1989 Soft Rock Classic, Originally Written as a Love Letter, Became a No. 1 Chart-Topper
The '80s were full of soft rock tracks that tackled the concept of love, from heartbreak and breakups to finding the right person. In 1989, Richard Marx released a chart-topping hit written as a love letter to his wife that became an era classic.
"Right Here Waiting" was released as part of Marx's second studio album, Repeat Offender, as his second single. The track's title is fitting when knowing the backstory behind the inspiration for its lyrics and message. It talks about being "oceans apart" and waiting for the person they love to finally return home.
In truth, Marx wrote "Right Here Waiting" as a love letter to actor Cynthia Rhodes, who was away in South Africa filming one of her movies. Many know her here for her infamous role as Penny in Dirty Dancing, Tina Tech in Flashdance, and Jackie in Staying Alive. She met Marx while he was working on the soundtrack for Staying Alive, but he thought at the time she was too young for him to date. They met again two years later and married in 1989.
Based on Rhodes' filmography, she was in Africa filming Curse of the Crystal Eye when Marx wrote "Right Here Waiting." According to SongFacts, Marx and Rhodes weren't married yet at the time, and he was eager to go see her.
"But my visa application was rejected and when I came back I wrote this song which was more of a letter from me to her. It was the fastest song I wrote, in barely 20 minutes. And this was the time when there was no Skype and Social networking so I had to ship the track to her. The song was very personal and was not intended to go public. But my friends pursued me to record it," he said.
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Marx had no intention of singing the track because of how personal it was to him. It was originally going to Barbara Streisand, who agreed only if he changed the lyrics. She stated it was because "I'm not gonna be right here waiting for anyone." Her rejection led Marx to have a No.1 chart-topper.
"Right Here Waiting" entered the Billboard Hot 100 charts at No. 44 in early June of that year, and peaked at No.1 in mid-August. It kept its spot for three consecutive weeks and became Marx's third chart-topping track. The single even charted on Billboard's Adult Contemporary charts and became certified Platinum.
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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 2:49 PM.