On this day in 1987: On this day in 1987: Starship started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.’ It is the theme to the romantic comedy film ‘Mannequin.’ It would be ranked the #5 song for the entire year of 1987 by Billboard Magazine.
The song was co-written by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond and recorded by the American rock band Starship for their second studio album, ‘No Protection’. It is a power ballad duet featuring Starship vocalists Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas. At the time, Grace Slick became, at age 47, the oldest woman to attain a #1 single in the United States, surpassed only by Cher, who was 52 when her song “Believe” reached #1 in early 1999.
The song reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and became Warren’s first chart-topper. Elsewhere, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” topped the charts in Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. In the the U.K., it became the second best-selling song of 1987. “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 60th Academy Awards.
In a radio interview, Hammond said that the idea for the song came from his impending marriage to his live-in girlfriend of seven years, after his divorce from his previous wife was finalized. He had said to Warren, “It’s almost like they’ve stopped me from marrying this woman for seven years, and they haven’t succeeded. They’re not gonna stop me doing it.” The song has been considered “feel good” propelled by a strong synthesizer beat.
Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1987:
1 2 NOTHING’S GONNA STOP US NOW Starship (Grunt)-10 (1) (1 Week at #1)
2 1 LEAN ON ME –•– Club Nouveau (King Jay / Warner Brothers)-8 (1)
3 4 TONIGHT, TONIGHT, TONIGHT –•– Genesis (Atlantic)-8 (3)
4 3 LET’S WAIT AWHILE –•– Janet Jackson (A&M)-12 (2)
5 7 COME GO WITH ME –•– Expose (Arista)-11 (5)
6 10 I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING FOR ME –•– Aretha Franklin & George Michael (Arista)-7 (6)
7 9 DON’T DREAM IT’S OVER –•– Crowded House (Capitol)-12 (7)
8 8 THE FINAL COUNTDOWN –•– Europe (Epic)-11 (8)
9 5 MANDOLIN RAIN –•– Bruce Hornsby & The Range (RCA)-12 (4)
10 11 LET’S GO –•– Wang Chung (Geffen)-11 (10)
11 12 MIDNIGHT BLUE –•– Lou Gramm (Atlantic)-10 (11)
12 14 SIGN ‘O’ THE TIMES –•– Prince (Paisley Park)-5 (12)
13 15 WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE –•– Tina Turner (Capitol)-9 (13)
14 20 THE FINER THINGS –•– Steve Winwood (Island)-9 (14)
15 6 SOMEWHERE OUT THERE –•– Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram (MCA)-16 (2)
16 17 THAT AIN’T LOVE –•– REO Speedwagon (Epic)-10 (16)
17 21 WALKING DOWN YOUR STREET –•– Bangles (Columbia)-8 (17)
18 26 LOOKING FOR A NEW LOVE –•– Jody Watley (MCA)-5 (18)
19 24 THE HONEYTHIEF –•– Hipsway (Columbia)-11 (19)
20 25 STONE LOVE –•– Kool & The Gang (Mercury)- 9 (20)
