I Get Weak

Album: Heaven On Earth (1987)
Charted: 10 2
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this song, Carlisle turns to jelly whenever she's near this irresistible guy. She's got it so bad for him, she can't even speak when he looks in her eyes.
  • Hitmaker extraordinaire Diane Warren wrote this song and also another on the album, "World Without You." Her songs are often about the wash of love that happens during peak infatuation. Carlisle was a great singer for this type of song, but Warren could pull it off with just about anyone: her hits include "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith, "If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher and "When I See You Smile" by Bad English.
  • This was the second single from Belinda Carlisle's second solo album, Heaven on Earth. Her group The Go-Go's went to #1 with their 1981 debut album Beauty and the Beat, but by their third album in 1984 they had lost their touch and were not enjoying each others' company. When they split in 1985, Carlisle remained signed to their label, I.R.S., which teamed her with top songwriters and musicians, including her Go-Go's bandmate Charlotte Caffey. Her lead single, "Mad About You," set the tone for her solo sound, keeping much of the frothy fun of The Go-Go's but with a more adult sound. It was a hit, but "Heaven Is A Place On Earth," her first single from Heaven on Earth, was even bigger, going to #1 in many countries, including America. With that lead in, "I Get Weak" had little chance of failure.
  • The video was directed by the actress Diane Keaton, who also did Carlisle's video for "Heaven Is A Place On Earth." Carlisle married the actor Morgan Mason in 1986, but her love interest in the video is played by Tony Ward, who was one of Madonna's mermen in her "Cherish" video.
  • Diane Warren originally thought the song would be a good fit for Stevie Nicks. It was Nicks and her producer who suggested it might be a better fit for Carlisle.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."

Rob Halford of Judas Priest

Rob Halford of Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford dives into some of his Judas Priest lyrics, talking about his most personal songs and the message behind "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."