Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers: "Real Love" (1985)

"Real Love" was a 1985 single by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers that topped the U.S. country singles charts in August 1985. The song, written by David Malloy, Richard "Spady" Brannon and Randy McCormick, was the title single of Parton's Real Love album. Released as Real Love's second single, after the top-ten success of "Don't Call it Love", the song became Parton and Rogers' second country chart-topper. However, "Real Love" did not fare as well on the pop singles charts as 1983's "Islands in the Stream" had done, stalling at number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Unlike "Islands in the Stream," Real Love was not composed by The Bee Gees who had composed and produced Rogers' 1983 chart topping album Eyes That See in the Dark which also included another four of Rogers' hit singles from 1983 and 1984, namely "Buried Treasure", "This Woman", "Midsummer Nights" and "Evening Star" .

Parton and Rogers embarked on a nine-city U.S. concert tour in February 1985, from which an HBO concert special, "Real Love" was filmed; a music video for the "Real Love" single was produced using footage from the HBO special.


- Lyrics:

WRITERS
RICHARD 揝PADYBRANNON
DAVID MALLOY




They say that it's a matter of trusting before love has a chance to begin
And it's never simple, faithless hearts can cripple
And only a strong love survives
I know they say that it's a fine line between giving up and giving in
But once your heart's been in it you just can't forget it
It's like nothing that you've felt in your life

Chorus:
We got real love, not infatuation
Real love, our hearts' celebration
I love you
Real love, not an imitation
Real love, you're my destination
Baby, you and me, we got everything we need

You are such a part of my life that I can't remember me without you
And we've had our nights, we've had our share of fights
But we've never thought of giving it up
Oh, you and I we must be dreamers
'Cause we're making our dreams come true
I could spend my life just holding you so tight
And never, ever get enough
Repeat Chorus
We got real love
Repeat Chorus