Waite was born in Lancaster, and was educated at Lancaster Art College (The Storey Institute).
Waite first came to attention as the lead singer and bassist of The Babys, a British rock band which had moderate chart success, including two pop hits that both coincidentally peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Isn't It Time" (1977) and "Everytime I Think of You" (1979), and a solid following of their concert tours. Over the course of five years, the band produced five albums ending with the final album On the Edge in October 1980, after which the group disbanded.
Waite subsequently launched his solo career with his 1982 debut album Ignition, which produced the hit single "Change". The Chrysalis 45 failed to chart on Billboard's Hot 100 during its initial release (June 1982) but was a top track on AOR radio stations, as well as a very popular music video on MTV as the 'new' cable channel celebrated its first full year of operation. The song was originally recorded in 1981 by another band, and in 1985 was included on the platinum selling Vision Quest soundtrack. When the single was reissued, it reached the Top 50 on the Hot 100. "Going to the Top" was released as the original follow-up single to "Change".
His next album, No Brakes, resulted in international attention. It was a Top 10 Billboard album in the US due to the smash hit "Missing You" which went to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[4] It knocked Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It?" out of No. 1. For that very reason, Turner later recorded and released Waite's smash song herself. (Turner's single peaked at No. 84 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1996.) "Missing You" also hit No. 1 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks as well as the Top 10 of Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. No Brakes sold over a million and a half US copies yet has never been certified above the RIAA Gold standard (a record company must apply to the RIAA for such certification). Two more singles from No Brakes followed, including "Tears" which was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts.
The next album Mask of Smiles followed in 1985 featuring the hit single "Every Step of the Way". Another single, "If Anybody Had a Heart", was released from the soundtrack of the 1986 film About Last Night.... In 1987, Rover's Return was released with the single "These Times Are Hard For Lovers". Waite would have another soundtrack appearance in 1990 from Days of Thunder with "Deal for Life"
In 1988, Waite joined former Babys bandmates Jonathan Cain and Ricky Phillips, along with Neal Schon from Journey and drummer Deen Castronovo, to form the supergroup Bad English. In 1989, the Bad English ballad "When I See You Smile" (penned by Diane Warren) went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and earned a Gold-certified single. Its parent album reached Billboard's Top Five and sold nearly two million copies in the United States alone. Bad English released two albums before tensions amongst the members led to the band's dissolution by 1992.
Waite returned to solo work. He released the album Rough And Tumble. He has continued to tour, such as in 2003 with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
In 2006, "Missing You" was released as a duet with Alison Krauss and reached the Top 40 on the Country Charts in the United States. Waite appeared with Krauss on The Tonight Show on 5 February 2007 to perform the song. Waite's songs have reappeared in other media as well: 2013 saw "Missing You" featured heavily in the movie Warm Bodies, and "Change" is on the soundtrack of the US movie Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
In 2008 he recorded a guest vocal on the track "In God's Shadow" from the Keith Reid Project's The Common Thread.
Waite appears as himself and performs two songs in the 2010 feature film, New Day, from L'Oiseau Blanc Films.
In 2011 the title track from his tenth solo album Rough and Tumble went number one on Classic Rock radio.
A longtime resident of New York City, Waite now lives in Santa Monica, California. John Waite is divorced.
