Somewhere Down the Road", " Mandy", "I Write the Songs", " Can ...

covered the song on his album ''

Summer of '78 ''Summer of '78'' is an album by singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, released in 1996. The album was a collection of cover versions of popular songs, mostly from the late 1970s, and was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. Track listing Personnel ...

''. *Joel Palencia covered the song in early 2015.

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Year-end charts

References

External links