Mike Reno & Ann Wilson - Almost Paradise (Love Theme from "Footloose")

Mike Reno and Ann Wilson's classic 80s song Almost Paradise is one of the defining romantic power ballads of the 1980s, written specifically as the love theme for the 1984 film Footloose. Almost Paradise moves from loneliness and disappointment toward the realization that a lasting love has finally been found, with Mike Reno and Ann Wilson trading verses before their voices come together for the soaring chorus. Mike Reno was the lead singer of Loverboy while Wilson was already famous as the voice of Heart, seeing Almost Paradise feature two distinctive rock vocalists at the height of their early 1980s success. Almost Paradise was written by Eric Carmen and Footloose lyricist Dean Pitchford. Pitchford recalled that he and Carmen watched the film together and then returned to Pitchford's West Hollywood bungalow, where they wrote the entire song in a single day. The following morning they performed their demo for director Herbert Ross, who immediately recognized its potential. Mike Reno and Ann Wilson were subsequently chosen to perform the finished duet. The recording was produced by Keith Olsen, with an accomplished studio lineup including Jim Keltner on drums, Chas Sandford on electric guitar, Bill Cuomo on keyboards and synthesizer, Jerry Peterson on saxophone and Olsen himself on bass and acoustic guitar. Almost Paradise was released on the Footloose soundtrack in 1984 and became a major hit, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. There's also a surprising piece of history behind the session itself. Dean Pitchford recalled that coordinating the two singers was difficult because Loverboy and Heart were both busy touring. Mike Reno and Ann Wilson finally had just one night when their schedules aligned, but Wilson fell in her hotel room and broke her wrist shortly before the session. According to Pitchford, she refused pain medication because she was concerned it would affect her singing and went ahead with the recording. Almost Paradise became one of the signature songs of the hugely successful Footloose soundtrack, its sweeping romantic sound providing a deliberate emotional counterpoint to the movie's more energetic dance and rock songs. More than four decades later, it remains closely associated with Footloose and with the classic 1980s male-female power ballad sound. Listen to Mike Reno & Ann Wilson on their official online music streaming platforms: Mike Reno:    / mike reno - topic   https://open.spotify.com/artist/79klo...   / mike-reno   Ann Wilson:    / @annwilsonofheart   https://open.spotify.com/artist/4lPDI...   / ann-wilson   Subscribe to The Soul Halo for more:    / @thesoulhalo   #MikeReno #AnnWilson #AlmostParadise #Footloose #80sMusic #TheSoulHalo