DESCRIPTION:
"Paradise" is a 1981 single by Change from the LP entiltled Miracles. The single's vocals were sung by James Robinson and Deborah Cooper. Along with the songs "Hold Tight" and "Heaven of My Life", it became a number one single on the US dance chart for five weeks. "Paradise" crossed over to the soul chart, peaking at number seven, & it also reached number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Change was an Italian-American post-disco group formed in Bologna, Italy in 1979 by businessman and executive producer Jacques Fred Petrus (1949--1986) and Mauro Malavasi (1957). They were heavily influenced by legendary disco band Chic.

The band's debut album, The Glow of Love, was released in 1980. It was composed by a small team of writers made up of Romani, Malavasi, Paolo Gianolio (lead guitarist), Tanyayette Willoughby, Paul Slade and Wayne Garfield. The first single was the million seller "A Lover's Holiday" featuring the ad lib stylings of Zachary Sanders, known then for his work on Schoolhouse Rock. The follow-up hits from the album, "Searching" and the title song feature lead vocals by Luther Vandross who had yet to come to prominence. The three songs combined spent 9 weeks at #1 on Billboard's Club Play Singles chart, enough to make it the #1 Disco album of the year and a million seller in the U.S. The success of "Searching" and "The Glow of Love" exposed Luther's voice to mainstream & eventually led to a successful solo career starting in 1981.

The follow-up album, Miracles was released in 1981. It was created by the same collection of writers and producers as had worked on the debut album. Due to contractual differences, Vandross refused to sing lead vocals on any of the album's tracks and was only featured on backing vocals on selected songs. After Miracles, Vandross continued to provide backup vocals for the group until 1981, when he left Change to pursue his solo career. Petrus and Malavasi signed up James 'Crab' Robinson to replace Vandross, owing to his ability to perform in a similar vocal style. Robinson shared vocals with Diva Gray for the album.

Miracles was released to a similar level of success as the début, though it did not manage to produce a mainstream crossover hit such as "A Lover's Holiday". "Paradise", "Hold Tight," and "Heaven Of My Life", combined were another huge hit on the Billboard Club Play Singles chart, spending 6 weeks at the #1 spot in 1981.

If you touch me with your smile
I'll get you to paradise
I can make it worth your while
I'll get you to paradise, oh

Houses made of ecstasy
Around the rooms
So picturesque together
(Picturesque together now)
Feeling all our dreams are freed
Romantic thoughts and not
Letting them fade away (oh, no)

Reach for the sky (reach for the sky)
I want you, I want you more
(You know I want you more)
I'll be nearby (I'll be nearby)
Come with me, I'll take you there

Reach for the sky (oh, reach for the sky)
I want you, I want you more
(I want, I want you)
I'll be nearby (You know I'll be nearby)
(You know I'll be nearby)
Come with me, I'll take you there

I'll be that tenacious high
On the road to paradise
You'll be safe with me, so try
We can make a paradise, oh, yeah

I can share my space with you
After all, this is how it should be
I want your love, I need your love
Just some tenders words alone
Let me know that this is
How it ought to be

Reach for the sky (oh, oh)
I want you, I want you more
(I want you, I want you)
I'll be nearby (I'll be nearby)
Come with me, I'll take you there

Reach for the sky (oh, oh)
I want you, I want you more
(I want you more) I'll be nearby
(You know I'll be nearby, oh, oh)
Come with me, I'll take you there

If you touch me with your smile
I'll get you to paradise
I can make it worth your while
I'll get you to paradise, oh

If you touch me with your smile
I'll get you to paradise
I can make it worth your while
I'll get you to paradise, oh

Reach for the sky (reach for the sky)
I want you, I want you more
(You know I want you)
I'll be nearby (I'll be nearby)
Come with me, I'll take you there

Reach for the sky
(Reach for, reach for the sky)
I want you, I want you more
(You know I want you, you know I want you)
I'll be nearby (I'll be nearby)
Come with me, I'll take you there

Reach for the sky (reach for the sky)
I want you, I want you more
(I want you, I want you more)
I'll be nearby
Come with me, I'll take you there...