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 has been 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.
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.
Inside
Richard Marx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you and I are set in motion
Every fear disappears
Like a tear into an ocean
Say my name just the same
Like a flame slowly burning
Fill my eyes with the sight
Baby there is nothing but surrender left in me
All at once our worlds collided
I ain't strong enough to hide
I've fallen, darling
I long to take each breath beside you
Burn down all the nights before you
Slipped your hand in mine and swore to reveal it
The secret that lets me be the one inside you
If there exists a deeper bliss
Plant a kiss that wakes the morning
Reach for me, sweet as sin
You took me in against the warnings
So I will love you everyday until my days are done
All at once our worlds collided
I ain't strong enough to hide
I've fallen, darling,
I long to take each breath beside you
Burn down all the nights before you
Slipped your hand in mine and swore to reveal it
The secret that lets me be the one inside you
I will love you everyday until my days are done
All at once our worlds collided
I ain't strong enough to hide
I've fallen, darling,
I long to take each breath beside you
Burn down all the nights before you
Slipped your hand in mine and swore to reveal it
The secret that lets me be the one inside you
The one inside you
The one inside you
In Richard Marx's song Inside, he describes a passion and connection with someone that goes beyond the surface level. In the first verse, he describes the scene of the stars in the sky on an August night, as he and his partner feel like they are "set in motion". He then states that all of his fears disappear, and it's as if they are tears into an ocean. This suggests that being with this person brings a sense of comfort and ease that makes any fears or worries disappear.
In the chorus, Marx talks about how their worlds collide and he is unable to hide his emotions. He falls for the person, and wants to be with them every step of the way. He wants to burn down all the nights before he met them, just to ensure that they never leave his side. He then talks about how the person has allowed him to be the "one inside you", which could mean physically or metaphorically.
In the second verse, Marx talks about how his partner took him in against the warnings. This could suggest that others warned him about falling for this person, but he did it anyway because he couldn't resist their pull. He then talks about how he will love this person every day until his days are done, showing that this connection is long-lasting and permanent.
Overall, Inside is a song about a deep connection between two people, where they feel like they are set in motion and all their fears disappear. Marx puts an emphasis on the strong emotions he feels for the person, and how he wants to be with them forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Stars alight, August night
Describing the setting and mood, the stars shining bright on a summer night.
And you and I are set in motion
The two individuals are coming together and starting a shared journey.
Every fear disappears
Being in each other's presence makes all worries vanish and feel safe.
Like a tear into an ocean
The worries fading away are as insignificant as a drop in a vast body of water.
Say my name just the same
Asking for reassurance and affection, wanting to hear their name spoken with love.
Like a flame slowly burning
Wanting the love to grow and deepen like a flame, but at a steady pace.
Fill my eyes with the sight
Desiring to see the beauty and promise of the future together.
Of all that lies beyond the yearning
Realizing there is more to the relationship than just the desire for each other, there is a future to explore.
Baby there is nothing but surrender left in me
Acknowledging complete submission to the relationship and partner, giving themselves wholly to love.
All at once our worlds collided
The two individuals coming together has completely shaken up their lives and they are feeling it immensely.
I ain't strong enough to hide
Trying to resist the love is not possible, the feelings are too strong and overwhelming.
I've fallen, darling
Admitting to being completely in love and vulnerable to their partner.
I long to take each breath beside you
Desiring to be with the partner every moment possible.
Burn down all the nights before you
Wanting to forget about all the past experiences that weren't with the partner and start anew.
Slipped your hand in mine and swore to reveal it
A promise was made to share a secret and that trust has been established.
The secret that lets me be the one inside you
The secret revealed is what makes them feel like they are truly connected, two halves of a whole.
If there exists a deeper bliss
Wondering if there is a love that is more intense and fulfilling.
Plant a kiss that wakes the morning
A kiss that is so powerful it has the ability to start a new day with a renewed passion.
Reach for me, sweet as sin
Asking for the partner to pursue them with alluring satisfaction.
You took me in against the warnings
Despite concerns and warnings from others, they chose to be with this person.
So I will love you everyday until my days are done
Making a vow to love the partner for the rest of their life.
The one inside you
Repetition of the phrase emphasizes the desire to be close to the partner and feel like they are one.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Richard N. Marx
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michele Lee Chenard
on Hold on to the Nights
love this song this is for my bf who i love so much