Urgent – Foreigner | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story, and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#4) and Mainstream Rock (#1); 1981
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Rock ‘n’ roll has given us some great sax men – such as Sam “The Man” Taylor and King Curtis – yet only the mighty Jr. Walker scaled the charts solo. Walker blew onto the scene with his barn-burnin’ Shotgun single in early 1965.
It blasted to #1 R&B and #4 pop and paved the way for 12 more rhythm Top 10’s. His final crossover smash – What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) – duplicated Shotgun‘s chart peaks in the summer 1969.
After one final single on the R&B list in 1979, Walker went on wailing on-stage. He was doing just that at New York City’s Lone Star in 1981 when a man he’d never met, Mick Jones, from a band he’d never heard of, Foreigner, implored him to show up at Atlantic Studios after the late show.
Walker graciously agreed and lent his trademark sax sound to the proceedings. Powered by Walker’s fiery reed work, Urgent roared to #4. Also, along for the ride on synthesizer was one Thomas Dolby who’d hit with She Blinded Me With Science in 1983.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Robert John “Mutt” Lange
- Mick Jones
Lyrics Written by:
- Mick Jones
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).