I remember this song in the 80s as a throwback to a familiar riff in many 60’s songs. The song peaked at only #49 in the Billboard 100 in 1980. The Romantics’ two Top 40 hits were “Talking In Your Sleep” (#3) and “One In A Million” (#37). Both came in 1983, from their fourth album In Heat.
The Romantics formed in East Detroit in early 1977. The original line-up consisted of singer/guitarist Wally Palmar, singer/drummer Jimmy Marinos, guitarist Mike Skill, and bassist Rich Cole. The band has said their name came from an article on Bryan Ferry in Creem magazine. They were all big fans of Ferry’s band, Roxy Music, and the word “romantic” was used throughout the article.
The group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1977. The band’s first show was on Valentine’s Day at My Fair Lady Club, in Detroit, opening for the New MC5 in 1977.
From Songfacts
The Romantics, so named because they formed on Valentine’s Day 1977 in Detroit, have had only two US Top 40 hits – and this, now their best-known song, wasn’t one of them. It attracted little attention and was only a minor hit when first released in 1980 on their debut album, but found new life later in the decade when it became a popular choice for an advertising jingle, particularly for Budweiser beer. Since then the song has also become a fixture at sporting events, bars and nightclubs, and parties and celebrations of all kinds, and has taken its place as one of the most popular rock anthems of all time.
In another ironic twist, the licensing of this song for advertising, the very thing that sparked the song’s comeback, was apparently handled illegally. It was secured from the band’s management without the band’s knowledge or approval, which sparked a lawsuit lasting several years. Despite now having faded into obscurity, the band stayed together during this time, albeit with several lineup changes, and remain active as of 2012. >>
This song’s resurgence had a lot to do with MTV. The band made a simple performance video for the song that MTV put in rotation when they launched in 1981. It fit the criteria the network was looking for: American band, rock, catchy song, acceptable production quality. Since few American artists made videos at the time, MTV made do with lots of European imports when they started.
The Romantics, who were often compared to The Knack when this song was released, were a four-piece that split lead vocals between their guitarist Wally Palmar and drummer Jimmy Marinos, and it was Marinos who sang lead on this one.
Marinos and Palmar wrote this song with their other guitarist, Mike Skill.
The Texas singer Michael Morales took this song back to the charts in 1989 when his version hit #28 in the US. The song was also covered by 5 Seconds of Summer, who released it in 2014 on their EP She Looks So Perfect. They performed the song at the American Music Awards that year.
What I Like About You
Hey, uh huh huh
Hey, uh huh huh
What I like about you, you hold me tight
Tell me I’m the only one, wanna’ come over tonight, yea
Keep on whispering in my ear
Tell me all the things that I wanna’ to hear, ’cause that’s true (that’s what I like)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like)
What I like about you, you really know how to dance
When you go up, down, jump around, think about true romance, yea
Keep on whispering in my ear
Tell me all the things that I wanna’ to hear, ’cause that’s true (that’s what I like about you)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like about you)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like about you)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like)
Wahh!
What I like about you, you keep me warm at night
Never wanna’ let you go, know you make me feel alright, yea
Keep on whispering in my ear
Tell me all the things that I wanna’ to hear, ’cause that’s true (that’s what I like)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like about you)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like about you)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like)
That’s what I like about you (that’s what I like about you)
Hey, uh huh huh, hey hey hey
Hey, uh huh huh, brrr
Hey, uh huh huh, hey
sounds like the cover of a 50s song!!
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It does…it sounds like Cherry Baby by Neil Diamond…and later Rocking in the USA by John Mellencamp .
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J remember this getting a lot of airplay on MTV- thought it was a bigger hit- but I didn’t hear it on the radio that much.
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I know…I think it got bigger because of commercials using it.
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This song definitely brings me back to the 80s when I was into going out to clubs.
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Takes me back to Jr High…I really liked this song. It surprised me it didn’t get higher in the charts.
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The first time I heard it was on a college radio station.
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I was in Jr High… It sounded old…so naturally I liked it.
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one of those songs that’s become a hit after the fact so to speak- bet it’s on the top 100 of the ’80s based on airplay these days.
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I read where this is the song they are most known for… I thought it would have been a top 20 anyway back then…took me by surprise
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a song of those times for sure. it got a lot of air play here probably because they were from Detroit
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I really loved this one, but that cover picture of them in the red suits makes me cringe.
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I know…pure 80s…Hey! It didn’t pend today.
I looked it up and all I found was articles about WP 2 years ago and that doesn’t help because it has changed so much from the examples they showed.
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Wow, maybe I’m off probation, haha.
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I was thinking that this was released later but, no…February 1980. I was 13 & in 8th grade. It’s catchy and I like but, it has been played to death.
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Me also! I thought it was around 84 or so…I haven’t heard it as much…their big hit Talking In Your Sleep I have heard way too many times.
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Forgot what I liked about What I Like About You: It really captured that frenetic early/mid 60s Brit-rock vibe (Stones, Who, Kinks).
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