Why did Robert Palmer stand out amidst a populous pop and rock era? His consummate blending of soul, funk, rock, and style, served with a voice that one moment was smooth as silk and the next rather fiery. Robert Allen Palmer was born on 19 January 1949 at Batley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and grew up in a musical family.
His father was in British naval intelligence, and that brought the family to Malta when he was an baby. There he absorbed American blues, soul, and jazz on Forces Radio, and those influences never did leave him.
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The Palmers returned home to the United Kingdom when he was twelve, and growing up in Scarborough he sprang into local music with a first group, the Mandrakes, at fifteen.
He attended Scarborough High School for Boys, dropped out after his o levels, tried art college, and for a short while worked at the Scarborough Evening News before music pulled him back for good.
His first serious opportunity came in 1969 when he replaced Jess Roden as singer with the Alan Bown Set, and went on that to a stint in Dada with Elkie Brooks into Vinegar Joe, where he shared lead vocals and learned the trade of frontsing a group on a bigger stage.
Signed to Island Records in 1974, Palmer opened a solo career that showed range from day one. Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley was cut in New Orleans with members of Little Feat and the meters, and the follow ups Pressure Drop and Some People Can Do What They Like tilted between funk, reggae, and pop.
He decamped to Nassau near Compass Point Studios and gained a larger audience with Double Fun and the single Every Kinda People. Secrets produced Bad Case of Loving You, while Clues rode on the wave for Johnny and Mary and Looking for Clues.
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In the mid eighties he took a step into the limelight in the Power Station with members of Duran Duran and Chic drummer Tony Thompson, scoring US hits before deciding to refocus on his own records.
That one set Riptide up in 1985 and the ground-breaking hit Addicted to Love, with a chic Terence Donovan video that entered eighties pop legend. He followed that with I Did not Mean to Turn You On and later with Simply Irresistible from Heavy Nova, cementing his reputation as a leading light on radio and on MTV.
He shifted his operation to Lugano, Switzerland, built a studio, and proceeded to range across genres in the nineties, from the standards-brewed Ridin’ High to the rootsy Drive. Along the way, he accrued two Grammy Awards for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance and an MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video, in addition to British nomination and ASCAP awards. His private life was mostly private.
He was married to Susan Eileen Thatcher from 1971 to his divorce in 1993. Friends and co-workers admired him as classy, disciplined, and devoted to the work. On 26 September 2003, having recorded a television spot in London and having taken a short break in Paris, Robert Palmer died as a result of a heart attack at the age of fifty four.
Peers paid tribute to a singer who knew how hard it is to be distinctive yet adaptable, and how rarely one achieves that balance across a career that spans many years. His repertoire shows an artist who trusted his ears, dressed neatly without flash, and delivered recordings that are modern in their marriage of groove, song, and restraint.
Contents
Robert Palmer Top Songs
- Addicted to Love
The signature hit from Riptide, a taut rock song with a locked in rhythm and a vocal that struts without shouting. The video became an era defining image. - Simply Irresistible
An arena ready anthem from Heavy Nova that marries heavy guitars to a dance pulse, topped by a vocal hook that never lets go. - I Did not Mean to Turn You On
A glossy, synth driven cover that Robert makes his own, balancing cool detachment with a sly sense of fun. - Bad Case of Loving You
A straight ahead rocker with a classic call and response chorus, proof that he could command a guitar band as easily as a funk groove. - Every Kinda People
A warm, optimistic pop soul tune that became a career touchstone and a steady radio favorite. - Johnny and Mary
A minimalist new wave track with a hypnotic beat and a quietly urgent vocal, influential far beyond its chart peak. - Looking for Clues
Playful and percussive, with melodic turns that show his knack for inventive pop craft. - She Makes My Day
An elegant ballad delivered with light touch and clean phrasing, a UK hit that shows his softer side. - Mercy Mercy Me and I Want You
A respectful, modern take on Marvin Gaye, blending social conscience with sensual mood. - I will Be Your Baby Tonight with UB40
A relaxed collaboration that put his voice over a lilting reggae bed, easygoing and memorable.
