"Endless Summer Nights" is a song performed by the American rock singer Richard Marx, released in January 1988 as the third single from his debut album Richard Marx. The song peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. pop and Adult Contemporary charts.
Background and composition "Endless Summer Nights" was a track from Marx's original demo tapes. It begins with a similar intro beat style as "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette. The lyrics were inspired by a trip to Hawaii that Marx had taken with his then-girlfriend (and future wife), Cynthia Rhodes. According to Marx, he wrote the song as a theme to summer love that does not last when lovers go their separate ways in the fall. In the liner notes of his 1997 Greatest Hits album, Marx commented on the song: "Aside from replacing synthesized bass with the great Nathan East, this recording is the demo that every record company in the business rejected in 1985 and 1986." Marx eventually signed with EMI-Manhattan Records in 1986.
Release and reception Released in January 1988 as the third single from his debut solo album, "Endless Summer Nights" entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at No. 53, the highest debut of the week. In March and April, the song reached No. 2, where it stayed for two weeks, behind "Man In The Mirror" by Michael Jackson. The single also peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart, behind "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. Elsewhere, the single reached No. 13 in Sweden, No. 19 in Australia, No. 42 in New Zealand, No. 50 in the United Kingdom, and No. 62 in the Netherlands. The woman in the music video is French model and actress Myrtille Blervaque (born September 1962), also known by the stage names Blair Valk and Borovnisa Blervaque; she also appeared in Eddie Money's music video for his 1988 top-10 hit "Walk On Water".
Track listing "Endless Summer Nights" [edit] (Marx) – 4:11 "Have Mercy" [live at the Palace in L.A.] (Marx) – 5:30
Credits Richard Marx – lead and backing vocals Tom Keane – keyboards Michael Landau – guitar Bruce Gaitsch – guitar Nathan East – bass John Keane – drums Paulinho da Costa – percussion David Boruff – saxophone
Chart performance Chart (1988)PeakpositionAustralia (Australian Music Report) N.B. ARIA licensed the Australian Music Report chart between mid-1983 and June 12, 1988. Only Australian chart data from the commencement of the ARIA-produced chart is archived on australian-charts.com; hence this single's lower peak listed there. 16Canada Top Singles (RPM)RPM Top Singles peak RPM Magazine4US Billboard Hot 1002US Adult Contemporary2US Mainstream Rock41
Year-end charts Chart (1988)PositionCanada Top Singles (RPM)44United States (Billboard)31
References