The Valentine Brothers, John and Billy, are R&B veterans of many years, spanning the Stax era to the synth-dominated early 80s.
After experiencing success with the 1982 song “Money’s Too Tight (To Mention),” the Columbus, Ohio-born siblings returned to the studio for Have A Good Time, released on A&M Records in 1984. The album reached the R&B Top 40, largely on the strength of a longing ballad called “Lonely Nights.”
Written by Billy Valentine and Perry Peyton, “Lonely Nights” is a soft, tender and emotional song about a man telling the attention of his affection that when he wakes up, she’s the first thing on his mind, and indeed the last thing he thinks about before going to sleep.
The instrumentation is a nice mix of early 80s tech thanks to accomplished Memphis pianist Bobby Lyle on organ/piano/synthesizer and the legendary John “JR” Robinson on drums.
Chicago-born bassist Larry Ball (longtime touring bassist for Smokey Robinson) keeps up with Robinson’s blue-lights-in-the-basement drum pattern while adding some not-too-chunky notes of his own.
John Valentine plays a bluesy guitar riff in the main chorus while adding some acoustic wonderment in the song’s bridge while the soaring string arrangements add the sweetness that every love song needs.
“Lonely Nights” turned out to be the Valentine Brothers’ biggest hit, making it to No. 28 on the R&B charts in the summer of ‘84.
The song is one of many lost to the mid-80s music industry resurgence; Hip-Hop and synth pop’s rise helped obscure quite a few good R&B songs, not intentionally, of course.
Still, it’s a wonderful song that reminds you of a beautiful summer night that you don’t want to end with a temporary fling or a newfound love for all seasons.
Check out “Lonely Nights”:
