Penny Lover


"Penny Lover" is the title of the fifth and final single released from Lionel Richie's multi-platinum 1983 album, Can't [Slow Down (Lionel Richie album)|Can't Slow Down]. The song was written by Richie and his then-wife, Brenda Harvey Richie.
As with all the other singles taken from Can't Slow Down, "Penny Lover" was a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, spending two weeks at No. 8 in December 1984. The song reached an identical No. 8 peak position on the Billboard R&B chart, while on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, the song logged four weeks at No. 1. On the UK Singles Chart, the song reached number 18. In Canada, it peaked at No. 12 on the RPM singles chart.
In a song review printed in Billboard by an anonymous writer in 1984, "Penny Lover" was described as "another of his unfailingly effective universal-appeal ballads".

Music video

The music video was directed by Bob Giraldi, who had also directed "Running with the Night" and "Hello".

Single version

In addition to being shortened by nearly 2 minutes, the single version is remixed with added reverb and more prominent background vocals, as well as a cold ending with just vocals and keyboard.

Track listings

7" single
  1. "Penny Lover" – 3:46
  2. "Tell Me" – 4:06
12" single
  1. "Penny Lover" – 5:33
  2. "You Are" – 5:03
  3. "My Love" – 4:05

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)96
US Adult Contemporary 35

Other versions

Jamaican reggae duo Sly and Robbie covered the song in 1997, from their album Friends. It features singer Ambelique, and the song also appears on his 1997 album Sings the Classics. The single reached No. 94 on the UK Singles Chart.