Song #451: "Kiss You All Over" by Exile

Date: Sept 30, 1978
Weeks: 4

This song starts off promisingly enough. The singer's low voice is particularly striking, and it seems to foreshadow a sexy song. Unfortuantely, that voice comes off pretty quickly and he turns out to have a pretty average-range gravelly voice. It's not bad, but his voice at the opening promises a more intriguing song than the one that results.

The music is also initially appealing. The opening contains plenty of bass guitar, drums, and some low piano and synth notes. The remainder of the first verse adds in some guitar and it feels kind of classic and timeless. The verse is spent building the music up to a big musical payoff. By the end of the first verse, I was thinking I liked this song, and I was looking forward to the exciting payoff.

Unfortunately, the payoff is filled with a high-pitched chorus, strings, and all those 70s disco hallmarks I've complained about before. It's the same kind of thing that ruined "Convoy"; an initially appealing song is ruined by layering way too much 70s-specific sound on top of the chorus. This one seems like it might be at home as the romantic song that you dance to at the disco. It feels like it would fit better as the romantic theme to Saturday Night Fever than "If I Can't Have You."

I actually like the lyrics. The lyrics are clearly about a monogamous, long-term relationship that is just as passionate and romantic as any other relationship out there. "When I get home, babe" indicates a couple that lives together. "Every time I'm with you, babe, I can't believe it's true" shows that monogamous familiarity has deepened their affection. The lyrics make this a nice love song for a couple in a committed relationship. Which makes it that much more unfortunate that the music sounds like something that should be playing in a disco club, rather than something a couple might put on their home stereo to create a romantic mood.

My verdict: Don't like it. Appealing lyrics and a promising musical beginning, but it builds up to a chorus that disappoints.