When I'm with You
Encyclopedia
"When I'm with You" is a power ballad by Canadian
arena rock
band Sheriff
. It hit number one in the United States
in 1989, four years after the band separated.
The song first appeared on Sheriff's self-titled debut album (the group's only album, to date), released in 1982. It was released as a single but failed to make a big impression on the charts at the time.
After the success of "When I'm with You" several years later, Freddy Curci
(lead vocalist) and Steve DeMarchi
(lead guitarist) tried to put Sheriff back together, but the other band members would not cooperate and would not release permission for the use of the band name. Consequently, Curci and DeMarchi decided to form the band Alias
, who would have a hit in 1990
with the very successful power ballad "More Than Words Can Say
."
Freddy Curci is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for holding the longest note in a pop song, timed and submitted by a Houston university, at the ending line of "When I'm with You."
This song is also notable that it was one of the few #1 hits not to have a promotional video in the MTV era. It was used as the background music in the closing sequence of It's Raining Men, a second season episode of Cold Case, a US TV police drama.
The song was also used in the 2001 film, "Joe Dirt."
wrote the song after meeting Valeri Brown and falling in love with her. 'I sat down, put my coffee on the piano, tinkled some ivories, and four minutes later 80 percent of the song was written. On Valentine's Day
I played the song for Valerie and said, "I don't have anything, this is all I can give you right now. It's yours." Valeri loved the song; two years later she married me.'
Lanni also played the song to his bandmembers in Sheriff. "The band really liked it, so we started playing it live. That was one of the last songs we recorded when we did the record. The producer said, 'Is there anything else?' I said, 'There's this song we play, it's kind of a wimpy song.' So we played it for him and he said 'Yeah, that's kind of nice.'"
"When I’m With You" is also the title of an unrelated song from the 30’s and 40's sung by Shirley Temple
and Alice Faye
.
In 1988, a disc jockey
in Las Vegas
began playing the song, and other stations followed. This encouraged Capitol Records
to re-release the song as a single. On February 4, 1989, "When I'm with You" hit number one in the United States. According to legend, lead vocalist Freddy Curci was working as a pizza delivery boy when he was informed that the song had reached number one.
By that time, former Sheriff members Lanni and bassist Wolf Hassell had formed a duo named Frozen Ghost
, and declined to re-form the group. Sheriff's lead vocalist Freddy Curci and guitarist Steve DeMarchi subsequently formed the band Alias and reached the top of the charts again the following year with the similar number-two hit "More Than Words Can Say
."
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
arena rock
Arena rock
Arena rock is a term used to describe rock music that utilised large arena venues, particularly sports venues, for concerts or series of concerts linked in tours...
band Sheriff
Sheriff (band)
Sheriff was a Canadian rock band in the early 1980s, best known for their hit song "When I'm with You".-Biography:The band was formed in 1979 in Toronto, Ontario and consisted of vocalist Freddy Curci, guitarist Steve DeMarchi, keyboardist Arnold Lanni, bassist Wolf Hassel and drummer Rob...
. It hit number one in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1989, four years after the band separated.
The song first appeared on Sheriff's self-titled debut album (the group's only album, to date), released in 1982. It was released as a single but failed to make a big impression on the charts at the time.
After the success of "When I'm with You" several years later, Freddy Curci
Freddy Curci
Freddy Curci is a Canadian AOR rock vocalist and songwriter best known for his stints in Alias and Sheriff.Curci has a multi-octave vocal range and holds the Guinness World Record for Longest Note Held in a pop song, for 30 seconds, timed and submitted by University of Houston, for the ending note...
(lead vocalist) and Steve DeMarchi
Steve DeMarchi
Steve DeMarchi is a Canadian guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter. He is best known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the bands Sheriff and Alias...
(lead guitarist) tried to put Sheriff back together, but the other band members would not cooperate and would not release permission for the use of the band name. Consequently, Curci and DeMarchi decided to form the band Alias
Alias (band)
Alias was a Canadian album-oriented rock/hard rock supergroup band, formed in 1988 by vocalist Freddy Curci and guitarist Steve DeMarchi of the Canadian arena rock band Sheriff , along with Heart founding members Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen, and Mike DeRosier.The band released its self-titled debut...
, who would have a hit in 1990
1990 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
with the very successful power ballad "More Than Words Can Say
More Than Words Can Say
" More Than Words Can Say" is a power ballad by Canadian rock band Alias. It became a #2 hit in the United States, and reached #1 in Canada in 1990....
."
Freddy Curci is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for holding the longest note in a pop song, timed and submitted by a Houston university, at the ending line of "When I'm with You."
This song is also notable that it was one of the few #1 hits not to have a promotional video in the MTV era. It was used as the background music in the closing sequence of It's Raining Men, a second season episode of Cold Case, a US TV police drama.
The song was also used in the 2001 film, "Joe Dirt."
Composition and inspiration
Sheriff's keyboardist Arnold LanniArnold Lanni
Arnold David Lanni is a Canadian record producer, and former member of both Frozen Ghost and Sheriff. He wrote Sheriff's most successful song, "When I'm With You."-History:...
wrote the song after meeting Valeri Brown and falling in love with her. 'I sat down, put my coffee on the piano, tinkled some ivories, and four minutes later 80 percent of the song was written. On Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
I played the song for Valerie and said, "I don't have anything, this is all I can give you right now. It's yours." Valeri loved the song; two years later she married me.'
Lanni also played the song to his bandmembers in Sheriff. "The band really liked it, so we started playing it live. That was one of the last songs we recorded when we did the record. The producer said, 'Is there anything else?' I said, 'There's this song we play, it's kind of a wimpy song.' So we played it for him and he said 'Yeah, that's kind of nice.'"
"When I’m With You" is also the title of an unrelated song from the 30’s and 40's sung by Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...
and Alice Faye
Alice Faye
Alice Faye was an American actress and singer, called by The New York Times "one of the few movie stars to walk away from stardom at the peak of her career." She is remembered first for her stardom at 20th Century Fox and, later, as the radio comedy partner of her husband, bandleader and comedian...
.
Chart performance
"When I'm with You" was originally released as the third single off Sheriff's debut album. It entered the Hot 100 on May 14, 1983, and peaked at number sixty-one four weeks later. Disappointed by the lack of success, the band broke up.In 1988, a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
began playing the song, and other stations followed. This encouraged Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
to re-release the song as a single. On February 4, 1989, "When I'm with You" hit number one in the United States. According to legend, lead vocalist Freddy Curci was working as a pizza delivery boy when he was informed that the song had reached number one.
By that time, former Sheriff members Lanni and bassist Wolf Hassell had formed a duo named Frozen Ghost
Frozen Ghost
Frōzen Ghōst was a Canadian rock band formed in 1985 by Arnold Lanni and Wolf Hassel who were previously with the band Sheriff. The band received a Juno Award for "Most Promising Group of the Year" in 1987....
, and declined to re-form the group. Sheriff's lead vocalist Freddy Curci and guitarist Steve DeMarchi subsequently formed the band Alias and reached the top of the charts again the following year with the similar number-two hit "More Than Words Can Say
More Than Words Can Say
" More Than Words Can Say" is a power ballad by Canadian rock band Alias. It became a #2 hit in the United States, and reached #1 in Canada in 1990....
."
Charts
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Singles Chart | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 61 |
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 |