At This Moment
Encyclopedia
"At This Moment" is a song that was first recorded by Billy Vera & The Beaters
in 1981 during a string of performances at the Roxy in West Hollywood
(January 15–17) and featured on their self-titled live album, Billy and the Beaters, released that same year.
When it was originally released as a single, as the follow-up to the album's first single, "I Can Take Care of Myself" (which had become the band's first Billboard Top 40 hit), "At this Moment" stalled on the Billboard Hot 100
chart at #79 at the end of 1981. When song was included on several episodes of the NBC
sitcom Family Ties
during the 1985-86 season as was the love song associated with Alex P. Keaton
(played by Michael J. Fox
) and his girlfriend Ellen Reed (played by Tracy Pollan
, whom Fox eventually married in real-life), this exposure renewed interest in the song. Reissue label Rhino Entertainment
purchased the track from the band's original record label, Alfa
(which was by then inactive), and re-released it in its original version. The tune then began a revived chart run, eventually hitting #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100
and Adult Contemporary charts in January 1987. It quickly sold over a million copies in the United States, becoming one of last Gold-certified singles in the 45 RPM format. The song crossed over to the R&B and Country formats, reaching #40 on the Country Singles chart
.
In an interview with Rachel Ray in 2007, Michael J. Fox good-naturedly said, "Tracy and I couldn't get on the dance floor anywhere in the world for like ten years without them playing 'What would you think...' " (These are the opening words of "At This Moment".)
A cover version
was recorded by country music singer Neal McCoy
on his 1990 debut album, also titled At This Moment
. McCoy's version was released as a single, but did not chart. Another cover version of the song appears on Michael Bublé
's 2009 album, Crazy Love
.
Billy Vera
Billy Vera is an American singer, actor, writer and music historian.-Life and career:Vera was born in Riverside, California. He began his singing career in 1962 as a member of the Resolutions. He went on to write several songs throughout the early 1960s, writing for the likes of Barbara Lewis,...
in 1981 during a string of performances at the Roxy in West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
(January 15–17) and featured on their self-titled live album, Billy and the Beaters, released that same year.
When it was originally released as a single, as the follow-up to the album's first single, "I Can Take Care of Myself" (which had become the band's first Billboard Top 40 hit), "At this Moment" stalled on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart at #79 at the end of 1981. When song was included on several episodes of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young...
during the 1985-86 season as was the love song associated with Alex P. Keaton
Alex P. Keaton
Alex P. Keaton is a fictional character on the American television sitcom, Family Ties, which aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. Family Ties reflected the move in the United States away from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s...
(played by Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
) and his girlfriend Ellen Reed (played by Tracy Pollan
Tracy Pollan
Tracy Jo Pollan is an American actress. She is perhaps best-known for her recurring role as Ellen Reed on the sitcom Family Ties in the mid-1980s. It was on this show that she met future husband Michael J. Fox.-Personal life:...
, whom Fox eventually married in real-life), this exposure renewed interest in the song. Reissue label Rhino Entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
purchased the track from the band's original record label, Alfa
Alfa Records
, originally Alfa Music, was established in 1969 by composer and record producer Kunihiko Murai. It was formed into an independent record label known as Alfa Records in 1977.- History :The company faced much hardship in the 1990s...
(which was by then inactive), and re-released it in its original version. The tune then began a revived chart run, eventually hitting #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and Adult Contemporary charts in January 1987. It quickly sold over a million copies in the United States, becoming one of last Gold-certified singles in the 45 RPM format. The song crossed over to the R&B and Country formats, reaching #40 on the Country Singles chart
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
.
In an interview with Rachel Ray in 2007, Michael J. Fox good-naturedly said, "Tracy and I couldn't get on the dance floor anywhere in the world for like ten years without them playing 'What would you think...' " (These are the opening words of "At This Moment".)
A cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
was recorded by country music singer Neal McCoy
Neal McCoy
Hubert Neal McGaughey, Jr. is an American country music singer of mixed Irish and Filipino descent. Known professionally as Neal McCoy, he has released ten studio albums on various labels, and has released 34 singles to country radio...
on his 1990 debut album, also titled At This Moment
At This Moment (album)
At This Moment is the debut album of American country music artist Neal McCoy, released in 1990 on Atlantic Records Nashville. "If I Built You a Fire", the title track and "This Time I Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me" were all released as singles from this album...
. McCoy's version was released as a single, but did not chart. Another cover version of the song appears on Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé
Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...
's 2009 album, Crazy Love
Crazy Love (Michael Bublé album)
Crazy Love is the fourth studio album released by Canadian vocalist Michael Bublé. After only three days of sales, the album opened atop the Billboard 200 chart with 132,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, making the album Bublé's second number #1 album...
.