Wrote this in 1988 while staying out in LA with my friend Tom Whitlock. Tom had moved from Springfield to LA several years earlier and found success as a songwriter working with Giorgio Moroder on music for the movie Top Gun, which earned Tom an Oscar and Golden Globe Award for the song “Take My Breath Away”.

Tom had bought himself a nice house out in the Woodland Hills area and put in a studio, which he kindly offer the use of whenever I came out to LA. I put together the ideas for this basic track in Tom’s studio and then brought them back to Nashville where I finished up writing the lyrics with Greg Barnhill.

Recorded at Recording Arts in 1989 with Michael Brignardello on bass, Mark Douthit on alto sax and me programming keyboards / drums / percussion and doing all the vocals

Lyrics

You’ve been handed the wrong picture
Of what love was meant to be
You’ve been given wine and roses
When what you needed was some mystery
   Those bonds of love are old – the chains are used
   But can hang around your heart forever
   You keep hoping’ for some feeling that is new
   And that it comes before the twelfth of never

     You don’t wanna’ make another wish
     Or throw some pennies in a well
     You just want a love that touches you
     You don’t need stars - you don’t need bells
        You’ll know you’re the most important thing
        That nothing else get placed above
        When it’s real love

When you need to love somebody
You can’t get someone to use
They don’t stand on every corner
You’ll find that they don’t grow right next to you
   Loves something you can’t put your fingers on
   You can’t have it just because you want it
   One or two gave it away for just a song
   I’ve never met someone who’s ever bought it

     If you come upon a love that’s true
     It may be hard for you to tell
     Chances are that if it touches you
     You won’t need stars – you won’t need bells
        You’ll know you’re the most important thing
        That nothing else get placed above
        When it’s real love

It’s different when it’s real love
There’s no mistaking real love
You’ll know when it’s real love

Solo

     You don’t wanna’ make another wish
     Or throw some pennies in a well
     You’ll have a love that touches you
     You won’t need stars - you won’t need bells
     When it’s real love

     Publishing leewardmusic BMI / warner/refuge music