Times have changed. Lionel Richie revealed “All Night Long” was written about the long, sexy romps of his youth, but he can’t quite go for a full eight hours anymore.
“Let me give you the first part that I have to really, really say to you. When I wrote ‘All Night Long,’ it was truly all night long,” the singer, 73, said during a Tuesday, March 28, appearance on The View after cohost Sara Haines asked him to explain the backstory of the song.
Haines, 45, giggled as Richie added, “Now my ‘All Night Long’ is down to a fierce 15 minutes. But, don’t worry, we’ll talk about that later!”
Richie was on the show alongside his fellow American Idol judges, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, who seemed shocked by the revelation. Perry, 38, quickly extended her hand to the “Hello” crooner.
“Is this show live? 15 minutes, that’s long, bud,” the “Dark Horse” songstress said. Bryan, 46, also shook Richie’s hand as he agreed with Perry.
“Damn right, and don’t you forget that,” the Alabama native quipped.
Perry added, “As long as it’s not four times a night, seven days a week.”
Richie went on to reveal that the famous chorus of the song didn’t actually come from a sexual experience but instead a night of frustration.
“All Night Long was one of those songs where, I must tell you, I had everything but the hook,” the Oscar winner recalled. He went to a friend’s house for dinner, but he knew he had to return to work to finish his track. “I said, ‘Guys, I have to go back to the studio. I got to go back, man. I have to work all night long — all night long!’ That’s how I got it.
Richie released “All Night Long” in 1983 as the lead single from his album Can’t Slow Down, which was later certified platinum. The song became one of his biggest hits, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and earning a nomination for Song of the Year at the 1984 Grammy Awards.
While his stamina during sex has slowed down, his career hasn’t. Richie is judging American Idol, which airs on ABC Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. After the show wraps, he’ll go out on the road, playing solo shows all over Europe in June and teaming up with Earth, Wind & Fire for their joint “Sing A Song All Night Long” tour across the U.S. in August and September.
