All Out Of Love (G Russell/C Davis) and Every Woman in the World (D Bugatti/F Musker) – Air Supply 1980
The album Lost In Love was a huge hit for the band in the US and the title track climbed into the top five there, the follow up single, All Out Of Love, was a great pop ballad which attributed co-composing rights to Clive Davis, multi-Grammy award-winning chief of Sony/Arista Music.
Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock were the creative focus of what had become a shifting ensemble of musicians who as Air Supply became one of the most successful chart acts of the 80’s – their band included L-R Below – David Green (bass), Ralph Cooper (drums), Graham Russell (guitar/vocals), David Moyse (guitar), Russell Hitchcock (lead vocals), and Rex Goh (guitar), and they worked closely with Australian producer Robie Porter (Rob E.G.) at this time, although he would be replaced by Michael Masser and Harry Maslin on future albums.
All Out Of Love was pre-released prior to the album Lost In Love in March 1980, and is considered to be the duo’s signature song, and one of the top 100 Soft Rock songs of all time. Henceforward Clive Davis of Arista worked closely with Air Supply and brought his considerable skills and experience to bear in curating their music for success in the USA.
In Australia the band’s soft rock sound, tight harmonies and clean image had often been ignored and occasionally derided, despite the success of the band’s records internationally. All Out Of Love was truly an international hit charting #2 in the USA where it was blocked from the top spot by Diana Ross with Upside Down and Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust, but it hit #2 in Canada, #3 in France, and #9 in Australia, for the group’s second million-seller.
Guitarist/singer/songwriter Graham Russell’s lead vocal contribution, particularly during the intro, was more obvious on this song, and it benefitted from his rich mellow tones in contrast to Russell Hitchcock’s more plaintive tenor. The string-drenched orchestral arrangement by Frank Esler-Smith was pop perfect, and he would continue to contribute to the success of Air Supply’s pocket symphonies on future albums. Lyrically the song covered familiar territory for the group, about a guy who has cheated on his lover but now seeks forgiveness and a reconciliation.
Russell’s original chorus for the song was “I’m all out of love/ I want to arrest you,” which Arista chief Clive Davis (above) rejected as he believed that Americans would be confused by the line and conclude that someone was about to be apprehended, so he changed it to “I’m all out of love/ I’m so lost without you,” the canny Clive also got a writing credit for his subtle word change, the brutal royalties-sharing euphemism ” a third for a word”, was very evident here. The song is also quite famous for lead singer Russell Hitchcock holding the final note for 16.2 seconds, a record for a male singer, until 1983 when Sheriff lead vocalist Freddy Curci held the final note for When I’m With You, for a breathtaking 19.4 seconds.
Every Woman In The World was the third single lifted off the Lost In Love album, and it was written by “The Dukes”, who were the British songwriting duo of Dominic Bugatti and Frank Musker (left to right below), who had penned Modern Girl for Sheena Easton, and could be relied on to deliver deftly-crafted MOR ballads that would resonate with the American market.
It was a melodic midtempo song filled with lyrical and instrumental hooks, subtle acoustic guitar riffs, and the orchestral arrangement by Harry Maslin and Barry Fasman ensured that Hitchcock’s vocals, and Russell’s more restrained harmonies, underscored the poignant message of the song, about a man who has found real love, and is committed to a lasting relationship.
“Overnight scenes, dinner and wine, Saturdays girls, I was never in love, never had the time In my hustle and hurry world, Laughing my self to sleep Waking up lonely….” Air Supply were true romantics, studio scenes here gave other band members some exposure, Russell glitched his lip-synch at the outro.
This song and Air Supply’s laid-back style and seemingly effortless, winning vocal harmonies and seamless orchestral arrangements, were a potent combination and once again Air Supply had another international hit on their hands. Every Woman In The World hit the charts in the US at #5, #8 in Aust, #11 in the UK for their only top 40 hit there, and #7 in NZ, to continue their golden run. The template had been established for prolonged future chart success, and it comprised glossy, melodic. beautifully-produced love ballads, which were radio-friendly, market savvy , anodyne and unthreatening, consistently occupying the middle of the road musically, and would regularly sell in excess of a million copies.
4The Record 