Rod Stewart knew exactly how he wanted “Passion” to sound, but after 4 days in the studio with the band, it just wasn’t happening.

So he called a “time out” and they all retired to a local pub to unwind and reset.

It was the right choice. With input from everyone at the table, a clear picture emerged on how to make things work, and once they returned to the studio, “Passion” became everything Rod wanted it to be–and more!

According to the song’s Wikipedia page, “Passion” describes the ubiquity of the phenomenon, delineating its universality by listing many of the people, places, and situations in which it is found.That’s either an accurate description of what Rod was looking for…or a version written by Artificial .Intelligence …but either way, it sounds pretty lofty. 

But the song was pretty catchy, too…and when it was released as a single from Rod’s “Foolish Behaviour” album, it’s no wonder that Passion” became a hit in 14 countries, reaching #1 in South Africa, #2 in Canada, and #5 in the US on Billboard’s Hot 100.

So, in effect, Rod Stewart’s passion for “Passion” made it a Great Song of 1981!

–Mike Cook