Repeat Offender (Richard Marx album)

Repeat Offender is the second studio album by singer/songwriter Richard Marx. Released in mid-1989, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. The album was certified four times platinum in United States due to five major singles on the Billboard charts, including two No. 1 hits: "Satisfied" and the Platinum-certified "Right Here Waiting".

Repeat Offender
Studio album by Richard Marx
Released	April 26, 1989
Recorded	1988–89
Studio	A&M Studios Capitol Studios Lion Share Recording Cherokee Studios Sunset Sound Studios
Genre	Pop rock AOR adult contemporary
Length	53:21
Label	Capitol
Producer	Richard Marx David Cole
Richard Marx chronology
Richard Marx (1987) Repeat Offender (1989) Rush Street (1991)

History

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	link
Rolling Stone	link

After touring for fourteen months on his first album, Marx returned to the studio with a number of songs that had been written while on the road. The album was recorded with well-known L.A.-area studio musicians and would go on to become even more successful than his debut record, pushing Prince out of the #1 spot on Billboard 200 album chart. Repeat Offender was the result of the energy generated from over a year and a half on the road and was written or co-written entirely by Marx. "Some people might think that it would be easier this time around, that I could just kick back." Marx said at the time, "but the truth is, it’s harder, I’ve got more to prove."

The first two singles, "Satisfied" and the platinum-selling "Right Here Waiting," both reached #1, completing a string of three consecutive No. 1 singles. When the third single from Repeat Offender, "Angelia" climbed to #4, Marx became the first solo artist to reach the Top 5 with his first seven singles. Since then, "Right Here Waiting" has been covered numerous times, most notably by Monica and 112 in a 1998 duet.

Another single from the album, "Children of the Night", was written in support of the suburban Los Angeles (Van Nuys)-based organization for runaways.[1][2][3] It became the fifth single from the album, and all royalties were donated to the charity.[2][3]

Marx's second world tour began in the spring of 1989 and took him to Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Europe, Canada, and the United States, lasting through August 1990. Highlights of that tour included a performance in the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London and an invitation from Tina Turner to tour Germany.

Marx also had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform The Beatles' "Help!" at the Berlin Wall in late 1989. Marx also received his second Grammy nomination in 1990 for "Best Pop Vocal Performance — Male" for "Right Here Waiting".[4]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Richard Marx, unless otherwise noted.

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Nothin' You Can Do About It"			4:42
2.	"Satisfied"			4:12
3.	"Angelia"			5:16
4.	"Too Late to Say Goodbye"	Fee Waybill		4:57
5.	"Right Here Waiting"			4:23
6.	"Heart on the Line"	Marx, Bruce Gaitsch	Marx, Gaitsch	4:43
7.	"Living in the Real World"			4:13
8.	"If You Don't Want My Love"	Waybill		4:07
9.	"That Was Lulu" (only on CD and Minidisc issues)	Dean Pitchford		3:44
10.	"Wild Life" (Japanese bonus track)	Marx, Rick Springfield	Marx, Springfield	4:08
11.	"Wait for the Sunrise"			4:13
12.	"Children of the Night"			4:43

Singles

The following singles were released from the album, with the highest charting positions listed.

#	Title	Date	United States	United Kingdom
1.	"Satisfied"	1989	1	52
2.	"Right Here Waiting"		1	2
3.	"Angelia"		4	45
4.	"Too Late to Say Goodbye"	1990	12	38
5.	"Children of the Night"		13	54