For Your Love
John Waite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a 3-D hotel room in Rome
Chainsmoking American cigarettes
And keeping my ear to the phone
Through the blinds to the street
My mind wanders
To the nights when I had you alone
And my heart's in the war zone
If you won't free me
Riding in this rodeo
Juliet love tonight
With her vicious Romeo
For your love
I'd give you anything
The stars and the moon
And the sky above
Existing for you alone
And the moments we steal from each other
A millionaire I become
As you cry out my name
I'm your lover
I was travelling light
As I checked into
This heartbreak chateau
And there's no place for me in the sun
That doesn't cast a shadow
Whoa
Tower free me
From riding in this rodeo
Juliet's loves tonight
With a vicious Romeo
For your love
I'd give you anything (for your love)
The stars and the moon
And the sky above (for your love)
You say I'm your world
Well you are my universe (for your love)
You say that you want me
To get love's curse
I was traveling light
When I checked into this heartbreak chateau
And there's no place for me in the sun
That doesn't cast a shadow
For your love
I'd give you anything (for your love)
The moon and the stars
And the sky above (for your love)
You say I'm your world
I say are my universe (for your love)
You say that you want me
All you get's love¹s curse
(For your love)
Give you anything (for your love)
I give you anything (for your love)
Shirt off my back (for your love)
A million bucks (for your love)
'Cause I want you (for your love)
Tonight (for your love)
I want you (for your love)
Tonight (for your love)
I want you (for your love)
Tonight
I want you tonight
The song "For Your Love" by John Waite is about a man who is separated from the woman he loves and thinks about her constantly. He is in a hotel room in Rome, smoking cigarettes and keeping his ear to the phone, hoping to hear from her. He imagines being with her again, but he feels trapped in a "rodeo" that he can't escape from. He compares himself to Romeo and Juliet, with the woman he loves being his "vicious Romeo".
He sings about how much he loves the woman, saying that he would give her anything, including the stars, the moon, and the sky above. He becomes like a millionaire when he is with her, even though he is not wealthy. He feels like the only moments that matter are the ones that he has with her. He believes that he and the woman are each other's universe and that they are meant to be together.
The song expresses a feeling of longing and desire, as well as a sense of being trapped in a difficult situation. It explores the idea that love can make people feel rich and fulfilled even if they don't have material wealth.
Line by Line Meaning
Thinking about you tonight
I am currently reflecting on you and our relationship
In a 3-D hotel room in Rome
I am in a hotel room in Rome, consumed by my thoughts about you
Chainsmoking American cigarettes
I am smoking cigarettes while thinking about you
And keeping my ear to the phone
I am waiting for your call
Through the blinds to the street
I am looking out of the window
My mind wanders
I am lost in thought
To the nights when I had you alone
I am reminiscing about the times we spent together
Reality becomes science fiction
My mind is playing tricks on me, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality
And my heart's in the war zone
My emotions are in turmoil
If you won't free me
If you do not release me from this emotional turmoil
Riding in this rodeo
I am struggling in this emotional rollercoaster
Juliet love tonight
I am feeling a passionate love like Romeo and Juliet
With her vicious Romeo
With a passionate and potentially dangerous lover
For your love
I am willing to do anything for your love
I'd give you anything
I am willing to give everything I have for your love
The stars and the moon
I will give you the celestial bodies for your love
And the sky above
I am willing to give you anything above me for your love
Existing for you alone
My existence revolves around you
And the moments we steal from each other
The time we spend together is precious and stolen
A millionaire I become
I feel rich when I am with you
As you cry out my name
You call out my name in passion
I'm your lover
I am your committed and devoted lover
I was travelling light
I was not carrying emotional baggage before I met you
As I checked into this heartbreak chateau
I have entered a place where love often ends in heartbreak
And there's no place for me in the sun
There is no place for me to be happy without you
That doesn't cast a shadow
Every place where I find happiness is tainted because it does not include you
Whoa
Expressing feeling of shock or surprise
Tower free me
I am asking for help to break free from this emotional turmoil
The moon and the stars
I am willing to give you everything celestial for your love
You say I'm your world
You place a lot of importance on me
Well you are my universe
To me, you encompass everything
All you get's love's curse
Loving me is a difficult path to take
Give you anything
I am willing to give everything I have for your love
Shirt off my back
I am willing to give you everything I have on my person for your love
A million bucks
I am willing to give you a lot of money for your love
'Cause I want you
I am willing to do anything for your love because I desire you
Tonight
Right now, I want you more than ever
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, DON NOSSOV MUSIC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Curly Smith, Donnie Nossov, Gary Myrick, John Waite
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind