LOVE TRAX: This Song Had Holy Help

Our THROWBACK LOVE TRAX continues with the fun story behind the popular 1984 Foreigner ballad, “I Wanna Know What Love Is.”

It was written by Foreigner’s founder Mick Jones. He reflected on writing Foreigner’s best-known song and said, “I always worked late at night, when everybody left and the phone stopped ringing. “I Want to Know What Love Is” came up at three in the morning sometime in 1984. I don’t know where it came from. I consider it a gift that was sent through me. I think there was something bigger than me behind it. I’d say it was probably written entirely by a higher force.”

That higher force may have also been at work when it came time to record the song. The New Jersey Mass Choir provided backing vocals, and again, something larger was at play.

Jones said, “We did a few takes, and it was good, but it was still a bit tentative. So then they all got round in a circle, held hands and said The Lord’s Prayer. And it seemed to inspire them, because after that they did it in one take. I was in tears, because my mum and dad were in the studio too, and it was so emotional.”

The song went on to hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart. It also charted in the Top 25 years later, in 2000, 2001, and 2002!

We don’t know about you – but the first few notes of the song immediately take us back to the high school dance!