Movie songs never soared as high as they did in the 80s. Every blockbuster that barreled down the pike came equipped with either an uptempo raver or an anguished power ballad (or sometimes both) to connect it to audiences on radio and MTV.
Pulling off these songs was easier said than done. Huey Lewis avoided a major trap when he and the News recorded “The Power Of Love” for the Back To The Future soundtrack in 1985. And they walked away with their first-ever pop chart-topper in the process.
The Movies Come Calling
The timing couldn’t have been any better for Huey Lewis And The News to strike with a big song for the big screen. In 1983, coming off their first taste of nationwide acclaim thanks to their hit “Do You Believe In Love”, the San Francisco-based band released the album Sports.
To say it became a phenomenon would rank as something of an understatement. Four singles hit the Top 10, while another snuck into the Top 20. With every video gaining wide exposure on MTV, the telegenic Lewis became a kind of everyman rock star for the masses.
Naturally, Hollywood was going to come calling for the band. And they weren’t exactly lightweights who came knocking on the door. Back To The Future came with producer Steven Spielberg and director Robert Zemeckis attached. When they asked, how could Lewis refuse? Nonetheless, the singer hesitated.
“Power” Play
Lewis’ main concern was that he’d be expected to write a song called “Back To The Future”, or at least tie the lyrics into the plot of the movie. Considering the time travel element to the film, that would have been difficult.
Luckily, the filmmakers told Lewis he could write whatever kind of song he wanted. That convinced him to do it. News’ band members Chris Hayes and Johnny Colla got the ball rolling on the song’s music. Lewis quickly filled in the lyrics, and “The Power Of Love” was born.
Because the film was far down the line in post-production, the song had to be shoehorned into a scene of the main character, Marty McFly, skateboarding. Lewis even earned a cameo. Back To The Future became a runaway hit, and “The Power Of Love” rode that wave in the summer of 1985. Soon, it was at the top of the pop charts, the first ever No. 1 for Huey Lewis And The News.
Behind the Lyrics of “The Power Of Love”
Lewis speaks eternal truths about the world’s strongest emotion throughout the song. “The power of love is a curious thing,” he begins. “Make a one man weep, make another one sing / Change a hawk to a little white dove.” That’s a strikingly succinct summation about love’s potency.
Elsewhere, Lewis suggests that people dive into it knowing the possibility of heartbreak exists. “They say that all in love is fair,” he sings. “Yeah, but you don’t care.” Lewis lays it all on the line in the refrain. “It’s strong and it’s sudden and it can be cruel sometimes,” he admits. “But it might just save your life.”
“The Power Of Love” did well on its own, but it also served as a springboard for the band that recorded it. Just a year after the single’s release, Huey Lewis And The News returned with their album Fore, which somehow managed to outdo its predecessor with six more Top 10 singles. Maybe Lewis didn’t jump at the chance to do a movie song initially. But he sure got it just right once he relented.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
