Foreigner’s Biggest Hits In Australia

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Foreigner’s Biggest Hits In Australia

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Mick Jones & Lou Gramm of Foreigner. Photo By Rick Diamond/Getty Images.

Named due to their part-American, part-British line-up, Foreigner reached the US top 10 an impressive nine times during the late '70s and '80s. In Australia, the band led by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones didn’t have quite as much success, with overseas hits like "Feels Like The First Time," "Double Vision" and "Dirty White Boy" missing the top 40. Here are the singles that did translate…  

7. "Cold As Ice"

Released: 1977

Peak: #32

With its earworm of a piano riff and memorable lyric, Foreigner’s second single succeeded where their debut, "Feels Like The First Time," had just fallen short and brought the band into the Australian top 40 for the first time. Like many of Foreigner’s most successful songs, "Cold As Ice" was co-written by Mick and Lou about a gold-digging woman who’s "willing to sacrifice our love."

6. "Hot Blooded"

Released: 1978

Peak: #24

Foreigner turned the temperature up for the lead single from second album Double Vision – a sexually charged rock anthem which is basically about wanting to hook up "after the show." The song was written by Mick and Lou around the central guitar riff.

5. "Urgent"

Released: 1981

Peak: number 24

Spending a huge 38 weeks inside the Australian top 100, "Urgent" reached its peak in November 1981, fell out of the top 50 and then climbed all the way back up to number 26 in March 1982. The first single from the Robert John "Mutt" Lange-produced 4 album, "Urgent" features Junior Walker on saxophone and Thomas Dolby on synthesizers.

4. "I Don’t Want To Live Without You"

Released: 1988

Peak: #21

The second single from 1987’s Inside Information, "I Don’t Want To Live Without You" followed the style of Foreigner’s mega-ballads from earlier in the decade, and would end up as the band’s final Australian chart appearance (and last major US hit).

3. "Say You Will"

Released: 1987

Peak: #6

Inside Information’s lead single followed Lou Gramm’s success with his debut solo effort, "Midnight Blue," earlier in 1987, and provided Foreigner with their third and final top 10 hit. Fun fact: "Say You Will" entered the Australian top 50 in the exact same week as the identically named solo single by Mick Jagger – Foreigner had by far the bigger hit.

2. "Waiting For A Girl Like You"

Released: 1981

Peak: #3

In the US, this power ballad from the 4 album still holds the record for most weeks stuck at number 2 without reaching number 1 – a distinction it has shared with Missy Elliott’s "Work It" since 2003. The love song’s synthesizer introduction was provided by a then-unknown Thomas Dolby, who cites his work for Foreigner as helping him get a firm footing in the music industry.

1. "I Want To Know What Love Is"

Released: 1984

Peak: #1

One of the quintessential power ballads of the 1980s, "I Want To Know What Love Is" was the first single lifted from Foreigner’s fifth album, Agent Provocateur. Inspired by Mick’s own relationship experiences, the song took on a spiritual quality when the New Jersey Mass Choir’s backing vocals were added to the mix. Mick later produced (and wrote a new bridge for) Tina Arena’s 1997 cover version of the song, while Mariah Carey has also turned her multi-octave range to it.

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