Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963 in Chicago, Illinois) is a singe… Read Full Bio ↴Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963 in Chicago, Illinois) is a singer-songwriter best known for his adult contemporary music. He had a string of successful hit singles in the late 80s and early 90s such as "Right Here Waiting," "Hazard," and "Hold on to the Nights." Although most of his successful songs are slow ballads like these, many of his songs have an upbeat, classic rock style, examples being "Don't Mean Nothing," "Should've Known Better," "Satisfied," and "Wait for the Sunrise". Marx placed himself in the record books by being the first solo artist to have his first seven singles hit the top 5 on the U.S. top singles charts.

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.

What You Want
Richard Marx Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Your situation's in need of help
You're gettin' so you don't know yourself
You wear his ring like a cheap disguise
But I can see you got wandering eyes
Don't believe it's just the clothes that make the man
No one else can love you like I know I can

[Chorus]

I got what you want
Takes more than money to turn you on
I got what you need
c'mon baby take a chance on me

Somethin' 'bout your smile seems counterfeit
It ain't in you to be a hypocrite
So he's got a mansion, got lots of cash
You live like a queen but feel like trash
I can save you if you put your heart in mine
Baby, can't you see, we're two of the same kind, Yeah

[Chorus]

Baby, there ain't nothin' keeping chains on you
Don't you let your head make up your mind

I can't get you off my mind

I'm afraid I may go blind
Won't you let me take you for a ride, yeah

Overall Meaning

In the song "What You Want" by Richard Marx, the singer is addressing a woman who is in a troubled relationship but is putting up a façade by wearing her partner's ring. The woman has a wandering eye and seems unhappy despite her apparent wealth and luxurious lifestyle. The singer believes that he can offer her more than just material possessions and believes that the woman needs someone who understands her and can offer her genuine love and care. The chorus of the song is an invitation to the woman to take a chance on him and allow him to show her what she really needs.

Richard Marx's lyrics offer an insightful commentary on the superficiality of some relationships and the importance of genuine emotional connection. The lyrics suggest that people should not be swayed by material possessions and that true happiness can only be found in meaningful human relationships. Additionally, the song suggests that one should never settle for a relationship that is not fulfilling, but instead seek out someone who can truly offer love and support.

Line by Line Meaning

Your situation's in need of help
Your life is in desperate need of change.

You're gettin' so you don't know yourself
You feel like you're losing yourself or who you truly are.

You wear his ring like a cheap disguise
You pretend to be content with your current relationship by wearing his ring like a mask, but in reality, you're not happy.

But I can see you got wandering eyes
I can tell that you're not fully committed to your partner, and your eyes wander towards others.

Don't believe it's just the clothes that make the man
You shouldn't be fooled by someone's appearance, as that doesn't define who they are.

No one else can love you like I know I can
I know that I have the capacity to love you in a way that no one else can.

I got what you want
I have what you're looking for.

Takes more than money to turn you on
It takes more than just material things to interest or excite you.

I got what you need
I have what you need to feel loved and fulfilled.

c'mon baby take a chance on me
Give us a chance to be together; I won't disappoint you.

Somethin' 'bout your smile seems counterfeit
Your smile doesn't seem genuine or authentic and instead appears fake.

It ain't in you to be a hypocrite
I know that being fake or insincere goes against who you truly are as a person.

So he's got a mansion, got lots of cash
Your partner may have material things, such as a mansion and money, but that doesn't necessarily make him a better choice for you.

You live like a queen but feel like trash
Even though you may have a luxurious life, you feel unfulfilled and unhappy.

I can save you if you put your heart in mine
I can help you find happiness and fulfillment if you're willing to choose me and put your trust in me.

Baby, can't you see, we're two of the same kind, Yeah
We're both looking for the same thing - true love and happiness.

Baby, there ain't nothin' keeping chains on you
You're not stuck in your current situation, and you have the power to make a change.

Don't you let your head make up your mind
Don't make decisions based solely on logic; let your heart guide your choices.

I can't get you off my mind
You occupy my thoughts and my heart, and I can't stop thinking about you.

I'm afraid I may go blind
My love for you is so strong that I feel it might consume me.

Won't you let me take you for a ride, yeah
Give me a chance to take you on a journey of love and happiness.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RICHARD MARX

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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