"Keep On Loving You" is a ballad written by Kevin Cronin and performed by American rock band REO Speedwagon. It features the lead guitar work of Gary Richrath. The song first appeared on REO Speedwagon's 1980 album Hi Infidelity. It was the first REO Speedwagon single to break the top 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, reaching the number-one spot for one week in March 1981.[4] The single was certified platinum for U.S. sales of over one million copies. It peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart.[5]
"Keep On Loving You" has been a mainstay on 1980s soft rockcompilations and has appeared on dozens of 'various artists' compilation albums, as well as several REO Speedwagon greatest hits albums.[6]Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw rated it REO Speedwagon's all-time greatest song.[7]
Kevin Cronin stated that he wrote "Keep On Loving You" as a more traditional love ballad, and the band as a whole developed it into its final arrangement as a power ballad. He recounted:
I walked into rehearsal and sat down at the piano, which I rarely do because I'm a guitar player, and started playing "Keep on Loving You." ... And the guys in the band looked at me like I was from another planet. They were like, "What are you...?" because we were all bringing in songs for this record we were going to make and they looked at me like I was crazy. And I'm like, "Dude, this song really means a lot to me." [And they said] "So, dude, that's not an REO Speedwagon song." And I kind of was like, "You know what? I'm the main songwriter for REO Speedwagon, so if I write a song, it's an REO Speedwagon song. It's the band's job to turn it into an REO Speedwagon song." I was so passionate about this song. Everyone kind of got it and sure enough, Gary [Richrath] went over, plugged in his guitar and started playing power chords to this little love song I wrote. The next thing we knew, it was a number one record and everyone was calling it a power ballad and acted like we had this strategy for success that made this song happen when really it was just an accident.[8]
Cronin also said:
I went down to S.I.R. Studios, where we were rehearsing, sat down at [Neal Doughty's] piano and started to play these chords. Now, usually with us when somebody comes up with a good musical idea and begins playing it, everyone else joins in and we take it from there. But I must have played this part about 100 times, and no-one was taking any notice. Finally, though, Gary [Richarth] plugged in his Les Paul to a giant stack of Marshalls and started playing something. Now, I am convinced the only reason he did this was to try and drown me out. But when I heard what he was doing I jumped up and said, 'That's exactly what this song needs!'. And the song took off from there.[9]
Epic Records did not think the song was good enough to be released as a single but the band persuaded them to do so.[9]
Music video
In 1981, a video of the song was the 17th played on the first day of broadcast of MTV, on August 1.[10] It was framed by a scene of Kevin Cronin talking about his relationship troubles with a female psychiatrist and contained a shot where a woman picked up a telephone connected to Gary Richrath's guitar, referencing the live version of "157 Riverside Avenue."[11]
Personnel
REO Speedwagon
Kevin Cronin – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