Personnel

• Richard Marx – lead vocals, backing vocals (1-4, 6-11)
• Michael Omartian – acoustic piano (1, 7, 11), keyboards (11)
• C.J. Vanston – keyboards (2-5, 8, 10, 11)
• Bill Champlin – Hammond B3 organ (1, 7, 8, 9), backing vocals (1, 7, 8, 9)
• Bill Payne – Hammond B3 organ (2)
• Bill Cuomo – keyboards (10)
• Steve Lukather – guitar (1), guitar solo (1)
• Bruce Gaitsch – guitar (2, 3, 5, 6, 8), guitar solo (3, 6, 8), acoustic guitar (4)
• Michael Landau – guitar (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11), guitar solo (2, 3, 4, 10, 11)
• Jon Walmsley – guitar (7, 9), 1st guitar solo (7)
• Paul Warren – 2nd guitar solo (7), guitar (9, 10)
• John Pierce – bass guitar (1)
• Randy Jackson – bass guitar (2, 6, 11), synth bass (8)
• Jim Cliff – bass guitar (3, 4, 7, 9, 10)
• Mike Baird – drums (1, 2)
• Prairie Prince – drums (3, 4, 6, 11)
• John Keane – drums (7, 10)
• John Robinson – drums (8)
• Michael DeRosier – drums (9)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (2, 8, 11)
• Marc Russo – saxophone (3, 11), sax solo (6)
• Dave Koz – saxophone (7)
• Tom Scott – sax solo (11)
• Larry Williams – saxophone (11)
• Gary Grant – trumpet (11)
• Jerry Hey – trumpet (11)
• Dick Marx – horn arrangements (11)
• Bobby Kimball – backing vocals (1, 7, 8, 9)
• Cynthia Rhodes – backing vocals (2, 6, 11)
• Fee Waybill – backing vocals (4)
• David Cole – backing vocals (6)
• Bob Coy – backing vocals (6)
• Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals (6)
• Ruth Marx – backing vocals (6)
• John Moore – backing vocals (6)
• Shelley Cole – backing vocals (11)
• Kevin Cronin – backing vocals (11)
• Larry Gatlin – backing vocals (11)
• Rudy Gatlin – backing vocals (11)
• Steve Gatlin – backing vocals (11)
• Gene Miller – backing vocals (11)
• Don Shelton – backing vocals (11)
• Terry Williams – backing vocals (11)
• The Children of the Night – choir on "Children of the Night"

Production

• All tracks arranged by Richard Marx, with assistance by Steve Lukather (track 1), Jeffrey Vanston (track 3) and Bruce Gaitsch (track 6).
• Produced by Richard Marx and David Cole
• Recorded by David Cole; assisted by Peter Doell.
• Mixed by David Cole
  • Assistant Engineers (recording and mix): Laura Livingston, Mark McKenna, Brian Scheuble, Bob Vogt, Charlie Paakkari, Leslie Ann Jones, Mike Bosley, Jay Lean, David Night, Tom Fouce.
• Mastered by Wally Traugott
• Production Coordination – Susanne Marie Edgren
• Art Direction – Henry Marquez
• Design – DZN - The Design Group
• Photography – E. J. Camp
• Management – Allen Kovac

Charts and certifications

Charts

Chart (1989)	Position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart	1
US Billboard 200

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[5]	2× Platinum	200,000[6]
Canada (Music Canada)[7]	6× Platinum	600,000^^
Germany (BVMI)[8]	Gold	250,000^^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[9]	Gold	10,000^*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[10]	Gold	7,500^^
Sweden (GLF)[11]	Gold	50,000^^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[12]	Gold	25,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[13]	Gold	100,000^^
United States (RIAA)[14]	4× Platinum	4,000,000^^
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Miscellaneous

• The Japanese version of the album contained a bonus track, "Wild Life".
• The album was dedicated to Gabrielle de Martino.

References

1. "Richard Marx". MTV Artists. 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
2. Dulebohn, Amy (September 23, 2011). "Singer, songwriter and producer Richard Marx to perform acoustic show at Weinberg". The Herald-Mail. Hagerstown, Maryland. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
3. "Richard Marx coming to Kirtland Oct. 15". Petoskey News-Review. Petoskey, Michigan. October 4, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
4. "32nd Grammy Awards — 1990 presented February 22, 1990". Rock on the Net. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
5. "This Week In… 1989". Aria Charts. October 17, 2017.
6. "Pacing the Majors" (PDF). Billboard. January 20, 1990. p. A-10. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
7. "Canadian album certifications – Richard Marx – Repeat Offender". Music Canada. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
8. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Richard Marx; 'Repeat Offender')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
9. "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1990". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
10. "New Zealand album certifications – Richard Marx – Repeat Offender". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
11. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
12. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Richard Marx; 'Repeat Offender')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
13. "British album certifications – Richard Marx – Repeat Offender". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 8, 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Repeat Offender in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
14. "American album certifications – Richard Marx – Repeat Offender". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 8, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.