“You Still Move Me”
Dan Seals
Written by Dan Seals
Radio & Records
#1 (1 week)
January 2, 1987
Billboard
#1 (1 week)
January 31, 1987
“You Still Move Me” is an almost persuaded ballad with genuine stakes.
It captures its protagonist running into the one true love of his life. The one who broke his heart and left him behind. He’s since found another and settled down, but he’s always wondered if he’d have the fortitude to resist his old lover’s charms one more time, should the opportunity arise.
We don’t get a resolution here like we do on “Almost Persuaded” or “On the Other Hand,” which only adds to the dramatic tension. Seals is understated on the verses, but he expresses himself more intensely on the chorus, making for one of his most spirited vocal performances to date.
My only nitpicks are that the song is overly long and that the tempo is a couple of beats too slow. The strong singing and songwriting more than compensate for these minor shortcomings.
“You Still Move Me” gets a B+.
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I got Dan Seal’s Greatest Hit’s album years ago and this was one of the songs that I remember liking on first listen. I agree once the chorus comes in and it’s get’s bigger and more dramatic is my favorite part. Dan was a real nice singer. I kind of prefer his softer moments like “Old Yellow Car, “One Friend” and of course his greatest hit that was previously covered. I’m hoping there is a few more DS in the 80’s feature. Not sure if they hit # 1 but “Big Wheels in the Moonlight” and “They Rage On” are also favorites.
Turn it down down and enjoy!
I obviously have a soft spot for the tender vocals of folk/pop-flavoured country music by artist like Michael Johnson and Dan Seals.
The beautiful songwriting here is just so damn pretty to listen to, subtle, soft, and smart.
I am with Tyler as regards “They Rage On.” It is a brilliant song and performance.
Come the end of this feature, we will find that Seals quietly contributed a number of the decades most significant singles.
Sigh! I just stumbled into this series now when it’s apparently been ongoing for the last few years. I’ll start my responses beginning with the 1987 entries so I can be somewhat on the same page, but over time, expect me to backfill the entire 1990s and 1980s because I’m not one to stand for my feelings not being shared when it comes to discussions of classic country music.
A little about myself…..I’m 46 years old and grew up in rural Minnesota. I’ve been living in Iowa most of my adult life. I grew up on my mom’s old country records and the local FM country station constantly playing at my childhood babysitter’s place, There’s a special place in my heart for the country music of the 80s and 90s, largely since the cultural touchstones of our childhood and adolescence tend to be what stick with us the longest and shapes our long-term tastes. I’m impressed by the depth of knowledge that the posters and the commenters bring to these reviews. I’m full of opinions but they’re definitely from the perspective of an amateur with no background in either vocal performance or instrumental performance, meaning I’m not gonna be able to muse on the specifics of string and steel guitar arrangements nor am I gonna able to discern a vocalist’s “lower register delivery” the way that most are able to here. With those disclaimers out of the way, my first review……
Great place to start with Dan Seals, who was a boyhood favorite. “On the Other Hand” is a good comparison to “You Still Move Me” narrative structure with a smoother and softer delivery that could have worked just as easily on a Ronnie Milsap ballad. This one doesn’t pack quite the same punch for me as Seals’ previous three #1s but I still really enjoy it. The slow pace and long instrumental intro works for me, allowing for a prolonged and relaxed listen, nicely matching with Dan Seals’ vocal delivery. Great way to start 1987!
Grade: B+
Really looking forward to your contributions, Mark. I love it when readers share their own reviews in the comments!
Welcome, Mark!
Thanks. Looking forward to engaging with fellow commenters on these classics.
Impressed with your work in these reviews. I’m usually pretty close to your takeaways about 75% of the time and both you and the commenters have had some insights that never occurred to me.