Marx was born to Dick and Ruth Marx. Marx grew up in a mixed faith household where father was Jewish and his mother was a Christian. His father was a jingle writer for commercials for popular products such as 'Chicken of the Sea', which is where Marx got his start writing at the tender age of five. His father also was talented jazz musician, well-known in the Chicago area.
At the age of 17, Marx created a demo to showcase his talents, which landed in the hands of soul artist Lionel Richie. Richie invited Marx to Hollywood saying, "I can't promise you anything, but you should come to L.A." Marx would eventually appear as a background singer in Richie's songs "You Are" and "Running With The Night" as well as on Richie's follow-up album, which included the smash hit "All Night Long".
*Richard Marx*
Marx's first album, a self-titled work, went multi-platinum, selling nearly 4 million copies. He also earned his first #1 single, "Hold on to the nights", which he told Songfacts.com was inspired by a friend who had the dilemma of having met the love of his life when both the friend and the girl in question were already in relationships. He also had several other top five hits including "Don’t Mean Nothing" (#3), "Should've Known Better" (#3) and "Endless Summer Nights" (#2). He later revealed in an interview on 'VH-1 Classic' that his favorite song that he performed from his first album was "Have Mercy."
*Repeat Offender*
Repeat Offender eventually moved into the #1 spot and gave Marx two more #1 hit singles.
*Rush Street*
Rush Street's "Hazard" (#1), which depicted a man's rejection in a fictional version of Hazard, Nebraska. He released Paid Vacation in 1994, Flesh & Bone in 1997, Days in Avalon in 2000 and My Own Best Enemy in 2004.
Richard Marx also sang with Donna Lewis, best known for her hit "I Love You Always Forever", on the track "At the Beginning" of the Anastasia soundtrack. He has sung background vocals for Madonna in her True Blue album.
He has served as a writer/producer for an extensive list of other recording artists, including Barry Manilow, Barbra Streisand, Keith Urban, 98 Degrees, Kenny Loggins, Emerson Drive, Luther Vandross, Michael Bolton, *NSYNC, Olivia Newton-John, Sarah Brightman, SheDaisy, John Farnham and Vince Gill.
Marx was married to Cynthia Rhodes, who starred in the 1987 blockbuster Dirty Dancing and is a former lead singer for 80s pop band Animotion, since 1989. The couple has three sons: Brandon, Lucas, and Jesse. Brandon is the eldest followed by Lucas then Jesse. Marx married Daisy Fuentes in 2015 in Aspen, Colorado.
One of Marx's most recent works is a song titled "Remember When", composed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Disneyland. Performed by LeAnn Rimes, the song may be heard on the park's official 50th Anniversary album, as well as selected times in the park.
Hold on to the Nights
Richard Marx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This ever changing world pushes me through another door
I saw you smile
And my mind could not erase the beauty of your face
Just for awhile
Won't you let me shelter you
Hold on to the nights
I wish that I could give you something more
That I could be yours
How do we explain something that took us by surprise
Promises in vain, love that is real but in disguise
What happens now
Do we break another rule
Let our lovers play the fool
I don't know how
To stop feeling this way
Hold on to the nights
Hold on to the memories
I wish that I could give you something more
That I could be yours
Well, I think that I've been true to everybody else but me
And the way I feel about you makes my heart long to be free
Every time I look into your eyes, I'm helplessly aware
That the someone I've been searching for is right there
Hold on to the nights
Hold on to the memories
I wish that I could give you more
Hold on to the nights
In "Hold On To The Nights," Richard Marx sings about the sudden rush of love that overwhelms him upon meeting a beautiful woman. He confesses that he wants to be with her and share everything, but he is unsure if she feels the same way. He then grapples with the idea of breaking some social norms to be true to how he feels about her. He realizes that he has been true to everyone but himself, and he wants to be "free" to love her. The chorus of "Hold On To The Nights" urges the woman to cherish their moments together, to hold on to the memories they create, and to believe that he wants to give her more. The song ends with a plea for her to keep holding on to the nights they spend together.
The song is infused with a sense of longing, as Marx's vocals perfectly capture the emotions of someone who is yearning for love. The bridge of the song also reveals his vulnerability, as he admits to being afraid of love, but cannot help feeling it anyway. The message of this song is that love can come unexpectedly, and when it does, we should hold on to it, no matter how unsure we may feel.
Line by Line Meaning
Just when I believed I couldn't ever want for more
At a time when I thought I had everything I need
This ever changing world pushes me through another door
Despite the world constantly changing, I'm forced to keep moving forward
I saw you smile
When I first saw you smile
And my mind could not erase the beauty of your face
I couldn't forget how beautiful you looked
Just for awhile
Won't you let me shelter you
For a brief moment, can I protect you and offer you safety
Hold on to the nights
Don't let go of the time we spent together
Hold on to the memories
Remember the moments we shared
I wish that I could give you something more
That I could be yours
I wish I could be more for you and belong to you
How do we explain something that took us by surprise
How can we make sense of a sudden love that caught us off guard
Promises in vain, love that is real but in disguise
Despite having genuine feelings, our promises seem pointless and our love goes unnoticed
What happens now
Do we break another rule
Let our lovers play the fool
I don't know how
What are we supposed to do now? Are we going to take another risk and let love make us look like fools? I don't know how to proceed
To stop feeling this way
To try and end the way I feel about you
Well, I think that I've been true to everybody else but me
I've been loyal to everyone except myself
And the way I feel about you makes my heart long to be free
My feelings for you make me desire freedom from rules and restrictions
Every time I look into your eyes, I'm helplessly aware
Whenever I gaze into your eyes, I realize my helplessness to resist you
That the someone I've been searching for is right there
The person I've been looking for is standing right in front of me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing, Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RICHARD MARX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michele Lee Chenard
love this song this is for my bf who i love so much
@roreinmsambas1248
Just when I believed I couldn't ever want for more
This ever changing world pushes me through another door
I saw you smile
And my mind could not erase the beauty of your face
Just for awhile
Won't you let me shelter you
Hold on to the nights
Hold on to the memories
I wish that I could give you something more
That I could be yours
How do we explain something that took us by surprise
Promises in vain, love that is real but in disguise
What happens now
Do we break another rule
Let our lovers play the fool
I don't know how
To stop feeling this way
Hold on to the nights
Hold on to the memories
I wish that I could give you something more
That I could be yours
Well, I think that I've been true to everybody else but me
And the way I feel about you makes my heart long to be free
Every time I look into your eyes, I'm helplessly aware
That the someone I've been searching for is right there
Hold on to the nights
Hold on to the memories
I wish that I could give you more
Hold on to the nights
@Tommy-qo5sh
Wish music like this was still being performed. Its needed!!
@yourfrenchpropertysearch
YEP! these were real people, true performers with depth.
@garycarr3857
@Daniela is in France Feb 26, 2009
@garycarr3857
Richard Marx
@metsfanatic6270
If we still had music like this,
the world would be a better place.
@thuydoan7496
The Internet contributed to the demise of good music because people downloaded the musicians' hard work. Hence, there is no longer an incentive for musicians to put all of their efforts into singing a good song.
@California95
Who is still loving this song..in 2024? Hope to see him on Feb. 29 in Detroit!
@GellaBellin
Love these
@michaelcook2459
Me. Ohio transplant .St. Pete Florida