Customer Reviews

Tonight I'm Yours

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Never Give Up on a Dream was written by Rod Stewart and Bernie Taupin in 1981 for Terry Fox. Terry Fox embarked on a couragous Marathon of Hope to run across Canada in 1980 to raise awareness for Cancer Research. Terry had lost his leg to cancer the previous year and with one artificial leg he set out on April 12 after dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean. He ran 26 kilometers per day and unfortunately was forced to give up after 5500 kiloometers when the cancer spread. He passed away some months later. This year marks the 20th Terry Fox Run and is now in over 50 countries. To date the Terry Fox Run has raised over $200 million for Cancer Research. Rod Stewart graciously published the Terry Fox story on the inner sleeve of the album 'Tonight I'm Yours'. It is a remarkable song for a remarkable young man.

This is one of my favorite Rod stewart cd's, which I have had since my childhood. Every song on this cd is a winner! Young Turks and Tonight I'm Yours are classics. His cover of Bob Dylan's Just Like A woman is excellent. Along with classic album tracks such as Only a Boy, and Never Give Up On A Dream, this cd is a must have for any Rod Stewart fan

It's a great album for someone that likes rod stewart.
And the track tonight im yours is worth the price alone.

Tonight I'm Yours was Rod Stewart's first album of the 80's and accordingly it is heavily drenched in synthesizer sounds. The album will follow a trend of most of his 80's albums, a few very good songs (usually the singles) and alot of filler. The title track is a bouncy, catchy song that is plain old fun and "Young Turks" was a big hit (peaking at number 5) and is a little edgier that the title track, but it is also immensely catchy. His cover of Bob Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" is good and "Never Give Up On A Dream" is very inspirational and a beautiful track. The rest of the album doesn't offer much.

Never Give Up on a Dream was written by Rod Stewart and Bernie Taupin in 1981 for Terry Fox. Terry Fox embarked on a couragous Marathon of Hope to run across Canada in 1980 to raise awareness for Cancer Research. Terry had lost his leg to cancer the previous year and with one artificial leg he set out on April 12 after dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean. He ran 26 kilometers per day and unfortunately was forced to give up after 5500 kiloometers when the cancer spread. He passed away some months later. This year marks the 20th Terry Fox Run and is now in over 50 countries. To date the Terry Fox Run has raised over $200 million for Cancer Research. Rod Stewart graciously published the Terry Fox story on the inner sleeve of the album 'Tonight I'm Yours'. It is a remarkable song for a remarkable young man.

Even by the time this came out Rod Stewart had been something of a survivor. He'd had an absurd amount of success and wealth,flaunted himself publically and for all that had to face down critics who clobbered him with a big dose of farce cutting. Through that,Rod had been himself. And whether you care for him or not,you can't say that in his time there was anybody who sounded quite like him. As this decade wore on he would have a lot of imitators,some with great talent and some not. But by the time of this 1981 album there was still only one Rod Stewart. And he made sure everyone knew it too. At this point,the new wave/dance sounds hinted at on his previous albums were so in the public eye Rod really had to face them more directly. Not only that,but in addition to this he also had the advantage of having a great band with him now including veterans like Carmine Appice and Jeff Baxter he also had a selection of show stopping songs to make it all work.

The title song opens everything up and it's new wave/dance-rock all the way-the synthesizers are there and Rod is all over it,bringing the needed rocking and soulful quality. Of course "Young Turks" is basically the same sort of song,but it has a heavier pop hook. And of the two hits that became probably the more played. The remainder of the album is strong but again surprising. He brings his flare as an interpreter back into the fray with a more soulful version of Ace's hit "How Long" as well as channeling Springteen effects again on a version of Bob Dylans "Just Like A Woman",an intelligent idea considering The Boss's early hype as a "new Dylan". On "Tora,Tora,Tora" and "Out With The Boys" he rocks right out in the same 50's style manner as before. Only now this "old" style is heavily balanced with the new so the energy comes through just a little more. "Jealous" brings that funkier groove centered dance-rock into a song about male insecurity-a strong admittance from a guy like Rod. "Sonny" is a sleek ballad that's...well honestly more than a little ambiguous.

But the closing ballad "Never Give Up On A Dream",done in tribute the deceased and heroic runner Terry Fox. And it in fact talks of not feeling disabled even if you are. Very positive message handled realistically and well. Overall this album is a self produced triumph for Rod Stewart at exactly the time it was most needed. It worked on just about every level. Not only did it emboy all of his most important qualities from his soulfullness,reflection and just that inner wreckless rock n roller. But it also showcased how he could be successful both creatively and commercial at a time where it seems as if one needed to be one or the other to survive. That's probably why a lot of people vote this in as their favorite Rod Stewart recording of this era. Over the years,each time Rod was faced with a well intentioned but ill fated musical move he had a tendency to wind up turning out an album such as this to save face. And considering some of the occasional uneveness of his output it's wonderful he put out albums such as this. After all,you can't please everyone can you?

Rod Stewart's eleventh studio album entitled Tonight I'm Yours was released in time for Christmas shopping in November of 1981.
After experimenting with disco sounds on 1978's Blondes Have More Fun and to a lesser extent on 1980's Foolish Behaviour, Rod decided to change his sound to compete with the times and rock out like he hadn't for awhile. Also, (apart from guitarist Jim Cregan) Rod has a new band lineup on this album as bass player Phil Chen, guitarist Gary Grainger were fired after the Foolish Behaviour tour. Then during the Tonight I'm Yours sessions, drummer Carmine Appice left midway through recording to join Ted Nugent's band. This then left Rod and Cregan with new members drummer Tony Brock, bass player Jay Davis and guitarist Robin LeMesurier. The result was Rod's freshest album since Foot Loose and Fancy Free.
We open with the title track which was the album's second single. It has the energy of his rockers with an electronic, hard-edged new wave beat and featured ex-Doobie Bros guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Linda Lewis as the screaming female voice at the end. The song was released as a single and was a huge hit here in the US. Next is his cover of Ace's 1975 hit "How Long" which he does a great job. Paul Carrack would be happy. Next is the album's best rocker "Tora Tora Tora" which does sound like a track from The Faces period. Next is another rocker "Tear it Up" and sounds like early rock but a great song. The first side ends with "Only A Boy" which is a great number and a breather from the practically fast paced first half.
Side Two starts with his take on Bob Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" recorded like a ballad but at least Rod can sing Dylan better than Dylan ever could (Dylan great writer but voice less to be desired). We then pick up the pace with another rocker "Jealous" which is a great faster paced number. Next is the first of two true ballads on this album which is "Sonny" and a great song. The song does pick up a bit before ending like it began. Next is the album's biggest hit which was the up-tempo New Wave sounding rocker "Young Turks" which reached #5 in the fall of 1981 on the US singles charts. What a great song which is a sad tale of two runaway teen lovers Patty and Billy. Who could forget the classic video directed by Russell Mulcahy which featured a pre-Valley Girl/Pee Wee's Big Adventure Elizabeth Daily (E.G. Daily) as Patty. We close the album with the beautiful ballad "Never Give Up on a Dream" (co-written by Elton John's lyricist Bernie Taupin) about (and dedicated to the memory of) Canadian runner Terry Fox (same first name as mine), who sadly passed away from cancer around the time this album was recorded.
Tonight I'm Yours was a huge triumph and (until 1988's Out of Order) his biggest album of the 1980s going Platinum immediately and peaked at #11 on the Billboard album chart.
RECOMMENDED!

This is very much like the 'old' Rod Stewart, classic vocals complimented by the brilliant guitars of Jim Cregan.

Pure rock at it's best.

TONIGHT I'M YOURS was Rod Stewart's artistic comeback after the disposable disco sounds of BLONDES HAVE MORE FUN and FOOLISH BEHAVIOUR. Unfortunately, it was also his last good studio album until OUT OF ORDER, and his last great one until the 90s albums VAGABOND HEART, UNPLUGGED...AND SEATED, SPANNER IN THE WORKS, and WHEN WE WERE THE NEW BOYS. The opening title track and "Young Turks" show him applying his soulful pipes to great effect over electronic backing, while his version of Ace's "How Long" cuts the great original to shreds. The rockers "Tora Tora (Out With The Boys)" and "Tear It Up", plus the gospel-toned inspirational ballad "Never Give Up On A Dream" show his Memphis-Chicago-Texas-St. Louis-Muscle Shoals-Detroit-New Orleans-Kansas City blues/R&B/soul/rock & roll influences and "Only A Boy" reveals his roots in British Isles folk music. This album shows that he still had the ability, even after putting out crass disco pap, to record soulful, emotionally naked albums for the rest of his career. Unfortunately, he didn't; after a hot 1982 live album, he recorded the pieces of garbage BODY WISHES, CAMOUFLAGE, and ROD STEWART, with only his version of "People Get Ready", on Jeff Beck's FLASH, standing out among the vapid pop with which he so sabotaged his credit rating that it took VAGABOND HEART, with its highly inspirational rocker "Moment Of Glory", to truly reclaim himself and his career.

Please tell me that isnt Rod screaming at the end of "Tonight I'm Yours"
If it is, he better check his manhood!