“Makin’ Up For Lost Time (The Dallas Lovers’ Song)”
Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris
Written by Dave Loggins and Gary Morris
Radio & Records
#1 (3 weeks)
January 3 – January 17, 1986
Billboard
#1 (2 weeks)
February 15, 1986
Putting together Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris was a cool idea.
Gayle’s clear and expressive vocals, paired with Morris’ heavy and rich ones, make for a great contrast. They both know their way around a solid melody too, so “Makin’ Up For Lost Time” benefits from their talent elevating what’s already a pretty good song.
The production feels a little chintzy, though. The more I hear from this transitional era, the more I’m certain that Nashville producers didn’t quite know how to make records that sounded less Urban Cowboy. Here, the pop elements are dialed down but still present, and there’s nothing new to replace them.
The result is a good record that sounds a bit like an unfinished demo. The sprightly elements of “The Sound of Goodbye” would’ve done wonders here.
Gayle and Morris would have another top five hit with “Another World,” the theme song to a daytime soap opera that serves as a nice bookend to this primetime soap opera theme.
“Makin’ Up For Lost Time (The Dallas Lovers’ Song)” gets a B+.
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It’s funny you say this sounds like a demo. According to Gayle, what you hear is a first and only take. The two of them learned the song separately and fed off each others’ voices in the studio.
Their voices sounded amazing together when they had a great song to sing. This was one of those IMO. Unfortunately, great songs did not come together on the duet album they recorded.
Surprisingly, producer Jim Ed Norman took them in a way-to-pop sounding album rather than moving them in a more new traditional sound.
But this song was radio perfection.
This song is so bright and nimble. Morris and Gayle sound like they are dancing together vocally.
For a first take, they both sound so crisp and clear.
Two top vocalists of their generation well-met, having fun, and simply shining.
Hard not to feel like the sun just broke through the clouds whenever I hear this song.
Going to have to break out the Gary Morris Greatest its CD’s and give them a spin after reading these features. I do remember enjoying this song and also really liked his duet with Lynn Anderson “You’re Welcome to Tonight”. My favorite songs of his were “Velvet Chains” and “Between Two Fires”. Great vocalist and I felt that he might have done well in pop if he choose to go that route. Him and Michael Johnson who should be covered later are similar to me. Not really very country but still very good anyways.