We've Got Tonight - Bob Seger (1978) 3/16/22

Bob Seger was watching "The Sting," starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, when inspiration struck.

It was during the scene where Redford propositions a waitress, who says, "I don't even know you." To which he replies, "You know me. I'm the same as you. It's two in the morning and I don't know nobody."

The next day, Bob retooled and retitled a song he had previously written and recorded, ("This Old House"), and turned it into a "Great Song of the '70s."

"We've Got Tonight" was a perfect song for 1978. The sexual revolution was at its peak...and millions of people of both sexes could identify.

The proof was on the charts: #13 on Billboard's Hot 100 and #9 on Canada's Top 40.

Of course, the sexual revolution was still problematic for some radio programmers, who opted NOT to play "We've Got Tonight" because of the subject matter. This most likely kept the song from placing a bit higher on the charts.

It's a "Great Song" nonetheless... and that has been proven twice more!

In 1983, Kenny Rogers teamed up with Sheena Easton for a version that critics absolutely HATED. (They thought Sheena's vocals were way too shrill.)

Radio programmers, listeners and fans disagreed completely, sending it into the Top 30 in 10 countries worldwide. In the US, the song was a Triple-Charter, coming in at #1 on Billboard's Country Chart, #2 on the Adult Contemporary Chart and #6 on the Hot 100. In Canada, the numbers were #1 (Country & AC) and #2 (Top 40).

And finally, in 2002, Irish singer Ronan Keating teamed up with Scottish legend Lulu for a wonderful version that wasn't released in North America, but charted just about everywhere in Europe... including #4 in the UK, and #9 in Romania, of all places!

"We've Got Tonight:" a "Great Song of the 70s, '80s, and '00s,"Thanks to "The Sting" and the songwriting skills of Bob Seger!

Bob Seger (1978)

Kenny Rogers/Sheena Easton (1983)

Ronan Keating/Lulu (2002)