Robert Palmer Discography
- Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley (1974)
- Pressure Drop (1975)
- Some People Can Do What They Like (1976)
- Double Fun (1978)
- Secrets (1979)
- Clues (1980)
- Maybe It’s Live (1982)
- Pride (1983)
- Riptide (1985)
- Heavy Nova (1988)
- Do not Explain (1990)
- Ridin’ High (1992)
- Honey (1994)
- Rhythm and Blues (1999)
- Drive (2003)
Robert Palmer Top Albums
- Riptide
A concise set that unites rock punch and studio polish. Addicted to Love and I Did not Mean to Turn You On showcase his range in mood and tempo. - Heavy Nova
The title hints at the blend. He threads bossa nova swing into rock muscle, and Simply Irresistible lands like a freight train. - Clues
Lean, modern, and inventive. Johnny and Mary stands out, and the production still sounds crisp and current. - Double Fun
Sunlit and supple, with Every Kinda People as its welcoming heart. It captures his Compass Point groove at its most natural. - Secrets
A tight rock record that moves with purpose. Bad Case of Loving You gives it bite, while the deep cuts keep the bar high.
Robert Palmer Awards
- Grammy Awards
Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for Addicted to Love in 1987. Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for Simply Irresistible in 1989. Multiple additional nominations across major categories. - MTV Video Music Awards
Best Male Video in 1986 for Addicted to Love, with further nominations for performance and viewer categories. - Brit Awards
Nominated for British Male Solo Artist in 1987 and 1989, reflecting his sustained profile in the United Kingdom. - ASCAP Pop Music Awards
Most Performed Song honors for Addicted to Love and for Simply Irresistible, marking their long radio life. - Touring and Industry Recognition
Pollstar Small Hall Tour of the Year in 1987, plus frequent nods in music press for style and performance.
Robert Palmer Singles List With UK & US chart
| # | Single | Year | UK Chart | US Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley | 1974 | — | — |
| 2 | Which of Us is the Fool | 1975 | — | — |
| 3 | Give Me an Inch | 1976 | — | — |
| 4 | Man Smart, Woman Smarter | 1976 | 90 | 63 |
| 5 | One Last Look | 1977 | — | — |
| 6 | Every Kinda People | 1978 | 53 | 16 |
| 7 | You Overwhelm Me | 1978 | — | — |
| 8 | Best of Both Worlds | 1978 | — | — |
| 9 | You’re Gonna Get What’s Coming | 1979 | — | — |
| 10 | Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) | 1979 | 61 | 14 |
| 11 | Jealous | 1979 | — | — |
| 12 | Can We Still Be Friends | 1979 | — | 52 |
| 13 | What’s It Take | 1980 | — | — |
| 14 | Johnny and Mary | 1980 | 44 | — |
| 15 | Looking for Clues | 1980 | 33 | — |
| 16 | Not a Second Time | 1981 | — | — |
| 17 | Some Guys Have All the Luck | 1982 | 16 | 59 |
| 18 | Pride | 1983 | — | — |
| 19 | You Are in My System | 1983 | 53 | 78 |
| 20 | You Can Have It (Take My Heart) | 1983 | 66 | — |
| 21 | All Around the World | 1985 | — | — |
| 22 | Discipline of Love | 1985 | 95 | 82 |
| 23 | Riptide | 1985 | 85 | — |
| 24 | Addicted to Love | 1986 | 5 | 1 |
| 25 | Hyperactive | 1986 | — | 33 |
| 26 | I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On | 1986 | 9 | 2 |
| 27 | Discipline of Love (re-issue) | 1986 | 68 | — |
| 28 | Sweet Lies | 1988 | 58 | 94 |
| 29 | Simply Irresistible | 1988 | 44 | 2 |
| 30 | She Makes My Day | 1988 | 6 | — |
| 31 | Early in the Morning | 1988 | — | 19 |
| 32 | Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming | 1989 | — | 60 |
| 33 | Change His Ways | 1989 | 28 | — |
| 34 | It Could Happen to You | 1989 | 71 | — |
| 35 | Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) (remix) | 1989 | 80 | — |
| 36 | Life in Detail | 1990 | — | — |
| 37 | I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight (with UB40) | 1990 | 6 | — |
| 38 | You’re Amazing | 1990 | — | 28 |
| 39 | Mercy Mercy Me / I Want You | 1991 | 9 | 16 |
| 40 | Happiness | 1991 | 80 | — |
| 41 | Dreams to Remember | 1991 | 68 | — |
| 42 | Every Kinda People (remix) | 1992 | 43 | — |
| 43 | You’re in My System (remix) | 1992 | 88 | — |
| 44 | Witchcraft | 1992 | 50 | — |
| 45 | Girl U Want | 1994 | 57 | — |
| 46 | Know by Now | 1994 | 25 | — |
| 47 | You Blow Me Away | 1995 | 38 | — |
| 48 | Respect Yourself | 1995 | 45 | — |
| 49 | True Love | 1999 | 87 | — |
| 50 | Addicted to Love (vs Shake B4 Use) | 2003 | 42 | — |